Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 vs Hoka Tecton X3: Mountain Race Shoe Showdown
Choosing a shoe for a mountain ultra is one of the most consequential gear decisions you’ll make. Get it wrong and you’re looking at blisters, bruised feet, or a DNF. Get it right and your feet disappear — you just run.
The Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 and the Hoka Tecton X3 represent two very different philosophies of what a premium mountain racing shoe should be. I’ve put over 200km into each pair across a mix of technical single track, rocky ridge lines, fire trails, and muddy descents. Here’s what I found.
The Specs
| Feature | Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 | Hoka Tecton X3 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 290g (UK 9) | 310g (UK 9) |
| Stack height | 25mm heel / 19mm toe | 32mm heel / 27mm toe |
| Drop | 6mm | 5mm |
| Rock plate | Profeel Film (flexible) | Carbon fibre plate |
| Outsole | Contagrip MA | Vibram Megagrip + Litebase |
| Cushion | EnergyCell+ | PEBA foam |
| Upper | Matryx ripstop | Engineered mesh |
| Lacing | Quicklace | Traditional laces |
| Price (AUD) | ~$320 | ~$340 |
Fit and Comfort
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3
The S/Lab Ultra 3 fits like a glove — almost literally. Salomon has refined their SensiFit system to create a shoe that wraps the midfoot and heel with precision. The toe box is adequate but not generous; if you’re a wide-footer or your feet swell significantly during ultras, you may want to go up half a size.
The Quicklace system is polarising. I love it — one pull and the shoe is locked down, no pressure points, no hot spots. But some runners find it doesn’t allow enough micro-adjustment across different zones of the foot. If you’re a “loose the forefoot, snug the midfoot” person, traditional laces give you more control.
Heel lockdown is exceptional. I had zero heel slip across 200km of testing, including steep descents where your foot is constantly slamming forward.
Hoka Tecton X3
The Tecton X3 runs slightly wider through the forefoot and has a more accommodating toe box — great news for ultra runners whose feet balloon after 50km. The overall fit is comfortable from the first run, with less of the “needs to be broken in” feel that some racing shoes have.
The traditional lacing system means more adjustment granularity. I ran with the forefoot slightly looser and the midfoot cranked down, which worked perfectly on long days.
Where the Tecton falls slightly short is heel lockdown. There’s a touch more movement than I’d like on steep, technical descents. Not a dealbreaker, but noticeable when you’re picking your way down rocky terrain.
Grip and Traction
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3
Contagrip MA is Salomon’s premium all-mountain compound, and it delivers. On dry rock, the grip is outstanding — the rubber is sticky and the 4.5mm multi-directional lugs bite into texture. Wet rock performance is above average for a trail shoe but not exceptional; you still need to pick your lines on slick sandstone.
Mud performance is solid. The lugs are spaced well enough to shed, though they’ll clog faster than a dedicated mud shoe. This is an all-rounder, and it performs like one — excellent across conditions, class-leading in none.
Hoka Tecton X3
Vibram Megagrip with Litebase is arguably the best outsole system on the market right now. The grip on wet rock is noticeably better than the Salomon — I felt more confident committing to slick surfaces, placing my feet with trust rather than tentative caution.
The lug pattern (5mm) provides excellent purchase on loose terrain and the compound sheds mud better than most. On hard-packed fire trail, both shoes are essentially equal, but once things get loose, wet, or technical, the Tecton’s outsole has a measurable edge.
Winner: Hoka Tecton X3 — That Vibram Megagrip compound inspires confidence on wet and technical terrain.
Protection and Rock Plate
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3
The Profeel Film rock plate is intentionally flexible. Salomon’s philosophy is that ground feel is more important than rigid protection — you feel the trail beneath you, which aids proprioception and technical footwork. On moderate terrain, this works beautifully. You feel nimble and connected.
On gnarly rock gardens or extended boulder fields, though, the lack of rigid protection becomes apparent. After 60km of rocky terrain, you start to feel every sharp edge through the forefoot.
Hoka Tecton X3
The carbon fibre plate in the Tecton X3 serves double duty: protection and propulsion. It shields the foot from sharp rocks far more effectively than the Salomon’s flexible plate, and you can feel the energy return on flatter, faster sections. It’s like having a spring in your shoe that also happens to be a shield.
The trade-off is reduced ground feel. On technical terrain where you need to feel exactly where you’re placing your foot, the Tecton’s thick stack and rigid plate create a slight disconnect. You’re running on top of the trail rather than in it.
Winner: Depends on your terrain. Rocky mountain races → Hoka. Technical single track where agility matters → Salomon.
Cushioning and Ride
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3
At 25mm stack height in the heel, the S/Lab Ultra 3 is decidedly lower to the ground than the Tecton. The EnergyCell+ foam is firm and responsive — it doesn’t feel “cushy” in the way a Hoka does. Instead, it feels fast and direct.
This lower, firmer platform pays dividends on technical terrain. You’re more stable, more agile, and more confident on off-camber sections. But on the long flat fire trail sections that most Australian 100km races include, you might wish for a bit more comfort underfoot.
Hoka Tecton X3
At 32mm stack height, the Tecton X3 provides significantly more cushion — and you feel it. The PEBA foam is plush without being mushy, responsive without being bouncy. For the latter stages of a 100km race, when every step sends a jolt through tired legs, this extra padding is genuinely meaningful.
The higher stack does come with a stability trade-off. On steep, technical terrain, the shoe feels slightly less planted than the Salomon. It’s not unstable — Hoka has done a good job with the platform geometry — but it’s a perceptible difference.
Winner: Hoka Tecton X3 for races over 50km. Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 for technical mountain races where agility trumps comfort.
Durability
After 200km+ in each:
- Salomon: Outsole showing moderate wear on high-contact areas. Upper holding up well. Quicklace mechanism still functioning perfectly. I’d estimate 400–500km total life.
- Hoka: Outsole barely showing wear — Vibram durability is excellent. Upper has some minor abrasion on the toe cap. Carbon plate integrity seems fine. I’d estimate 500–600km total life.
Winner: Hoka Tecton X3 — marginally better outsole longevity.
Weight and Speed
At 290g vs 310g, the Salomon is 20g lighter per shoe. You feel it — the S/Lab Ultra 3 feels nimble and fast in a way the Tecton doesn’t quite match. For shorter mountain races (marathon to 50km), this difference compounds over thousands of steps.
For ultras over 50km, the 20g difference becomes negligible compared to the comfort and protection benefits of the Tecton. When your legs are wrecked at 80km, you won’t be thinking about 20 grams.
Winner: Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 — lighter, faster, more agile.
The Verdict
There’s no single “better” shoe here. These are both outstanding mountain racing shoes that excel in different contexts:
Choose the Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 if:
- Your race is primarily technical single track
- You value ground feel and agility over cushion
- You race distances up to 50–80km primarily
- You prefer a locked-down, precise fit
- You like the convenience of Quicklace
Choose the Hoka Tecton X3 if:
- Your race is 50km+ with mixed terrain including fire trails
- You want maximum underfoot protection for rocky courses
- Grip on wet, technical terrain is a priority
- Your feet swell during ultras and you need a forgiving fit
- You want maximum comfort for the final quarter of a 100km race
For UTA 100 specifically? I’d take the Tecton X3. The mixed terrain, the long fire trail sections, the rocky descents, and the sheer duration of the race all favour its cushion, grip, and protection. But if I were racing a technical 50km mountain race with continuous single track, the Salomon would be on my feet without question.
Both shoes justify their price tag. Both will last. Both are tools built for a specific job — the key is matching the tool to your race.