Ultra 3

I think the best fit I’ve had after Inov-8 G270’s in wide is VJ Ultra 3. Plenty of energy and good grip too. Myself I’ve preordered now SG7 wide full size up and I wonder If it’s a keeper for me. I could get along with SG5, Tecton and Tecton X3. Rocket X trail created too much pressure on top of the toes, go figure 😃

VJ shoes are European and from the north not UK though. Just as an alternative. I didn’t run in innov8 so literally purely suggestion based your requirements and as I am super happy with my VJ maxx2 and ultra3.

Another shout out for VJ! Maxx 2 and Ultra 3 owner here 🏃‍♀️

sensible to tapered toe boxes epecially on small toe (street and trail shoes). VJ max 2 and VJ ultra 3 work well for me!

Prodigo pro is nice. Beside the pros listed, I add cons. It runs very hot. Not a shoe for warmth - 20-30 deg C here and likely can’t take it for my next weekend 50k (the upper is breathable but the sock like liner isn’t!). The tongue is overly padded, I had to remove the padding to make my instep work. Lastly - take care of sizing, even in European sizes I had to went up a size. Some alternatives. VJ Maxx 2 or VJ ultra 3. Maxx 2 slightly lower than Prodigo, ultra slightly higher cushion. Prefer both over the Prodigo in most domains (subjective)

Just got some VJ Ultra 3 out of necessity because I left home in my slippers to go on a trip. These are hands down the best trail runners I ever owned. I owned in the past several Altra Lone Peaks, some Hoka, Topo Athletics. What I love about the VJs is how light and breathable they are, like the Altras, they have a wide toe box just like the Altras, but they have a better sole. I can't do 0 degrees stacks anymore. I feel like I'm walking on clouds. Will continue buying them as long as I can. Hopefully I find a store in Canada that carries them.

The Ultra 3 is my absolute favorite trail shoe. Also the company is call On, not OC lol. The person who commented about stuff getting inside the holes is wrong. They close when running. I’ve been wearing Ons since 2017 and have never had that issues.

Okay, so based on how you describe these issues, i think you have a pretty narrow foot, but i'm confused by the fact that you like the Hierro - this is pretty wide fitting and "plush" cushioned. SO maybe i have that wrong. But the best fitting shoes in the industry come from VJ. They have an amazing fitlock system which is peak stability. They have brilliant outsole rubber for technical trails, roots and wet rocks. They are epic for OCRs and orienteering. However, the midsole is usually a bit firm and numb, so they're not fit for road-to-trail. I've run in Ultra3 and Sparks, and if you're a lighter, smaller runner they will probably be fine. Alternatively, look at Salomon - the S/Lab Speed, Ultra, Genesis, etc are all narrow but have great lockdown. You have to persist with the lace system - sometimes you have to play with the lockdown 2-3 times before it all sits right, but I've loved running in the CDW Genesis for the last year.

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 run a lot of the trails here in Kent where we have a mix of fields in deep mud, occasional footpaths and horse trails, and stretches of road to get from one to the next. The Inov8 shoes are good, but the midsole is pretty firm on the MudTalon and Trailtalon unless to take the Max options. Unless you want a really responsive shoe with a lot of ground feel then i'd avoid this. This also goes for some of the VJ Shoes (the iRock or XTRM have almost no midsole!). I really like VJ shoes for the traction though - the outsole is the best in the business. The VJ Maxx is a good choice. I like the VJ Ultra 3 although the midsole started to flatten out faster than i'd have liked. Brooks Cascadia i didn't get along with. Midsole was boring, the outsole not great, and the fit rubbed my little toes. I also think the Speedcross 6 is very firm, and a little treacherous on roads - those big lugs are great in the mud, but terrible on wet tarmac At the moment i am finding the Hoka Mafate 5 to be a good shoes with lots of bounce, and the lugs and rubber are giving me really good traction. But it's a heavier shoe thats really designed to half-marathon and upwards distance. Other shoes that I think might work for you: \- Hoka Mafate 5, VJ Ultra 3, Inov8 Trailfly Max \- Salomon Genesis or S/Lab Genesis \- Merrell Agility Peak 5 \- Saucony Peregrine or Xodus Ultra 4 (not the 3!) \- Asics Fujispeed or MetaFuji get good reviews, but i've not run in them yet

I have issues with overpronation and plantar fasciitis so I think I can empathise. I tried trail running for years with insoles but I’ve found that if you get proper orthotics (which you should) they are useful for road shoes and walking shoes, but they are not need when running cross country / trails. To a degree it depends on the trails you run. I do a lot of running on soft ground, mud, fields etc. so i look for a good stable neutral shoe. If I’m running on “fire tracks” or well worn, hard packed paths, with no technical requirements, then I usually go for a stable shoe and maybe use my orthotics if it’s the summer. My personal recommendations: - Hoka Mafate 5 - soft and bouncy but the platform is stable and it rewards you getting up on your toes - Salomon S/Lab Genesis - more narrow and nimble but still fine for the harder paths - Merrel Agility Peak 5 - moved to this off the Speedgoat as it’s still stable but more fun and comfy - VJ Ultra 3 - the midsole broke down quicker than I would have liked but the lockdown and outsole make it worth it for really tricky terrain.