If you've ever spent too much money on trail running shoes and wondered whether any of them are actually worth it, this episode is for you.

I sit down with Inky Steve, a guy who has tracked 44 pairs of running shoes across 6,000 miles on Strava, to get his most honest verdicts on the shoes he'd recommend to his best friend, the ones he regrets, and the models brands should have never stopped making.

For ultra runners and trail runners who take their gear seriously and want real talk and not sponsored opinions.

Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review.

Links & Resources

Presented by Kiprun.

Chapters

02:06 Inky Steve's Top Five Running Shoes
06:09 The Importance of Shoe Longevity and Functionality
08:56 Brand Preferences and Shoe Mileage
14:06 Lifestyle Shoes vs. Performance Shoes
20:00 Honest Shoe Reviews
24:15 Number One Trail Shoe Recommendation
28:09 Hoka Mafate X Shoe for 50 Milers
30:50 The Importance of Running Shoe Drainage
34:09 The Ultra Running Experience
38:50 The Impact of Shoe Design on Performance
44:20 Shoe Iterations: What to Keep and What to Scrap

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Presented by Kiprun.

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Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races happening May 30, 2026.

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44 Running Shoes Tested Over 6,000 Miles | Honest Verdicts