Saucony Xodus Ultra 4 Review: 3 Comparisons

Article by Jen Schmidt

Saucony Xodus Extremely 4 ($170)

Introduction

The Xodus Extremely is Saucony’s entry within the extra maximally cushioned path shoe race. The 4th version for the primary time will get a Vibram MegaGrip outsole. The central core of PWRRUN Pb supercritical foam is elevated 8% in quantity on the forefoot for extra smooth and bouncy response. The stack peak stays the identical at 36/30 whereas the load will increase, most probably to the now full protection Vibram outsole.

Professionals:

All-around high-performing path shoe – Jen

Improved cushion and power return over v2 – Jen

Sturdiness is promising in early testing – Jen

Nice match out of the field, particularly for low-volume ft – Jen

Good worth given the affordable worth level – Jen

Cons:

Laces have a tendency to return untied except tucked in – some form of lace storage can be nice – Jen

Doesn’t drain properly – Jen

Heavier than the earlier model and already not the lightest shoe on the market – Jen

Most comparable footwear

Salomon Genesis – Jen

La Sportiva Prodigio Professional – Jen

Salomon S/Lab Extremely 3 – Jen

Nnormal Tomir – Jen

Stats

Spec Weights:

V4: males’s 10.9 oz / 309g US9 // girls’s 9.9 oz / 280g US8

V3:: males’s 10.1 oz./288 g // girls’s 8.7 oz./249 g

Pattern Weights: girls’s 10.0 oz / 283 g US8.5

Stack Heights:

V4: 36 mm heel / 30 mm forefoot (6 mm drop)

V3: 36 mm heel / 30 mm forefoot (6 mm drop)

Platform Widths:

V4 105 mm forefoot, 77 mm midfoot, 92 mm heel (US W8.5)

v3 : 115 mm forefoot / 75 mm midfoot / 90 mm heel US8.5 (US M8.5)

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Jen: I had run within the Xodus Extremely 2 a lot that each uppers on my beloved pair lastly ripped open, so I used to be curious to see how the Extremely 4 would examine, two updates later. The match was true to measurement and remarkably dialed in however nonetheless comfy out of the field. I discover the average toebox to have simply the correct amount of room round and above my toes, with out letting my foot slide round.

The rugged engineered higher is noticeably thicker than the Extremely 2 and frivolously bolstered across the toe and on the lateral facet, making me optimistic about its sturdiness.

Then again, the tradeoff is that the comparatively dense mesh and padded heel collar don’t drain all that rapidly, and my ft stayed moist for some time after creek crossings.

After solely a four-mile check run, I took the Xodus Extremely 4 out for a hefty future within the Canyons part of the Western States path and my optimistic first impression was confirmed – extra on that beneath.

One minor criticism was that the laces have been apt to return untied immediately if not tucked in – some form of lace storage is likely to be price contemplating for the following model.

Midsole & Platform

Jen: The twin-foam midsole on this model of the Xodus bumps up the PWRRUN PB supercritical expanded beads foam (Saucony’s superfoam) 8 % over V3 on the forefoot, retaining the PWRRUN supportive body for sturdiness and responsiveness.

The stack peak stays the identical as v3 at 36/30 . My v2, I didn’t run v3 was 3.5mm decrease stack peak. The elevated cushioning makes the Xodus Extremely 4 a fair higher ultra-distance shoe in my e-book, however with out feeling mushy or sloppy. I reached for it on three lengthy runs totaling 65 miles on the Western States course (Swinging Bridge to the Rucky Chucky crossing), together with the steeper canyons sections, and it was precisely what I used to be on the lookout for: a dialed-in match for confidence by means of technical sections however nonetheless responsive on easy singletrack and comfy for a number of hours.

Since my focus is 50k and beneath, this quantity of cushioning is greater than enough, however I’ll defer to different testers for a perspective on longer distances. It will seemingly be my shoe of selection for Silver State 50k, which options rocky, sandy singletrack and hearth roads with sustained climbs and descents, as a result of mixture of comfy cushioning and 0 slippage front-to-back or side-to-side. Positive, the load is critical at 10.0 ozin my US W8.5, however one way or the other it doesn’t really feel as heavy on the run because the specs would possibly counsel.

Outsole

Jen: The brand new outsole right here competes with the extra superfoam for the title of largest and greatest replace. V4 trades up from the PWRTRAC of v3 to Vibram Mega-Grip for considerably improved traction and efficiency, particularly in moist circumstances. The prior woven rock plate can also be eradicated. The outsole was maybe my solely criticism with v2, particularly by means of the moist and muddy winter, however switching to Vibram solves that downside completely. Right now of 12 months, I didn’t have a lot mud to check it in on the native trails, however the grip offered by the 4mm lugs and new outsole materials was glorious on free sandy/rocky slopes and thru stream crossings.

I used to be pleasantly shocked to find that the Xodus Extremely 4 was additionally an amazing road-to-trail shoe for operating out my door to the trailhead. That backside layer of PWRRUN supplies good power return when selecting up the tempo, whether or not on trails or pavement, and the lugs by no means really feel unstable.

Experience, Conclusions and Suggestions

Jen: For its worth level of $170, the Xodus Extremely 4 is one of the best all-around path shoe I’ve tried this 12 months. There are fancier carbon-plated racers, squishier max-cushion trainers, and extra agile mountain journey footwear on the market, however typically what you want is the equal of your favourite denims – easy, unpretentious, and a reasonably darn good selection for any event. (I’ll add the caveat right here that my testing concerned runs as much as 4.5 hours on typically runnable terrain with a comparatively low-volume foot). The specs won’t blow anybody away at first look, however I’d urge fellow shoe nerds to not sleep on this replace.

Total 9.75/10

Experience (30%): 9.5/10 – minor deduction for weight

Match (30%): 9.5/10 – minor factors off for not draining all that properly and laces coming untied

Worth (10%): 10/10

Model (5%): 10/10

Traction (15%): 10/10

Rock Safety (10%): 9.5/10

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3 Comparisons

Saucony Xodus Extremely 3 (RTR Assessment)

Jen – We’ve coated the updates intimately above, however briefly, v4 outperforms v3 in cushioning and grip, however provides a number of grams. If debating between the 2 variations, I extremely suggest upgrading to the most recent one.

Salomon Genesis (RTR Assessment)

Jen – Each have a tendency towards the narrower finish of the spectrum, however the Xodus Extremely 4 suits barely narrower and shorter, so the Genesis could also be extra accommodating for a variety of ft. The Genesis can also be just a little lighter, with a decrease stack and better heel-toe offset (30mm/22 mm, vs. 36/30 for the Xodus Extremely 4). These specs don’t inform the complete story, although: the Xodus feels smoother and snappier underfoot to me, and the Vibram Mega-Grip outsole outperforms the Contagrip of the Genesis.

NNormal Tomir 2 (RTR Assessment)

Jen – The Tomir is lighter and roomier, with a equally grippy outsole. I couldn’t get the heel of the Tomir 2 to lock down as a lot as I wanted, so most well-liked the extra exact match of the Xodus Extremely 4. The burden distinction is a full ounce (10.9 for the Xodus vs 9.9 ozifor the Tomir n a USM9) regardless of the broader base on the Tomir 2. The burden distinction is most probably as a result of single compound supercritical foam midsole of the Tomir. Each are all-around workhorses designed for quite a lot of circumstances, although.

Index to all RTR critiques: HERE

The Xodus Extremely 4 will launch mid June 2025

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Tester Profile

Jennifer Schmidt discovered path operating in her mid-20’s and commenced dabbling on the roads a number of years later. Path 50k’s are nearest and dearest to her coronary heart, and she or he not too long ago took the win on the 2025 Manner Too Cool 50k and positioned sixth on the 2025 Black Canyon Ultras 50k. Today, you’ll find her totally on the candy California singletrack round Auburn, chasing aggressive and private objectives over quite a lot of surfaces and distances. Relying on the season, she additionally competes within the USATF street and XC circuits for Sacramento Operating Affiliation’s racing crew, with a marathon PR of two:41.

Samples have been offered at no cost for evaluate functions. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and should earn fee on merchandise bought through buying hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are totally the authors’.

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