Discontinued · trail · Trail · $170
Saucony Xodus Ultra 3: 36 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 302 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for trail, at a target pace of 8:30–12:00 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Saucony Xodus Ultra 4.
Saucony tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 36 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.38 per mile at $170.
For the foams and plates Saucony uses across its line, read the Saucony brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
288 g / 10.2 oz
13 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
36 mm
Level with the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$170
10 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Saucony line it is heavier than the brand's median (269 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (36 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
New Balance FuelCell Venym
230 g / 8.1 oz · 34 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $160
Fast, low trail racer born from NB's fell-and-mountain ambitions.
Hoka Speedgoat 7(2025)
275 g / 9.7 oz · 37 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $165
The mountain ultra standard: Megagrip lugs and deep cushion.
Hoka Speedgoat 7 GTX
275 g / 9.7 oz · 37 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $195
Waterproof Speedgoat for wet, sloppy mountain conditions.
Asics Blazeblast(2026)
270 g / 9.5 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $150
New trail line: bouncy FF Blast Max over a trampoline pod, 2.5 mm lugs.