VJ Shoes Ultra 3 Multi Tester Review: Brilliant! 5 Comparisons

Article by Jen Schmidt and Dom Layfield

VJ Extremely 3 ($190)

Introduction

Dom:  I’d by no means beforehand run in any VJ sneakers, however for years I’ve heard tales of this Finnish model that had close to magically grippy Butyl outsole rubber.  Then in current months, I’ve heard that their new shoe, the Extremely 3, is a reliable contender for ultramarathon racing.  Consequently, I used to be tremendous excited on the alternative to check this shoe.

Execs:

Numerous cushioning for the burden. [Dom, Jen]

Excellent outsole grip. [Dom, Jen]

Higher supplies glorious foothold and luxury. [Dom]

Good bouncy experience.  [Dom, Jen]

Rockered geometry rolls effectively.  [Dom]

Anatomical toebox permits room for the massive toe to straighten out. [Dom, Jen]

Cons:

Heel stack feels a smidgen too excessive [Dom]

Slightly broad for low-volume toes, lending to decreased lateral stability – Jen

Feels just a little structured/inflexible on technical trails – Jen

Most comparable sneakers (together with your title subsequent to every)

Salomon Genesis (+Genesis S/LAB)  [Dom]

Hoka Speedgoat 6 [Dom]

La Sportiva Prodigio Professional [Dom]

Topo MTN Racer [Dom]

Stats

Spec Weight: males’s 9.73 oz  / 273g US M 8.5

  Pattern Weights: 

     US M10  10.1 oz / 286 g

     US W8.5 8.75 oz / 248 g US

Stack Top: 37mm heel / 29mm forefoot, 8mm drop 

Platform Width: 98 mm forefoot / 65 mm midfoot / 80 mm heel US W8.5

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Dom: Out of the field, I used to be struck by two issues: firstly, this can be a very nice-looking shoe, with a clear, distinctive, however not flashy colorway; secondly, it has precisely the sort of toebox that I like, and need extra sneakers had, with loads of room on the medial facet to permit your massive toe to straighten out.  Hooray!  The constructive expertise continued on my first run.  This shoe matches like a glove, and is bouncy, easy, steady, safe.  Inside a couple of paces, I used to be offered.

Dom: The higher is among the greatest I’ve examined, and feels very sturdy.  There are not any superfluous components, with all the pieces fastidiously thought out and purposeful.  The first cloth is a multi-zone mesh with a full-perimeter rand defending the weak sole seam.  There are overlays reinforcing the eyelets (eyestay) and a sling across the heel.  

Curiously, the midfoot is strengthened solely on the medial facet, with a considerable overlay labeled ‘FITLOCK’ connecting the only real to the laces.  On the alternative (lateral) facet, there’s additionally reinforcement, however it’s hidden as an underlay on the within of the shoe.  I’m unsure why VJ opted for this asymmetry, however it’s laborious to argue with the expertise of working within the shoe: midfoot maintain is impeccable.

The mesh density is properly judged, like all the pieces else with this shoe. Mud ingress is sweet, breathability is sweet, and so is drainage: the material doesn’t retain water and dries shortly.

Dom: The match of the shoe is de facto good.  It’s doable different reviewers shall be much less constructive, however the VJ Extremely 3 matches my foot just about completely.  If in case you have an excellent broad foot, you may want extra room, and conversely when you’re very narrow-footed, the Extremely 3 would possibly really feel too roomy, however I believe VJ nailed it right here. The Extremely 3 manages to be each comfy and safe, and even on steep descents I used to be not sliding ahead within the shoe.  Add within the anatomically-shaped toebox, and the Extremely 3 guarantees to be extremely toenail-friendly.  This may increasingly sound like a wierd accolade, however this can be a large plus for runners who discover that lengthy races trigger a variety of harm to their toenails.

Jen: I’d heard very constructive evaluations of different variations of the VJ Extremely, notably for the grip, however wasn’t positive what to anticipate. The one VJ shoe I’d tried beforehand was the Stream, their gravel/life-style shoe, which was a strong shoe however for a special use case than nearly all of my path shoe wants. 

Out of the field, the Extremely 3 comes throughout as the intense workhorse of the VJ lineup, a grippier, higher-stack, and extra succesful counterpart to the Stream. This model sports activities a brand new SuperFOAMance midsole that guarantees to be softer and bouncier than v2. The engaging colorway mixed with aggressive outsole and substantial cushion piqued my curiosity.

I discovered the match to be beneficiant on my low-volume foot, however true to dimension so far as size. 

The higher is a really sturdy-feeling one-piece woven higher, strengthened on the medial facet of the arch with the VJ Footlock system. My foot is just a little too slender for the higher to actually lock down throughout the midfoot, however the higher feels fairly sturdy and looks as if it might be very steady whereas nonetheless permitting room for toe splay on a wider foot.

Midsole & Platform

Dom: So far as I can inform, VJ makes use of solely a single sort of foam within the midsole, labelled ‘SuperFOAMance’.  The froth is a supercritical nitrogen EVA/TPU mix. That is good things, and feels bouncy and energetic.  There’s a coloration change between the higher (pale blue) and decrease (white) midsole, however this appears simply to be beauty.  I couldn’t really feel any distinction in stiffness or resilience between layers.  Nominal stack top of the shoe is 37 mm within the heel and 29 mm within the forefoot, with a wholesome quantity of rocker that helps the shoe roll properly ahead.  If there’s any weak level to the Extremely 3, my private feeling is that the again finish is overbuilt.  When careworn – e.g. by thundering downhill – the heel felt just a little too excessive, mushy and barely unstable.  Reducing the heel stack by a couple of millimeters would seemingly agency this up and enhance stability, to not point out shaving valuable grams.  If I’m nit-picking right here, it’s solely as a result of the Extremely 3 is in any other case so glorious.

Jen: As Dom stated, the SuperFOAMance foam supplies surprisingly good power return, and there’s a variety of it. That stated, the Extremely 3 is much from squishy. Even with a cushioned midsole, the excessive torsional rigidity of the shoe implies that it doesn’t flex a lot round rocks underfoot, making the experience really feel firmer than the stack top would counsel. The 37 mm stack top appears excessive on paper, however by no means felt like an excessive amount of as soon as I used to be working in it. For comparability, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Velocity Extremely is listed at solely a millimeter extra stack, however feels a lot tippier to me.

Outsole

Dom: I’d heard that VJ outsole rubber was distinctive, and I wasn’t disenchanted.  That is superb stuff, eclipsing something I’ve examined beforehand.  Not solely is it very grippy in all of the (admittedly restricted) situations I encountered, but in addition – and maybe that is essentially the most stunning facet – sturdiness additionally appears actually good.  Conventional knowledge has been that rubber efficiency is a trade-off between stickiness and sturdiness, so a formulation that excels in each is a few modern-day alchemy.  On the time of writing, I’ve solely put about fifty miles (80 km) on my take a look at pair, however to this point outsole put on is minimal.  And experiences from different runners who’ve used them extra are very constructive.

Jen: The outsole right here lived as much as my excessive expectations. The chevron-shaped 4 mm lugs had been greater than able to dealing with something I threw at it: moist singletrack with stream crossings, steep gravelly hills, or dusty mountain trails. I didn’t take it on significantly technical terrain, however I’d place it on par with Vibram outsoles, and I used to be struck by how good the traction was in moist situations and on steep slopes with unfastened sand and gravel. As Dom factors out, there are not any indicators of damage after 60 miles on my pair, which is a good signal.  

Experience

Dom: To be clear, the VJ Extremely is a highly-cushioned, protecting shoe meant to go lengthy distances.  The shoe is comfy and versatile, so can be utilized for nearly any sort of run, however it supplies extra safety than most runners want for coaching: personally, I want a lighter, extra versatile shoe for day by day runs.  I’d change to the VJ Extremely 3 for lengthy runs and races.

Dom:  The VJ Extremely 3 rolls actually properly on easy floor, making good use of its bouncy foam and vital rocker.  Nonetheless that is no one-trick pony: on technical terrain, the shoe can be steady and surefooted.  Some path tremendous sneakers are quick on the graceful, however get just a little spicy when challenged.  The VJ is rather more forgiving, a shoe that I’d proceed to belief late in an extremely when my legs are drained and slower to react.

Dom: The one weak level of this shoe for me is that the heel stack feels just a little too excessive.  Whereas the forefoot is ‘excellent’, the again finish feels just a little mushy and delicate, and barely unstable when pushed laborious, for instance when descending at excessive pace.

Jen: Given how structured the Extremely 3 is, I used to be shocked how easy the experience felt on gravel and mild trails. I wished to adore it on technical sections, however my slender midfoot meant the match wasn’t dialed sufficient to supply the lateral stability I wanted. Slightly side-to-side slippage mixed with the dearth of flexibility to extend the probabilities of an ankle roll, and I didn’t really feel that I may solely belief it to ship a technical downhill at full pace. That stated, it is likely to be completely excellent for a average to broad foot. I discovered myself reaching for the Extremely 3 on straightforward days and lengthy runs over gentle to average terrain, the place the cushion and power return actually shine. The 8 mm offset favored a pure stride with out feeling unnaturally propulsive.

Conclusions and Suggestions

Dom:  This can be a sensible shoe.  True to its title, this shoe is constructed to cowl lengthy distances over rugged terrain, and succeeds admirably.  Consolation is stellar.  Foothold is stellar.  Grip is stellar.  Cushioning is superb, placing an amazing stability between safety, stability, and floor really feel.  Weight (at round 10 oz, 280 g) is aggressive, and pricing ($190, €189) appears affordable.  Early indications are that sturdiness will even be strong.

Dom: The one weak level, for my part, is that the heel felt greater than mandatory, feeling just a little mushy and barely unstable when careworn.  Dropping the midsole thickness behind the shoe would agency issues up and make the shoe close to excellent.

Dom: Is that this presently the most effective extremely distance shoe on the market?  Arguably.  It’s not as attractive as exotica just like the Norda 005, however then neither is it as astronomically priced.  It’s not as quick as carbon plated racers just like the Adidas Agravic Velocity Extremely, however neither does it require ferocious focus to remain in your toes in technical terrain.  The VJ Extremely 3 can go any distance on any terrain, and carry out outstandingly.  

Dom’s Rating: 9.5 /10

Experience 9/10  Nearly excellent. Quick, easy, steady.  Rather less heel top would make this a ten.

Match 10/10  Nice toebox, nice foothold, nice consolation.  Although I’ve but to race in these.

Safety 9/10  Loads for lengthy coaching runs.  I simply have a slight concern that I would need extra underneath the forefoot after 80+ miles.

Traction 10/10  Pretty much as good because it will get.

Worth 8/10  Not low-cost, however competitively-priced in comparison with the competitors.

Total: 😊😊😊😊😊 A winner.

Jen: The Extremely 3 impressed me, and if I had a barely wider foot, I’d have been totally transformed. Whereas I wouldn’t race a technical course in it given the lateral stability I discussed beforehand, I liked this shoe for lengthy coaching runs and path exercises. The mixture of high-performing cushion and grip is uncommon, and the Extremely 3 provides a improbable various to the carbon-plated development. I’d suggest it with out hesitation to moderate-to-wider-footed path runners, particularly for 50k and up, and with solely just a little extra warning for lower-volume toes.

Jen’s Rating: 8.7/10

Experience: 8.2/10 – if solely I may lock down the midfoot just a little extra, it might have earned full marks on all varieties of trails, however as is, a small detraction for technical trails

Match: 8.5/10 – very comfy, simply want it a tad narrower personally

Safety: 10/10

Traction: 10/10

Worth: 8.5/10

Total: 😊😊😊😊 ½

5 Comparisons

Hoka Speedgoat 6 (RTR Overview)

Dom:  Each the Speedgoat and VJ are geared toward long-distance path working.  Each are extremely cushioned sneakers (SG6 stack is nominally 40/35 mm; Extremely 3 is 37/29 mm) that clock in at very comparable weights (SG6 281 g vs Extremely 3 286 g).  Each sneakers are ‘historically constructed’ within the sense that they don’t incorporate carbon plates – though the VJ Extremely 3 does apparently have a plate, that is meant for defense greater than propulsion.  

So… which to decide on?  As a forefoot-striker, I want the decrease drop (5 mm) of the Speedgoat over the upper drop (8 mm) of the VJ Extremely.  Conversely, I want the anatomically-shaped toebox of the VJ; the Speedgoat toebox is extra symmetric and tapered.  Each sneakers present glorious foot retention (for my toes, at the least – narrow-footed runners might discover the VJ just a little roomy).  Notably the SG6 can be accessible in a ‘broad’ model.  VJ has the sting in traction and outsole sturdiness.  Experience of VJ is barely bouncier and smoother-rolling.  SG6 wins on worth, at the least within the USA, at $155 MSRP vs $190 for VJ Extremely 3.

Salomon Genesis (RTR Overview)

Dom:  Whereas different reviewers had been delighted by the Genesis, I wasn’t so impressed.  Salomon sneakers are typically slender becoming, however the Genesis is comparatively roomy for a Salomon: the width didn’t annoy me.  What did was the imbalance between heel and forefoot cushioning.  The Genesis has loads of heel cushioning at 30 mm nominal stack, however the 22 mm forefoot feels underprotected for lengthy runs on rocky terrain, notably in case your gait leans in direction of toe-striking.  This can be a disgrace, because the shoe is in any other case glorious.  

Genesis is barely lighter at 276 g vs 286 g (9.7 oz vs 10.1 oz) in US M10.  Personally, I’d go for the additional safety of the VJ Extremely 3, and for its extra anatomically-shaped toebox.

Jen – Higher suited to narrower toes, the Genesis nonetheless doesn’t fairly obtain the identical spectacular stage of traction or power return. The Genesis is lower-stack and feels equally cushioned however rather less bouncy, and its thicker higher doesn’t drain as effectively. My impression is that the Genesis additionally matches barely longer, whereas the Extremely 3 is extra true-to-size.

La Sportiva Prodigio Professional (RTR Overview)

Jen – One other non-plated however high-performing ultra-distance shoe, the Prodigio Professional could be very comparable in weight and stack top. The higher of the Prodigio Professional is considerably completely different with its bootie building, however in any other case RTR testers discovered most of the identical highlights for that shoe that we touched on right here.

Icebug Järv (RTR Overview)

Jen – The Järv is one other high-stack, well-cushioned however rigid path shoe made for rugged situations. It’s evident that each manufacturers place nice emphasis on their outsoles, with correspondingly spectacular outcomes. The VJ Extremely 3 is extra performance-oriented, with a smoother and snappier experience, although Icebug launched sustainability options within the Järv that the Extremely 3 doesn’t fairly match. 

Topo Athletic MTN Racer 4 (RTR Overview)

Dom: The MTN Racer 4 nominal stack (33/28 mm) is near VJ Extremely (37/29 mm), however with rather less heel.  (Though MikeP measured his pattern pair of MTN Racer 4 at 37/33 mm).  Each sneakers have ‘anatomical’ foot form.  MTN Racer 4 is heavier at 320 g vs 286 g, however cheaper at $155 vs $190 USD.

Index to all RTR evaluations: HERE

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Tester Profiles

Dom 51, trains and competes primarily on trails in Southern California.  In 2017 he was 14th at Western States 100 and in 2018 completed fiftieth at UTMB and thirty second on the 2018 Los Angeles marathon in a time of two:46.  In 2019, his solely notable end was on the multi-day Dragon’s Again race within the UK.  In 2022 Dom completed 4th within the Angeles Crest 100 and was tenth in his age group at UTMB. In 2025 Dom gained the Ray Miller 50 Mile in California.

Jennifer Schmidt  discovered path working in her mid-20’s and started dabbling on the roads a couple of years later. Path 50k’s are nearest and dearest to her coronary heart, and she or he lately took the win on the 2025 Means Too Cool 50k and positioned sixth on the 2025 Black Canyon Ultras 50k. As of late, you will discover her totally on the candy California singletrack round Auburn, chasing aggressive and private targets over a wide range of surfaces and distances. Relying on the season, she additionally competes within the USATF street and XC circuits for Sacramento Operating Affiliation’s racing group, with a marathon PR of two:41.

Samples had been supplied at no cost for assessment functions. No compensation was supplied for writing this text. RoadTrail Run does have 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 solely the authors’.