Salomon Speedcross 2 Trail Shoes
Cost; £75 to £85
These have become my personal running shoe of choice for all my Ultras since the 'Highland Fling' race.
I have had my current pair since May this year and have completed 3 x Ultras, a number of Hill races and regular offroad training runs in them. They are still looking good, after a brush down, having dealt well with everything I have thrown at them ( trodden on ) so far.
Fit is very comfortable, enclosing the foot well with very little twisting of the foot in the shoe, so good for 'contouring' on hill. Some people may find them on the slightly narrow side.
The sole is a series of 'V' shaped lugs giving very good grip on grass, wet grass, mud, rock, loose rock. They are also supposed to be good in snow. They feature a quick kevlar 'one pull' lacing system and a pocket in which to stow the lace cord. Making them quick to don and easy to adjust tension on the lacing system.
They give you a good 'feel' for the ground conditions, being low profile, but have suprisingly good cushioning in the heel and forefoot, good enough to make road running bearable.
Running in them gives you lots of confidence, especially on fast downhill sections where the Speedcross grip comes to the fore, they make you want to run faster & faster!
They are not waterproof but will shed water well and dry quickly. Materials wise they are very well constructed and very lightweight. Weight approx 285g based on a UK size 8.
I am a size 10 but with the Speedcross wear a 10.5. So I would recommend go for a 0.5 size bigger than you would normally wear. I would always advise trying running shoes on in a running shop where you can try them out on a treadmill, rather than buying blind online.
My rating is: 9/10
Nike Pegasus + 27 Road Shoes
Cost £52.99 to £70
For road running / training I have found the Nike Pegasus + range have worked well for me. These shoes are ideal for a 'neutral' runner. If you are unsure whether you are a 'neutral', 'overpronator' or less commonly, an 'underpronator', then have a gait analysis at your local running shop. They will video you walking / running on a treadmill to assess your running gait. Then they can advise on correct shoe fit for you. This will hopefully reduce your risk of possible injury.
The Nike Pegasus + 27 is a well cushioned running shoe, ideal for long training runs, marathons etc. They feature a 'Zoom Air' cushioning unit in the heel and a springy foam compound in the forefoot. These features combine to give quite a springy, bouncy and flexible, even ride. The sole is the 'waffle' design giving plenty of grip and traction, so much so that I have used these on offroad hard packed trails. I raced in the D33 Ultra and the 53 mile 'Highland Fling' race on the West Highland Way in Nike Pegasus road shoes without any blisters. A well- fitting and comfortable running shoe, weighing in at approx 313g ( male UK size 8 ) and 243g ( ladies UK size 5 )
PS; I bought mine from Sports Direct, Union St, Aberdeen, ( also available online ), for £52.99. A bargain considering most running shops sell them for £70 to £75.
My rating is: 9/10
Petzl Myo RXP Headtorch
Cost £70 to £85
I bought this model of Headtorch for the Lakeland 100 mile Ultra. I have used it on a number of training runs and for the event itself wearing it through the two nights of the race.
Firstly it does cost quite a lot compared to other models of headtorch out there, namely it's sibling, £20 on av more than the Petzl Myo XP. So what's the difference and why the extra cost?
It comes down to the 'R' in RXP, standing for 'regulated'. Which means that instead of the headtorch gradually dimming as the batteries drain, the 'RXP' holds a continual light intensity to a point when it will drop to the next light level to conserve power but continue to maintain that level of light intensity.
The Petzl Myo RXP is also 'programmable'. Following the instructions you can program specific light intensity settings suitable for your requirements, whether it's for running, mountainbiking, hiking etc.
Pressing the 'On/Off' button initially gives the brightest setting, level 10, another press and the light dims to level 6, another press, it drops to level 4, another press, SOS flashing mode, another press, Off. These are the factory settings, you can custom program the desired light levels by following the instructions. There is also a seperate 'Boost' button where you can get full illumination when required
As for light power, it is BRIGHT, very bright on full power, level 10. It can light up to 77 metres ( 97 metres on 'Boost') in front of you, but will drain the 3 x AA batteries in approx 1 hour.
I found for running at night level 4 was sufficient, projecting a beam up to 40 metres ahead, and giving regulated lighting of up to 10 hours.
There is also an adjustable diffuser allowing you to switch from focused beam to flood. The whole unit is waterproof and can certainly take some abuse. It sits comfortably on your head, no excessive movement, there is an optional over the top of the head strap included, which I found unnecessary. The whole unit including batteries weighs in at 175g.
So I would recommend it for Runners on these darker nights, Cyclists, Hill walkers Hill runners, Orienteers and Mountain Marathoners.
All in all a good headtorch, programming can be fiddly, pricey compared to some others out there.
My rating is: 8/10
