The engine's answer
Best running shoe with maximum cushioning for race training on gravel and forest paths, under €170
Saucony Xodus Ultra 3
76% match
Built for the hundredth kilometre, not the first
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Live search for the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 at retailers that carry it.
Why it wins here
The Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 wins this question with a 76% match against all 78 shoes in the catalogue. It costs €170, weighs 292 g and stands on a 38 mm heel stack with a 6 mm drop; its cushioning scores 84/100, its grip 86/100 and its energy return 65/100. The tightest constraint is the terrain: only 19 of the 78 shoes count as trail capability, and 16 clear both the price and the terrain filter. Its biggest edge over that field is on terrain — Trail shoe, grip 86 /100, stability 70 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability. The nearest runner-up, the Hoka Speedgoat 6, finished 0 points behind.
The dimensions where it beats the rest of the field by the most, for this question specifically — with the numbers behind each one.
- TerrainTrail shoe, grip 86 /100, stability 70 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability
- Budget€170, right at the €170 ceiling — 52 of 78 shoes qualify
- Cushioncushioning 84 /100, stack height 38 mm
- Goalenergy return 65 /100, cushioning 84 /100, durability 85 /100
What's good
- Cushioned, grippy and hard to kill
- Comfort that survives all-day efforts
What to watch
- Chunky for short fast loops
- Warm upper in summer
What the runners-up gave up
The next three in the ranking, and the measure each one lost on against the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3.
- Hoka Speedgoat 676%The benchmark for eating technical trailHoka Speedgoat 6 (76%) lost on the goal: energy return 58 /100 against 65 /100 for the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3. SportsShoes.com ↗ Top4Running ↗ Running Warehouse ↗
- Asics Trabuco Max 473%Max cushion for long days in the hillsAsics Trabuco Max 4 (73%) lost on terrain: grip 80 /100 against 86 /100 for the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3. SportsShoes.com ↗ Top4Running ↗ Running Warehouse ↗
- New Balance Hierro v870%Cushy miles on dirt without dramaNew Balance Hierro v8 (70%) lost on terrain: grip 80 /100 against 86 /100 for the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3. SportsShoes.com ↗ Top4Running ↗ Running Warehouse ↗
Questions this answer raises
- Is the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 within a €170 budget?
- Yes. At €170 it sits exactly at the ceiling, and 52 of the 78 shoes in the catalogue come in at €170 or less.
- Does the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 suit gravel and forest paths?
- It is a trail shoe with grip 86 /100 and stability 70 /100. The question filtered for trail capability, which 19 of the 78 shoes are; for race training the ranking also weighed energy return 65 /100, cushioning 84 /100, durability 85 /100.
- How much shoe is under foot in the Saucony Xodus Ultra 3?
- A 38 mm heel stack with a 6 mm drop, a cushioning score of 84/100 and no plate — at 292 g on the scale.
Change an assumption
This page answers one runner's question. Yours is not that question — adjust the surface, the goal or the budget and watch the whole field re-rank.
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