Speed hiking is a more sustainable way to exercise in the mountains without the potential detrimental effects on the body from running.
You can read more about the benefits of speed hiking in this post.
Included here is a review of my current shoes :
La Sportiva Ultra Raptor 2 Gore Tex (wide fit),
Salomon Super Cross 3 and
Salomon XA Ultra Mid Goretex (wide fit)
As a prelude to the review I have included a reflection of a couple shoes I have used over the years and the features I found beneficial or otherwise for speed hiking.
My foot type is narrow at the heel with wide forefoot. My gait is relatively neutral although heavily cushioned shoes or those with a lot of rise reveal a tendency to over pronating.
Many years ago I worked in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming , USA. For those that don't know, the Eastern side of this range rises dramatically from the lakes which dot the valley floor. The trails climb rapidly to the peaks or fairly steadily to passes between them.
My choice of shoe for many adventures was the La Sportiva Exum Guide. This was a a running shoe in appearance with approach shoe features. I could run in it on the valley floor, grip rock on easy peak ascents and bash cross country on some hair brained adventure among bears, ruffed grouse , pikas and marmots. It was a great shoe.
They were light enough to carry if I had to change to boots or climbing shoes . A real all round mountain shoe. However, I found the heel counter wore out very quickly , leaving a hole which irritated my heel further.
The Salomon Sense Pro 2 was a great light weight shoe based off the s/lab race mould but with good underfoot protection. It was snug fitting enough without being restrictive and held up to lots of abuse.
I had 2 pair of these shoes consecutively and used them in mountain races (when I was still in running mode) and training. Unfortunately Salomon changed later iterations of this shoe. The outer sole and heel drop changed first. Then they added a thicker midsole to finally create a shoe that looked nothing like the original.
So I moved to the Salomon XA Elevate, which I have to say has been a favourite of mine for general speed hiking, trail running, and just getting around. Not too aggressive an outsole but enough for most conditions. Enough but not too much underfoot protection with the "Advanced Chassis'.
Like the Sense Pro, it's not a plush cushy ride, and I prefer that given I tend to squash down the soft midsoles unevenly resulting in an unstable shoe.
The 8mm drop was a bit more than I'd been using but in fact felt great in the hills for me both running and speed hiking. I did get some wear over the lateral aspect of the little toe in both pairs I owned - in the mesh where it bordered some of the Sensifit plastic. Probably more a reflection on my foot type but I did have suspicions that the mesh did less well when meeting rock.
Alas , the Elevate is no more as it seems to be Salomon's mantra to never keep anything the same .
Which brings me to my current shoes.
Salomon Super Cross 3
I was gifted this pair of shoes . For my foot a much better fit than the Speed Cross: a wider toe box and feeling of less ramp. The 10mm heel drop has not been an issue for the speed hiking.
You can really snugly secure these and their light weight makes them fantastic for short quick outings .
The outsole is deeply lugged so they perform well on wet ground. The midsole does not offer a lot of protection and I have found them lacking when it comes to scree, or traversing terrain. If you stick to a standard trail then they are great and a good priced item for shorter forays.
Salomon XA Ultra Mid Goretex (wide)
This shoe has, until recently, been my "go to" for longer days or on more technical terrain. Especially in winter, the extra height and waterproofness offers benefits. They have great grip, excellent stability and the fit in the wide is good for my narrow heel, wider forefoot anatomy.
They wear well- have had them on some rugged rock, bush bashing through low scrub and in very wet conditions. After a lot of kilometers they are still well and truly intact.
The down side for me is the lacing and security of the upper around the ankle. It seems as though there are insufficient lacing holes and no way of really closing the upper shoe against your ankle. So any loose decomposed granite, twigs or leeches find their way easily into your shoe . And really for me this has been the decider as to why I would not purchase another pair.
La Sportiva Utra Raptor 2 Goretex (wide)
These are my latest shoe for rugged speed hiking adventures. Longer distances, or rougher terrain these can handle it.
They are the low version of the shoe but still feel similar weight to the mid height Salmon XA Ultra. So I wouldn't have chosen these as a trail running shoe in the past. For hiking at any pace, however they are great. Very stable, good underfoot support and nice fit.
They don't have the issue of the lack of ankle contact of the Salomons and do have a "heel brake", similar to what I loved in the Exum Guide. Descending loose scree or similar terrain is so much better than in a flat soled shoe . They traverse well, and the outsole grips to dry rock and muddy trails equally well.
The heel counter is well supported externally and although my first outing I felt some rub on the uphill, this has since settled and I don't see any undue wear in this location.
So what is the best speed hiking shoe for you?
The best shoe is the one that gets you out the door to walk regularly! One that fits your foot type and is durable enough to handle the variable terrain of mountain trails. I really like the Ultra Raptor.
If you ARE having trouble getting out the door or need any help achieving your health and fitness goals and want to keep skiing, surfing, hiking or snowboarding as you get older reach out to Primal Regeneration .
I offer Health Coaching specialising in these areas . My background as doctor, Primal Health and Fitness Coach, ski coach and surfer all contribute to my ability to help you on your journey.
