Currently, for XC, I use plated road shoes for most races, because a majority of the courses i run are either mostly road or otherwise unfriendly to spikes.
However, there are a few courses that are mostly on rocky trails, which would destroy the road shoes.
Not many enough courses to justify purchasing a super expensive pair of shoes(like the Nike dragonfly XC, or a high-end trail shoe), but I feel like I definitely need a durable shoe with plenty of grip to run in on those rocky courses.
My current selection of potential options include:
Saucony Kilkenny, Saucony Havok, Nike Rival XC, or just the heavy trail trainers I already own.
If you had to do a short-course trail race with a sub-$100 shoe budget, what would you pick?
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and what do you mean by “rocky”? Are we talking about boulders or large gravel?
Sorry for not clarifying.
I race 5ks, and the courses are usually littered with larger rocks and roots.
One course in particular seems to define the trail as "anywhere without a tree trunk in the way"
Thanks for the clarification.
I would choose a pair of racing flats. Out of the list you’ve given, all of those flats (Kilkenny, Havok, Rival XC) seem to be up to the job. I think a lighter flat will help you dance around the various rocks and roots on the course.
The Sauconys appear to have more pronounced lugs, so I think they’ll do better in loose dirt. Whereas the Nike will fare better if the surface is harder and smoother.
I’m partial to the Nike Rival XC because I prefer a little bit of slide when I’m running on trails. Maybe you may like it too.
However, I have no idea how much underfoot protection these flats offer. I’ve had an older model of Kilkennys and they offered more underfoot protection than my Nike Streak LT3 - so I’m guessing the newer Sauconys may also be tougher than the Nikes. It depends on your tolerance to pain, in the event that you step awkwardly on a pointy rock.
Do you own all of the aforementioned racing flats? Or are those your options for awaiting purchase?
If you haven’t bought any of them, I’d recommend you hop into the store and try them on. You might find that you like the fitment of one pair more than the others. In that case, I’d probably just choose the one that fits you the best. But if you find that they all fit you equally, then consider how they well they’ll help you navigate your course as your basis of selection.
Also, be mindful of the overall stack height of your shoe choice. I roll my ankles easily, and so I prefer shoes that are much closer to the ground. Roots are notoriously dangerous to my ankles.