Salomon - S/Lab Genesis Spine

I always use trail runners for hiking, as they are much more comfortable. I also do trailruns/skyruns with them, including climbing grades I - II. If you encounter snow a trail runner like S/LAB Genesis Spine is nice. Mountaineering / Hiking boots from my point of view are only useful for serious climbs or when proper crampons are required.

I've tried a few S Lab shoes that didn't work for me due to my wide feet. There might be some hope here with Brooks!

The Salomon Genesis is like a better version of the Sense Ride. I commute on pavement and trail and these shoes are my workhorse. They are not rockered or highly cushioned though, which works great for me but might not work for everyone. Speedgoat lugs would likely wear out too quick on the road as they are relatively sharp and pointy. Look for lugs that are flatter and wider.

Yeah I am literally never going to be wearing a shoe for that long. Most of mine tend to last between 550km - 900km before they are totally done in. I love my Genesis, but that energy foam does flatten out quite considerably and my old pair have become a lot less comfortable and supportive at 550km.

SLab was too narrow in the midfoot for me, it has quite a high arch. The Genesis is still a wonderful show in its own right, very capable, but the SLab feels a little more premium and slightly bouncier in the midsole.

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)

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

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

Hi all, in a little more than three weeks I will run my first ultra - the Julian Alps Sky Trail in Kranjska Gora, covering 53km (33miles) with 2700 meters of vertical gain. I have raced the 25K event last year and loved it so much that I decided to tackle my first ultra there as well. Now that the event approaches fast, I am naturally starting to overthink things. I am especially unsure about what shoes to wear. My two main choices are the HOKA Tecton X 2 (faster but higher stack and shallower lugs) and the Salomon S / LAB Genesis (deeper lugs, better suited to more diverse terrain but possibly a tad bit slower). Both pairs are quite fresh. If it rains cats and dogs in Slovenia I would also bring a beefier shoe just to be safe. For the 25K last year I wore the Nnormal Kjerag and it was the perfect choice. Its lugs are also only 3mm but it's just so agile that it doesn't matter. For my first 50K effort I think the Kjerag is too minimal though. Also, the 50K route is supposed to be quite different than the 25K (elevation profile in the pic). Any tips are more than welcome, especially from folks who have run that particular distance at the JAT. Thanks, fellow runners. P.S.: I know that what counts much more than my shoe choice is the training I did. Please be assured that I covered that aspect as well as I possibly could this year.

>IMO the Genesis seems a better choice over the Tecton X, assuming you did long distances with those. That's what my gut is telling me as well. I am usually a decently fast racer that likes a propulsive shoe on raceday, but I have no ultra experience and speed is probably no real concern anyway. And I would say the Genesis is the more versatile option. The Mafate is also gonna be in my luggage as a backup shoe in case it's pouring (like it did at Mozart 100 this year where it also saved my day). I would prefer a lighter option though. Thanks for the advice.

Thanks. Yeah, if it is muddy I will run in the Mafate for sure. If it's dry I would prefer a lighter option though. I think in the end it will be either the Genesis or the Mafate as I don't quite trust the lugs on the Tecton on alpine terrain.

It's a fantastic race, highly recommend it. I think it's selling out pretty fast, just as an aside. I chose the S / LAB Genesis and felt they were the right choice. Terrain on the mountain was quite difficult, especially some steep, technical and muddy downhills. The shoes did well on all surfaces, I really didn't think about them anymore. I would have preferred the propulsion of the Tecton X in the 2nd part of the race where you will cover a lot of road miles. But I definitely wouldn't have liked them on the mountain, so the choice was the right one for sure. The only thing I would say is that if you're a faster runner (top 25 percent or so), don't start too far back. There will be hardly any opportunities to pass runners once you reach the path up Mt. Stol. I lost a good amount of time being stuck in bottlenecks. Other than that it's a great experience and a great course.

Nnormal Kjerag and Salomon S / LAB Genesis

I bought the s lab genesis recently after getting back into trail running after some years of not running. I used to love Solomon shoes of the past. Ran through so many pairs of all models of sense pros. I hate the S lab genesis. To me they feel unremarkable, clunky, and super long. They are sloppy on the downhill and side slopes. Less than 100 miles in and on the hunt for something else.

Can anyone else weigh in on the stability and sizing? I size way up to a 38/7 in the Bushidos and feel like it’s the most stable shoe out there but it’s a little rough to run over 16 miles in since they’re so so stiff (probably also how they are so stable). I’ve had chronic ankle issues for years thanks to rolling it over and over again. Even the Salomon SLab Genesis is not that stable to me. For reference, I’m a size 6 in the new model-previously a 6.5 in the last gen. I can wear a 35 in Birkenstocks (US W size 4-4.5) I wear a 6 in Vans.

New S/labs size down. I’m my actual street shoe size in those, a US 6, when I’m a 6.5 in every other Salomon model. I was fine with my usual 38 in the PP.

Yes. Actually i was out in my S/Lab Genesis this morning for my long run. They are a bit wider than normal Salomon, but if you find you have wider feet i'd say you should avoid. The last is no wider than a Speedcross, but with the foam of the Ultraglide and more lateral stability. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but the outsole rubber doesn't last very long - i've usually worn away some of the lugs after 250km. Maybe this will help: My current running rotation is: \- Saucony Tempus 2 / Hoka Mach X 2 / Hoka Ceilo X for road \- Inov8 TrailFly / Salomon S-Lab Genesis / Brooks Catamount 3 / Hoka TectonX 3 for gravel \- Inov8 X-Talon Ultra / VJ Sparks for mud and obstacles I'm looking at add a pair of iRock+ for obstacle racing as I've heard great things about the updated, wider last + toe box, new foam. AMA :)

Agree, it really depends on how fast, how far, the ratio of road to trail etc. my Saucony Tempus are pretty good on park run trails and “fire track” style roads. Puma shoes with their Puma Grip are great in the rain or on slightly uneven terrain. Then you have what some call Commuter shoes - road to trail shoes with lower lug depth and softer midsole. Hoka’s Challenger ATR isn’t bad, and the Tecton X and X2 had proper gravel lugs that worked well, along with shows like the Saucony Xodus Ultra, Nike Terra Kiger or Pegasus Trail. Personally I’ve just run in road shoes if it’s dry, and I trust my trail shoes (currently Salomon Genesis and Hoka Mafate 5) in the wet or more technical terrain.

Hello. As a lot of people say, a good road shoe will be good on the hard packed trails as well. But if you want a bit more traction and security, go with something that has a good foam and a smaller lugs. Options I’ve run in and like include: - Hoka Mafate Speed 4 / Tecton X - Salomon Genesis / Ultra Glide - La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - Merrell Agility Peak 5 - Brooks Catamount 4 - Saucony Xodus Ultra 1 / 2 (avoid the 3) For reference I am 85kg and usually run 30km / week.

Hoka Mafate 5 is comfy and fun. Mafate Speed 4 is still good but a little narrower and not quite so bouncy. I used to run in Speedgoats a lot but think the 5 & 6 are missing some comfort and the foam isn’t returning the energy of newer shoes. Salomon Genesis or Ultra Glide are both good if you can accommodate a narrower fit. I prefer the protection of the Genesis over the Ultra Glide. Prodigio Pro is also fun and bouncy, but much lighter, less protection around the ankle and so a bit more stripped back. Everyone I know loves them though. Hoka Tecton X 3 is a similar proposition to the Prodigio but both are spendy. Hoka is slightly more stable and bouncy but there is very little in it. If you want the best outsole rubber money can buy, look at the VJ Ultra 3. Seriously, the lugs and rubber is like glue. Finally, the Saucony Xodus Ultra is a good shoe for distances like this. It’s also comfy and protective. Just avoid the 2 or 3 and go for the latest version 4.

Oh I use “shoe rotation” as a regular excuse to buy more shoes, but in the real world I have: - shoe for trails and ultras (Salomon Genesis currently) - shoe for technical and short trails (Hoka Zinal 2) - shoe for gravel / road to trail (Hoka Tecton X) - shoe for deep or thick mud (Inov8 X-Talon Ultra) - shoe for OCR racing (VJ Spark)