Scarpa Spin Ultra Review

Model: Spin Ultra (Women's & Men's)

Ideal for: Ultra running, long distance racing or training 

Main Features: Shock-resistant 3D Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) toe cap, Sock Fit construction, Low-density Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) heel & forefoot inserts, ESS shank

Stack Height: 24mm/18mm

Drop: 6mm

Fit length: EU 38. A little snug

Outsole: Vibram Megagrip with Litebase outsole

Price: £150

 I started fell running about 4 years ago now, mostly because my husband is a keen fell runner and wanted to drag me around all these fun routes he had in mind. After eventually giving in to the fact that it is impossible to keep my feet dry (no matter how hard I tried) as bog is inevitable, and that getting lost is part of the adventure, I realised how much I enjoy it.

Living in Chester I’m not too far from the Clwydian hills and often head up to the Lake District. I’ll mix trail, fell and road into my weeks depending on how much time I have, running between 30-40km a week.

I’m not super competitive with my running but really enjoy taking part in some of the more local races in the Clwyds.

I pronate and run with a mid to forefoot strike and wear Sidas supportive insoles for my road shoes. I find that as my foot is adapting and moving so much in the trails, I don’t bother using insoles in my trail shoes.  

Out of the box these feel great - light and surprisingly firm. The tongue is squishy (but not bulky) so gives a lovely feel and wraps the foot well. I’m not personally a fan of the lace pocket - once you have tied your laces up tight it’s such a pain to get them in.

I have quite a broad forefoot and I fill the toe box of the shoe, which is quite rounded at the front with a solid toe cap. The length feels true to size.

I opted for the EU38 as the EU39 felt too big. But after using them for a while I could probably do with the 38.5 just for that bit of extra length for descents.

They are on the firmer side for cushioned shoe - the stack being 24/18mm which can seem low, especially compared to others on the market.

Running on drier, harder ground was an adjustment at first. But I quickly enjoyed the benefits of feeling nice and stable underfoot and I found that they gave me confidence on those quicker or slightly more technical descents.  

Since having the Scarpa Spin Ultras, I have used them on a variety of terrains. From fire roads, light trails, big grassy ascents and descents, runs in the woods and rocky / scrambling territory.

When running in the mountains or trails in this country it’s hard to avoid muddy or boggy sections, and the shoes have handled that fine.

I wouldn’t choose to wear them for any pathless fell runs as that’s not what they are designed for, but I haven’t been slipping and sliding nearly as much as I expected to in the mud.

The Litebase on the Megagrip outsole allows the shoe to feel a little more flexible, but I have felt there is a lot of protection from the sole, especially on rockier ground.

I haven’t doubted the shoe in wetter conditions either, which can really affect a run if you're having to slow down because you aren’t confident in the grip. But the 4mm lugs and tacky rubber mean I can concentrate more on my technique or simply enjoying being out.

I have really enjoyed testing these shoes and have found them to perform very consistently from shorter to longer runs and at different speeds. For me they have made my runs have more of a natural feel to them - no carbon plate to propel me forward or incredible stack that helps with fatigue.

The shoes aren’t trying to be the fastest or the lightest. They are just simply a good shoe that can handle longer miles with a dependable feel.

I also love the fact that you can also get these re-soled by Scarpa - as long as the upper of the shoe isn’t falling apart by then!