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I had a pair. Was really disappointed with the grip on wet rock, so I used them exclusively for dirt and gravel roads for the next 600+ miles. Didn’t love them, but didn’t hate them either. Won’t be buying another pair.
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.
Tecton X 3 is a good call above. I'd also look at the Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 if you want that snappy energy return without giving up traction. I've found it handles the same slippery/rooty stuff you'd rely on the Agility Peak for, but it's noticeably faster feeling on the flats and downhills. Good shoe for race distances in your range.
salomon s/lab ultra 1,2,3 low stack and breathable durable matrix upper
I swapped to Salomon S-Lab Ultra 3's and they are amazing. They are not as wide so I wear the thinnest merino socks with them for more space up front (I have normal-width feet). They're incredibly grippy and supportive while remaining sensitive. I find they dry even faster than the LPs.
I've been wearing Salamon S/Lab Ultras since their introduction for almost all of my trail running. They have been nearly perfect shoes for me and the one time I tried to wear something else I got injured. Unfortunately it seems these have been discontinued and it doesn't seem like Salomon makes anything directly comparable anymore. Anyone else find a good replacement?
Interesting choice! Never tried any Hoka shoe tbh. Did you use the same pair the whole time or swap at all? I logged lots of miles in my S/Lab ultra 3’s and it was a near perfect shoe for me. Only thing that comes close to that now is the Prodígio Pro. Currently considering trying out the On Cloudultra Pro, Norda 001a or 005.
I’ve been using Salomon Slab Ultra 3s and Hoka Speedgoat 5s for my main shoes for couple years. I needed some alternatives for Speedgoats as the 6th edition didn’t feel as comfy as 5s, so I decided to try Glide 3. My first impressions weren’t anything special. The shoes felt a bit dead. After maybe 70+kms they’ve started to feel much better, more responsive, and currently I use them for more relaxed runs (”do whatever runs”). I find them comfortable. Still rather opt for Slab Ultra3/Genesis when I know I’m gonna have a long haul on trails.
ye ive always complained about salomons not gripping well on wet rock. Contagrip sucks and its a shame because salomon shoes are the ones that fit me best
Rankings by Use Case
Top recommendations from others in the same boat
Best for Deep mud and soft ground

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

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

Top pick
Nike - Pegasus Trail Series
Best for Steep technical descents

Top pick
Salomon - Genesis Series
Best for Technical rocky terrain

Top pick
La Sportiva - Prodigio Series
Best for Ultra-marathon racing

Top pick
La Sportiva - Prodigio Series





