Pros
- Very comfortable and cushioned underfoot
- Smooth yet speedy ride
- Discomfort from carbon plate has been rectified
Cons
- A little wide in the forefoot
- Lacks versatility for technical terrain due to stack height
The Vectiv Pro was the first ever carbon-plated trail shoe to hit the market, and felt like a true super shoe experience had come to the trails. But there was a major problem with the first two iterations: our testers (and other disgruntled runners on social media) found their feet hitting the edges of the winged carbon plate, which caused big-toe blisters. This has finally been rectified with the latest iteration, and the Pro 3 now features an additional TPU top plate to avoid discomfort and add resilience and stability.
Much of the adjustments to the latest Vectiv Pro also push it further towards longer, smoother ultras. We’re talking Western States 100 length. There’s a generous 4mm increase in the Dream Foam cushioning (a PEBA/EVA compound), which combines with the fairly extreme rocker and full-length carbon-fibre propulsion plate to deliver a smooth yet accelerated ride. The volume of the upper also feels a lot more generous than previous iterations, particularly in the forefoot. In fact, our tester, who wore the shoe for a technical 47km trail run, noted that it might be too spacious — something to bear in mind if you’ve got narrow feet.
It’s also worth noting that the increase in stack makes the Pro 3 somewhat less versatile than the Pro 2, particularly on technical trails. For this reason, we’d recommend it more for those super long distance races where your legs require an abundance of cushioning.
| Weight | 294g |
|---|---|
| Stack height | 37mm (heel), 31mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 6mm |
| Lug depth | 3.5mm |
