Saucony - Xodus Ultra 2 (S20843)

I loved this shoe until they put the rock guard in the toe, now it rubs the shit out my big right toe. Wife has these and loves them. I ran the soles off v1 and v2.

Currently in Saucony Xodus Ultra 2. Looking at VJ Ultra 3 as my next. A trend I'm seeing is trail shoes getting heavier, well over 300g, pushing 350+. I haven't tried TNF shoes, but have seen some good reviews on them. Can't remeber the model, though. So, my tip for you. Keep them light, with good cushioning and decent space in the toe box. Get rid of everything on/in the shoe that doesn't need to be there. With shoes getting heavier (Xodus Ultra 3, Xodus Ultra 4, Mafate Speed 5, to name a few) a lighter shoe that can offer the same thing should stand out in the crowd.

Drop and stack height can depend on user preferences and training to a big extent. Shoe traction, trail surface, and how you run and place your feet also matter. I've run in 0mm to 8mm drop shoes over the years, all are fine for me. On some rocky/technical trails, I've actually been faster and more confident in Speedgoats (4mm) or the Saucony Xodus Ultra (6mm), both high stack shoes because I could stomp on whatever sharp rocks without concern vs lower stack shoes with more ground feel where eventually I'd be picking my way through sharp objects because of the repeated impacts. On the flip side, I'm slower with high stack shoes when going downhill on loose surfaces and making a lot of sharp turns. "Ideal" is kind of hard to think about for me. Generally? Specifically on certain surfaces or races or trails? It's all tradeoffs, you might be slower on the technicals but faster everywhere else in mid/high stack mid drop shoes. How much technical stuff are we talking here?

I have >150 miles in the Tomir 2.0 and previously ran in the Xodus Ultra 1 and 2, and Peregrine 13. Also >500 miles in 2 pairs of the Endorphin Edge. Typically run on hard packed rocky trails. First 50-70 or so miles in the Tomir 2.0 felt a bit narrow in the forefoot/toebox. Not a big issue for short runs, moderately uncomfortable for longer runs. Loosening the laces helped a bit. After 70 miles, the insole has packed down and the upper fabric has loosened so they are generally fine for me on longer runs. I know it's not a case of my feet acclimating to being squeezed because my road shoes were squeezing my feet the whole time until I replaced them recently with the wider Mount to Coast R1. I've done several 20+ mile >4,000 foot runs in the Tomir 2.0 with some moderately technical sections, no width related issues anymore. The cushioning is on the firm side and took some getting used to. Endorphin Edge generally felt like a straight upgrade to the Xodus, lighter and faster feeling at higher paces. Some reviewers reported stability issues but I suspect it's due to (1) the Endorphin Edge being too wide for people who run in Hokas and Nikes, (2) high/max stack, and (3) the Endorphin Edge's plate. In my use, I had to slow down slightly on the looser and more technical downhills particularly when making turns but was notably faster with less effort and more comfort everywhere else. Main downside is that it's a struggle for me to get 300 miles out of a pair because the outsole peeled where the cutouts are, and that the outsole material itself doesn't flex well so I've lost chunks of outsole. It was worth the money when on sale but might be harder to find now. I just pre ordered the Mount to Coast T1 and am hoping it will be a good ultra shoe for me. I've had their R1 road shoes for some time and it fits and runs well for me.

Yes but it's not just the high stack for me. Outsole grip/traction, upper fabric security (does it stretch a lot or keep my feet directly over the sole at all times?), and how soft/firm the cushioning is matter some too. I'd still wear high stack shoes like Speedgoats, Xodus Ultra 1-2, and others over loose rocky terrain but will slow down to maintain stability. I wouldn't be running them much faster with lower stack shoes because the risk and consequences is still higher and I'd be making trade offs with foot comfort and overall pace e.g., faster and more comfy the rest of the time vs being slightly faster on rocks but overall slower because after a while my feet get punctured.

Yes I'd say it's for comfort, the high stack stuff is oriented to long runs, hikes, and ultras. The brand's sponsored athletes likely have a say too, meaning that the shoe may be oriented to particular types of trails or races. I like high stack on occasion but still prefer the shoe to be on the lighter side when possible. I liked the Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 and 2 but the 3 got a bit bloated to me.

I had one pair of the XU1 and 2 pairs of the XU2. Durability in XU1 was acceptable, got around 300 miles overall, much of it in the mountains above treeline. Traction was fine but not stellar. Durability of the XU2 was worse, I lost several outsole lugs and the upper began fraying/tearing by 170 miles, lasted out to 250 or so before I had to retire them. No idea on the XU3 and after.

Xodus ultra 2, I’m just over 300 miles into them and they are the best I’ve owned, worn them from 10 mile races to ultras

So comfortable just the quality is sh*t. Toes rip so easily

Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 are the comfiest shoes I’ve worn. Peregrine are also nice.

My Sauycony Xodus Ultra 2 are starting to feel a little...well, dead. Never really loved them, mainly due to the fit, seems like Saucony always makes go choose between too wide or too long :/ And dispite what the title suggets, I'm after new shoes that feel a little less firm than the XU2, less clunky and "flat" too, without sacrifising too much on ground feel and stability. Anything sub 250ish gram out there that's not too minimalist and uncomforable for the occasional relaxed 60K road/trail endeavor, nor too heavy and slugish for my modest 62kg body? So I'm not really looking for sprint shoes, I'm after that goldiocks type of option that keeps my feet and legs protected and comfy no matter what, without being a big unstable max cushion mess. Terrain: mostly gravel, mud, grass,...and mostly wet and slippery. Need traction to climb and descent, and good drying/drainage. I'd rather not buy seperate shoes for dry/mellow trails in my neighbourhood (tree roots, fire trails, grass, gravel, sand,...), but if I have to I can use one of my regular daily trainers for that. I'm kinda new to all the non-road running shoe brands. Seems like Nnormal, La Sportiva, Inov8, The North Face, etc...are kinda pricey compared to my usual 100€-150€ road shoes...but I'm open too all suggestion, I'll consider stretching my budget if I have to.

if you are in asics n like asics fit, maybe Fuji n Trabuco also something you should look into. for my light gravel, i have Novablast3 TR, n sometimes also got away with Adizero SL2. but my long distance trail shoes are Torrent2, Speedgoat5, XodusUltra2 n just newly acquired EndorphinRift. among my lineup, SG5 probably overkill for something under 30km. for Salomon, most reviewer would highlight about its narrowness. take note

i used xu2 for my utmb chiangmai 100k n verbier 100k, theyre plenty cushioned. prior to these 2 races, i used sg5 for transjeju 100k n chiangmai 50k, also comfy. the reason i went for xu2 for my recent races coz theyre less 'bulky' than sg5. so far for my races with dropbag access, i havent swap shoes despite having 2nd shoe in bag, but i do swap socks n insoles(when theyre damp)

- Bmai Pace6 Trex-Cordura: 35km - LiNing Di Lu 2: 25km , replacing my SG5 for ultra distance - Salomon ultraglide3: 225km - saucony endorphin rift: 25km, a lil too snug n rigid toebox for long distance, so it will be for short distances only for now - asics novablast 3TR: 750km, mainly on non technical cruising use my SG5 n Saucony XU2 just got relegated: - hoka speedgoat5: 475km,the lugs worn out severely, i still kept it around undecided if it worth resole - saucony xodusultra2: 950km, upper medial side already start tearing, lugs worn out

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.

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.

I’ve run lots of technical alpine CO terrain up to 50k. I’ve found the Mafate Speed 4 and Xodus Ultra 2 to be comfortable and capable for long mountain days including scrambling. Merrell Agility Peak 5 also good. Speedgoat didn’t work for my foot but is a renowned mountain ultra shoe. I think pretty much any outsole will be capable in our dry climate and terrain, including some light scrambling- I would head to One of our great running stores in Denver metro and try on a bunch of pairs to see what feels good for your feet. Comfort is the most important factor for a long mountain day, more so than all the performance features *I do have a pair of Prodigio Pros that I intend to use for your stated purpose

If you can get your hands on some Xodus Ultra 2, those are holy grail for technical long races. They have a rock plate.