Yeah’s verdict
The Kiprun Kipsummit Max earns a confident CONSIDER for comfort-focused trail runners and newcomers to the discipline. At $150, the combination of a plush ATPU midsole, 38 mm stack, Vibram outsole, water resistance, and lace-locking system represents strong value — and reviewer sentiment across Believe in the Run, Humble Running, RoadTrailRun, Doctors of Running, and Run Moore is overwhelmingly positive. The one note of caution: runners who spend most of their time on highly technical, uneven terrain may find the soft ride requires extra care. For everyone else chasing long-distance comfort on trail, this shoe is well worth trying.
Best for
The Kiprun Kipsummit Max is a well-cushioned, versatile trail shoe built for intermediate-to-advanced runners who spend most of their time on non-technical to moderately technical terrain — think gravel paths, fire roads, compacted mountain trails, and light technical singletrack. Multiple reviewers and brand reps consistently position it as the 'long-distance comfort' option in the Kipsummit lineup ("max for maximum of comfort … to make sure you feel really comfortable through the kilometres during your ultras"), and real-world testers confirm the ATPU Fast Tech Plus midsole feels plush on long efforts yet snappy enough for tempo pushes. The Vibram Megagrip outsole is a genuine upgrade over previous Kiprun trail shoes and handles wet/dry rocky ground well, though the 4 mm lugs can lose traction on very loose, steep terrain. One stability caveat emerges across reviewers: heel-heavy landings on steep descents can feel wobbly, so it suits runners who run with a mid/forefoot strike or who stick to less aggressive terrain. At £120–$150 it is widely praised as exceptional value versus comparably cushioned competitors like the Hoka Speedgoat and Salomon Ultra Glide. Size up at least half a size.
What reviewers said
- Reviewers are almost uniformly enthusiastic about the underfoot experience.
- Believe in the Run singles out the "underfoot sensation" as something they "really love," and Humble Running describes the Max as feeling "so much more softer, so much cushier" than comparable options, also calling out the bouncy ATPU midsole.
- RoadTrailRun confirms a 38 mm stack height with a 6 mm drop, engineered specifically for maximum comfort.
- The one meaningful caveat comes from Humble Running, who notes that the Max demands "a little bit more control" and "a little bit more care in uneven sections." That soft, high-stack cushioning — the shoe's defining strength — appears to trade some stability and precision on technical, broken terrain.
- This is not a dealbreaker for mellow long-distance trail runners, but those who regularly tackle very rocky or rooted singletrack should be aware.
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The reviews behind this verdict
The cited creator reviews, watchable — press play to jump to the moment each one informed the verdict.
Believe in the Run
“the underfoot sensation being so unique, yet its capability is quite high across different terrain. I think of the Scott Kinabalu Ultra, the Kiprun Kip Summit Max. And both of those have a really unique midsole that can go on a lot of different terrain, and it has that unfiltered sensation.”
cited at 11:28
Doctors of Running
“I've been walking a ton in the Kiprun Kipsubit Max which has been very surprising. It's been a really great shoe.”
cited at 13:31
