Trail-running shoes

Has anyone had any experience with the Salomon XA PRO 3D Ultra GTX (image attached) trail running shoe? I have read a few reviews and it seems that they hold out well in wet and even cold conditions but it is the heat that I am a bit worried about and how breathable they are likely to be.

After some useful feedback to my last forum post where the debate was whether or not do the Grand Traverse in trail shoes or hiking boots, I am still leaning towards doing it in the former and am looking at the aforementioned pair.

Any advice would be welcomed!

Cheers
Dylan

I have never used that particular pair of Salomons. I have though done a good number of 100km + runs in the drakensberg wearing various shoes, including Montrail, Salomons (several pairs) and lately a pair of Inovate's

Go for comfort!

I have never had to worry about heat during the grand traverse. Rather the opposite - my feet are invariably wet before I finish the zig-zags heading up to the chain ladder, and they stay that way until I take my shoes off at the finish. I personally feel that the feature to look for in trail shoes is that the water drains out quickly. (which would suggest being breathable at same time)

I try on every pair of shoes in the shop and take the one that feels best - for 50km you can kid yourself a pair of shoes will work, for 200km you want to get it 100% right - no funny pressure points and no tight or lose spots in the wrong place. I pay particular attention to those plastic plates in the heel area that offer support, but if they are not exactly right for your foot, will become a problem down the line.

But having wet feet for 10 days plus is also no fun! Surely your feet and toe nails will start rotting?

Hi Dylan, I have a pair of XA PRO 3D Ultra trail shoes although not the GTX. Very comfortable for my foot. I use it for trail running. I've owned a few other pairs of trail shoes mostly New Balance, TNF and also have a pair of the Adidas Terrex Fast Mid GTX which really are great and I mostly use those on the few AR events that I've taken part in.



I guess the only advice I can give is that the Salomon's are great for what they're intended for - as a trail runner. My suggestion is to look for something that offers the best of both i.e. a mid boot/trail runner. I know some have had an issue with the durability of Salomon Wings Sky GTX but they're designed for light weight fast hiking/trail running and not backpacking/trekking. Any of the S-LAB series shoes/boots are designed for single events or race day use and are not necessarily going to last you years and years.



If you're ok with using the XA Pro GTX I do find that it somehow kicks up sand etc. which inevitably gets into the shoe although that may have something to do with my gait. Also, I'd get a neoprene gaiters as the shoe is water proof but if your socks get wet then all you have is waterproof shoe that won't dry out - this applies to both the Salomon the or even the Adidas Terrex Mid. Lisa de Speville makes and sells them but I don't think they're waterproof ( www.ar.co.za/2010/07/ar-mini-gaiters/ ). You can also make your own, but that's up to you.

Lastly, I can't stress that fit and comfort are paramount and if you manage to find something that ticks all your boxes then you're onto a winner - hope this helps.

I recently did a review for a pair of Hi-Tec trail shoes. The shoes were sent to me for review (i.e. I didn't pay for them) and this review is posted with Intrepid's prior approval.

Hi-Tec Speed-Life Breathe Ultra

Whenever Hi-Tec is sending me a pair of their latest trail running shoes, I am always excited to see what they have put together. Back in 2015, the Hi-Tec Flash Force arrived, and probably got the best review I have ever given gear. So when I was told a pair of Hi-Tec Speed-life Breathe Ultra’s were coming my way – my feet where itching to try them out!

A sizeable chunk of my Drakensberg hiking has been completed in a pair of Hi-Tec Flash Force shoes – a shoe I have really enjoyed using over the last two years. I have used this shoe as a comparison to the Speed Lifes as it is a shoe I recommend to people on a regular basis.

Weight

My first question with anything I will take up a mountain is very simple – what does it weigh? At 362g per shoe, it is roughly 50g per shoe lighter than the Flash Force trail shoes – a good start. It may sound pedantic, but dropping 100g off your feet is more valuable than dropping 250g off your pack – simply because of how much your feet move while hiking/running.

Comfort

My next question with shoes is comfort – anyone who has walked an 18 hour day will know that a shoe that was slightly uncomfortable at 5 hours is incredibly painful by the end of the day. Unfortunately due to an ITB strain, I am yet to get a massive day in, but I have done a 12 hour hike in them and they held up perfectly.

Laces

The biggest issue I had with the Flash Forces was that the shoe laces kept coming undone, a problem I am yet to experience with the Speed-Life. Once again, it may sound pedantic – but having to stop and tie your laces every hour gets rather frustrating when it is 10PM, your destination is 8km away and your eyelids feel like lead!

Grip

Anyone that has ascended any of the monster passes the Drakensberg has to offer will know how vital it is to have shoes that stick to the surface. The same is true on all trails, and off-trail routes alike. While ice, mud and certain types of wet rock will never provide much grip – it is vital that a shoe will hold you properly on any other type of terrain. The grip on these shoes is phenomenal. I always test a new pair of shoes by standing on a dry rock at about a 45° slope and seeing how well the shoes hold. I was very happy with how well these shoes held.

Drying and ventilation

Another key factor on shoes is how quickly they dry. I have been relatively fortunate with dry weather over the last few months, but on the occasions of these shoes getting wet, they did dry quickly.

Ventilation on the shoes is also very good. In icy conditions, maybe a bit too good! But you can’t have your cake and eat it, and a pair of light weight trail shoes isn’t generally designed to be used in sub-zero conditions.

Overall

At first I was undecided as to which I prefer between the Flash Force and Speed Life shoes – both are light weight, comfortable and quick drying. But the reality is that, overall, the Speed Life beats or matches the Flash Force in every key area. It is a shoe I have really enjoyed using – and definitely a shoe I would recommend to others.

For reference purposes, a list of hikes completed with these shoes:
Golden Gate trip: 8km
Chain Ladders (bailed at the ladders due to weather): 10km
Gorge Walk: 16km
Thaba Phinong via Sani Top: 10km
Night run from Swiman Hut to Mzimude River and back: 10km
Rhino Peak day hike: 22km
Bailed Knuckles attempt (Hobbit strained his ITB): 22km
Injisuthi Pass hike: 44km
Thumb: 24km

Total Berg distance to date: 166km

I was going to do Mnweni Marathon in them, but opted not to due to the snow, and will be doing my upcoming GT in them.

Looks like a topic to be moved to the trail running section?

My 2 South African cents: I think the best thing to do is to go to a dedicated running shop and let them video you running barefoot on a treadmill, and then with shoes. When you play the two side by side you may notice a difference. Buy the shoes that work for you and your foot type/running style, not the ones that look cool. Even Sportsmans Warehouse has this facility and can you tell whether you pronate or supinate or are neutral. The wrong shoes can hurt you even on a 5 km run.

Some more 2cs...

My current trail shoes are some Adidas responsive something or other (can't remeber the full name). They have a large toe box, which I wasn't used to when I got them and found quite weird. But this has turned out to be one of my favourite features. Because you are consteintely changing direction on trail, it stops the sides of your shoe rubbing on your feet, keeps you toes cool and they never feel cramped or jammed in.

Something else they have it Continental MTB tyre trend...SUPER grippy, even in the wet and SUPER hard wearing. Done well over 1000kms in the shoes and there is minimal wear on the soles.

I recently started using Altra Superior to see what this whole zero drop thing is about. My calves and feet hurt everytime but it seems to be getting better. They do warn you that it takes weeks to convert.
What I like about the shoes: excellent grip, large toe box and lightweight.

So I recently bought a pair of Scarpa Minima shoes (yes, I do occasionally actually buy shoes).


They are lightweight trail shoes, and Scarpa is well known for making great mountaineering boots - so I thought I'd give them a try.

The weight is great, just over 200g per shoe, and they are fairly comfortable, well as comfortable as one might expect from a very light shoe.

I used them for about 100km, park runs, around town and some day trips in the Berg and they held up very well.

Over the easter weekend, on a 3 day hike they were used in wet conditions for the first time. Admittedly I was fairly close to giving them to the staff at the car park - this pair of shoes will not find its way back into the Drakensberg on my feet!

In the wet, the inner-sole kept getting crumpled on downhills, meaning that I had to take my shoes off every few minutes to fix this. I also got what is by far the worst blister I have ever had while hiking - so bad that I had to apply anti-septic cream for a few days after the hike, and today is the first day where it isn't sore.

On the bright side - the grip is very good, even on wet rock. Possibly the best grip I've ever had on a pair of shoes.

So the short summary of my review - pretty good shoes in dry conditions, useless in wet. Therefore not suitable for Drakensberg hiking.

On an unrelated note - anyone want to buy a pair of lightly used trail shoes Just kidding - I still need shoes to do Park Runs in, so not all is lost.

I run with Altra Superior trail shoes and it took me about a month to adapt. Since then all my old running injuries have evaporated! So persist and you will feel the light!