Another contender trying to take the number 1 spot of the “Sacouny Exodus Ultra 2” the go to trail race shoe for long days. As always great review and informative feedback on upcoming trail shoes.
Thanks Loyd for another interesting review, would be good to know your thoughts/comparisons with the Torrent which I have loved for shortish trail races.
The Zinal feels a bit more like a racing shoe compared to the Torrent. I actually prefer the fit and feel of the Zinal 2 Stuart 👍 Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏 Loyd
Disagree. They started falling apart on my very first run in them, the foothold onto the platform is sloppy, making the whole sole unit feel like it doesn't obey my footing, and the outsole rubber compound strangely not particularly sticky, lugs being too narrow and/or too few and slipping a lot. Or maybe the rubber was old and oxidised but didn't look that way. The laces are really hard to pull tight. Plus my socks are all blue now 🤣
@@O1sson They do make socks turn blue! They were very similar to the Adidas Lightfoots that were around in 2002. Also a great trail racing shoe that was discontinued.
I agree with you on durability, it wasn't great with the Jawz. I've run about 250 miles in mine and it's just about holding together! 😕 I have to disagree with the outsole not being grippy!? I've run the Jawz in terrible underfoot conditions in the depths of winter and grip and traction has always been amazing, it's never let me down Isak 🤔
@@Run4Adventure I think my bad memories might be from the specific trail conditions here in Sweden. Here trails often consist of smooth rock outcrop appearing between stretches of paths covered in loose dead coniferous leaves (those spiky leaves from spruce and fir trees), with little roots, just a few centimetres thick, and worn down through the bark becoming completely smooth, sticking up everywhere. Not much mud to speak of so I can't really relate to your winter conditions! What I find works well on these trails is if the total surface area of the tips of all the lugs is big, then the grip is good. The Jawz has very few lugs, and the sides of them are also slanted making their base wider than their tips, so the contact area with the smooth rock becomes minescule. I find that deep lugs are too tall for their own good where they tend to bend and sort of give way to the roots and hence fail to grip, and smaller more tightly spaced out lugs like the Zinal 2 are able to also grip a lot of ground around said roots as the midsole adapts to the unevenness. The ground is traitorous without being particularly soft! Something like the Speedgoat, Kjerag and most Salomon shoes is wonderous to have here, while X-Talons just don't do the trick in my experience.
Hoka with a Saucony outsole? Saucony don't use Vibram megagrip litebase on the outsole 🤔
9 місяців тому
I finally got a pair since they made it to the discount sales. I really dont get the stripped back low to the ground reviews since it has 30mm stack and one of the softest midsoles on the market. The midsole is also pretty wide and "stable". For me it felt pretty relaxed and cushioned compared to Salomon s/lab pulsar, cross, sense8 or even ultra 3. Cushioning is on the level with mid cushioned street shoes, imho.
I agree, the midsole is well cushioned but it is still pretty stripped back when you compare it to a lot of trail running shoes these days 🤔 Glad you’re enjoying yours 👍
I'd be really interested in the comparison to Merrell Skyfire 2 (or even Salomon slab pulsar SG if you have a chance to try them) - all seems pretty similar and I'm looking forward to purchase my new racing trail shoe, just need to decide which one ;)
Hey Lloyd, thanks the complete review! Bought a pair recently, and I find the heel cup being a bit low. They don't feel very stable in that area but have not run many km at the mknebr5. Did you notice a similar case in your review?
I didn’t have any issues with the heel cup feeling to low but the upper feel and fit does take a bit of time to get use to. I feel very stable when running in the Zinal 2. that’s one of the things I like about the shoe. Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
Cheers Anders, glad you enjoyed the video. I'd be happy to run the Zinal 2 up to marathon distance on the trails 👍 Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏 Loyd
Cheers Steve, glad you enjoyed the video. I'd say the Zinal 2 feels more like a racing shoe than the Torrent, I actually prefer the feel of the Zinal to to the Torrent 👍 Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
I think it is a shorted distance shoe that's designed for quick races over technical terrain Andrew. I still think it's got enough cushioning and protection for marathon distance on the trails 👍 Thanks for watching 🙏
@Run4Adventure it does help thanks actually you want over it at the end of the video lol I missed that. Just one last question for someone like me who always runs with shoes with a soild heel like does it feel weird or take time to adjust to the flexy heel?
I think the new version is ugly. I have a pair of the original zinals, they’re a great fast trail and road to trail shoe, and a lot more pleasing on the eye. If the conditions get a bit too muddy and wet I’ll revert to either the Mafatte speed 4s or Torrent 2s
I love my Zinal 1s, thinking of getting a second pair whilst they're available and on offer. I have slightly wide feet and no issues with the originals, so not sure if this new version will fit me.
Love these Zinal 2’s but the lack of structure around the ankle causes me to roll over on it and the gator sock shreds my bony ankles after an hour. Such as shame as they are so comfy otherwise. Any ideas if the Salomon Genesis suffers the same issues with the gator and lack of heel structure? Looks pretty similar but reviews don’t seem to have these problems.
Wait you said you wouldn’t try the nnormal because of the minimal feel and the stiff midsole but the zenal looks and seems the same to me. But hey maybe you just love hokas.
The Zinal 2 might look like the Nnormal shoe but it really doesn't feel anything like it. The Zinal midsole still feels nicely cushioned for a more minimal shoe and it's nice and flexible 👍
Hi everyone. Thanks for this information about the zinal v2, Loyd. Here is my like. Another comparison: Hoka zinal -Nb summit unknown. What do you think?. A nice monday for everyone. 🌞🏃⛰️
Cheers Lloyd for the t shirt and buff my children got from you for fathers day. Quality.
No problem Scott, I'm really glad you liked your father's day gifts and thanks so much for watching and supporting the channel 🙏😊
Loyd
yes!!! more responsive, and narrow!!! Finally :D
Another contender trying to take the number 1 spot of the “Sacouny Exodus Ultra 2” the go to trail race shoe for long days. As always great review and informative feedback on upcoming trail shoes.
Thanks Loyd for another interesting review, would be good to know your thoughts/comparisons with the Torrent which I have loved for shortish trail races.
The Zinal feels a bit more like a racing shoe compared to the Torrent. I actually prefer the fit and feel of the Zinal 2 Stuart 👍
Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
Loyd
The Hoka Evo Jawz is one of the best trail racing shoes ever made. Its such a shame they no longer make them.
Disagree. They started falling apart on my very first run in them, the foothold onto the platform is sloppy, making the whole sole unit feel like it doesn't obey my footing, and the outsole rubber compound strangely not particularly sticky, lugs being too narrow and/or too few and slipping a lot. Or maybe the rubber was old and oxidised but didn't look that way. The laces are really hard to pull tight. Plus my socks are all blue now 🤣
@@O1sson They do make socks turn blue! They were very similar to the Adidas Lightfoots that were around in 2002. Also a great trail racing shoe that was discontinued.
It was a great shoe but durability wasn't great! 👍😊
I agree with you on durability, it wasn't great with the Jawz. I've run about 250 miles in mine and it's just about holding together! 😕
I have to disagree with the outsole not being grippy!? I've run the Jawz in terrible underfoot conditions in the depths of winter and grip and traction has always been amazing, it's never let me down Isak 🤔
@@Run4Adventure I think my bad memories might be from the specific trail conditions here in Sweden. Here trails often consist of smooth rock outcrop appearing between stretches of paths covered in loose dead coniferous leaves (those spiky leaves from spruce and fir trees), with little roots, just a few centimetres thick, and worn down through the bark becoming completely smooth, sticking up everywhere. Not much mud to speak of so I can't really relate to your winter conditions!
What I find works well on these trails is if the total surface area of the tips of all the lugs is big, then the grip is good. The Jawz has very few lugs, and the sides of them are also slanted making their base wider than their tips, so the contact area with the smooth rock becomes minescule. I find that deep lugs are too tall for their own good where they tend to bend and sort of give way to the roots and hence fail to grip, and smaller more tightly spaced out lugs like the Zinal 2 are able to also grip a lot of ground around said roots as the midsole adapts to the unevenness. The ground is traitorous without being particularly soft!
Something like the Speedgoat, Kjerag and most Salomon shoes is wonderous to have here, while X-Talons just don't do the trick in my experience.
So, Hoka with a Saucony outsole!
Hoka with a Saucony outsole? Saucony don't use Vibram megagrip litebase on the outsole 🤔
I finally got a pair since they made it to the discount sales. I really dont get the stripped back low to the ground reviews since it has 30mm stack and one of the softest midsoles on the market. The midsole is also pretty wide and "stable". For me it felt pretty relaxed and cushioned compared to Salomon s/lab pulsar, cross, sense8 or even ultra 3. Cushioning is on the level with mid cushioned street shoes, imho.
I agree, the midsole is well cushioned but it is still pretty stripped back when you compare it to a lot of trail running shoes these days 🤔 Glad you’re enjoying yours 👍
I'd be really interested in the comparison to Merrell Skyfire 2 (or even Salomon slab pulsar SG if you have a chance to try them) - all seems pretty similar and I'm looking forward to purchase my new racing trail shoe, just need to decide which one ;)
I'll see what I can do Martin, thanks for watching the channel 🙏😊
Just saw Salomon S/lab Pulsar 3 for SS24 - it's sort of mix of old HG and SG Pulsars and the lug pattern is even more similar to Zinals 2
Hey Lloyd, thanks the complete review! Bought a pair recently, and I find the heel cup being a bit low. They don't feel very stable in that area but have not run many km at the mknebr5. Did you notice a similar case in your review?
I didn’t have any issues with the heel cup feeling to low but the upper feel and fit does take a bit of time to get use to. I feel very stable when running in the Zinal 2. that’s one of the things I like about the shoe. Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
The Zinals have a similar lug pattern to my Saucony Peregrine.
Ha. First. Or so I think. Love the hoka by the way. Thinking about getting them.
Great review. 👌🏼 As always
Do you have any thoughts about the max distance that you would use this shoe for?
Cheers
Cheers Anders, glad you enjoyed the video. I'd be happy to run the Zinal 2 up to marathon distance on the trails 👍 Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
Loyd
How do these compare to the S/Lab Ultra 3s? I’m not able to try on either of these so choosing between them has been difficult.
Trail race shoe of 2023 in my opinion for up to a half marathon
Will this shoe work for ankles that pronate or is there another shoe that you can recommend?
Great video, Where do they fit alongside the torrent in the range?
Cheers Steve, glad you enjoyed the video. I'd say the Zinal 2 feels more like a racing shoe than the Torrent, I actually prefer the feel of the Zinal to to the Torrent 👍
Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
I really like the look of these shoes for shorter distance races. I just worry that they have no structure in the back of the shoe. 😢
I think it is a shorted distance shoe that's designed for quick races over technical terrain Andrew. I still think it's got enough cushioning and protection for marathon distance on the trails 👍
Thanks for watching 🙏
...and they do look the part!
Is the heal hard what i mean is some shoes have a soild heal for support but some have a flexy type heal?
The heel cup is pretty flexible be ause it's a bootie construction 👍
Hope this helps and thanks for watching 🙏
@Run4Adventure it does help thanks actually you want over it at the end of the video lol I missed that. Just one last question for someone like me who always runs with shoes with a soild heel like does it feel weird or take time to adjust to the flexy heel?
@@cbb3062 Like anything new it would take a bit of time to adjust so it might feel different to start with 👍
I think the new version is ugly. I have a pair of the original zinals, they’re a great fast trail and road to trail shoe, and a lot more pleasing on the eye. If the conditions get a bit too muddy and wet I’ll revert to either the Mafatte speed 4s or Torrent 2s
Agreed. I have a second pair of the original version tucked away for when my current pair dies. The first colorway of the new version is awful, too!
I love my Zinal 1s, thinking of getting a second pair whilst they're available and on offer. I have slightly wide feet and no issues with the originals, so not sure if this new version will fit me.
Love the look of these but I don't think they'd fit my altra wide feet
If you've got wide feet David I'd maybe give these a miss unfortunately, they are very narrow.
Thanks for watching 🙏
Love these Zinal 2’s but the lack of structure around the ankle causes me to roll over on it and the gator sock
shreds my bony ankles after an hour. Such as shame as they are so comfy otherwise. Any ideas if the Salomon Genesis suffers the same issues with the gator and lack of heel structure? Looks pretty similar but reviews don’t seem to have these problems.
I could get interested in this shoe, but not at that price 😮
Wait you said you wouldn’t try the nnormal because of the minimal feel and the stiff midsole but the zenal looks and seems the same to me. But hey maybe you just love hokas.
The Zinal 2 might look like the Nnormal shoe but it really doesn't feel anything like it. The Zinal midsole still feels nicely cushioned for a more minimal shoe and it's nice and flexible 👍
Which shoes better Skyfire2 or zinal2?
It woukd have to be the Zinal 2 for me, I found the midsole a lot more comfortable 👍
Hope this helps and thanks for watching the channel 🙏
Loyd
Basically a La Sportiva Kaptiva
Those bad boys are fugly. I can't wait to try them!
It's stupid for a company to discontinue highly rated and sought after models in search of methods to reinvent the wheel.
🙄
Curse my wide hoofers. Looks like a great shoe, shame there is no chance it will fit me!
Not a chance if your wide unfortunately! Even I thought they were narrow when I first put them on. Thanks for watching 🙏
The upper was completely stolen from Adidas. They did at least two years ago with their Ultra model.
Hi everyone. Thanks for this information about the zinal v2, Loyd. Here is my like. Another comparison: Hoka zinal -Nb summit unknown. What do you think?. A nice monday for everyone. 🌞🏃⛰️