KIPRUN continue to push their premium feel for a petit price agenda with the Race Ultra 2. Launched in Chamonix for UTMB, the Race Ultra 2 promises incredible durability, premium materials and a fantastic ride. With Matryx EVO upper and a PEBA blend midsole, it certainly delivers on the materials promise. The samples on show which looked like new after 2000km seem to suggest they have hit the mark on the durability front. While other trail shoes are reaching prices as high as the peaks they traverse, KIPRUN have an incredible price offering. But how is the ride?
I received my pair around Mont Blanc and put them to the test on the same terrain as those hardy souls who push themselves and their shoes to the limit every year. Did it turn me into a top end trail runner? Give me the sure footing of a mountain goat? Propel me to Walmsley-esque paces around the Alps? Read on and find out!
Upper and Fit of the KIPRUN Race Ultra 2
What works for me
First, we find the MATRYX EVO upper and it is certainly living up to the race component of the name. Ascetics of the world will find themselves at home in this upper. Stripped back to the minimum for comfort and security, the Race Ultra has one goal, performance. Padding, such as it is, is limited to a small pad of foam either side of the achilles and a centimetre wide strip under the tongue.
Despite this lack of luxury in the build, it is not an uncomfortable shoe. Thankfully, this is a blessing for something which is designed for the longest of races. The upper is a single piece construction with the MATRYX EVO material mixed with a more socklike textile around the ankle collar and along the tongue. The tongue has a small lace garage at the top which helps to keep things neat and tucked away when in full flight. The quick lace system helps with easy on and off and adjustments on the fly.
Having worn the Race Ultra 2 for some very long days in and around Chamonix, it is certainly a comfortable upper which can handle the terrain and elements. While the fit is not perfect, more of that below, it wasn’t a shoe I was desperate to take off after a short while. I think the longest day I had in the Race Ultra 2 was around 13 hours and featured some of the worst weather I have experienced in a long, long time. By the end of that, my camera resembled a fish tank and I was soaked through three rain coats but my feet were still comfortable.
Furthermore, there is a relatively stout toe bumper to keep the nails from turning black against the meaner rocks on the road.
Overall, the upper works for the purpose it is designed for. Svelte, no-nonsense and light, it keeps the foot comfortable and has no real area for hotspots or irritation. The material is firm where it needs to be while being soft and pliable in the appropriate areas.
What doesn’t work for me
There are a couple of issues I had with the upper of the Race Ultra 2. First is the last. KIPRUN seems to have a long and narrow last on which they base their shoes. Sadly for me, my feet are based more on those of a duck. Not particularly long but they widen as we reach the toes.
This means that the Race Ultra 2 has a lot of room from the end of my foot to the end of the shoe. In a road shoe, this would not be much of an issue but in a trail shoe where the terrain is less trustworthy, I prefer to not have a lot of length at the front which may catch and catapult me to an untimely demise down the side of a mountain. Due to the narrowness of the last, I don’t think I could comfortably get away with moving half a size down.
Secondly, we have the quicklace system. I think this may be one area of the shoe where KIPRUN may have looked to save a few pennies. It doesn’t have the same premium feel as the rest of the upper. The plastic lace lock had a tendency to slip during the run and throughout the day which caused the shoe to become a little loose. While having to re-adjust lacing isn’t the worst problem in the world, I can imagine that constantly readjusting the laces during a hundred mile run may become a little tiresome.
The lace loosening can be mitigated slightly by securely stowing the whole kit and caboodle in the handy lace garage but it still had a little too much give for my liking.
Midsole and Ride of the KIPRUN Race Ultra 2
What works for me
The midsole, according to KIPRUN’s testing, offers 38% more cushioning and 10% more propulsion. Now, I didn’t run in the previous version so I can’t comment on the veracity of these claims. However, I can talk about this iteration and it’s fun! In fact, this is probably the most enjoyable KIPRUN midsole which I have used to date.
It has softness and bounce which made my miles on the trails fly by. I had occasion to run a variety of paces in the Race Ultra 2. Part of my wear was chasing group runs around to take photos from scenic spots which meant pushing the pace at points. Here, I enjoyed the pop which the VFOAM|PLUS offered. On bone-jarring descents it cushioned the impacts. Meanwhile, on the flat it made me feel able to push the pace with the rebound from the foam.
Mountain climbs are not my strong suit. I live at sea-level and like most of my running on flatter surfaces. My speed on the ascents around Chamonix was certainly not world class, but I did enjoy the flexibility of the non-plated midsole when slogging up the slopes.
All told, I found the midsole of the Race Ultra 2 to be a very pleasant ride with a good balance of bounce and cushion. Whether on soft forest paths, jagged and rocky descents or even road sections, it offered what I needed.
What doesn’t work for me
Perhaps it is because I have soft-boy road runner feet, but on the stone strewn paths around Mont Blanc I did feel a lot of the rocks. Were I racing ultra distances, I would probably appreciate a rock plate to deflect some of the more pointy offenders. However, as I live around some much tamer terrain, this won’t be a pressing issue for me now. If rocks are your usual diet, it is worth bearing in mind.
Outsole of the KIPRUN Race Ultra 2
Grip and Traction
I have had a chance to test the Race Ultra 2 in a range of unpleasant conditions. A night at Notre Dame de la Gorge where it resembled Niagara Falls. Several mud filled forest paths and many slippery rocks. At no stage were the big lugs a let down. The 5mm depth gave enough traction on softer ground and the chevron pattern helped with grip on both ascents and descents. So far, I can report no wear whatsoever on the outsole.
Durability
While I have not yet reached quadruple figures in the Race Ultra 2, I have no worries about the durability of the Race Ultra 2. The samples with over 2000km in them still looked and felt good. My pair after dozens of hours of wear have no sign of stress. I have no doubt that these will last a good long time for anyone running outside of the most inhospitable terrain.
Conclusion
Value for Money
For a price of just £119.99 in the UK, it is hard to think of a trail shoe which offers such materials at a comparable price. Shoes of a similar price tend to have a far less quality feel while those offering similar materials tend to stretch the wallet a lot further. This, combined with the promised durability and comfort make these a real easy purchase if you are looking for some trail shoes. The only real downside to the Race Ultra 2 is the fit issues some may have due to the shape of the last.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
As someone who does not really race fast trails, this will be my entire trail shoe rotation for a while. It offers me all I need. The ability to bounce along and run faster when I fancy it. The flexibility of midsole to walk and climb when I need to. All coupled with the grip to take me through anything the weather and land has to throw at me.
Whilst it may fall to one of our more seasoned trail reviewers to talk more in depth about the pitfalls and peaks of the Race Ultra 2, I have found it a very enjoyable ride.
Final Verdict
For the price, this shoe is hard to beat. The KIPRUN Race Ultra 2 offers a fantastic mix of high end materials and rugged endurance. The outsole will contend with the majority of conditions across most terrains. Meanwhile, the midsole is soft and flexible enough for comfortable running and hiking at a range of paces. Usually a budget price shoe comes with some caveat of performance or quality. In this instance, KIPRUN seem to have nailed the balance of both to create an absolute tank of a shoe which will offer a good experience to the majority of runners. Sadly, they didn’t turn me into a UTMB winner just yet, but still, good job, KIPRUN!
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
KIPRUN Race Ultra 2 vs. Speedland GS:TAM
I don’t really have a huge number of ultra marathon based shoes to compare against. One of the others I have in my arsenal is the Speedland GS:TAM. These are two very different approaches to the same problem. The GS:TAM offers a removable carbon plate which attaches to the drop in midsole to give a two shoes in one vibe. You have a bouncy trainer without the carbon plate. This is comparable to the Race Ultra 2. The foam is denser and probably not as instantly bouncy but it does protect my soft feet a little more against the rocks on the trail. What isn’t comparable is the price. You could purchase almost 3 paris of Race Ultra 2 for the price of one pair of the GS:TAM. However, the Speedland offering does give more options and versatility and a better fit with the dual BOA dials.
KIPRUN Race Ultra 2 vs. Nike Ultrafly
Not the fancy new one from UTMB 2025 (and before) but the original version. For me, the Race Ultra 2 takes the win on outsole and overall comfort. Whereas, the Ultrafly takes the win for the fit of the upper and the lacing system. Again, one is a carbon plated racer and the other is not. That said, I would probably choose the Race Ultra 2 for a trail race near me at the moment as they offer a greater level of all day comfort.
