S/LAB SENSE 8
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I used to run in salomons (s/lab sense & ultra 3s). I’ve since found Arcteryx Norvan SL to be a great replacement for the Sense, with the SL3 sharing obvious DNA with the sense 8. I was thinking a Norvan LD might be worth a look as an ultra 3 replacement, even though I’ve never tried them personally.
Here’s my contribution. I haven’t done controlled tests like you did, but I run a lot of rocky vertical terrain and have put lots of miles in all these shoes. Trying to focus here on wet rock grip from the outsole and ignore other shoe attributes (fit, lock down, flexibility/stiffness, weight, cushion, etc) that also come into play with their overall ability to do the job on wet rock 5: VJ Maxx 1&2 VJ Spark Arcteryx Norvan VT (limited mileage) 4. Arcteryx Norvan SL 1, 2, &3 Salomon s/Lab Sense 7&8 Nnormal Kjeraq 3. La Sportiva Helios SR La Sportiva Vertical K & VK INOV-8 F-Lite 195 2. Whole bunch of older inov-8 x-talon and RocLite models NB minimus Salomon s/lab ultra 3 Salomon s/lab sense 7SG 1. Old Nike Terra kiger Salomon s/lab sense 1, 2, 3 For spiked shoes, I actually think they suffer quite a bit on rock because they don’t stick instantly like pure rubber soles. 4. VJ Devil 4 3. VJ bold race, VJ ice hero, INOV-8 ORoc 280
I used to run in salomons (s/lab sense & ultra 3s). I’ve since found Arcteryx Norvan SL to be a great replacement for the Sense, with the SL3 sharing obvious DNA with the sense 8. I was thinking a Norvan LD might be worth a look as an ultra 3 replacement, even though I’ve never tried them personally.
For my running/FL shoe I have a Salomon Trail Sense 8 (fits into the outer boot), for approach I either use the TX2 Evo or the Arcteryx Acrux FL (heavy but supportive and great for small ledges). For climbing shoes I use Cobras/Muiras/Mythos. For technical ice/big mountain stuff I have G5s and recently a pair of G-Summits and for lighter stuff I have the Salomon Alpine Modular boots which do great for Scottish stuff and messing about at low altitude in winter
Old school Salomon's like the Sense 8 are low stack, but they have a thin rock plate so you can blast through rocks. I miss that, however the minimal cushion beats up your legs.
Mam ultra lehké trailove běžecké boty od Salomonu, mela jsem je i v Alpách na relativně těžký terén a neměnila bych. Je pravda, ze na delší a těžší pochody by se v pořádných horách pohorky hodily, ale v Česku je to zbytečný overkill.
Solomon makes good lightweight trail runners, but honestly my Merril Moab low tops are my favorites. They’re lightweight (enough), but mainly they’re extremely comfy for me. I’ve seen people talk about the eyelets wearing out prematurely but I haven’t experienced that on either of my pairs. For reference, one pair gets moderate hiking and camping use, the other pair is a daily driver for me as a contractor
I use my old trail running shoes for hiking and grocery shopping. I don’t see why you couldn’t combine all that into one pair. What you’re describing can easily be done with something like the Salomon Sense or Genesis.
Have both and they are quite different. Genesis is less cushioned, I would say better for technical terrain and faster pace. It wraps foot veeeery nicely. S/lab is softer, good for long runs. Additional gaiter is cool
I've tried a few S Lab shoes that didn't work for me due to my wide feet. There might be some hope here with Brooks!
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Deep mud and soft ground

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Salomon - Speedcross Series
Best for Quick draining and drying for wet trails

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Hoka - Speedgoat Series
Best for Road-to-trail transitions

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Nike - Pegasus Trail Series
Best for Steep technical descents

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Salomon - Genesis Series
Best for Technical rocky terrain

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La Sportiva - Prodigio Series
Best for Ultra-marathon racing

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La Sportiva - Prodigio Series





