Article by Jen Schmidt
Saucony Xodus Ultra 4 ($170)
Introduction
The Xodus Ultra is Saucony’s entry in the more maximally cushioned trail shoe race. The 4th edition for the first time gets a Vibram MegaGrip outsole. The central core of PWRRUN Pb supercritical foam is increased 8% in volume at the forefoot for more soft and bouncy response. The stack height remains the same at 36/30 while the weight increases, most likely to the now full coverage Vibram outsole.
Pros:
All-around high-performing trail shoe - Jen
Improved cushion and energy return over v2 - Jen
Durability is promising in early testing - Jen
Great fit out of the box, especially for low-volume feet - Jen
Good value given the reasonable price point - Jen
Cons:
Laces tend to come untied unless tucked in - some sort of lace garage would be great - Jen
Doesn’t drain well - Jen
Heavier than the previous version and already not the lightest shoe out there - Jen
Most comparable shoes
Salomon Genesis - Jen
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - Jen
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 - Jen
Nnormal Tomir - Jen
Stats
Spec Weights:
V4: men's 10.9 oz / 309g US9 // women’s 9.9 oz / 280g US8
V3:: men’s 10.1 oz./288 g // women’s 8.7 oz./249 g
Sample Weights: women’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, Fit and Upper
Jen: I had run in the Xodus Ultra 2 so much that both uppers on my beloved pair finally ripped open, so I was curious to see how the Ultra 4 would compare, two updates later. The fit was true to size and remarkably dialed in but still comfortable out of the box.
I find the moderate toebox to have just the right amount of room around and above my toes, without letting my foot slide around.
The rugged engineered upper is noticeably thicker than the Ultra 2 and lightly reinforced around the toe and on the lateral side, making me optimistic about its durability.
On the other hand, the tradeoff is that the relatively dense mesh and padded heel collar don’t drain all that quickly, and my feet stayed wet for a while after creek crossings.
After only a four-mile test run, I took the Xodus Ultra 4 out for a hefty long run in the Canyons section of the Western States trail and my positive first impression was confirmed - more on that below.
One minor complaint was that the laces were apt to come untied right away if not tucked in - some sort of lace garage might be worth considering for the next version.
Midsole & Platform
Jen: The dual-foam midsole in this version of the Xodus bumps up the PWRRUN PB supercritical expanded beads foam (Saucony’s superfoam) 8 % over V3 at the forefoot, retaining the PWRRUN supportive frame for durability and responsiveness.
The stack height remains the same as v3 at 36/30 . My v2, I did not run v3 was 3.5mm lower stack height. The increased cushioning makes the Xodus Ultra 4 an even better ultra-distance shoe in my book, but without feeling mushy or sloppy. I reached for it on three long runs totaling 65 miles on the Western States course (Swinging Bridge to the Rucky Chucky crossing), including the steeper canyons sections, and it was exactly what I was looking for: a dialed-in fit for confidence through technical sections but still responsive on smooth singletrack and comfortable for multiple hours.
Since my focus is 50k and below, this amount of cushioning is more than adequate, but I’ll defer to other testers for a perspective on longer distances. This will likely be my shoe of choice for Silver State 50k, which features rocky, sandy singletrack and fire roads with sustained climbs and descents, due to the combination of comfortable cushioning and zero slippage front-to-back or side-to-side. Sure, the weight is significant at 10.0 oz in my US W8.5, but somehow it doesn’t feel as heavy on the run as the specs might suggest.
Outsole
Jen: The new outsole here competes with the additional superfoam for the title of biggest and best update. V4 trades up from the PWRTRAC of v3 to Vibram Mega-Grip for significantly improved traction and performance, especially in wet conditions. The prior woven rock plate is also eliminated. The outsole was perhaps my only complaint with v2, especially through the wet and muddy winter, but switching to Vibram solves that problem perfectly. At this time of year, I didn’t have much mud to test it in on the local trails, but the grip provided by the 4mm lugs and new outsole material was excellent on loose sandy/rocky slopes and through stream crossings.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Xodus Ultra 4 was also a great road-to-trail shoe for running out my door to the trailhead. That bottom layer of PWRRUN provides good energy return when picking up the pace, whether on trails or pavement, and the lugs never feel unstable.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Jen: For its price point of $170, the Xodus Ultra 4 is the best all-around trail shoe I’ve tried this year. There are fancier carbon-plated racers, squishier max-cushion trainers, and more agile mountain adventure shoes out there, but sometimes what you need is the equivalent of your favorite jeans - simple, unpretentious, and a pretty darn good choice for any occasion. (I’ll add the caveat here that my testing involved runs up to 4.5 hours on generally runnable terrain with a relatively low-volume foot). The specs might not blow anyone away at first glance, but I’d urge fellow shoe nerds not to sleep on this update.
Overall 9.75/10
Ride (30%): 9.5/10 - minor deduction for weight
Fit (30%): 9.5/10 - minor points off for not draining all that well and laces coming untied
Value (10%): 10/10
Style (5%): 10/10
Traction (15%): 10/10
Rock Protection (10%): 9.5/10
😊😊😊😊😊
3 Comparisons
Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 (RTR Review)
Jen - We’ve covered the updates in detail above, but briefly, v4 outperforms v3 in cushioning and grip, but adds a few grams. If debating between the two versions, I highly recommend upgrading to the latest one.
Salomon Genesis (RTR Review)
Jen - Both tend toward the narrower end of the spectrum, but the Xodus Ultra 4 fits slightly narrower and shorter, so the Genesis may be more accommodating for a range of feet. The Genesis is also a little lighter, with a lower stack and higher heel-toe offset (30mm/22 mm, vs. 36/30 for the Xodus Ultra 4). Those specs don’t tell the full story, though: 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 Review)
Jen - The Tomir is lighter and roomier, with a similarly grippy outsole. I couldn’t get the heel of the Tomir 2 to lock down as much as I needed, so preferred the more precise fit of the Xodus Ultra 4. The weight difference is a full ounce (10.9 for the Xodus vs 9.9 oz ifor the Tomir n a USM9) despite the wider base on the Tomir 2. The weight difference is most likely due to the single compound supercritical foam midsole of the Tomir. Both are all-around workhorses designed for a variety of conditions, though.
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
The Xodus Ultra 4 will release mid June 2025
Tester Profile
Jennifer Schmidt found trail running in her mid-20's and began dabbling on the roads a few years later. Trail 50k's are nearest and dearest to her heart, and she recently took the win at the 2025 Way Too Cool 50k and placed sixth at the 2025 Black Canyon Ultras 50k. These days, you can find her primarily on the sweet California singletrack around Auburn, chasing competitive and personal goals over a variety of surfaces and distances. Depending on the season, she also competes in the USATF road and XC circuits for Sacramento Running Association's racing team, with a marathon PR of 2:41.
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