S/Lab Genesis

Trail: \- Hoka Tecton X 3 \- Salomon S/Lab Genesis CDW \- Hoka Mafate 5 \- VJ Spark (for OCRs) \- Inov8 X-Ultra for fells/mud Road: \- Hoka Skyward recovery \- Saucony Tempus 2 daily \- Hoka Mach X 2 tempo \- Hoka Cielo X 1 race

Okay, so based on how you describe these issues, i think you have a pretty narrow foot, but i'm confused by the fact that you like the Hierro - this is pretty wide fitting and "plush" cushioned. SO maybe i have that wrong. But the best fitting shoes in the industry come from VJ. They have an amazing fitlock system which is peak stability. They have brilliant outsole rubber for technical trails, roots and wet rocks. They are epic for OCRs and orienteering. However, the midsole is usually a bit firm and numb, so they're not fit for road-to-trail. I've run in Ultra3 and Sparks, and if you're a lighter, smaller runner they will probably be fine. Alternatively, look at Salomon - the S/Lab Speed, Ultra, Genesis, etc are all narrow but have great lockdown. You have to persist with the lace system - sometimes you have to play with the lockdown 2-3 times before it all sits right, but I've loved running in the CDW Genesis for the last year.

Yes. Actually i was out in my S/Lab Genesis this morning for my long run. They are a bit wider than normal Salomon, but if you find you have wider feet i'd say you should avoid. The last is no wider than a Speedcross, but with the foam of the Ultraglide and more lateral stability. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but the outsole rubber doesn't last very long - i've usually worn away some of the lugs after 250km. Maybe this will help: My current running rotation is: \- Saucony Tempus 2 / Hoka Mach X 2 / Hoka Ceilo X for road \- Inov8 TrailFly / Salomon S-Lab Genesis / Brooks Catamount 3 / Hoka TectonX 3 for gravel \- Inov8 X-Talon Ultra / VJ Sparks for mud and obstacles I'm looking at add a pair of iRock+ for obstacle racing as I've heard great things about the updated, wider last + toe box, new foam. AMA :)

Hello. I come from the same issue. I had major issues with Plantar Fasciitis after running in the Speedcross and S/Lab Speed for many years. My first shoe was the Hoka Speedgoat Evo. That was an epic shoe, but sold out everywhere so quickly I only ever ran in one pair. Since then I’ve tried many similar shoes, looking for great grip, soft and bouncy ride, but good stability as I over-pronate, plus I recently developed osteoarthritisin my big toes. So, I really rate the following: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4. Good all rounder - Salomon S/lab genesis. A little narrow and unstable but speedy and shed mud quickly - La Sportiva Prodigeo Pro - great foam and good grip, lightweight. - Saucony Xodus Ultra - 1 and 3 are pretty good, ignore the 2. - Hoka Tecton X 3 - my go-to race shoe for hard packed trails and gravel I like the Speedgoat, Catamount, Fuji Lite, Ultra Glide too but they all have compromises that the shoes above don’t have in the same way.

Hoka is my go-to for this sort of thing. Mafate 5 is super plush, bouncy and fun. Tecton X3 is great for gravel and works well in the technical stuff too. Anything else you look at will be heavy or narrow. I like Salomon a lot, but the S/Lab Genesis is a little too narrow for more than 25km, and the Ultra Glide doesn’t seem to have the real bounce conpared to the Hokas. Saucony Xodus Ultra is great over the distance, but I felt it was a little clunky and heavy - for some reason the Mafate felt more agile. Speaking of which - Merrell Agility Peak 5 would be a good choice. I hate to say it but I really dont rate many of the Asics trail shoes. Fuji Lite is fine for a daily but not for a race day shoe.

I have issues with overpronation and plantar fasciitis so I think I can empathise. I tried trail running for years with insoles but I’ve found that if you get proper orthotics (which you should) they are useful for road shoes and walking shoes, but they are not need when running cross country / trails. To a degree it depends on the trails you run. I do a lot of running on soft ground, mud, fields etc. so i look for a good stable neutral shoe. If I’m running on “fire tracks” or well worn, hard packed paths, with no technical requirements, then I usually go for a stable shoe and maybe use my orthotics if it’s the summer. My personal recommendations: - Hoka Mafate 5 - soft and bouncy but the platform is stable and it rewards you getting up on your toes - Salomon S/Lab Genesis - more narrow and nimble but still fine for the harder paths - Merrel Agility Peak 5 - moved to this off the Speedgoat as it’s still stable but more fun and comfy - VJ Ultra 3 - the midsole broke down quicker than I would have liked but the lockdown and outsole make it worth it for really tricky terrain.

I think I am I’m the only person on Reddit who likes the Hoka Mafate 5. But the S/Lab Genesis is also a solid shoe. Finally, Nnormal or Norda are both very robust.

Agree, it really depends on how fast, how far, the ratio of road to trail etc. my Saucony Tempus are pretty good on park run trails and “fire track” style roads. Puma shoes with their Puma Grip are great in the rain or on slightly uneven terrain. Then you have what some call Commuter shoes - road to trail shoes with lower lug depth and softer midsole. Hoka’s Challenger ATR isn’t bad, and the Tecton X and X2 had proper gravel lugs that worked well, along with shows like the Saucony Xodus Ultra, Nike Terra Kiger or Pegasus Trail. Personally I’ve just run in road shoes if it’s dry, and I trust my trail shoes (currently Salomon Genesis and Hoka Mafate 5) in the wet or more technical terrain.

Hello. As a lot of people say, a good road shoe will be good on the hard packed trails as well. But if you want a bit more traction and security, go with something that has a good foam and a smaller lugs. Options I’ve run in and like include: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4 / Tecton X - Salomon Genesis / Ultra Glide - La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - Merrell Agility Peak 5 - Brooks Catamount 4 - Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 (avoid the 3) For reference I am 85kg and usually run 30km / week.

Hoka Mafate 5 is comfy and fun. Mafate Speed 4 is still good but a little narrower and not quite so bouncy. I used to run in Speedgoats a lot but think the 5 & 6 are missing some comfort and the foam isn’t returning the energy of newer shoes. Salomon Genesis or Ultra Glide are both good if you can accommodate a narrower fit. I prefer the protection of the Genesis over the Ultra Glide. Prodigio Pro is also fun and bouncy, but much lighter, less protection around the ankle and so a bit more stripped back. Everyone I know loves them though. Hoka Tecton X 3 is a similar proposition to the Prodigio but both are spendy. Hoka is slightly more stable and bouncy but there is very little in it. If you want the best outsole rubber money can buy, look at the VJ Ultra 3. Seriously, the lugs and rubber is like glue. Finally, the Saucony Xodus Ultra is a good shoe for distances like this. It’s also comfy and protective. Just avoid the 2 or 3 and go for the latest version 4.

Oh I use “shoe rotation” as a regular excuse to buy more shoes, but in the real world I have: - shoe for trails and ultras (Salomon Genesis currently) - shoe for technical and short trails (Hoka Zinal 2) - shoe for gravel / road to trail (Hoka Tecton X) - shoe for deep or thick mud (Inov8 X-Talon Ultra) - shoe for OCR racing (VJ Spark)

As many people have said here, the SG6 is too firm and has lost some of its “fun”. The Merrell Agility Peak 5 is a good option. The Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 are great. Miss version 3. Version 4 is supposed to be a return to form. Salomon Genesis is a good shoe I’ve run 200km in but runs narrow. I am loving the Mafate 5 but it’s a marmite shoe for this community I’ve noticed. La Sportiva Prodigeo Pro has a lot of fans but the midsole is less stable, more bouncy and it’s not cheap. The North Face Vectiv Series are decent now - there’s a lot to choose from. Final option if you want great outsole grip is the VJ Ultra 3. Fab lockdown too.

Yeah the 4 with the Vibram looks promising. How nimble are the 3? My area is a lot of single track with roots, and my Peregrine 13 perform well there but are due for replacement. I'm also doing longer trail days, so would like a bit more cushion, but not sure how well a higher stack shoe might perform when I'm tap dancing around roots. The Peregrine 15 are a little more cushioned than 13, so might be good. I've also tried on Salomon Genesis and liked them but my local store didn't have any XUs. I've been enjoying high stack road shoes so kind of leaning that way for trail comfort just need to stay a bit agile

I'm currently looking to replace my aging Peregrine 13, plus get a bit more cushion. I liked the extra cushion on the 15s, thought they felt nice in store Salomon Genesis (the standard model, not s/lab) has a pretty similar midsole feel to the 15, maybe a tiny bit softer. Upper feels slightly more plush/padded in the Genesis. I've tried on other Salomons before and found them too narrow, but the Genesis felt great for me, and probably what I'll go with

There is no such thing as "the best" running shoe. Every running shoe company is making great shoes right now, and they all have a wide range of options. Like, Hoka ain't the only brand making cushy shoes, and Brooks isn't the only one with daily trainers. What matters is what fits your feet and body and goals. I've found Saucony consistently fits me well. I have their Triumph 21 for a daily trainer. Endorphin Speed 3 and Kinvara 13 for speed work outs. Hurricane 24 for recovery. I also have Asics Superblast 2 for long runs, and Salomon Genesis for trails

Great shoe, underrated in my opinion. Wait for the new one though. I've been able to try some on and run indoors with them and they are better again.

Great shoe, underrated in my opinion. Wait for the new one though. I've been able to try some on and run indoors with them and they are better again.

Look at the Prodigio Pro, but with a high instep like me you probably have to remove the tongue padding. Otherwise with a high instep I usually use Nike and Salomon, so in that case maybe ACG Zegama or Salomon Genesis or wait for the Genesis 2 in autumn.

It's not really the shoe's job to prevent ankle rolls. However, some shoes are inherently more stable. I think the Salomon Genesis is an excellent shoe for that and it has these weird plastic pieces - these are actually stability elements. Rock solid heel. Norvan LD4 is another, but less cushioned.

Closest thing to a 'stability trail shoe' is the Salomon Genesis - it has some plastic support elements which make for a bomb-proof heel. Arc'teryx Norvan LD4 also has a pretty stable heel.

Tomir 2, Prodigio Max are both tanks. But Salomon Genesis (also the S/LAB version) and the Merrell MTL Adapt with Matryx uppers are tear-proof.

Look at the Prodigio Pro, but with a high instep like me you probably have to remove the tongue padding. Otherwise with a high instep I usually use Nike and Salomon, so in that case maybe ACG Zegama or Salomon Genesis or wait for the Genesis 2 in autumn.

The tight heel lockdown I get from Salomon. Especially the current iteration of the S/Lab Genesis is very roomy at the toes but can get really locked down in midfoot/heel (mostly because of the Salomon lacing system). I’ve not worn them past 50k but know people that do. Maybe worth trying a few models?

To be honest there are almost certainly more comfortable options for multi-day, others will probably have better suggestions! It was just your comment about getting tight around the heels made me think it’s worth trying out Salomons for the quick lace system!

This is so funny as I own all three. I wouldn’t do an ultra with new shoes so close… but if you’ve got some 30k+ runs in the next few weeks maybe it’d be fine? Anyway about the shoes. Genesis are in my daily rotation but haven’t done more than a half marathon in them. If I remember correctly they’re quite low stack height? I remember my first few runs in them I could definitely feel it in my knees but they’re fine after breaking in. I also own those exact color of Ultra Glides. They are beefy and feel quite heavy on the feet. My last race was 55km and 3500hm. I wore them as it was quite dry and all good but yeah definitely felt them towards the end. But at the same time I appreciated the cushion. I wouldn’t wear them again though on something so long and technical. Definitely definitely I had to size up in these. The NB i cannot run in. I’ve had them for a year as my daily sneaker but running in NB is a no go for me, my big toe just gets beaten up by the toe box.