S/Lab Ultra

I disagree with this. I have the ultra glide 3 and Slab 1.5 version and have run multiple super technical trail runs and races in them. Just now I ran TGC in them and had more grip up a muddy hill then anyone else it seemed!

Salomon s lab ultra or recent equivalent are an excellent all round option. Rare on the shelves but you will find them online with some good prices periodically.

It’s different for everyone. I tend to have multiple pairs and I rotate. They also serve different purposes. Trail/threadmill/regular/race I tend to stick with the ones that work for me, and often buy 3 spare pairs when I stumble on a series I like. Often I also look at older models. If they were top 3 years ago, believe me, they are still good. Not worth the big price difference between models. I currently have the Mizuno Wave Inspire and Saucony Endorphin speed and Saucony Kinvara series for most normal trainings. Saucony Endurance pro and Mizuno Wave shadow for races. For trails depending on terrain Salomon Speedcross, Thundercross, XA Pro 3d (goretex) and S/lab ultra. Regular daily’s I loved the Wave Inspire series till v17. Then they changed and don’t like them anymore. Also looking for a good successor but most likely I’ll use the Kinvara’s more. Don’t follow trends and marketing. Test and feel. And really get more than one pair and rotate. It’s better for your feet too. And surfing for older models bargains can really pay off, certainly if you take the ugly colors no one buys 🥸

I mean, use the shoe you’re most comfortable in. Everyone has a different preference. Also, terrain can vary massively. So a trail marathon like Wales will be different to the Serpent Trail or Spine. But if I was you I’d experiment with some shoes with a bit more cushion, a bit wider in the toe box, and a slightly different lug pattern that can handle more varied terrain. I like the Hoka Mafate 5 or Speedgoat 7. La Sportiva Prodigio Pro is also great. If you want to stay in the Salomon camp try the S/Lab Genesis or Ultra Glide. Saucony Xodus Ultra is a good choice - far better than the Peregrine for this sort of distance.

I have wide toe box. So I’m wearing brands like Salomon (ultra, ultra glide) Norda work great, as do arcteryx norvan ld. Anyway injinji toe socks seemed like a gimmick to me. Difficult to put on. Just different. But I got a pair on super sale at REI. Holy cow!! Toes feel amazing, the sock has less torsional rotation and is in the same place on my foot after 10+ hours hiking. Usually in NH white mountains. So no climbing ever going on but it’s pretty rugged terrain everywhere. Has helped with general foot comfort. I was not battling blisters before. I did have waterproof footwear for the start (2 seasons) of my hiking activities. Salomon xmid ultra. I used to get lots of hot spots and some minor blisters. It’s because my feet were getting too sweaty in those. God forbid you plunk a water crossing. Then your wet all day. Anyway light weight mesh trail runners, good toe box width and frontal protection, mega grip soles, runners loop, toe socks or ultra light DTs and a sock change at the 10ish mile mark usually does me real solid now.