UKC

Hey,

I'm looking to buy a more techinical running shoe as the shoes I have are for more for road running. I have been trying to run more off road on gravel paths and grass paths finding i dont get much grip. I'm wondering if the speedcross 3's might be too technical for this? If you have used them would you recommend them? If not suitable let me know what shoe might be a good choice.

Thanks,

Tommy

In reply to t__her6:

Absolutely love my Speedcross 3's however I reserve them for mud plugging and running in snow as this is where they seem to excel given their tread pattern etc and general running in them will wear said tread rather quickly. For general off road running I used to have Salomon XA Pro 3Ds, but I've found them to be very hit and miss as regards durability with my first pair (these were when they were called XA Pro 3D Ultra 2) lasting almost 2 years before I retired them, another pair having a defective sole causing an ingrown toenail and my most recent pair having the heel cup come through and cut me after just 3 months of quite light use. Take from that what you may, I am a massive advocate for the Salomon lacing system and personally don't think there is a better one out there.

In reply to t__her6:

Speedcross are good on hardpack and moderately soft ground. they show their limitations in mud and on wet rock / roots. the tread does not last particularly well. I dont think they are too technical for what you describe but there might be other options that suit better.

In reply to t__her6:

I'm using Inov8 Mudclaw 300 just now ,and find the grip excellent.

Even dare I say it..on rock.

Am also wearing Saloman S-Lab Fellcross 3 for everday wear ,and they feel very stable.Very good deal(WAS) at Sportsshoes Unlimited

I find Speedcross 3 lethal on a hill. And after nearly breaking my ankle a few times ,I consigned them to being (a very comfortable ) everday shoe

In reply to t__her6:

Great shoes on bone dry, alpine trail, but lethal in the wet, particularly grass.

Inov-8 Roclites worth a look for the type of terrain you're after.

In reply to plyometrics:

Which coincidentally is what I have been doing in mine today...

In reply to RobOggie:
thanks for the feedback. I will have a look at possibly getting a pair of speedcross 3's for the winter then and I will keep an not of the Salomon XA Pro 3Ds incase i decided to get new road running shoes. As for the lacing system its one of the main features which got my attention but great to hear some positive feedback on that too.

Cheers!

In reply to andymac:
Had a look into the Inov8 Mudclaw 300 and they look like they might be more suitable so thank you!

The Saloman S-Lab Fellcross 3 look like another contender, I will go try both these on and see what fits best.

The one thing about the speedcross 3 putting me off was the amount of padding. I do want ones with padding but thought maybe the speedcross 3 had too much and its not good to hear you nearly had an ankle injury due to them.

Cheers,

In reply to t__her6:

Also, just to add - the Speedcross 4 has recently been released. Not many differences to the previous model other than more chunky and durable lugs on the outsole by the seems of it

In reply to Adam_Turner:

I did have a look at them but the price tag put me off since these are my first off road shoes and I thought the new model might have been out since I could pick up the speedcross 3 for pretty cheap, thanks again!

In reply to t__her6:

If you thought Speedcross might be overkill for your type of running then Mudclaws certainly will be. They're a full on fell running shoe.

In reply to DaveHK:

Sounds fair enough and exactly what i was thinking. If you have any suggestions to what might be a suitable shoe it would be great so I can look into it. I'm fairly new to running so not got much of an idea to be honest.

Cheers,

In reply to t__her6:

I can't really help you with other options as I've used the same set up for the last few years: Speedcross for general trail running and Mudclaw/Fellraiser/Fellcross for big hills / really muddy conditions. Although as already pointed out they're not great on wet rock Speedcross are a decent cheap and cheerful trail shoe. Based on your spec I'd say give them a go especially if you can get a good deal.

In reply to t__her6:
What have you got at the moment? That might help everyone consider a 'more' technical shoe and are the trails you are considering really technical with steep ups and downs, lots of stones, roots and slippy mud or fields and paths. I suspect you need a less aggressive trail shoe and the number of possible models is enormous. I have Speedcross 3, but most of the time I wear Asics trail shoes when out and about around home in the woods and fields, they grip fine.

HTH S

Runners World - June 2016 has a trail shoe guide - might be helpful

In reply to t__her6: Speedcross are popular and some people see swear by them but the rubber is awful in the wet especially on wet rock.

Any number of trail shoes will probably be fine (ie choose what fits).

For wet/mud/trail and fell my favourite shoe is NB Minimus which I absolutely love. The grip is incredible. They are cheap as well.

In reply to t__her6:
For wanting gravelly paths. The speed cross is a great go anywhere shoe, the 300 is an all out fell shoe.

I like the speed crosses but the high heel could be an issue.

In reply to t__her6: it's certainly an acquired taste, and for my tastes a bit too flexible in the forefoot. But I'm on my 4th pair so must be ok. I find them pretty good on wet grass, mud, steep slopes but horrible for scrambling.

Speedcross 4 is out so good deals on 3's available.

In reply to DaveHK:

Thanks for your help.

In reply to SouthernSteve:

As most my running has been on road and I'm just getting back into it I have been running in a pair of Nike Lunurs, as you can imagine I nearly break my neck as soon as i go on anything off road due to the zero grip on them. I have to slow down alot and be careful which is affecting my speed. I imagine i am going to appreciate any grip since I basically have none atm but thought i would see if anyone had some good feedback on shoes they use or have used. The trails are mostly gravel with grass sections, some incline and decline but to be honest my shoes have stopped me trying much harder due to the care i need to take. I will have a look as the Asics and see how they look. Thanks

In reply to Stig:

Thanks thats another one i will look at. I think I might head into the shops and see what fits and see whats about at the moment. Cheers

In reply to Roadrunner5:

Thanks! I will go have a look at then in the shops and see if I think they might be too much but good to hear they are good shoes.

In reply to wbo:

Must be fairly good then if you are on your fourth pair. Don't think i will be using them for scambling but i will go have a look at them anyways next time i'm near the shops. Thanks!

In reply to t__her6:
Don't get too drawn into all the marketing BS about which shoe is best for what. For general trail running anything that falls between a road shoe and a fell shoe should be fine. Accept that you might need to try a few before you find a brand / model that fits you well. That's the most important thing. My experience is that inov8 suit a wider foot and salomon are narrower.

In reply to DaveHK:

Sure will do. I think I will go try some on and get a better feel for what might suit me and make sure I get ones which suit my feet. I'm sure my feet are narrow but thats just a stab in the dark as I'm unsure of the fits, so I think my best option will be to try some on and see. Thanks again Dave

In reply to t__her6:

I like the Speedcross 3s. I find the grip very good. You have to assess the ground as you run. You can slip and trip with the most aggressive studded shoes if you don't. I wouldn't use them for all out racing downhill but for everything else yes, including tarmac.
They are very comfortable though the padding means they are rather hot in summer. Beware not tucking the laces in properly, they can catch on heather or branches and snap.
It's a pity the sole wears quickly. Also if you get the shoe soaked running through streams and swamps the rather weak insoles can wrinkle on descent, which is very annoying.
I don't believe they are any worse than any other shoe on wet rock. Wet rock varies in its slipperyness. Some is like ice, some grippy. I avoid it!
If you are running mostly on gravel I would try and find a shoe with a sole more resistant to wear.

In reply to t__her6:

Given you can pick them up so cheaply, would suggest these as a good middle ground.

https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/ino826/inov8-roclite-280-running-shoes-...

In reply to t__her6:

If you like the Nike fit and sizing, then you could consider the Nike Wildhorse 3. Not tried them myself, but they get really good reviews as an all round trail shoe ( note there was quite a change from versions 1 and 2, so version 3 is the one to look for )

On my 3rd pair of Speedcross myself, a great all-round trail shoe, also finding the New Balance 910v2 to be really good all rounder at the moment. Also consider Inov8 Trailroc and Roclite models.

In reply to digby:

thanks for the feedback. I think I am going to look into some with a more resistant sole as it seems like that will be more suited to what i need. thanks!

In reply to plyometrics:

They look more like what I need. I will see if I can try them on somewhere to see what the fits like, thanks for pointing them out.

In reply to steelbru:

The nikes are a alright fit but I think I will go try on some various shoes which have been highlighted by yourself and others and see what fits me best, thanks for getting back to me.

Good to hear more positive feedback on the speedcross 3! also like the New Balance 910v2 as well cheers for pointing them out.