The zinal 2’s are the best trail running shoes I’ve tried. Love ‘em. Feather light. After 5 years of Altra zero drop. They feel like a Altra/hoka hybrid. Hoping to use them for the black canyon 60k
Would love to see more side by side comparisons of shoes you’ve reviewed. Like every six months, a best of. Maybe you’ve done it and I missed it. Or a summary on a website. Something that would be helpful when I’m in market for a new shoe. Love hearing your insights and banter.
Love this shoe, really surprised me too; looks narrow as hell in the toebox, but lo and behold, it works. Comfortable, airy, secure, great grip, obviates the gaiter need or desire for most folks. I think I'd take this up to 35-50k distance, with a lot of climbing and descent on techinical trails... I'd be nervous over that distance only because my toes swell and I'm not sure how the mesh would feel after that but it's a candidate for starting (or running some part of the) Leadville 100. Still undecided. Great review, as always, guys. Good to see you doing some coverage at HR, Brett! Miss it already.
This shoe has been one of the biggest surprises for me as well this year. I have a feeling that upper won't have much of any give, which can be a pro or a con. What other shoes are you considering for Leadville? Thanks for watching this review and for tuning in for HR!
@@ConversationalPace Oof, tough question for male Imelda Marcos (me) but right now? Probably Saucony Rift/Xodus Ultra combo (shoe swap). TectonX2 is possible too but I find it a little less comfortable. If I used the Z2 it would be for the middle double HopePass section (straight up and down). Cheers!
My biggest hesitation for the Z2 on the hope pass section would be that it tires out or beats up my feet too much. But I also have soft little baby feet and need a little more shoe for most thing. Gotta go with what's the most comfortable!
Really appreciate you both discussing the “sunset” concept and rough mileage breakdown. That gives perspective and maybe influences how/what/when/where you’d ideally use the shoe. Like, ok this is only a race shoe, I don’t train in it for example….or as you put it, I love running in this shoe and I don’t care if I burn thru them in 150 miles.
This is a shoe I'd wear once or twice before a race and that's it. Then run junk miles on it after the race. Even after 50 or 60 miles, it didn't have the same pop as brand new, which would be less than ideal for race day.
felt seen when you mentioned salomon fans finally considering a Hoka haha. I allllllmost got there when i saw my friend rocking the torrent 3 but shrugged it off. I daily and race both s/lab pulsar models and seeing this is reminiscent of it in many ways. Can I justify buying this over the s/lab pulsar, at roughly the same price point? I guess there's only way to find out. overall i'm so happy to see more competition entering the lineup of super light, nimble and capable shoes that offer a surprising amount of protection over at least marathon-50k distance.
This Zinal is a bit wider and softer than the s/lab pulsar. More flexible as well. Outsole is fantastic. 2 other shoes in this realm that have released since this Zinal video that might also be worth checking out are the VJ Lightspeed and the Brooks Agil
Nice thanks for the insights. It’s cool to see VJ getting some attention in the US. I’ve raced ultras in Finland and they’re of course very popular there.
I think VJ didn't quite have a wide or cushioned enough lineup to get their foot in the door of the US market. Their current new models are the best built to date and are definitely getting quite a bit more attention.
great shoe if your only running uphill but on the technical downhill its absolutely useless unless you have solid steel ankle with no ankle support it feels as if the laces are untied at times to fix the issues i would keep everything but add a similar ankle support as the solomon s lab ultra v3 and it would be a great shoe
Great discussion. I'm definitely tossing the Speedgoat5, which is borderline unusable for me on rocky trails. My question is choosing between this and the Kjerag -- the Kjerag is ~0.5oz heavier but strikes me as having a much wider use case, both in distance and durability (another site, RoadTRun makes this same argument) -- while the Z2 looks like a short distance racer only (I haven't tried either shoe). The TectonX definitely needs this outsole pattern.
We're definitely hoping to get some Inov8 models into the studio this upcoming season!
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Stable at the heel and midfoot.. ok then it might not be the shoe for me. Otherwise very interesting. Could you always show the insole and inner heel area of the shoes you are reviewing, since it is often pretty hard to get that info.
@@ConversationalPace Not yet. I've just bought the Saucony Xodus Ultra and need to decide which to use for an upcoming Ultra 50K. The Saucony will be more comfortable (I like the Tempus for road/trail runs, which is very similar) but there's a big weight difference between the Zinals and the Xodus. I will buy the Zinal 2, probably my next purchase.
@@ConversationalPace I used the Xodus Ultra for the first time yesterday on a 38K trail run. Underfoot comfort was excellent, but shoe comfort was a little disappointing,. The left shoe rubbed against my ankle bone (the bit that sticks out) when running downhill, and I suffered a little cramping of my toes after 25-30km. They are also much heavier than the Zinals, which may have contributed to worse muscle fatigue than usual. Unless it's very wet on the day, I'll be more inclined to wear the Zinals for the 50K Ultra, accepting less comfort underfoot, or if it's been dry for a few days use the Saucony Tempus.
Merci pour cette essai détaillé, j ai adoré les Nike terra kiger 7 et 8 ....mais les TK9 sans l unitee zoom air sous l avant pied n est pas une bonne chose car j adorais ça pour la protection .....ma question est la suivante , pensez vous que cette zinal2 pourrait remplacer mes TK8 dans ma rotation ? Je m entraîné en TK8 et je fais mes ultra en speedgoat . Dans l attente de votre réponse , merci .
Merci d'avoir regardé! Je ne pense pas que le Hoka Zinal offre plus de protection que le Nike Kiger. Le New Balance Summit Unknown v4 pourrait en fait valoir la peine d’être examiné (Translated with Google Translate)
So with the Zinal 2 now, it's softer, more flexible, and lighter, but also now has a little less protection underfoot. Zinal 2 grip is better now with the new outsole. You will get more miles out of the Torrent, being denser and stiffer. So saving that Zinal for important runs/workouts and using the Torrent for everything else makes sense to me
Oh yeah that's a great example of a 2nd gen shoe that was way better than the first. FWIW, I actually loved the OG Rocket X on buffed out singletrack 😅
I think it might share more in common with the S/lab Pulsar, due to being pretty low to the ground, flexible, and has no plate. I prefer that Pulsar Trail Pro 2 for longer days when I need a bit more shoe, and this Zinal for when I want a more fun and lively feel underfoot. Thanks for watching!
I do think Hoka still gets the edge for max cushion shoes. Although it looks like some of the 2024 Salomon models are going to give Hoka a run for their money. Thanks for watching!
The zinal 2’s are the best trail running shoes I’ve tried. Love ‘em. Feather light. After 5 years of Altra zero drop. They feel like a Altra/hoka hybrid. Hoping to use them for the black canyon 60k
Definitely still the most fun Hoka trail shoe I've ever worn. That will be an excellent choice for the BC60k!
Would love to see more side by side comparisons of shoes you’ve reviewed. Like every six months, a best of. Maybe you’ve done it and I missed it. Or a summary on a website. Something that would be helpful when I’m in market for a new shoe.
Love hearing your insights and banter.
a 'best of' episode is coming soon! 👍
Agreed. Not sure where to begin at the moment
Great input. Will make an order for the Zinal 2 right now. Thanks 👍
Thanks for watching and enjoy the shoes!
I like the original Zinal so much I bought a backup pair that I’m still holding onto.
Love this shoe, really surprised me too; looks narrow as hell in the toebox, but lo and behold, it works. Comfortable, airy, secure, great grip, obviates the gaiter need or desire for most folks. I think I'd take this up to 35-50k distance, with a lot of climbing and descent on techinical trails... I'd be nervous over that distance only because my toes swell and I'm not sure how the mesh would feel after that but it's a candidate for starting (or running some part of the) Leadville 100. Still undecided. Great review, as always, guys. Good to see you doing some coverage at HR, Brett! Miss it already.
This shoe has been one of the biggest surprises for me as well this year. I have a feeling that upper won't have much of any give, which can be a pro or a con. What other shoes are you considering for Leadville? Thanks for watching this review and for tuning in for HR!
@@ConversationalPace Oof, tough question for male Imelda Marcos (me) but right now? Probably Saucony Rift/Xodus Ultra combo (shoe swap). TectonX2 is possible too but I find it a little less comfortable. If I used the Z2 it would be for the middle double HopePass section (straight up and down). Cheers!
My biggest hesitation for the Z2 on the hope pass section would be that it tires out or beats up my feet too much. But I also have soft little baby feet and need a little more shoe for most thing. Gotta go with what's the most comfortable!
Really appreciate you both discussing the “sunset” concept and rough mileage breakdown. That gives perspective and maybe influences how/what/when/where you’d ideally use the shoe. Like, ok this is only a race shoe, I don’t train in it for example….or as you put it, I love running in this shoe and I don’t care if I burn thru them in 150 miles.
This is a shoe I'd wear once or twice before a race and that's it. Then run junk miles on it after the race. Even after 50 or 60 miles, it didn't have the same pop as brand new, which would be less than ideal for race day.
felt seen when you mentioned salomon fans finally considering a Hoka haha. I allllllmost got there when i saw my friend rocking the torrent 3 but shrugged it off. I daily and race both s/lab pulsar models and seeing this is reminiscent of it in many ways. Can I justify buying this over the s/lab pulsar, at roughly the same price point? I guess there's only way to find out. overall i'm so happy to see more competition entering the lineup of super light, nimble and capable shoes that offer a surprising amount of protection over at least marathon-50k distance.
This Zinal is a bit wider and softer than the s/lab pulsar. More flexible as well. Outsole is fantastic. 2 other shoes in this realm that have released since this Zinal video that might also be worth checking out are the VJ Lightspeed and the Brooks Agil
Nice thanks for the insights. It’s cool to see VJ getting some attention in the US. I’ve raced ultras in Finland and they’re of course very popular there.
I think VJ didn't quite have a wide or cushioned enough lineup to get their foot in the door of the US market. Their current new models are the best built to date and are definitely getting quite a bit more attention.
Really enjoyed. The original Zinal has left me emotionally scarred, apparently, as I can’t shell out for the 2 even with your encouragement.
haha yeah I feel ya on that one. Still surprised they tried for a Zinal 2. I am sure glad they did though!
great shoe if your only running uphill but on the technical downhill its absolutely useless unless you have solid steel ankle with no ankle support it feels as if the laces are untied at times
to fix the issues i would keep everything but add a similar ankle support as the solomon s lab ultra v3 and it would be a great shoe
Great discussion. I'm definitely tossing the Speedgoat5, which is borderline unusable for me on rocky trails. My question is choosing between this and the Kjerag -- the Kjerag is ~0.5oz heavier but strikes me as having a much wider use case, both in distance and durability (another site, RoadTRun makes this same argument) -- while the Z2 looks like a short distance racer only (I haven't tried either shoe). The TectonX definitely needs this outsole pattern.
Thanks for watching! We have the Kjerag in for testing right now and will definitely give some comparisons!
@@ConversationalPace Looking forward to the Kjerag review! Also would like to see the Saucony Endorphin Rift.
So many shoes to review! I'm going to have to start busting out those Anton weeks the rest of the summer
Glad to hear I am not the only one who finds the speedgoat unusable on technical terrain. I feel like I am running with boats on my feet.
@@adrianbjonesfor me looking at a photo of speedboats is enough to tell that they are no good for technical terrain 😂
Hey will you guys review an Inov8 shoe? Seems like Trailfly G270 is their most popular shoe
We're definitely hoping to get some Inov8 models into the studio this upcoming season!
Stable at the heel and midfoot.. ok then it might not be the shoe for me. Otherwise very interesting. Could you always show the insole and inner heel area of the shoes you are reviewing, since it is often pretty hard to get that info.
Will definitely keep that in mind when filming future reviews. Thanks for watching!
The zinal 2 is the trail shoe of 2023 in my opinion
Definitely still one of the most fun shoes I have run in this year!
I love the Zinal 1, a fantastic lightweight comfortable trail shoe. Each to his own.
I have met a small handful of people who did really enjoy the first Zinal. Have you tried the Zinal 2 yet?
@@ConversationalPace Not yet. I've just bought the Saucony Xodus Ultra and need to decide which to use for an upcoming Ultra 50K. The Saucony will be more comfortable (I like the Tempus for road/trail runs, which is very similar) but there's a big weight difference between the Zinals and the Xodus. I will buy the Zinal 2, probably my next purchase.
The Xodus Ultra is another one that is on my try list. I've heard great things about the versatility of that one!
@@ConversationalPace I used the Xodus Ultra for the first time yesterday on a 38K trail run. Underfoot comfort was excellent, but shoe comfort was a little disappointing,. The left shoe rubbed against my ankle bone (the bit that sticks out) when running downhill, and I suffered a little cramping of my toes after 25-30km. They are also much heavier than the Zinals, which may have contributed to worse muscle fatigue than usual. Unless it's very wet on the day, I'll be more inclined to wear the Zinals for the 50K Ultra, accepting less comfort underfoot, or if it's been dry for a few days use the Saucony Tempus.
Perhaps a beefier shoe like the Xodus Ultra needs a few runs to break in and get dialed. Definitely pretty different feel than the Zinal I bet.
Merci pour cette essai détaillé, j ai adoré les Nike terra kiger 7 et 8 ....mais les TK9 sans l unitee zoom air sous l avant pied n est pas une bonne chose car j adorais ça pour la protection .....ma question est la suivante , pensez vous que cette zinal2 pourrait remplacer mes TK8 dans ma rotation ? Je m entraîné en TK8 et je fais mes ultra en speedgoat . Dans l attente de votre réponse , merci .
Merci d'avoir regardé! Je ne pense pas que le Hoka Zinal offre plus de protection que le Nike Kiger. Le New Balance Summit Unknown v4 pourrait en fait valoir la peine d’être examiné
(Translated with Google Translate)
@@ConversationalPace merci .
@@ConversationalPaceest possible que la tecton x2 soit le bon compromis entre une speedgoat 5 et une zonal 2 ?
Je pense que oui! Il allie un peu de coussin avec un poids léger et beaucoup de protection contre les roches. (Translated with Google)
Or if you run in the torrent 2/3…..would Zinal be race version of it….or special days vs torrent for Junk miles?
So with the Zinal 2 now, it's softer, more flexible, and lighter, but also now has a little less protection underfoot. Zinal 2 grip is better now with the new outsole. You will get more miles out of the Torrent, being denser and stiffer. So saving that Zinal for important runs/workouts and using the Torrent for everything else makes sense to me
Rocket x / Rocket x2 as well.
Oh yeah that's a great example of a 2nd gen shoe that was way better than the first. FWIW, I actually loved the OG Rocket X on buffed out singletrack 😅
Looks suspiciously like the Pulsar trail pro 2's
I think it might share more in common with the S/lab Pulsar, due to being pretty low to the ground, flexible, and has no plate. I prefer that Pulsar Trail Pro 2 for longer days when I need a bit more shoe, and this Zinal for when I want a more fun and lively feel underfoot. Thanks for watching!
Original bondi guy. Wtf bad.
gotta bring in new customers somehow!
I bet the micro traction has its benefits on very specific terrain. But overall seems more like an useless gimmick.
I have salomon shoes, so don’t need this Hoka, I have the speedgoat 5 now and want to try the mafate later!:-)
I do think Hoka still gets the edge for max cushion shoes. Although it looks like some of the 2024 Salomon models are going to give Hoka a run for their money. Thanks for watching!