X-Talon 212

Adidas terrex speed pro sg. I have these and inov8 talon 212. Talon slightly better grip but i always go to the terrex because they are more comfortable and slightly wider in the toe box if you order half size up.

Damn, it's been a while. In my home region (soft woods with widely available marshes/bogs) they were very popular about a decade ago among trail runners and orienteerers before VJ effectively took over. Still see them occasionally but they aren't nearly as big as they used to be. I still my pair of X-Talon 212 but out of all the pairs I've got they're the only one that boldly claim perfect fit and funnily enough they have the worst for fit me. That's one of the reason they're still alive — I barely use them. Have to admit though, for the purpose they're good. Light, grippy, shed mud away quickly and pretty tough upper.

VJ iRocks for racing. Scott Supertrac RC2s are the closest I’ve found to roclites for daily training. I’ve got a pair of the OMM fell shoes to try but I’ve been out with the flu so haven’t given them a go yet. Luckily still have some old 212s that i save for special occasions…

They're very old, the foam has likely lost all its dampening. I wouldn't even wear those if I could get them for free. There are plenty of great shoes suitable for OCRs. It is my current main sport and the shoes I see most where I live and what the fast athletes use: - Inov8: X-talon 212, Mudtalon Speed and some other models - Saucony Peregrine - Salomon Speedcross (less popular among the faster athletes) - Brooks Cascadia (less popular among the faster athletes) - VJ Lightspeed and Spark (Lightspeed is gaining popularity)

I have the innov8 MudTalon and the Innov8 talon212. I bought the Mud Talons to run that same 21k Spartan race last year due to the great traction and the softer insole (I thought would be beneficial for the longer distance). It was a huge mistake. They retained water like buckets. Zero drainage. That central Florida course is loaded with water and deep mud crossings (mid thigh to waist deep for long stretches. By mile 5 my shoes felt like cement blocks. Other than the miserable drainage they're pretty comfy for an OCR shoe. The Talon212's were my old trusty OCR shoe but were basically barefoot shoes or very minimalist in terms of cushioning which made me hesitate to wear them on the 21k run. They're equal in terms of traction but have far superior drainage, very flexible, and lightweight. Unfortunately they are no longer sold in stores so you'll have to search for them. I'm doing the same race this year but I'm bringing the 212s! My wife wore the Craft brand Spartan shoes that they sell at the race and on the Spartan site and she loved them. Said they held no water at all and were comfortable enough to get through the run. Long story short prioritize drainage for that Florida course! Good luck on the race Aroooo!