This was said during the interview I had with Cody Lind in August. Mind-boggling if you ask me, but for the Scott ultra runner, this was a sudden reality after he started using the Scott Ultra Carbon RC for both training and races.
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In 2021, Cody Lind participated in his first Western States 100-mile race. This is not a small feat, running 100 miles in California, with an elevation gain of about 5500 meters and mostly surrounded by world-class athletes.
Cody Lind is not just a regular runner though, he is also a world-class ultra runner and he placed fourth in his first Western States 100. But it wasn't easy. He was incredibly beaten up, his muscles ached and he could barely walk after. This is when Scott Running and Cody Lind sat down and started planning for something big!
Together with the Scott Running development team, Cody Lind started testing prototypes that were specifically tailored toward long-distance training and racing, and that would keep your legs fresh and ready to go again the next day. After a lot of testing, they ended up with the Scott Ultra Carbon RC, a shoe he finished the Western States 100 2022 in, beating his 2021 time by 20 minutes and with a spring in his step when he walked away from the finish line.
If you want to hear what Cody Lind had to say, then watch the video at the top of the article. But let's also talk a little bit about this new trail shoe. This August we traveled down to Switzerland and Zermatt to try the new Scott Ultra Carbon RC out, and see Cody Lind in action during the Matterhorn Ultraks Sky race.
After making the Scott Carbon RC, Scott wanted to bring a similar concept over to the trail scene. The biggest issue is that a shoe with a carbon plate can be a bit too stiff for technical running on trails. Carbitex had the answer. With a fork-like carbon plate, they could have a stiffer forefoot for propulsion and a more flexible midfoot that could handle the different terrains that you'll meet.
Together with 30 other running enthusiasts, we went out in the hills around Zermatt and tested the Scott Ultra Carbon RC on some small trails. Not many kilometers, but it was enough to get a short overview of the shoe. And it was a very positive one!
If you take a look at the Scott running shoe lineup, the Scott Ultra Carbon RC is placed firmly in their trail segment. Trail shoes like the Ultra Carbon RC are perfect for forest trails, man-made trails, trails with a nice flow, or everywhere you are running without the need for extreme grip or agility.
On the outsole, you find 4mm lugs, that are surprisingly grippy. I went all out testing it on gravel roads, through wet grass, wet stone, and on wet forest trails when we were in the Alps. I had no issues with any lack of grip, but if you have tried Scott running shoes before, you will not be surprised by this. But if you want a trail shoe that can handle mud and the wettest days, then the Scott Supertrac RC 2 is a better option.
What the Ultra Carbon RC is good at, is keeping you at your race pace for longer. It works wonders on gravel roads, and on longer training sessions (easily up to 15 hours if you ask Cody Lind), and they fit surprisingly well on your feet for a comfortable experience.
It is not a running shoe meant for fast and short races, but a shoe that is perfect for daily training on trails and longer races. There is enough cushion for it to be used as a hybrid shoe to and from the trails and It is a trail shoe that can do a little bit of everything, a swiss army knife of the trail running shoe world, from a swiss based company.
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