Shoes

xcalygrl

Can we talk OCR/Mud Run shoes for a moment? What brands do you love/swear by?

I have tried the Salomon Speedcross 3s. Since I got injured back in March or April, they just don't work for my feet anymore. I really liked them before that though. The lugs are great, the quick draining was awesome, and they were fairly light. They were a tad bit too narrow through the arch though.

After I got injured, I tried Saucony's TR7 Excursion trail runners. They have the same lug depth as the Salomons (5mm). They're pretty lightweight, but they didn't hold up to the VT Ultra Beast. They are good shoes, but I'm curious to try something else (that will last me longer than 3-4 months of trail running/OCRs).

I'm pretty open to shoes overall. I need something with mid arch support, will accomodate a somewhat wide foot (don't need wide width, just a little less narrow than the Speedcross 3s), has good lugs, drains well, and preferably something I can go try on before buying. (Darn you Reebok for only selling the Spartan shoes online!!) I've looked into the Inov-8 brand, but I haven't been able to go try them on this week. (It's on the agenda for this weekend.)

I've got another Spartan on Nov 1, so I'd like to get the shoes before then so I can do a few trail runs with them to break them in/figure out if they work for my feet or not before I have to do a beast in them.

Thanks!!

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ew_david

I have Inov 8 X Talon 212 and I love them. I wore them for Tough Mudder and they were perfect. I plan to wear them for Spartan this Saturday.

The_GingerBeard_Man

I have a major pet peeve about not using the right tool for a job. So I avoid it at all costs. I considered shoes for OCR to be something that I had to get the right tool for, so I spent the last month shopping and researching.

I also have a wider foot, and it is tough to find shoes that fit me well. On a normal day, I wear a New Balance 750 10 wide.

After trying on every different trail shoe I could find I had settled on three different options simply because they all fit my wider feet: The Under Armor speedform XC size 10.5, The Mizuno Wave Kazan size 10.5, and The Inov 8 X Talon 212 size 10.5. It was impossible for me to try them all on in one store because no store in my area sells all three shoes.

By far the best fit was the Under Armor shoes. I do really like them, and it seems like they would do well with water since they upper is designed to be fast drying and moisture wicking. The only issue with them is they have tiny "lugs" that are barely more than a tread. I have never seen a reviewer complain of lacking traction though.

The Mizuno shoes fit well, but all the reviews said they have a drainage issues when used for OCR. They are made to stomp through puddles with no issue, but once submerged they take a long time to dry out and don't drain water well.

The last pair I tried on was the Inov 8. All the amazing reviews of the shoes, plus the experience of my friends made me really want these shoes to work. They fit me alright, and I really liked the aggressive lugs. My feet felt very stable in them and I could run easily. I bought them on the spot.

Two days later I found a pair of the UA shoe on clearance for the end of season, so I bought them for half price.

I have run a few miles in both shoes. Honestly, in dry conditions I like the UA shoes better. I think it is mostly because they fit me better. I am thinking that if it is muddy though the Inov 8 shoes would have much better traction.

I intend to take both pairs to the Spartan on Saturday. If I it is more muddy, I will wear the Inov 8, but if it is dry with just a few water obstacles I will wear the UA shoes.

I'll try to remember to come back and post a review after.

sentaruu

I run/train with the reebok all terrain supers. I think it's a great shoe. It's lightweight, drains well, dries quickly and gets great traction in mud and and on the obstacles. I will say that they don't grip smooth wet rocks or slick wood (running on it, climbing walls with them wasn't an issue) well and can be dangerous if you're not paying attention to your footing
They tend to run long and narrow, which kind of sucks if you have wide feet. And you definitely need a good pair of socks because there isn't a whole lot of cushion, especially around your Achilles.

summertime_girl

I loved my Inov8 BareGrips, but they stopped making them. I tried the Reebok Supers at an event, and hated them. They smashed my ankles and I got awful blisters. I tried Icebugs (too stabby), Salomon Fellraiser (too heavy, no drainage), Inov8 Mudclaws (too heavy), Inov8 Oroc (too big). I am currently racing in Inov8 X-Talons 212, and LOVE them. SO grippy, no issues with going up and down very steep/slippery spots.

ColossusCain

I did a full season with the Spartan Supers and I can honestly say they have potential at best. No ankle support, can't snug them well enough, narrow as all hell, and they pick up gravel very easy. Maybe they'll fix them in v2 but buyer beware on the current model

mamarundrc

I loved my Inov8 BareGrips, but they stopped making them. I tried the Reebok Supers at an event, and hated them. They smashed my ankles and I got awful blisters. I tried Icebugs (too stabby), Salomon Fellraiser (too heavy, no drainage), Inov8 Mudclaws (too heavy), Inov8 Oroc (too big). I am currently racing in Inov8 X-Talons 212, and LOVE them. SO grippy, no issues with going up and down very steep/slippery spots.

Do the Inov8 X-Talons 212 run true to size? I have been looking at these but haven't found a store nearby to try them on.

summertime_girl

They are very narrow, so that may skew things, though I have narrow feet. But otherwise, they are true to size. But you could always buy from Zappos, and get a few sizes, since they have free overnight shipping and return.

ew_david

I loved my Inov8 BareGrips, but they stopped making them. I tried the Reebok Supers at an event, and hated them. They smashed my ankles and I got awful blisters. I tried Icebugs (too stabby), Salomon Fellraiser (too heavy, no drainage), Inov8 Mudclaws (too heavy), Inov8 Oroc (too big). I am currently racing in Inov8 X-Talons 212, and LOVE them. SO grippy, no issues with going up and down very steep/slippery spots.

Do the Inov8 X-Talons 212 run true to size? I have been looking at these but haven't found a store nearby to try them on.

I got mine a half size smaller based on reviews I saw and they fit perfectly. I got mine from Zappos like Summertime said, so I could return them (free) if I needed to. They are narrow too.

Escloflowne

I have Inov 8 X Talon 212 and I love them. I wore them for Tough Mudder and they were perfect. I plan to wear them for Spartan this Saturday.

Also have these and it took some time for my legs to get used to the "minimalist" aspect of them but they are the best shoes I've ever owned, I've done a Super and the Vermont Beast with hikes and trail runs thrown in there. I've never had a blister with them, I've put 76km(47 miles) on them and are still holding up great.

My girlfriend bought them also and she says it's the best purchase she's made in awhile.

mamarundrc

Thanks for the feedback. These are definitely on my list to try when my current shoes are a little more worn out.