5 Best Running Shoes For Spartan Race (OCR) in 2024

We conquered all obstacles—from climbing, crawling, running, and jumping—with the Saucony Peregrine 14. Its light and loose build enhanced our agility while its traction and balanced cushion kept our movements controlled. Proving its versatility and reliability in the lab, it’s our ultimate shoe for an effortless Spartan race finish. 

The shoe’s light weight of 9.4 oz (266g) keeps us quick on our feet. Its uncomplicated midsole boosts a sense of nimbleness and sure-footedness as we perform various exercises. In our flex test, it resembles the average trail shoe, making it adaptive enough for different movements. Its humble platform has a minimal 2.2 mm drop with a balanced sensation that improves our form. Our durometer confirms an average result of 26.0 HA. 

Its remarkable traction sealed the deal, as we felt its grippy outsole bite through any surface. We ran fearlessly through the mud and climbed walls with the 4.7-mm lugs keeping us steady. For reference, the average trail shoe’s lug depth is only 3.5 mm.

Peregrine 14’s focus on versatility makes it less responsive than other trail shoes. Those who prefer more explosiveness on race days should look for a more responsive shoe.

We ran fearlessly with Speedcross 6 and discovered it offers the best grip for Spartan obstacle course races. This solid and sturdy trail shoe crosses muddy paths and steep slopes with ease, offering secure lockdown and protection underfoot for a comfy and worry-free Spartan experience.

This rugged pair performs best in soft and wet terrains. With 5-mm lugs sticking out, Speedcross 6 is extra grippy. The aggressive pattern supported our wall climbs and mud crawls. The design cleverly sheds off mud too, so we didn’t have to bring the dirt home!

The tongue and mesh upper offer a lot of padding for a more comfortable experience. The Quicklace system effectively secures lockdown, which is why we had no issues of lacebite and debris sneaking inside the shoes. 

Underfoot, our heel sits comfortably on a generous amount of cushioning, whereas the forefoot remains low for better ground feel and control. This leads to an inclined platform with a 10-mm drop. 

Since Speedcross remains a high-stacked shoe, it may be unstable for runners who tend to overpronate more.

The Altra Lone Peak 9 gave us peak agility as it delivers the best zero-drop experience for Spartan races. It has a grounded and stable sensation that allows intuitive maneuvering, supporting any exercise we perform—from climbing obstacles to dropping on the floor for burpees. It keeps the ride all-natural and ensures generous room for toe-splaying.

Its low and firm cushion boosts surface sensitivity, ensuring secure and stable strides. Our lab reveals a true zero heel drop compared to the 7.5 mm average, and a balanced 23.6 HA foam measurement, enhancing control during multi-directional movements since the foam won't compress unevenly.

From lunges to lifting weights, we could move freely in this pair as its wide toebox gave us breathing room to adapt easily. It features a square-shaped silhouette, confirmed by our gel mold when the big toe area emerged at a massive 85.3 mm.

We felt the LP9+ version’s reliable traction, whether on dry or wet ground. We ran fearlessly around the arena and climbed walls like a gecko. In the lab, we measured its sticky lugs to be 3.8 mm deep and positioned strategically to enhance traction.

However, we warn caution that this version is stiffer than the previous versions, losing its barefoot feel. Those who value flexible midsoles should keep exploring.

In our actual trials, the Saucony Endorphin Rift made conquering Spartan courses a breeze with its airy build, adaptive nature, unwavering traction, and energetic midsole. Its minimal yet supportive construction proves it’s the best lightweight pair among our lab-tested Spartan OCR running shoes.

We feel quick on our feet with its exceptional lightness. Our scales show it’s only 9.0 oz (255g), a figure that’s hard to match for the 10.4 oz (294g) average trail shoe. What also keeps the feeling light is its ultra-breathable upper that showcases top-notch ventilation, earning a well-deserved 5/5 rating in our lab tests.

The Endorphin Rift enhances agility with its flexible design, accommodating free movement for burpees, climbs, and crawls. It feels fluid whether we twist or bend our feet. Our bend test confirms it's 9.9% more malleable than average. Control is further improved by the 4.5-mm deep and sticky chevron lugs, which efficiently shed mud for safe and stable strides.

The ride feels smooth yet responsive, thanks to the midsole’s combination of the bouncy PWRRUN PB foam and Saucony’s Speedroll technology. We thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic rockered experience as the shoe promotes energetic toe-offs with less effort.

However, the shoe costs $170 which isn’t appealing for buyers on a budget since the average trail shoe costs only $137.

On our wear tests, Saucony Xodus Ultra 3 boasted a high level of flexibility, comfort, and stability, making it the best long-distance shoe for Spartan courses. In the lab, we found that it has discreet supportive features, providing us with precise control over our movements.

Whether we run, climb, or squat, we move easily thanks to XU3’s loose build. Completing various exercises felt like a breeze, as validated by our flex test when it emerged 12.5% more bendable than average. Adding to its effortless feel is the well-ventilated upper, scoring a high 4/5 in our breathability test.

XU3 features the PWRRUN PB, known for its responsiveness, which is hard to ignore in our runs. We found a dual-foam setup, a plush 15.9 HA for comfort and energy return, and a balanced 24.0 HA layer closer to the ground for support. The 116.4/91.1 mm midsole also stands wider than average to stabilize our landings. We couldn’t deny XU3’s impressive support, especially as we speed up.

Underfoot is the PWRTRAC outsole and 4.3 mm lugs, which keep us steady whether we climb walls or run through mud. Every shift in movement and direction felt controlled as we tackled various obstacles.

However, its heavy 10.7 oz (302g) build made us feel less agile than other shoes. Those who prefer a speed-oriented shoe should check alternatives.