April
14
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SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: TRAIL RUNNING SHOES TO RUN LONG
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: TRAIL RUNNING SHOES TO RUN LONG. Our TRAIL RUNNING SHOES section brings you today the new Saucony Xodus Ultra 2, which is already available on April 2023.
The SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2 arrives with RRP € 165. Lose weight again, now up to 272gr man and 248gr woman, more redesigned cover to fix better. It maintains drop6mm studs 4.5mm and PWRTrac rubber sole of the brand.
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2:
TRAIL RUNNING SHOES TO RUN LONG
165€ | 272 G. | DROP 6MM
The trail running shoe SAUCCONY XODUS ULTRA, are the heirs of the veteran SACUCONY XODUS saga that reached 10 iterations before “jumping” to specialize in long running. In parallel, its sister saga SAUCONY PEREGRINE has focused on short and medium distances with a more technical perfl and a wider range.
In fact, the SAUCONY PEREGRINE range covers four different models in 2023: Saucony Peregrine 13; Saucony Peregrine 13 ST for soft terrain, Saucony 13 GTX for rain and snow, plus Saucony Ice + 3, with special sole for ice.
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: RUNNER’S PROFILE
The brand new SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2 that it is in stores this April is defined by coming from a saga of firm and sturdy trail shoes, which since 2022 took a big turn to be lighter and more agile. For this 2023 they wanted to lighten it even more, and make big changes to their upper, which is the part that has changed the most from its previous version.
The weight, continues to be reduced, now goes to 272 gr of weight, it is always appreciated this weight reduction, and even more if it has nothing to do with a loss of durability.
The drop remains at 6mm, good drop for ultra-distance shoes and the stack height does not change either, 26.5-32.5mm
In return, as you can see below, although we gain agility with less weight, neither in the midsole nor the sole, they do not change anything, it is still the Saucony PWRUN PB foam in the midsole, and the sole of the brand. the PWRTRACK.
On the left the 2022 version, and on the right the new 2023 Xodus Ultra 2 version.
In this way, we see a shoe with a tighter fit to the foot, and a toe that seems sharper than in the previous version. On the other hand it has much less structure in said cover. It is a shoe for popular and veteran mountain runners.
People who have a good footprint in the mountains so that drop 6 fits them. A profile, with versions for men and women, focused on those who run long and who will also seek to get into technical aubergines. Now, in addition, with that reduced weight, also good option for the third of the head in the peloton.
In return, as you can see below, although we gain agility with less weight, neither in the madia sole nor the sole, they do not change anything, it is still the Saucony PWRUN PB foam in the midsole, and the sole of the brand. the PWRTRAC.
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: DATA SHEET
- Price: 165€.
- Weight: Men 272gr | Woman 241GR New reduction of 22 grams, for a shoe that already fell from up to 294 grams in the previous version. A huge advance of the brand.
- Drop: 6mm. Medium drop, demanding to run ultras if you do not have good technique. If you have it, a great friend to keep touch of the ground despite the cushioning you carry.
- Stack Height: 26.5mm front, 32.5mm rear. Good mattress that Saucony follows us provides.
- With 11.0cm in front; 9.0cm behind is slightly oversized, so we gain some stability and cushioning, for a shoe that is still light.
Sole Rubber: PWRTrac of the brand, maintains its design divided into three pairs. Good rubber, but not the best on the market because on wet rock some houses surpass it.
Lugs: 4.5 mm. Medium height block, versatile for all types of terrain, but mainly non-muddy terrain. The previous version went well with them.
Category: Neutral. Like all trail running shoes, because each support is different from the previous one a light pronation loses relevance. Severe pronation should always have a professional insole to put from one neutral shoe to another.
Cushioning: PWRRUN PB The most advanced of Saucony that introduced it in 2021 with its top range Endorphin. In the first version it demonstrated a remarkable cushion-touch balance, so it should continue in this as it is.
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: HIGHLIGHTS
UPPER
The main changes come as we have indicated on the cover. To begin with, the outer mesh of the shoe is lighter and more breathable. It can be seen with the naked eye that you can see perfectly through the mesh of the cover. Although they say well in Saucony, that this does not imply that the shoe will lose durability. The toe cap is reinforced to run smoothly on rough terrain.
The design of the tongue has also been changed, to make it much more comfortable. The tongue, goes down like a sock attached to the sides, which seems to give us a good support, since the cover, almost has no structure that gives it that support. Although for this we have the rigid heel, which will wrap the heel, to give us that adjustment to the foot, and having the neck of the heel padded.
The lacing system also undergoes some slight change, it continues with the strip system instead of eyelets. Although the system seems to grip the cord much better. Two eyelets have been included in the upper part, I imagine that in case you want more grip.
MIDSOLE
With good ground clearance, from 26.5 mm to 32.5 mm (drop 6mm) it maintains the numbers of the previous version. The foam is still the PWRUNPB, a foam that will give us good cushioning and good energy return, if it continues to work as in other shoes in the range.
SOLE
In the sole they keep the Saucony compound, PWRTRACK. We will see how it behaves in these Xodus Ultra 2. The sole width, does not change, remains 11-9mm. An oversized sole, if not a little narrow, for better grip. The 4.5 mm studs, with a differentiated design. The back of retention, to have a good grip on steep descents, and the studs of the front area to help traction.
Sole divided into 3 zones, leaving the areas of the division freed from cue, to improve the flexibility of it, give us that necessary flexibility when running on uneven trails.
Among its strengths, note that it has an anti-rock plate on the front that can be clearly seen. If you step on a rock, it is appreciated. It also serves to give rigidity to the shoe and unload work from your legs on unstable ground.
SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA 2: CONLUSIONS BY MAYAYO
I already said it in 2022 with the previous version and I keep it even more convinced: This trail running shoe concept is the perfect solution for a runner like me. That is, veteran in mountain races. But that by weight and accumulated injuries appreciates (and increasingly) having a good mattress under your feet.
If you add that I also like especially the long mountain races and technical terrain, because a shoe that combines a weight of less than 300 grams, with drop 6-8mm, 4.5-6mm studs and a height to the ground from 26mm because it is the robot portrait of what I look for at the beginning of each season.
In 2022 I found it with the first version, as I explained in this video SAUCONY XODUS ULTRA. And together we went to run world forward, in the follow-ups of Ehunmilak, Matterhorn Ultra KS, Ultra Trail Mont Blanc, Canfranc-Canfranc and many of the style.
Logically, if the original went well, then even better with this one that maintains all its strengths and lightens the weight a little more. I know that there are those who had problems with the duration of the sole, or the durability of the cover, but the truth is that it has not been my case. Of course, put to ask, a sole with different rubber would give me even more confidence, although it has only stopped in my case with mountain races on long stretches of wet rock.
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