Tag: Running

When you’re a running addict, you become more interested (read: obsessed) in finding the right shoe…or shoes, depending on the terrain and distance you run. The other morning I demoed the women’s Saucony Xodus ISO 3, a trail running shoe.

Road v. Trail Shoes

The main difference between road versus trail running shoes is that the latter have a more aggressive outsole, or tread. With lugs varying in shape, size, and placement, trail running shoes essentially provide better traction, durability and protection on dirt and rocky surfaces. Many, but not all, trail shoes have a rock plate, a carbon or plastic layer embedded in the midsole to provide additional protection for the feet. You can run in road shoes on a trail, granted that the terrain is not technical (ie, very rocky or slick), but you won’t have the same traction, or protection to keep your feet from being bruised by rocks. Plus, the shoe will wear faster than on a road surface. With these factors, this is where it is especially nice to break out a trail shoe.

Specs

The Xodus ISO 3 is a moderately cushioned trail running shoe with an aggressive outsole; the tread has what I call “bite,” with very visible lugs. The midsole is composed of EverRun, Saucony’s cushioning system. There is no rock plate in this shoe, as the overall 24.5 mm thickness of the midsole provides plenty of underfoot protection.The drop, or difference from heel to toe height is only 4 mm; this will certainly appeal to those looking for a more natural structured shoe. I find that the lower the drop, or less heel elevation, the less I heel strike. The weight of the Xodus as a pair is 11.5 oz, not a super light weight shoe being trail, but certainly lighter than my Salomon Speedcross 4 . My go to trail shoes, the Speedcross weigh in at 1 lb 2 oz., have extremely aggressive large lugs, and much less cushion.

The lacing system is the ISO fit, in that the eyelets are placed on a finger like design; refer to photos. According to Saucony’s website, the ISO lacing is a “revolutionary fit system that morphs to the foot for a custom feel.”

Demo Location

I took these shoes for a spin at Hildebrand Ranch Park, by the Dakota Hogback southwest of Denver. I did about 4 mile loop on the Two Brands Trail. Departing from the trail head parking lot, the route is mostly single track cutting through fields. Adjacent to the Trailmark neighborhood, parts of the trail turn into a wide, maintained dirt path. The trail then loops back to the single track. There are some slight hills, but no strenuous climbs. Overall elevation is about 6,000 ft.

First Impression

Upon putting on the shoes, I noted how there is no traditional split tongue. Rather, the shoe is like a glove in that it hugs, with no tongue to worry about moving or being displaced while running. When it comes to overall fit around the toe, I prefer a wider toe box, to allow room for swelling and toe splay. The Xodus ISO 3 fulfills this requirement nicely. Size wise, the shoe seems to fit true. I wore my normal size, women’s 8.5, and my toes did not feel cramped at all. Regarding the arch, I have higher arches, and would have liked a bit more support underneath. The heel cuff felt snug without being uncomfortable, and I did not experience any heel slip once running. As for the ISO lacing, the laces snugged up nicely and did not bunch up or crease the upper strangely.

Out on the trail, I had more than enough traction. Two Brands trail is not technical at all, as it mostly packed dirt. I could easily have ran with road shoes, to be honest. Still, I appreciated the extra grip, more so on the slight uphills. With the lower drop, I could feel myself running with more a midfoot strike, which is more much natural than heel striking.

The shoe felt cushioned without being overly plush. Trail shoes are neutral, or that they are unstructured; they will not provide true correction for overpronation, or ankles rolling inward. Given the nature of trail running, as you dodge and jump over obstacles, your ankles will be moving any which way. My ankles, particularly my left, roll in a lot, but I still felt this shoe provided a decent amount of support, even on my left foot. The midsole is firm enough to encourage my wayward ankles to stabilize somewhat.

Comfort wise, this shoe was a enjoyable ride. It wasn’t a super long run to really test out whether there would be chafing or pressure point issues, but for the four miles I never experienced any discomfort. I do wish this shoe hugged just a tad bit more in the midfoot, like my narrower fitting Speedcross do, to provide a feeling of additional security and custom fit. To fix the lack of arch support in the Xodus, one could easily place an insert that better matches the arches.

Final Thoughts

Saucony Xodus ISO 3 is a great shoe for those looking for a middle cushion trail running shoe with aggressive tread. If you have a wider foot or just prefer a roomier fit, try this shoe! I can easily see this shoe being used as a hiking shoe (I use trail shoes all the time for hiking). With the grippy outsole, these shoes can certainly tackle rocky and wet terrain. And for those looking for a minimal drop without having to commit to zero drop, this shoe is a good start.

So, the final questions are: would I run in these again and recommend them to a friend? Yes  and yes! Plus, looks wise, I love the color of the women’s Xodus! Such a stunning teal color. The other color available is a dark silver with yellow accents. The men’s version is available in olive green, and also in black with yellow accents. This shoe retails at $150, which for the comfort, cushion, toe box room, and tread, is worth it.

~LMC

*Disclaimer: I am in no way sponsored, paid by, or affiliated with the brands/ items reviewed in this post. I write simply to inform other runners like myself of products that may interest them. 🙂

As an avid runner, having the right shoe is paramount. Comfort is key. It blows my mind that I used to run in my actual tennis shoes, which are like bricks: they’re sturdy and have no flexibility or cushion whatsoever. Great for stabilization on the court, for explosive moment and cutting type maneuvers…but for running, not so much.

As I increased my mileage in college during my junior and senior years, I knew I wanted, needed, a true running shoe. I had zero knowledge about actual running shoes, but I knew I needed something much lighter and flexible. As my senior year approached, my answer for running shoes was solved…via my grandma! I was visiting my grandparents for a few days in August 2013, two weeks before classes started. On the second to last day, my awesoma Grama Brenda came into my room holding a shoe box.

“Leah, darling,” she said with her beautiful English accent, “your Grandfather gave these to me for my birthday, but they don’t fit me. Would like to have these if they fit you?” Whereupon she proffered me the box.

Inside was a pair New Balance shoes, of a medium gray color with blue laces and trim. I’d never worn New Balance shoes before, but recognized the brand’s distinct “N” emblazoned on the sides. I quickly laced them on.

Right away I felt the difference: these shoes were flexible, comfy, and best of all, light weight. I knew I’d found an actual shoe for running.

“They’re a perfect fit! Thank you, Grandma,” I exclaimed with a hug. She stepped back and took in the sight of my new shoes. “They look wonderful on you, my dear. Glad to know they’ll be put to use!”

****

And were they ever. With my 2014 resolution to just, well, run more, I wore my New Balance 401s EVERY SINGLE DAY. With them, I practically flew. The difference between them and my tennis shoes was night and day; no longer was I clomping by. As I exponentially increased my mileage and frequency that year (I ran 6-7 days a week, 7-8 miles per run on average), those shoes practically became attached to me. In addition to running, they served as my gym/ strength conditioning shoes. I wore them to class and for walking. Unless I was dressed in my other outfit of t-shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots (Ariat or Justin), you were hard pressed to find me wearing other shoes.

In May 2014, I went to study abroad for a month in Spain, and you guessed it, those shoes came with me. Running along the streets of Barcelona, these shoes provided comfort on the often cobbled pathways and roads. Once back home for the summer, those NB traversed plenty of local trails, as well.

There’s no doubt I wore those shoes waaay past their lifetime. One day in late 2014, they just felt…flat. My feet felt like they were slapping the pavement. The cushion was long gone. I stopped, looked at the underside of one shoe. The tread under the ball of the foot and toes was worn smooth. Setting my foot back on the cement, I noted how my toes, particularly the right foot, had poked holes in the upper mesh of either shoe. They were so bad you could tell what color my socks were. I sighed. “Time for new shoes, I guess,” I muttered, before resuming the rest of my run, my feet noticeably whining, as I brainstormed the where and what for a new shoe…

~LMC