From 50 km on, your shoe needs more than grip: cushioning that lasts for many hours, protection on rocky ground, an upper that stays comfortable when your feet swell, and an outsole that survives hundreds of kilometres. Every shoe below is built for 50 km or more, and most of them have proven it in the big ultras.
Our shoe finder narrows the list down to your feel, landing and foot width. Try them on in store at Niederdorfstrasse 20 in Zürich.
Norda 055
286 g (men's), drop 6 mm, stack 39 mm
Max cushioned and stable on any terrain. Rachel Entrekin won the Cocodona 250 outright in 2026 in it, as the first woman ever, and reached the UTMB podium the same year.
Norda 001A
268 g (men's), drop 5 mm, Vibram Litebase sole, Dyneema upper
Built to last for hundreds of kilometres, from 20 km to 100 miles. Also available as G+ with a waterproof upper.
Nike ACG Ultrafly
287 g, drop 8.5 mm, carbon plate, energy return 69 %
The carbon option for fast ultras. Caleb Olson won Western States 100 in 2025 in a prototype and finished third at UTMB 2026 in the Ultrafly.
On Cloudultra Pro
261 g (men's), drop 6 mm, stack 36 mm, plate
On's ultra racer. Baptiste Chassagne reached the UTMB podium in 2026, and Katie Schide won the Madeira Island Ultra Trail 115 km in 2025.
Mount To Coast M1
275 g (men's), drop 4 mm, stack 39 mm
Made for 50 km and more, with a roomy fit for swollen feet late in the race. Manu Vilaseca finished third at the Tor des Géants 2026 (336 km) wearing the M1 the whole way.
Salomon S/LAB Ultra V2
290 g, drop 8 mm, stack 36 mm
Developed with François d'Haene for 50 km to 100 miles. Precise and narrow, with grip and protection to the finish.
Hoka Mafate 5
332 g (men's), drop 8 mm, stack 43 mm
The most cushioned and protective shoe in this list, for long, technical mountain days.
Hoka Speedgoat 7
275 g (men's), drop 5 mm, stack 38 mm
The classic all rounder with Vibram Megagrip, from 10 km to ultra distance.
Arc'teryx Norvan LD 4
270 g (men's), drop 6 mm, roomy fit
Durable and roomy, for long training days and ultras up to 100 km.
Try them in Zürich
Run Store Zurich, Niederdorfstrasse 20, 8001 Zürich. Monday to Friday 11:00 to 19:00, Saturday 10:00 to 18:00. Bring your old shoes: their wear tells us a lot about your stride.