I waited to reach more than 1000 km (and 62000 m of elevation gain) to write a short report on this pair of Saucony Xodus Ultra, bought about 9 months ago.
The goal for me was to find an adequate shoe for ultra distances, which I have already planned to return to racing in 2023.
In fact, when I bought them I really looked at the duration/durability as the main parameter for the purchase.
Unti now, from Saucony, I had mainly used very reactive shoes and for relatively short distances for Trail Running: Material & Equipment | EmigranTrailer.
Therefore, there was a lot of curiosity on my part to try this shoe, designed for ultra distances: Xodus Ultra – Trail | Saucony
Introduction
When it comes to shoes, however, it is very important to give more information about the person wearing them. Therefore, for the analysis and the impressions in the following paragraphs take into account that in these months:
- My weight fluctuated between 70 and 73 Kg;
- My standard shoe size is EU43, UK9, US10;
- My motion control is neutral;
- Usually I wore Thyo or Mico socks;
- Usually I wore anklets, because of past/recent injuries;
Moreover, as usual, following the next paragraphs, please consider that I have been practicing Trail-Running for more than 10 years: My Trail Running Experience – Emigrantrailer | EmigranTrailer.
Saucony Xodus Ultra
After wearing them in the first few weeks, I was immediately able to appreciate their comfort.
Regardless of the type of terrain (rocky, wet, dry, etc.) it was certainly a first positive sign from this shoe.
Furthermore, since the first weeks, unlike the Peregrines, I have also noticed a lower reactivity, as I would have expected.
The other visual difference with the Peregrine was the wider tip, designed to have greater comfort over long distances.
As for the Peregrine, the lace system was the standard one. However, there was not the rubber band to lock the tied laces, which I really appreciated with the Peregine. This absence was compensated for by a more extended tab, which ultimately performs the same function. Not too bad.
But beyond these first impressions, I was interested in understanding how the shoe would work after a significant number of kilometres.
I therefore accumulated many kilometers on different terrains, before answering to the question: are these shoes really durable and comfortable?
After more than 1000 km and almost 125,000 meters of elevation gain and loss, the simple answer is yes.
The photos I add below are from these days. The shoe is practically intact with a few signs of wear on the heel and side. But it is definitely much less than what I had noticed on the Peregrine 12 after only 200-300km Saucony Peregrine 12-Trail Running Shoes | EmigranTrailer.
As far as the sole (PWRTRAC) is concerned, I noticed a mild progressive degradation only after about 800km. Therefore, in recent times this has penalized the stability and grip on the ground a little, but definitely still acceptable for the many kilometers already covered.
In general, I can say that the shoe has positively met my expectations.
General Recommendation
In my opinion, these shoes are perfect for medium and long distance trails (more than 50 km). Even after using them for 1000 km I still found them very comfortable and stable.
Summary table and additional information
The following table summarizes the main impressions about these pair of Saucony Xodus Ultra shoes. Please use the link below in case you want to have a better reading of the table.
If you want more information or technical details related to this review, please do not hesitate to ask or comment below.
Last but not least, I hereby confirm that I have no personal or professional connections with Saucony. Everything I wrote, it is based on a transparent feedback of my experience, without any prejudices for or against.
Enjoy Trail-Running! 🙂
Andrea De Filippo
Original post in english language. For other languages, please open with a web browser (i.e. Chrome) and apply the automatic translation.
You might find of interest other articles with hints here: Trail Running Tips | EmigranTrailer
