Article by Jen Schmidt and Dom Layfield
VJ Ultra 3 ($190)
Introduction
Dom: I’d never previously run in any VJ shoes, but for years I’ve heard stories of this Finnish brand that had near magically grippy Butyl outsole rubber. Then in recent months, I’ve heard that their new shoe, the Ultra 3, is a legitimate contender for ultramarathon racing. Consequently, I was super excited at the opportunity to test this shoe.
Pros:
Lots of cushioning for the weight. [Dom, Jen]
Outstanding outsole grip. [Dom, Jen]
Upper provides excellent foothold and comfort. [Dom]
Nice bouncy ride. [Dom, Jen]
Rockered geometry rolls well. [Dom]
Anatomical toebox allows room for the big toe to straighten out. [Dom, Jen]
Cons:
Heel stack feels a smidgen too high [Dom]
A little wide for low-volume feet, lending to decreased lateral stability - Jen
Feels a little structured/rigid on technical trails - Jen
Most comparable shoes (with your name next to each)
Salomon Genesis (+Genesis S/LAB) [Dom]
Hoka Speedgoat 6 [Dom]
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro [Dom]
Topo MTN Racer [Dom]
Stats
Spec Weight: men's 9.73 oz / 273g US M 8.5
Sample Weights:
US M10 10.1 oz / 286 g
US W8.5 8.75 oz / 248 g US
Stack Height: 37mm heel / 29mm forefoot, 8mm drop
Platform Width: 98 mm forefoot / 65 mm midfoot / 80 mm heel US W8.5
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Dom: Out of the box, I was struck by two things: firstly, this is a very nice-looking shoe, with a clean, distinctive, but not flashy colorway; secondly, it has exactly the kind of toebox that I like, and wish more shoes had, with plenty of room on the medial side to allow your big toe to straighten out. Hooray! The positive experience continued on my first run. This shoe fits like a glove, and is bouncy, smooth, stable, secure. Within a few paces, I was sold.
Dom: The upper is one of the best I’ve tested, and feels very durable. There are no superfluous elements, with everything carefully thought out and purposeful. The primary fabric is a multi-zone mesh with a full-perimeter rand protecting the vulnerable sole seam. There are overlays reinforcing the eyelets (eyestay) and a sling around the heel.
Interestingly, the midfoot is reinforced only on the medial side, with a substantial overlay labeled ‘FITLOCK’ connecting the sole to the laces. On the opposite (lateral) side, there is also reinforcement, but it is hidden as an underlay on the inside of the shoe. I’m not sure why VJ opted for this asymmetry, but it’s hard to argue with the experience of running in the shoe: midfoot hold is impeccable.
The mesh density is nicely judged, like everything else with this shoe. Dust ingress is good, breathability is good, and so is drainage: the fabric doesn’t retain water and dries quickly.
Dom: The fit of the shoe is really good. It’s possible other reviewers will be less positive, but the VJ Ultra 3 fits my foot pretty much perfectly. If you have a super wide foot, you might want more room, and conversely if you’re very narrow-footed, the Ultra 3 might feel too roomy, but I think VJ nailed it here. The Ultra 3 manages to be both comfortable and secure, and even on steep descents I was not sliding forward in the shoe. Add in the anatomically-shaped toebox, and the Ultra 3 promises to be highly toenail-friendly. This may sound like a strange accolade, but this is a huge plus for runners who find that long races cause a lot of damage to their toenails.
Jen: I’d heard very positive reviews of other versions of the VJ Ultra, particularly for the grip, but wasn’t sure what to expect. The only VJ shoe I’d tried previously was the Flow, their gravel/lifestyle shoe, which was a solid shoe but for a different use case than the majority of my trail shoe needs.
Out of the box, the Ultra 3 comes across as the serious workhorse of the VJ lineup, a grippier, higher-stack, and more capable counterpart to the Flow. This version sports a new SuperFOAMance midsole that promises to be softer and bouncier than v2. The attractive colorway combined with aggressive outsole and substantial cushion piqued my interest.
I found the fit to be generous on my low-volume foot, but true to size as far as length.
The upper is a very sturdy-feeling one-piece woven upper, reinforced on the medial side of the arch with the VJ Footlock system. My foot is a little too narrow for the upper to really lock down across the midfoot, but the upper feels quite durable and seems like it would be very stable while still allowing room for toe splay on a wider foot.
Midsole & Platform
Dom: As far as I can tell, VJ uses only a single kind of foam in the midsole, labelled ‘SuperFOAMance’. The foam is a supercritical nitrogen EVA/TPU blend. This is good stuff, and feels bouncy and energetic. There is a color change between the upper (pale blue) and lower (white) midsole, but this looks just to be cosmetic. I couldn’t feel any difference in stiffness or resilience between layers. Nominal stack height of the shoe is 37 mm in the heel and 29 mm in the forefoot, with a healthy amount of rocker that helps the shoe roll nicely forward. If there is any weak point to the Ultra 3, my personal feeling is that the back end is overbuilt. When stressed – e.g. by thundering downhill – the heel felt a little too high, mushy and slightly unstable. Decreasing the heel stack by a few millimeters would likely firm this up and improve stability, not to mention shaving precious grams. If I’m nit-picking here, it’s only because the Ultra 3 is otherwise so excellent.
Jen: As Dom said, the SuperFOAMance foam provides surprisingly good energy return, and there’s a lot of it. That said, the Ultra 3 is far from squishy. Even with a cushioned midsole, the high torsional rigidity of the shoe means that it doesn’t flex much around rocks underfoot, making the ride feel firmer than the stack height would suggest. The 37 mm stack height seems high on paper, but never felt like too much once I was running in it. For comparison, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is listed at only a millimeter more stack, but feels much tippier to me.
Outsole
Dom: I’d heard that VJ outsole rubber was exceptional, and I wasn’t disappointed. This is amazing stuff, eclipsing anything I’ve tested previously. Not only is it very grippy in all the (admittedly limited) conditions I encountered, but also – and perhaps this is the most surprising aspect – durability also seems really good. Traditional wisdom has been that rubber performance is a trade-off between stickiness and durability, so a formulation that excels in both is some modern-day alchemy. At the time of writing, I’ve only put about fifty miles (80 km) on my test pair, but so far outsole wear is minimal. And reports from other runners who have used them more are very positive.
Jen: The outsole here lived up to my high expectations. The chevron-shaped 4 mm lugs were more than capable of handling anything I threw at it: wet singletrack with stream crossings, steep gravelly hills, or dusty mountain trails. I didn’t take it on seriously technical terrain, but I’d place it on par with Vibram outsoles, and I was struck by how good the traction was in wet conditions and on steep slopes with loose sand and gravel. As Dom points out, there are no signs of wear after 60 miles on my pair, which is a great sign.
Ride
Dom: To be clear, the VJ Ultra is a highly-cushioned, protective shoe intended to go long distances. The shoe is comfortable and versatile, so can be used for almost any kind of run, but it provides more protection than most runners need for training: personally, I prefer a lighter, more flexible shoe for daily runs. I would switch to the VJ Ultra 3 for long runs and races.
Dom: The VJ Ultra 3 rolls really nicely on smooth ground, making good use of its bouncy foam and significant rocker. However this is no one-trick pony: on technical terrain, the shoe is also stable and surefooted. Some trail super shoes are fast on the smooth, but get a little spicy when challenged. The VJ is much more forgiving, a shoe that I would continue to trust late in an ultra when my legs are tired and slower to react.
Dom: The only weak point of this shoe for me is that the heel stack feels a little too high. Whereas the forefoot is ‘just right’, the back end feels a little mushy and soft, and slightly unstable when pushed hard, for example when descending at high speed.
Jen: Given how structured the Ultra 3 is, I was surprised how smooth the ride felt on gravel and gentle trails. I wanted to love it on technical sections, but my narrow midfoot meant the fit wasn’t dialed enough to provide the lateral stability I needed. A little side-to-side slippage combined with the lack of flexibility to increase the chances of an ankle roll, and I didn’t feel that I could entirely trust it to send a technical downhill at full speed. That said, it might be absolutely perfect for a moderate to wide foot. I found myself reaching for the Ultra 3 on easy days and long runs over light to moderate terrain, where the cushion and energy return really shine. The 8 mm offset favored a natural stride without feeling unnaturally propulsive.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Dom: This is a brilliant shoe. True to its name, this shoe is built to cover long distances over rugged terrain, and succeeds admirably. Comfort is stellar. Foothold is stellar. Grip is stellar. Cushioning is excellent, striking a great balance between protection, stability, and ground feel. Weight (at around 10 oz, 280 g) is competitive, and pricing ($190, €189) seems reasonable. Early indications are that durability will also be solid.
Dom: The only weak point, in my opinion, is that the heel felt higher than necessary, feeling a little mushy and slightly unstable when stressed. Dropping the midsole thickness at the back of the shoe would firm things up and make the shoe near perfect.
Dom: Is this currently the best ultra distance shoe out there? Arguably. It’s not as sexy as exotica like the Norda 005, but then neither is it as astronomically priced. It’s not as fast as carbon plated racers like the Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra, but neither does it require ferocious concentration to stay on your feet in technical terrain. The VJ Ultra 3 can go any distance on any terrain, and perform outstandingly.
Dom’s Score: 9.5 /10
Ride 9/10 Almost perfect. Fast, smooth, stable. A little less heel height would make this a 10.
Fit 10/10 Great toebox, great foothold, great comfort. Though I’ve yet to race in these.
Protection 9/10 Plenty for long training runs. I just have a slight concern that I might want more under the forefoot after 80+ miles.
Traction 10/10 As good as it gets.
Value 8/10 Not cheap, but competitively-priced compared to the competition.
Overall: 😊😊😊😊😊 A winner.
Jen: The Ultra 3 impressed me, and if I had a slightly wider foot, I would have been fully converted. While I wouldn’t race a technical course in it given the lateral stability I mentioned previously, I loved this shoe for long training runs and trail workouts. The combination of high-performing cushion and grip is rare, and the Ultra 3 offers a fantastic alternative to the carbon-plated trend. I would recommend it without hesitation to moderate-to-wider-footed trail runners, especially for 50k and up, and with only a little more caution for lower-volume feet.
Jen’s Score: 8.7/10
Ride: 8.2/10 - if only I could lock down the midfoot a little more, it would have earned full marks on all types of trails, but as is, a small detraction for technical trails
Fit: 8.5/10 - very comfortable, just need it a tad narrower personally
Protection: 10/10
Traction: 10/10
Value: 8.5/10
Overall: 😊😊😊😊 ½
5 Comparisons
Hoka Speedgoat 6 (RTR Review)
Dom: Both the Speedgoat and VJ are aimed at long-distance trail running. Both are highly cushioned shoes (SG6 stack is nominally 40/35 mm; Ultra 3 is 37/29 mm) that clock in at very similar weights (SG6 281 g vs Ultra 3 286 g). Both shoes are ‘traditionally constructed’ in the sense that they don’t incorporate carbon plates – although the VJ Ultra 3 does apparently have a plate, this is intended for protection more than propulsion.
So… which to choose? As a forefoot-striker, I prefer the lower drop (5 mm) of the Speedgoat over the higher drop (8 mm) of the VJ Ultra. Conversely, I prefer the anatomically-shaped toebox of the VJ; the Speedgoat toebox is more symmetric and tapered. Both shoes provide excellent foot retention (for my feet, at least – narrow-footed runners may find the VJ a little roomy). Notably the SG6 is also available in a ‘wide’ version. VJ has the edge in traction and outsole durability. Ride of VJ is slightly bouncier and smoother-rolling. SG6 wins on price, at least in the USA, at $155 MSRP vs $190 for VJ Ultra 3.
Salomon Genesis (RTR Review)
Dom: While other reviewers were delighted by the Genesis, I wasn’t so impressed. Salomon shoes are generally narrow fitting, but the Genesis is relatively roomy for a Salomon: the width didn’t annoy me. What did was the imbalance between heel and forefoot cushioning. The Genesis has plenty of heel cushioning at 30 mm nominal stack, but the 22 mm forefoot feels underprotected for long runs on rocky terrain, particularly if your gait leans towards toe-striking. This is a shame, as the shoe is otherwise excellent.
Genesis is slightly lighter at 276 g vs 286 g (9.7 oz vs 10.1 oz) in US M10. Personally, I would opt for the extra protection of the VJ Ultra 3, and for its more anatomically-shaped toebox.
Jen - Better suited for narrower feet, the Genesis nonetheless doesn’t quite achieve the same impressive level of traction or energy return. The Genesis is lower-stack and feels equally cushioned but a little less bouncy, and its thicker upper doesn’t drain as well. My impression is that the Genesis also fits slightly longer, while the Ultra 3 is more true-to-size.
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro (RTR Review)
Jen - Another non-plated but high-performing ultra-distance shoe, the Prodigio Pro is very similar in weight and stack height. The upper of the Prodigio Pro is significantly different with its bootie construction, but otherwise RTR testers found many of the same highlights for that shoe that we touched on here.
Icebug Järv (RTR Review)
Jen - The Järv is another high-stack, well-cushioned but inflexible trail shoe made for rugged conditions. It’s evident that both brands place great emphasis on their outsoles, with correspondingly impressive results. The VJ Ultra 3 is more performance-oriented, with a smoother and snappier ride, though Icebug introduced sustainability features in the Järv that the Ultra 3 doesn’t quite match.
Topo Athletic MTN Racer 4 (RTR Review)
Dom: The MTN Racer 4 nominal stack (33/28 mm) is close to VJ Ultra (37/29 mm), but with a little less heel. (Although MikeP measured his sample pair of MTN Racer 4 at 37/33 mm). Both shoes have ‘anatomical’ foot shape. MTN Racer 4 is heavier at 320 g vs 286 g, but cheaper at $155 vs $190 USD.
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
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Tester Profiles
Dom 51, trains and competes mainly on trails in Southern California. In 2017 he was 14th at Western States 100 and in 2018 finished 50th at UTMB and 32nd at the 2018 Los Angeles marathon in a time of 2:46. In 2019, his only notable finish was at the multi-day Dragon’s Back race in the UK. In 2022 Dom finished 4th in the Angeles Crest 100 and was 10th in his age group at UTMB. In 2025 Dom won the Ray Miller 50 Mile in California.
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.
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. No compensation was provided for writing this article. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
5 comments:
Like Dom, I find that the 8mm drop places the heel too high, which, makes the shoe unstable in technical sections. Otherwise, the quality of the foam is awesome. Could you compare to Merrell MTL Adapt?
Thanks
I absolutely LOVED these, but I have a low volume foot and can't get a good enough lockdown without having the sides of the shoe pretty much touching. This causes bunching on the upper, which has given me the most HORRIFIC blisters near the arch of my foot. I loved the foam, so tried the MAXx2. Sadly, the same story. I've used VJ for 8+ years and have had countless pairs. While these are by far the best, I REALLY wish they would just add a little less material on those uppers! :(
Agree with Jen it's very unstable laterally with narrow feet that makes this a no for me on any trails too technical or off-camber. Also I don't like the upper material there's very little stretch in it so can't get a good midfoot lockdown and it bunches up.
How many miles did you put in these shoes? Did you notice that the midsole packs out really fast? I have seen other reviews saying this. I put 100 miles in my Ultra 3s and noticed they are starting to lose their magic. When they are new they are the best shoe I ever wore.
Any thoughts on comparison to TNF Vectiv Pro or SKY
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