Tecton X 3 vs S/Lab Genesis 2

The Tecton X 3 is Hoka's carbon-plated trail racing shoe, built for runners who want road-race pop on rough ground. At 252g it is remarkably light for a shoe with this much cushion under the foot, and the carbon plate gives you a real snap through toe-off when you are moving well. With a 5mm drop and an RRP of £220 it sits at the sharp, premium end of the trail market, squarely aimed at long-distance and ultra racing rather than everyday miles. This is a specialist. It rewards a runner who wants to hold pace over technical terrain and carry that efficiency deep into a race, when tired legs need every bit of help they can get. If you race trail ultras or fast half and full marathon distances off-road, it belongs on your shortlist. The nearest rival in our catalogue is the Nike Ultrafly, another plated trail racer chasing the same runner.

The S/Lab Genesis 2 is Salomon at its most race-focused: a lightweight trail running shoe built for short to mid distance racing, from a sharp 10k on the fells to a technical half or a fast 50k. At 249g it is genuinely light for a shoe with a 31.9mm heel, and the low 7.8mm drop keeps you connected to the ground so you can read the trail and react. There is no plate here, and that is deliberate. This is a shoe about precision, grip and control rather than pop off a carbon spring. You get a snug, locked-in Salomon fit and aggressive traction that bites on loose, wet and steep ground. In our view it sits at the premium racing end of the market, and the price reflects that. If you want a plated trail racer the Hoka Tecton X 3 is the obvious rival, but for pure connected feel and grip the Genesis 2 is hard to beat.