Borderlands Trail and Ultra Running

Luxury Running Brands vs Ultrarunning’s Dirtbag Culture

If you've ever wondered why luxury running brands suddenly started appearing in ultrarunning—a sport built on dirtbag ethos, thrift-store gear, and anti-status culture—this episode explores the tension behind it. Josh unpacks where the idea of luxury collides with traditional ultrarunning culture, what actually defines a luxury running brand, and why some runners see it as evolution while others see it as a threat to the identity of the sport. At the center is a deeper question: is ultrarunning defined by what you wear, or simply by the act of running ultras? For trail and ultrarunners curious about how culture, identity, and authenticity are evolving in the sport. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. TIME STAMPS 01:14 Why does Luxury Feel Strange in Ultrarunning? 03:45 What is Traditional Ultrarunning Culture? 10:48 5 Markers of Traditional Ultrarunning Culture 15:44 What even is luxury? 20:40 What is a "luxury running brand"? 24:25 Why do luxury running brands bother people? 27:43 A Weird Moment in Luxury Ultrarunning 31:45 The Old Guard of Ultrarunning RESOURCES / LINKS 1. [article] Why “Luxury Running Brands” Feels Strange In Ultrarunning [https://www.borderlands.cc/why-luxury-running-feels-strange-in-ultrarunning/] 2. Satisfy [satisfyrunning.com] 3. Currently [https://currentlyrunning.com] 4. Running Sucks [https://www.runningsucks101.com] RELATED EPISODES 1. Satisfy Cofounder, Brice Partouche [https://pod.link/1725734721/episode/NjQxMzM5ZGY0NzAzNGEwZGY5ODQ1MjZkOjY1YTJiZWFmMzlkYWM5NzA2ZGViNWMyZDo2NjIyYTk3MzI3NzExNjcyYjVlMWI4NWQ] 2. The ROCKER Shoe is Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas [https://pod.link/1725734721/episode/YzI3NDFhMDMtNGMyMC00MmNlLTgyODEtZmM5NTI5M2FlMDhk] ---- Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc [http://borderlands.cc/] and sign up for the newsletter [https://borderlands.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=025e71d70c304795be244eea1&id=b00d1a6f35]. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races [https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=129968] happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wylder-run-compete-belong/id6458265752] or Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.borderlands.wylder&pcampaignid=web_share]

44 Running Shoes Tested Over 6,000 Miles | Honest Verdicts

If you've ever spent too much money on trail running shoes and wondered whether any of them are actually worth it, this episode is for you. I sit down with Inky Steve, a guy who has tracked 44 pairs of running shoes across 6,000 miles on Strava, to get his most honest verdicts on the shoes he'd recommend to his best friend, the ones he regrets, and the models brands should have never stopped making. For ultra runners and trail runners who take their gear seriously and want real talk and not sponsored opinions. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. LINKS & RESOURCES 1. Nike Next % [https://believeintherun.com/shoe-reviews/nike-air-zoom-alphafly-next-performance-review/] from 2020 2. Hoka Mafate X [https://www.runningwarehouse.com/HOKA_Mafate_X/descpage-HOMX1M1.html?=border] 3. gb ultras [https://www.gbultras.com/] 4. Speedland [https://www.runspeedland.com/] Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. CHAPTERS 1. 02:06 Inky Steve's Top Five Running Shoes 2. 06:09 The Importance of Shoe Longevity and Functionality 3. 08:56 Brand Preferences and Shoe Mileage 4. 14:06 Lifestyle Shoes vs. Performance Shoes 5. 20:00 Honest Shoe Reviews 6. 24:15 Number One Trail Shoe Recommendation 7. 28:09 Hoka Mafate X Shoe for 50 Milers 8. 30:50 The Importance of Running Shoe Drainage 9. 34:09 The Ultra Running Experience 10. 38:50 The Impact of Shoe Design on Performance 11. 44:20 Shoe Iterations: What to Keep and What to Scrap ---- Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc [http://borderlands.cc/] and sign up for the newsletter [https://borderlands.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=025e71d70c304795be244eea1&id=b00d1a6f35]. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races [https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=129968] happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wylder-run-compete-belong/id6458265752] or Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.borderlands.wylder&pcampaignid=web_share]

10 Things I Love About Trail Running Right Now (Spring 2026)

Trail running doesn’t have journlists and no one’s holding the sport accountable. I think memes might be the closest thing we’ve got and that’s just one of the 10 things on my mind this week.. This week I pulled up a chair with a pile of gear and just talked: race season fandom, scrappy brands worth knowing, the shoes I'm fired up about right now, and the two-hour long run philosophy I'm using in training for Paris Eco Trail. For ultra runners and trail runners who are in it for the culture, the gear, and everything that makes this sport unlike anything else. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. 1. 01:23 ACTUAL trail running 2. 10:48 Ultratrail Race Season 3. 13:39 Running to "Overcome" 4. 16:23 Ciele Athletics 5. 18:39 Trail Shoe Design 6. 24:05 Scrappy Trail Running Brands 7. 30:37 Meme Culture 8. 35:08 Tommie Runz 9. 36:21 Taylor Bodin (dirt division) + Josh Bouton (meta endurance) 10. 38:27 Inky Steve, Stan Van Kemmel, Bryce Carlson, Sam Lohse Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc [http://borderlands.cc/] and sign up for the newsletter [https://borderlands.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=025e71d70c304795be244eea1&id=b00d1a6f35]. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races [https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=129968] happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wylder-run-compete-belong/id6458265752] or Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.borderlands.wylder&pcampaignid=web_share]

Running Brands: How Ciele Athletics Built a Movement

If you've ever wondered how running brands like Ciele Athletics reshaped the culture of modern running, this episode explores the moment performance gear started becoming identity. Jeremy Bresnen, cofounder of Ciele Athletics, walks through the brand’s origin story—from a hats-only startup in Montreal to one of the most recognizable names worn by runners across road, trail, and ultra distances. Along the way, he reflects on the shift that happened in the 2010s when people weren’t just running anymore—they were runners. For trail, road, and ultra runners curious about how modern running brands changed the culture of the sport. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc [http://borderlands.cc/] and sign up for the newsletter [https://borderlands.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=025e71d70c304795be244eea1&id=b00d1a6f35]. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races [https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=129968] happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wylder-run-compete-belong/id6458265752] or Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.borderlands.wylder&pcampaignid=web_share]

Ultra Running World Record Collector Reflects on Her Legendary Career

If you've ever wondered what it takes, mentally, physically, and emotionally, to push the human body further than most people can imagine, this one's for you. I sit down with Camille Herron, one of the most decorated ultra runners alive, to talk about what keeps her going when everything falls apart, the two-hour long run training philosophy that changed how she prepares for 100-mile races and beyond, and what it really felt like to set the 24-hour world record in Albi, France. For ultra runners who want to understand the mental game at the highest level and take something real back to their own training. Please give us a follow, rate the podcast, and give a review. Presented by Kiprun [https://bit.ly/kiprun_pod]. ---- Find us at Borderlands.cc [http://borderlands.cc/] and sign up for the newsletter [https://borderlands.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=025e71d70c304795be244eea1&id=b00d1a6f35]. Want to run in the Salt Lake area? Check out the Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races [https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=129968] happening May 30, 2026. And if you haven't checked out Wylder yet, it's worth a look. iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wylder-run-compete-belong/id6458265752] or Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.borderlands.wylder&pcampaignid=web_share]