Salomon - S/Lab Genesis

I would second the Salomon or s/lab genesis. Wasn’t crazy about SG 6. Mafate speed 4 lite is good if you want a soft ride. Mount to Coast T1 is solid. People love prodigio pro (sadly didn’t work for my feet and felt a little bulky). Norda 001a also a strong option. Speedland GL:PDX if you want more bite. Haven’t tried it out yet but Kjerag 2 looks promising as well (Brut if you want more traction and less cushion)

If you like Salomon shoes and their relatively narrow fit, I’d give the Genesis (regular or S/LAB) a try.

Sadly, soft collars just don’t work for me. I really wanted to like the S/Lab Genesis, but I had to drop them. The ankle collar just doesn’t work for me my malleoli are extremely sensitive, and any contact causes irritation, even with socks on . Great shoe otherwise, but definitely not compatible with my anatomy.

I have the same problem as you and the shoes that block my heel best are the NNormal Kjerag and various Salomon models such as the Genesis

They are good everywhere except wet rocks on technical trails

With the Norwegian climate, for example, I would never have thought you’d get along well with Salomons, since their outsole doesn’t perform well on wet rocks. I also have the Genesis, and if you’re looking for a precise fit, you could consider the Kjerag 2 even though you’re a bit heavy, if your limit is around 40 km, they might work fine. The Tomir are less agile, and I’ve never really gotten along with them. Then again, it depends on the terrain you use them on I do sky races, so I prioritize precision and grip over comfort.

Salomon Genesis has been my go to all around shoe. Just killed my first pair at 370 miles with 161K Vert. Outsole and upper are still good shape, but I collapsed the midsole with heel striking and pronation.

Sierra is currently selling the S/Lab Genesis for 69 bucks if you wanna just throw more shoes at the problem. Mine looked trashed after 50ish miles but held up for almost 350 miles with 161k vert

I bought a pair of size 10 yesterday from the Taylorsville store and saw several pairs from size 9 through 13

Probably overkill for what you’re doing, but should still serve you well. I’ve got hundreds of miles in both the S/Lab and regular version. The regular Genesis outsole is considerably more durable, but that durability comes at the cost of weight. S/Lab size 10 US is 266g vs Regular Genesis size 10 US 303g

Dont buy no stupid Nike or Brooks. Get a pair of Salomon Genesis (since you enjoy them Speedcrosses) and send it. The S/Lab version in particular is a stellar shoe.

You just described the S/lab genesis. Its a bit higher than 30mm in the heel but that difference is negligible since you still retain enough ground feel with that one. It is quite roomy in the forefoot, has a 8mm drop, grips on everything, has a rock plate and is also a pretty durable shoe.

I loved the S/Lab but during long runs the rubber material around the ankle would dig into my lateral malleolus. I can’t use them anymore. I’m not sure if anyone else had this issue but it’s something to consider. The regular genesis doesn’t have this around the ankle, it’s soft.

Have you looked at S/LAB Genesis, or the new La Sportiva Prodigio Pro? I've got 497 miles in my first S/LAB Genesis pair and still have them. Prodigio Pro is one of my top picks so far in 2025. Kjerag is very minimal underfoot - don't expect anywhere near Speedgoat level of cushion or protection with those. That's a completely different type of shoe. I just tested the MTN Racer 4 and I don't think it's a great update. There's a lot of protection underfoot but it got heavier and lost a lot of flexibility.

I've tried the s/lab Genesis when they came out but the structure around the heel was rubbing too hard under my ankle bone, risking blisters. I should try the normal Genesis, that has a different shape. The midsole felt very soft though

S/lab genesis is my favorite all categories - best shoe i’ve had, go for it. Dont cheap out.

I am 6' and 220lb, I've had good luck with the Salomon S/Lab Genesis previously and currently the Norda 001. The 001 took a bit of time to break in though, not the fit that was great, but the under foot feel really came to life after the first 100km and I'm loving them.

Salomon S/Lab Genesis. Just broke 600km on them and they're holding up well but a huge chunk of that has been on snow. I'm going to buy some Norda 001s next I think, I like to support Canadian companies.

Salomon Genesis is basically just a much better Sense Ride, you could try that. I loved the S/Lab version but didn't do too much road on it. If it's just like gravel roads or super buffed trails, you could also try the Salomon DRX Defy Grvl, a road shoe with a bit more tread.

I ran all winter in my S/Lab Genesis, not GoreTex or anything fancy. Lots of our trails are groomed by the MTB group for fat biking, so it's mainly packed ice and snow once the base is set. But super slushy in the fall and spring. Darn Tough and Outway (🇨🇦) merino socks kept my feet warm as long as I was moving, and I carry spare grocery produce bags (those super thin things) in my vest in case my feet are too cold and I can stuff my feet in them in the shoes. Bought some $20 trail crampons from Amazon, first pair lasted almost 2 months but broke before the return window so I returned for another $20 set. Once these break I'll buy some expensive ones from Hillsound (🇨🇦) cause I love a good Canadian company. Norda (🇨🇦) makes versions their shoes with ice spikes and waterproofing, same with Icebug.

From my experience shoes that worked best on such terrain are Salomon Genesis and La Sportiva Mutant. Other La Sportiva shoes should do well because they are generally targeted for mountain running. Also, from my experience, Dynafit shoes are well suited for mountain running. Finally, if you want to see a selection of shoes and gear in general that is targeted towards mountain running take a look at Skyrun store (https://skyrun.skimo.co/). This is a real physical store in Utah. I ordered from them several times without any issues.

It is impossible for me to choose the best shoe because my choices would be different for different terrain and distance. Perhaps if I could pick a single favorite shoe of all times it would be **La Sportiva Helios** - between different versions I owned 12 or 13 pairs. I liked it because it felt like a continuation of my feet and I could really push it hard on super technical terrain in a broad range of terrains. However It didn't work well on either very rocky terrain or distances above 50k. If I look at my current set of shoes I gravitate to 3 shoes - each of them excels in different categories of terrain and distance - **NNormal Kjerag, La Sportiva Prodigio, and Salomon S/lab Genesis**. I've just ordered La Sportiva Prodigio Pro and based on reviews I think it has a good chance to become one of my top 3 shoes, but we'll see.

Salomon S/lab Genesis is my choice for ultra long distances. I like La Sportiva Prodigio and Prodigio Pro too.

I don't think there is a shoe that is comfortable for long runs and stable on a technical terrain at the same time. You have to sacrifice one thing or another. When the stack is increased for comfort, that inevitably makes the shoe higher off the ground and therefore inherently less stable. I wore a lot of similar shoes to the ones in your rotation. Recently I have been moving away from Hoka. I have a very large number of shoes in rotation, but if I pick shoes that I gravitate towards the most, currently it would be the following 3 shoes: 1) NNormal Kjerag - very natural, stable, and has a great ground feel. I can wear it for up to 50k if it isn't too rocky. My first pair has about 320 miles and it still feels great and the outsole still shows not that much wear. Normally I wear shoes for up to 300 miles, but this one definitely has a lot of mileage remaining. My second pair of Kjerag has 60 miles. 2) Salomon S/lab Genesis is my unicorn shoe for longer ultras of up to 100M or shorter runs on gnarly mountain terrain. It fits me extremely well, like a sock with no hotspots. Even though it isn't the most cushioned shoe, it seems to work really well for longer distances. And while it isn't the best shoe for really technical terrain, it can handle it decently well. I like this shoe so much that I bought 4 pairs in the last 2 years. 3) La Sportiva Prodigio is a great choice in between the two above choices. It can handle technician terrain better than Genesis but it isn't as comfortable. It is stiff when new but softens considerably after the first 30-40 miles. The foot lockdown is excellent. I have two pairs of Prodigio and am looking forward to trying a new Prodigio Pro, which should be a more direct competition to S/lab Genesis.

Kjerag has less cushion than Prodigio. If you like Prodigio but want more heel cushion, consider Salomon Genesis.

I am also running this race. I'll wear either Salomon S/lab Genesis or La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. The first one I used for all recent ultras, up to 100M in distance. The second one may be better than Genesis on a more runnable terrain, but I am still deciding. Both shoes are better than Speadgoat in my opinion.

I really like S/lab Genesis and over years bought 5 pairs of it. It fits me really well. However I consider it to be more of a long distance shoe. I used it to run up to 100 miles on rough terrain. Arcteryx Sylan looks like an interesting shoe with good reviews, however I have no experience with it. Both shoes have Matrix upper which is one of the most premium upper materials. I think Sylan might have a bit better traction than Genesis due to Vibram Megagrip outsole, but Genesis has a fairly good traction too.

Salomon S/lab Genesis is my go to shoe for 50 to 100 mile distances. It has a relatively moderate stack by modern standards, but the cushion has been sufficient for me even though I am a bit heavier runner (180 lbs).

I would run it in Salomon S/lab Genesis or La Sportiva Prodigio Pro.

How about "your shoes are too wide"? When shoes fit ride they should be fairly snug in the mid-foot area - with emphasis on mid-foot. The shoe should "hold" your foot in that area so that your foot doesn't move inside the shoe. If it moves, you get your problem. Source: someone who runs on very steep terrain all the time. The kind of terrain where I regularly drop 1000' or more per mile while running full speed. A heel locking knot is a solution too, but I personally avoid it because I find that it results in too much pressure on the bridge of the foot - the top of the arch right where the lacing ends. The pressure from heel locking knot may result in inflammation in that part of the foot. Finding a shoe that perfectly fits you is a better solution. For example, my unicorn shoe is Salomon S/lab Genesis, and even thought I wear a size that is fairly snug, I finished a 100 miler wearing this shoe with no toes issues, no black nails and no blisters. It does wrap my mid-foot like a glove.

The answer depends on a number of factors including your foot shape and the terrain you are running on, and whether you prefer comfort or precision on a technical terrain, and whether you have to deal with mud, wet rocks, etc. In my opinion, good fit is the most important factor. A good trail shoe should feel like a continuation of your foot, and there should be zero movement of foot inside the shoe even on a steep terrain, and there should be zero hotspots. So perhaps, the first step is to go to your local stores and try on as many shoes as possible, then research online or ask about specific shoe models here. If you blindly follow what others recommend, that may not work well for you. My favorite shoe may end up being the worst possible choice for you. And here is what I enjoyed the most recently. I am a bit on the heavier side at around 80 kg and my feet are narrow. - Salomon S/lab Genesis - La Sportiva Pridigio Pro - NNormal Kjerag (both Kjerag 1 and Kjerag 2) In general I prefer these 3 brands.

What probably makes those shoes feel sloppy is that they are too wide and lack the structure on the upper. If your feet are narrow, you should try La Sportiva or Salomon shoes. In particular, my to go shoe for 50+ mile distances on technical terrain is Salomon S/lab Genesis.

I used Salomon S/lab Genesis as my long distance shoe of choice in all last 5 ultras that were 50 miles or longer.