Lone Peak 9 vs Ultra Glide 3

The Lone Peak 9 is the trail running shoe that most people mean when they say Altra. It is a zero drop, wide-fitting all-rounder built for long days on rough ground: thru-hikes, ultras taken at a sensible pace, and everyday trail miles where comfort matters more than a fast time. The 0mm drop keeps you flat and grounded, and the roomy FootShape toe box lets your toes splay and swell over the miles without getting pinched. This is not a plush max-stack shoe and it is not a racer. At 327g it is on the heavier side, and the cushioning is moderate rather than soft, so you feel the ground and stay connected to the terrain. What you get in return is a stable, dependable, do-anything trail shoe with a huge following among hikers and back-of-the-pack ultra runners. If you want the natural, foot-friendly feel of Altra with enough protection for all-day use, this is the one. For a softer, higher-stack version of the same idea, look at the Altra Olympus 6.

The Salomon Ultra Glide 3 is a soft, high-cushion trail running shoe built for one thing: keeping you comfortable when the miles stack up. This is not a nimble mountain racer. It is a long-day cruiser for runners who want to switch off and let the shoe soak up the ground on runnable trails, canal paths and gentle single track. At 285g with a 6mm drop, it sits in that easygoing daily-trail zone, closer in spirit to a road-to-trail shoe than a technical fell weapon. The Contagrip outsole handles dry hardpack and light mud well, though it is not built for deep bog or scrambling. We rate it as one of the more forgiving ultra-distance trail shoes going, a shoe you reach for on tired legs and back-to-back weekends. If you want protection, softness and a relaxed ride over big distances, and you are not chasing course records on gnarly ground, the Ultra Glide 3 is an easy shoe to recommend.