I wore a pair of Compressport Ultra Trail socks with either my sandals or my trail shoes Compressport Ultra Trail Socks, which in both instances was the perfect pairing.
Since I received my Grandview Max in late July, I have totalled more than 100 miles – both hiking and walking. The upper is holding extremely well, the cushioning of the midsole is still responsive and protective, and the outsole is barely showing any sign of wear.
I hiked the 72 miles/116 km on the TDC free of blisters and without a single foot issue alternating between my Teva’s Grandview Max (4 days) and La Sportiva Prodigio Max (3 days). I gladly gave all my Compeed® Blister Care at Cabane Panossière to a new trail friend we met on the TDC.
Over the years, I have hiked in both hiking boots and low tops in the “fast and light” category; here is a list of my favorites:
AKU Selvatica Mid GTX Hiking Boots www.roadtrailrun.com and www.roadtrailrun.com
TOPO Athletic Trailventure WP 2 www.roadtrailrun.com
TOPO Traverse www.roadtrailrun.com
Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mid Gore-Tex www.roadtrailrun.com
Merrell Agility Peak 5 www.roadtrailrun.com
Brooks Cascadia 17 www.roadtrailrun
La Sportiva Prodigio Max featured in this article and in La Sportiva Prodigio Max Review
La Sportiva Prodigo Max ($185), Compressport Ultra Trail Socks V2.0
($28), and Khatoola INSTAgaiter SL ($35)
Trekking the TDC with two pairs of hikers, a sandal and a trail runner, when the norm is to hike in a pair of hiking boots, proved to be a positive experience for me, though I am not trying to set a trend. It also required carrying an extra pair of footwear in my pack.
I wore Kahtoola InstaGaiter SL minimalist strapless gaiter from Kahtoola, over my Prodigio Max, mostly to add another layer of protection on rainy days as the upper does an excellent job of keeping debris out.
After Sam tested both the Prodigio Max and Pro in mid-June, he strongly recommended the Prodigio Max for my TDC, highlighting its incredible cushioning made with dual nitrogen infused foams, enhanced support, overall performance on long distances, and rugged outsole with 4 mm lugs fit for the high mountain trails.
In early August, I was grateful to receive a sample pair in the attractive colorway Hibiscus/Malibu Blue sizing up half a size – as recommended.
I wore the Prodigio Max on a few day-hikes prior to the TDC.
In lieu of my typical Darn Tough hiking socks, I paired my Prodigio Max with socks from Compressport – the Ultra Trail – as they were more breathable, slighter thinner, and more supportive. In short, a trail running shoer calls for a pair of trail running socks, which proved to be the perfect pairing – and combo – as my feet were blister-free and remained pain-free throughout the trek.
Engineered for ultra-distance athletes racing on high mountain trails, the Prodigio Max is also a great option as a low top “hiker/trekker” delivering all-day comfort and a secure platform.
The fit (after sizing up half a size) is perfect and extremely comfortable with a foothold that I would deem outstanding. Designed with a wider forefoot, the toebox provides just the right amount of room for a comfortable spread of your toes. The Prodigio Max might be lighter as a trail run shoe, they felt extremely lightweight, stable and highly agile when hiking – the weight in my US women’s 9.5 is 10.3 oz / 291 g per shoe.
The upper is made of TPEE polyester mesh whose properties are high elasticity and resilience, durability and strength, and breathability.
The Prodigio Max’s upper is primarily designed to be resilient, durable, and to keep debris out, with breathability taking a bit of hit with the double tongue gusset delivering a superior foothold. This said, the breathability is adequate as my feet did not overheat during the trek.
On a rainy day, my feet were not soaked wet like other hikers on the trail, perhaps a combination of the dense upper, fast drying socks, and INSTAgaiter from Kahtoola .
At a fairly high stack height – 37 m forefoot / 31 mm heel – the midsole is made with dual nitrogen infused foams, a/k/a, supercritical foam. I was truly grateful for the underfoot feel of the midsole: cushy, lightweight, and bouncy, which led to my feet not hurting at the end of the day.
The outsole is made with FRIXION® RED (XT 2.0), a dual rubber compound with a stickier rubber in the center (white) and more durable rubber on the sides of the sole (blue).
A grippy outsole with 4 mm lugs that are fairly spread out to help shed the mud with a durable platform and great shock absorption. The outsole complements the deep cushioning of the midsole also providing rock protection (no plate), with its softer center and flex grooves helping create a smooth ride with the more durable rubber on the sides enhancing stability and a secure landing.
Engineered for ultra-distance athletes racing on high mountain trails, the Prodigio Max is also a great option as a low top “hiker/trekker” delivering all-day comfort and a secure platform.
Salomon Aero Sense Long Sleeve ($85 original price in cherry tomato)
I wore my Salomon Sense Aero 4 days out 7 days during our TDC, with one wash in between, as Laura from La Thuillettaz offered to do our laundry. Made with ultra-light Knit-Flow fabric that combines thermoregulation from 37.5® and odor management by Ionic+® Botanical, the Sense Aero is designed primarily as a running long-sleeve tee, but is also the perfect layer for hiking.
Features:
Weight: 125 g / 4.4 ounces
Fit: slim
Anti-odor, Breathable, Lightweight, Quick Dry
Key technology: (Knit_Flow)™
Knit_Flow™technology includes thermoregulation from 37.5® and odor management by Ionic+® along with a fabric that is highly drapable (flow). The long sleeve tee flows as opposed to sticking to the skin adding another layer of comfort on top of its thermoregulating properties, quick dry, and odor management.
After trekking in the Sense Aero , I am now wearing the long sleeve for running, which has become my go-to top.
Leki SkyTera FX Carbon SL ($220)
My One Way trekking poles were lost on the tramway in Geneva (oops Sam left them behind), and I was truly grateful to get a new pair from LEKI after Sam met with a member of the France Leki team in Chamonix during the UTMB race week.
Top of line trekking poles constructed from lightweight carbon fiber, the SKYTERA is an adjustable-length pole, weighing 6 ounces / 170g , that features an extended grip made with 1K foam, which provides a super comfortable hold that is also ergonomic.
A dense and firm grip with a striated foam extension giving your hands the option to navigate the grip while hiking. I really liked that feature in the SKYTERA as I would hold the striated foam extension during steep uphills and then resume holding the grip as the terrain would be less steep.
We ran into a trail runner from near us in Maine in St Rhemy en Bosses training for Tor des Geants
I finally felt confident handling a pair of trekking poles when it comes to folding them, something I did at the end of our TDC while on the train, as I used them every single step of the way. In short, the SKYTERA folds into 3 sections like most trekking poles, however, I never struggled either folding them or extending them, as I have done with certain trekking poles.
The SKYTERA is adjustable between 110 and 130 cm allowing for users to either shorten or lengthen the poles depending on the terrain. Sitting between a trail running and trekking pole in weight the SKYTERA is a very versatile pole. Unlike many running poles its small basket can be swapped for larger ones for some snow travel.
The SKYTERA is a worthy investment if you are looking for top of the line trekking poles. I was truly grateful for my LEKI on the TDC.
Please do not hesitate to comment if you have questions about this amazing trek!
Dominique has run for over 45 years, consistently about 25 miles per week at paces between 11 and 12 minute miles and once a week down in the mid 9 minute miles. She races rarely, but always surprises more hard core runners in her age group when she does. She has a 1985 marathon PR of 3:16 in her second marathon which at the time put her on the top 10 Swiss women’s lists. An avid hiker and trekker, she has been around Mont Blanc 3 times, hiked Chamonix to Zermatt, and completed the 48 New Hampshire 4000 footers. She is the mother of two grown children, both runners post college, and also enjoys nordic and alpine skiing, tennis, and gardening.