VJ XTRM and iRock 3 Review. Mack and Damer do a post run gear review of OCR shoes VJ XTRM and VJ iRock 3. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE!! VJ XTRM - amzn.to/3arR1DE VJ iRock 3 - amzn.to/3rbnGmV
You guys ,probably like Me have a wide feet.Inov8 X-talon 200 worked for me big time!8mm lugs,ground feel still plenty of protection!Unstoppable in the mud. Great video! Keep up the good work!
@@OCRKings Great quality shoes but be careful, some modell are so called precision fit,which is like VJ,very narrow! They have a scale system 1to 5.1 is the narrowest! Good luck,and I would love to see a comparison video with VJ!🙏
I LOVE my VJ XTRMs (though I've never raced in them) but... my feet are wide so they killed first couple times I wore them. What strangely helped me was wetting them and throwing a shoe horn in there for a couple of days... I can't wear them for longer distances though. Excited to get my iRocks for the winter trail running. Thanks for the review!
Thank you for the tip! We have to try that! They both have great grip, but it seems like the traction on the iRock's are superior. The ground is good and frozen, so we'll be seeing how these two do vs. the Xero's. We are full of holiday cookies, so we need to get out there sooner rather than later.
Great reviews by both of you guys! And good on both of you to reserve final judgement until after a break-in period (and after you try them out on obstacles). Loved the pipecleaner/mammalian feet comments - lately it seems many of the newest models of OCR shoes are made for people who grew up with their toes cinch-wrapped or something... I too am looking for a good OCR shoe for longer (Spartan Beast and Ultra-type distances) - and can't seem to find the perfect combination of grip, drainage, fit, and drop/padding (seems like with all of the damn shoes I've tried I can get any three but never all four...sounds like I'm not the only one trying to find that perfect "unicorn" of long-distance OCR shoe). Anyway, keep up with these outstanding videos - you guys are the best!
Thank you my friend!! As an update on the XTRM's - ran the other night on frozen hard ground. The grip is really good on these things. Got a few less blisters, but there was still a bit of rubbing. I think they need a good break in period. I like the lightness, and the grip, no doubt. Drainage could be an issue. Few more runs and we'll see what the definitive word is on these things. It's a bit early, but Happy New Year in advance!
Hey guys great review. Very thorough. I have the VJ Maxx which is the widest shoe they offer. At first it was still too narrow but after many miles it eventually broke in nicely. It is my preferred trail shoe now. The grip is noticeably better than other brands I have tried. Unfortunately the Xtrm and Irock are not an option for me due to how incredibly narrow they are on my feet.
Thanks for the insights! Ok, we might seriously need to get our hands on the Maxx's. We love the grips on the VJ's, just the narrowness is not good. Maybe we need to break them in a bit more. We'll see.
Thanks for the honest review. Small or tight toe box does not work for me. I am planning on doing 2 Spartan Ultras in 2021 ( Ohio in June and Dallas in Oct, if they happen) and looking for new shoe options. I've done Spartan Beasts in my Salomon Speedcross 4.0 which was longest distance I put on them. Been using Thoro ultra padded calf socks with no blisters and one light hot spot on right side of right foot . I may stick with them for Ultra races because of the old saying Go With What You Know. Thanks for the great videos. Keep em coming! Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you too my friend. And yeah, stick to what you know. These shoes both have good grips, but neither of us would put these high on our lists for long distances. We're getting some good advice as far as how to stretch them out, but we're not thrilled that we have to do extra work just to make shoes work better since their are so many other options we could choose, many of which you could slip on and run right out of the box. Some more running/data needed on these. We'll see.
In regards to the VJ Xtreme...I thought it was a GREAT shoe !...Wore it for a Tough Mudder..I thought the Grip was EXCELLENT, It is really light, and I thought the drainage was fine\ no issues, it also had a nice foot-lock, no issues with the shoe slipping...BUT I agree, to narrow, after mile 4/5, little toe blisters on both R and L...and by mile 10, it was bothersome...I would were these again for 5k OCR, but beyond that...I will stick with Go To Shoe/Never let me down...Salming OT Comp....The Best All Around OCR Shoe!
Awesome, thank you for the insights! We agree with the grip and the foot-lock. We think the VJ's are great there. Thanks for the recommendation on the Salming OT Comp. I am literally looking at their site now as I type this. Might have to get a pair!
hey guys, a little off-topic. I am training for my first spartan race in 2021, I noticed you listen to music while in the race. what earbuds do you use? and do you just bring your phone in like a waterproof case or something? Thanks
Great question! We both use Sony's waterproof mp3 Walkman headphones. There might be a newer model, but we've had good experiences with these: amzn.to/3aSOW3Z They're tough and completely waterproof. We've never done a race with our phones, just these from Sony. Hope this helps. Good luck at your first Spartan Race! Be safe and have fun!
Have either of you tried VJ's Maxx? It's still pitched as an OCR shoe, but in a wider fit - interested to see if that works well. In any case - what is it with shoe manufacturers making OCR shoes so narrow? Inov-8 do the same thing with the Mudclaw and it annoys the heck out of me that something well regarded won't fit me. The only shoes I've ever felt really comfortable in have been Merrell's TM All Out Crush - doesn't feel like it's crushing my outer toes and drains great. Even cheap if you can still get hold of them - but they're fall apart pretty quickly.
We've heard good things about the Maxx. Haven't tried them yet, but they are on the radar. The XTRM's are breaking in a bit. They really do have great traction and are super light. Rubbing a little bit still, but less than the initial run. We'll see how they do after a few more miles. We like Altra for their super wide toe box. Those are great as far as comfort on the tops of the feet and toes. We found them lacking as far as support under foot, and are not fans of zero drop. It seems that there is no perfect shoe out there. We'll keep looking though!
I used the XTRM's at the Palmerton super this past weekend. Loved the grip and that midsole lacing system but by the end of the race the lack of any kind of tongue was really bothering the top of my feet. Major pinching there that started around mile 5. I agree if they could take the bottom of these shoes and put that on the top of an Altra or even an innov-8 they would be amazing.
@@OCRKings thanks. Yeah feet are all good now. Interested in the new Spartan shoes by Craft but have always had trouble with drainage holes letting in tiny rocks.
Thanks for the heads up! Damer loves Merrell. Those are his go to every day shoe. We were looking at the Moab ventilated shoes and were wondering about drainage. Might have to check those out.
@@OCRKings check out the MTL LONG SKY SHOES. The ocr modo is to keep looking for the perfect shoe. I was excited about vj but I could not find a location to try them on before spending $200 on a shoe.
No formal review video for the Topo's, but we found the grip to be excellent, the ankle and underfoot support to be very good, but they were very narrow in the arches and hurt there. The wide toe box was good as well. The drainage was non-existent, however. They have drainage ports on the inside edge of the foot, but these are blocked by the material of the inside of the shoe. No water got out and they sucked up water like a sponge. It made them very heavy to run in when wet. The arch pain and lack of drainage made us keep looking for another ocr shoe. The search continues...
Both Mack and I (Damer) thought the XRTMs were a bit narrow overall but especially in the underfoot arch area. They were fine for shorter races and mileage runs but caused foot aches as the miles increased. Felt like are feet were being squeezed. We're both running in the new spartan OCR speed shoes now with several races complete (TM New England, Palmerton, Savage Race Boston) and liking them more than the previous spartan shoes. They are still pretty new but showing some wear and tear already. Still have pairs of ultras LP 4.5, inov8 roclite 315s, and a whole bin of others I haven't 100% given up on. For 2021 - I'd probably pick the Salming Elements 3 as my #2 shoes - but my only complaint is the underfoot is a bit thin so you feel every rock, and the lugs are big but softer than other brands. Hope that helps. I know shoes are crazy to lock down with everyones feet being unique.
You guys ,probably like Me have a wide feet.Inov8 X-talon 200 worked for me big time!8mm lugs,ground feel still plenty of protection!Unstoppable in the mud.
Great video!
Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the tips! Damer has Inov-8 shoes and like them a lot. May have to try them side by side against the VJ's.
@@OCRKings Great quality shoes but be careful, some modell are so called precision fit,which is like VJ,very narrow!
They have a scale system 1to 5.1 is the narrowest!
Good luck,and I would love to see a comparison video with VJ!🙏
I LOVE my VJ XTRMs (though I've never raced in them) but... my feet are wide so they killed first couple times I wore them. What strangely helped me was wetting them and throwing a shoe horn in there for a couple of days... I can't wear them for longer distances though. Excited to get my iRocks for the winter trail running. Thanks for the review!
Thank you for the tip! We have to try that! They both have great grip, but it seems like the traction on the iRock's are superior. The ground is good and frozen, so we'll be seeing how these two do vs. the Xero's. We are full of holiday cookies, so we need to get out there sooner rather than later.
@@OCRKings Awesome keep us posted. And yeah same... So many cookies!!
Great reviews by both of you guys! And good on both of you to reserve final judgement until after a break-in period (and after you try them out on obstacles). Loved the pipecleaner/mammalian feet comments - lately it seems many of the newest models of OCR shoes are made for people who grew up with their toes cinch-wrapped or something... I too am looking for a good OCR shoe for longer (Spartan Beast and Ultra-type distances) - and can't seem to find the perfect combination of grip, drainage, fit, and drop/padding (seems like with all of the damn shoes I've tried I can get any three but never all four...sounds like I'm not the only one trying to find that perfect "unicorn" of long-distance OCR shoe). Anyway, keep up with these outstanding videos - you guys are the best!
Thank you my friend!! As an update on the XTRM's - ran the other night on frozen hard ground. The grip is really good on these things. Got a few less blisters, but there was still a bit of rubbing. I think they need a good break in period. I like the lightness, and the grip, no doubt. Drainage could be an issue. Few more runs and we'll see what the definitive word is on these things. It's a bit early, but Happy New Year in advance!
Hey guys great review. Very thorough. I have the VJ Maxx which is the widest shoe they offer. At first it was still too narrow but after many miles it eventually broke in nicely. It is my preferred trail shoe now. The grip is noticeably better than other brands I have tried. Unfortunately the Xtrm and Irock are not an option for me due to how incredibly narrow they are on my feet.
Thanks for the insights! Ok, we might seriously need to get our hands on the Maxx's. We love the grips on the VJ's, just the narrowness is not good. Maybe we need to break them in a bit more. We'll see.
Thanks for the honest review. Small or tight toe box does not work for me. I am planning on doing 2 Spartan Ultras in 2021 ( Ohio in June and Dallas in Oct, if they happen) and looking for new shoe options. I've done Spartan Beasts in my Salomon Speedcross 4.0 which was longest distance I put on them. Been using Thoro ultra padded calf socks with no blisters and one light hot spot on right side of right foot . I may stick with them for Ultra races because of the old saying Go With What You Know. Thanks for the great videos. Keep em coming! Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you too my friend. And yeah, stick to what you know. These shoes both have good grips, but neither of us would put these high on our lists for long distances. We're getting some good advice as far as how to stretch them out, but we're not thrilled that we have to do extra work just to make shoes work better since their are so many other options we could choose, many of which you could slip on and run right out of the box. Some more running/data needed on these. We'll see.
In regards to the VJ Xtreme...I thought it was a GREAT shoe !...Wore it for a Tough Mudder..I thought the Grip was EXCELLENT, It is really light, and I thought the drainage was fine\ no issues, it also had a nice foot-lock, no issues with the shoe slipping...BUT I agree, to narrow, after mile 4/5, little toe blisters on both R and L...and by mile 10, it was bothersome...I would were these again for 5k OCR, but beyond that...I will stick with Go To Shoe/Never let me down...Salming OT Comp....The Best All Around OCR Shoe!
Awesome, thank you for the insights! We agree with the grip and the foot-lock. We think the VJ's are great there. Thanks for the recommendation on the Salming OT Comp. I am literally looking at their site now as I type this. Might have to get a pair!
@@OCRKings Love your show !, the Salming Elements , I also like a lot...Have yourselves a Happy New Year
hey guys, a little off-topic. I am training for my first spartan race in 2021, I noticed you listen to music while in the race. what earbuds do you use? and do you just bring your phone in like a waterproof case or something? Thanks
Great question! We both use Sony's waterproof mp3 Walkman headphones. There might be a newer model, but we've had good experiences with these: amzn.to/3aSOW3Z They're tough and completely waterproof. We've never done a race with our phones, just these from Sony. Hope this helps. Good luck at your first Spartan Race! Be safe and have fun!
Have either of you tried VJ's Maxx? It's still pitched as an OCR shoe, but in a wider fit - interested to see if that works well. In any case - what is it with shoe manufacturers making OCR shoes so narrow? Inov-8 do the same thing with the Mudclaw and it annoys the heck out of me that something well regarded won't fit me. The only shoes I've ever felt really comfortable in have been Merrell's TM All Out Crush - doesn't feel like it's crushing my outer toes and drains great. Even cheap if you can still get hold of them - but they're fall apart pretty quickly.
We've heard good things about the Maxx. Haven't tried them yet, but they are on the radar. The XTRM's are breaking in a bit. They really do have great traction and are super light. Rubbing a little bit still, but less than the initial run. We'll see how they do after a few more miles. We like Altra for their super wide toe box. Those are great as far as comfort on the tops of the feet and toes. We found them lacking as far as support under foot, and are not fans of zero drop. It seems that there is no perfect shoe out there. We'll keep looking though!
"Mammalian feet" lmao
Heh-heh-heh!
I used the XTRM's at the Palmerton super this past weekend. Loved the grip and that midsole lacing system but by the end of the race the lack of any kind of tongue was really bothering the top of my feet. Major pinching there that started around mile 5. I agree if they could take the bottom of these shoes and put that on the top of an Altra or even an innov-8 they would be amazing.
Agreed. And sorry to hear about your feet troubles, yikes! Hope your feet are now ok, and that you find a shoe that works better for you.
@@OCRKings thanks. Yeah feet are all good now. Interested in the new Spartan shoes by Craft but have always had trouble with drainage holes letting in tiny rocks.
Check out merrel. Great vibrant grip, 6m drop and good toe box. Not as wide as my altras but still great lite shoes.
Thanks for the heads up! Damer loves Merrell. Those are his go to every day shoe. We were looking at the Moab ventilated shoes and were wondering about drainage. Might have to check those out.
@@OCRKings check out the MTL LONG SKY SHOES. The ocr modo is to keep looking for the perfect shoe. I was excited about vj but I could not find a location to try them on before spending $200 on a shoe.
Have you done a review of the Topo Athletic?
No formal review video for the Topo's, but we found the grip to be excellent, the ankle and underfoot support to be very good, but they were very narrow in the arches and hurt there. The wide toe box was good as well. The drainage was non-existent, however. They have drainage ports on the inside edge of the foot, but these are blocked by the material of the inside of the shoe. No water got out and they sucked up water like a sponge. It made them very heavy to run in when wet. The arch pain and lack of drainage made us keep looking for another ocr shoe. The search continues...
Hey guys can you tell your height and weight and the size of shoes it would be helpful thanks
Damer is 5 ' 10", 170lbs, size 10 iRock 3. Mack 5' 9", 175lbs, size 12 XTRM. Hope that helps.
How did the XTRM turn out? Ran Palmerton in the Sal 5s.
Both Mack and I (Damer) thought the XRTMs were a bit narrow overall but especially in the underfoot arch area. They were fine for shorter races and mileage runs but caused foot aches as the miles increased. Felt like are feet were being squeezed.
We're both running in the new spartan OCR speed shoes now with several races complete (TM New England, Palmerton, Savage Race Boston) and liking them more than the previous spartan shoes. They are still pretty new but showing some wear and tear already.
Still have pairs of ultras LP 4.5, inov8 roclite 315s, and a whole bin of others I haven't 100% given up on. For 2021 - I'd probably pick the Salming Elements 3 as my #2 shoes - but my only complaint is the underfoot is a bit thin so you feel every rock, and the lugs are big but softer than other brands.
Hope that helps. I know shoes are crazy to lock down with everyones feet being unique.
those look really narrow
Yeah man, they ARE. They're breaking in tho, getting a little better.
I tried the XTRM, too narrow.
Lot of folks have been saying that.
not impressed with their shoes
ok