Check out our updated version of this article!
Reebok All-Terrain Super 3.0 – This is a fresh new entry that will likely regain many of the people that have lost faith in the All-Terrain series due to durability issues. Reebok has released their fourth version of the All-Terrain Supers with a great improved upper that will likely stop many of the ripping issues people have had. Still this shoe will not be as durable as something by Icebug or Inov-8 but it is the best water draining shoe on the market. Review here.
Salomon Speedcross 4 – The Speedcross is a battle tested and loved by many shoe that has existed in its current form for a long time with only minor variations being put out by Salomon. This shoe is a slight departure from the traditional trail shoe style that you will see in that it has a ton of cushioning and an 11mm drop. The down side to this shoe with great grip, durability, and cushioning is that it drains water probably the worst of any shoe on this list. Updates to the version 4 are a slightly larger toe box and deeper lugs.
Inov-8 X-Talon 212 – Previously reviewed here, this was ORM writer Dario’s first shoe when he decided to get a shoe for his first Spartan Super many years ago. It turns out this was an amazing start for his, and your, adventure into trail/OCR shoes. It is durable, has some cushion (not much), drains water fairly well, and has pretty aggressive lugs. It falls into the average or slightly above average for most of its features.
Inov-8 X-Talon 190 – These shoes are surprisingly not a common suggestion when the question about the best shoe is asked. They are used by many of the Spartan Pro Team with notable user Cody Moat coming to mind as someone who knows running on OCR very well. They are essentially a lighter but slightly less durable version of the X-Talon 212 that drain water better too.
Icebug Zeal – These shoes are very polarizing but another great option. The polarizing opinion is that they are either the best shoes ever made or too narrow and terrible at draining water. From the staff at ORM we have found them a little too narrow for our taste but that they still performed very well. (The Zeal being the widest toe box of their entire line). This is a shoe you need to try on and walk around in your home to see if they will fit well. The other reason the Zeal is the most suggested Icebug shoe is most other Icebugs are studded and technically not allowed for most Obstacle Course Races.
After almost a year of continuous voting we are moving the top voted shoes to a list, please feel free to add in and vote up new shoes that are not listed on this page.
- Inov-8 X-talon 200
- Asics Gel Fuji Runnegade 2
- Inov-8 Mudclaw 300
- Altra King MT
- Vj Sport Irock
- Merrell All Out Crush
- Salomon Fellraiser
- Saucony Peregrine
- On Running Cloudventure
- Altra Superior 2
- LaSportiva Mutant
- SauconyExodus
- Brooks Pure Grit 5
- Inov-8 Terraclaw 250
- Reebok All-Terrain Thrill
Dario
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I ran my last Toughest Mudder in the Merrell Agility Peak Flex shoes. They’re awesome.
I have run multiple OCR’s with the original Reebok All-Terrain shoe and has held up very nicely. Amazing water drainage! Only issue would be at my last race, and type of grade on the hill with wet leaves and mud, these shoes slipped like crazy. My wife wearing her Reebok Hiking shoes faired much better than I and didn’t feel any slippage under her feet.
I will be purchasing a couple new pairs of shoes in the very near future and will make comments on here as I am racing in 8 ORC Races (signed up for already) in 2018 and looking to do more.
Mudd On!