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Swimrun Shoes 101: Everything from the Knees Down
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The most popular gear question we get — from brand new swimmers and veterans alike — is about shoes. Do you need a special swimrun shoe? Are you going to get blisters running in wet socks? What socks even work? We are busting every myth and answering every question in this one.
Episode 327 is a callback to one of our most popular episodes ever, the Swimrun Shoedown, recast as a full Swimrun 101: Everything from the knees down. Shoes, socks, laces, modifications, how to test your gear, when to upgrade, and how to retire a pair with dignity.
The short version: you probably already own a shoe that works for your first swimrun. We tell you exactly what to look for, how to do a bucket test, why blisters are not actually a thing, and when it makes sense to start spending money on something more specific. We also get into what we are actually racing in heading into 2026, including the carbon fiber Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Trail Ultras and the Hoka Tecton X3 on our radar for Ötillö Worlds in September.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro — myth busting from the knees down
01:18 Do you need a swimrun-specific shoe?
02:30 Vivo Barefoot ESC Hydra — the only true swimrun shoe on the market
03:30 What we actually recommend for beginners — use what you have
04:00 The bucket test — how to know if your shoes drain well
04:30 Adidas Terrex Agravic — the accidental perfect swimrun shoe
05:54 Blisters — why it is not actually a problem
06:53 Socks — CEP compression, Swiftwick Aspire, what to avoid
08:17 No Gore-Tex, no wool, no cotton
09:13 Upgrading — how to think about course-specific shoe choices
10:39 Race length matters — minimalist vs maximalist
11:29 Brands we trust — Adidas, Salomon, Hoka, VJ
14:00 The Hoka Tecton X3 — is this our Ötillö shoe?
17:32 Modifications — laces, holes, gaiters
18:27 Drilling holes — why we have never done it
19:50 Don't miss the forest for the trees
22:00 Pro tips — transporting wet shoes, dry bags, retiring old pairs
24:23 Pre-race checks — tread, laces, fit
25:20 Lace tight before you start, adjust as you go
26:32 The Shoedown 2.0 — wrap up
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How long is this video?
26 minutes.
