
Running these analyses costs money. Buy through my links to help keep lights on! I may get a small commission.
Reddit Reviews
In my limited experience vibram megagrip were ok at best on wet rock, very bad on wet dirt (not very muddy). Best ones I tried were Scarpa presa.
I used Scarpa Ribelle Runs for easy scrambles (UIAA grade 3 iirc), any shoe designed for sky running will work decently well
Gravel is a tricky surface, I agree. It probably depends on the the percentage of a certain terrain in a run that I choose the shoes. Generally, for steep grass I like Mudtalons with 8mm lugs, for snow the Genesis and for barely runnable rocks Bushidos. But then again, there is always a trade-off, since a run is usually composed of different surfaces. As an allrounder in alpine environment, I often go for Dynafit, Prodigio or Ribelle Run. YMMY. (And yes: I might have too many shoes).
I too have gained appreciation for the Scarpa Ribbelle Run. Have tried most all the other usual contenders too, Ribelle Run is current fav.
I have been running in the Italian Alps for about ten years with distances even over 100km. I think that's enough to give you some advice. It really depends on where you live, the terrain you train on (mud, gravel, rocks, roots), the distance you like. To start, however, I recommend a comfortable shoe with a 4-6mm drop that is not excessively cushioned (you lose a lot of sensitivity on the ground) a sole with not too large notches (if there are some fast areas) Hoka Mafate Speed, New Balance Hierro, La Sportiva Akasha, Nnormal kjerag. Salomon sense ride (cheap and fast) Now I'm using the Scarpa Ribelle Run, they have 500km but they're not good
Per title, was wondering everybody’s opinions on this? For context I have ample bouldering/sport/trad climbing experience and am getting more into scrambling. I’ve done needle peak, sky pilot, west lion, Brunswick & crown, for reference. I’ve done pretty much all of these in scarpa ribelle runs which I find: - very nicely lightweight & breathable - excellent grip on trail - very grippy rubber for smearing - edging leaves something to be desired - rather soft and insecure for this - fitwise, a touch narrow and pinches my pinky toes uncomfortably - would like smth that fits wider - not always the greatest protection against ~baseball sized talus As I look into other & bigger objectives (ie markhor-needle, tricouni, armchair, would like to get my fitness up to eventually do Robie Reid in a day), I start wondering if there’s something that could work for me better. I was looking at the scarpa cruxes which seems like it’d be a lot more secure on the technical sections, but im not sure how comfortable they’d be on a massive day like a single day push of Robie Reid. On the other hand I’d rather be able to climb well vs have a foot pop and die lol. Or, should I just lean into trail comfort and then when it comes time to do consequential stuff, switch into rock shoes if the trail runners don’t cut it? What’s everybody’s thoughts?
Scarpa shoes are excellent if they fit your feet. I haver both the Ribelle Run (somewhat narrow and firm - more precision oriented) and the Ribelle Run Kaligra G (wider and a bit softer) which I really enjoy running/hiking in.
Option 3: trail running shoes 😁 You’ll need something to give you “stability” and dont be always putting “weight” on your knees when you come down from hills. I did it with some Scarpa, Salomon (worst shoes for me) and I’m planning to do it with ASICS Trabuco.
Scarpa trail shoes. They've been amazing for me.
Had great luck with Scarpas. The Golden Gate 2 and Spin Planet are great in conditions you describe.
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





