Building on the strong Scott Kinabalu heritage Scott have added two new shoes to the range for Spring 2026: the Scott Kinabalu Trail & the Scott Kinabalu Ultra.
The all new Kinabalu Trail has been designed to support your training while maintaining a fast, agile feel off-road. Although officially a replacement for the Scott Kinabalu 3, the new Kinabalu Trail shares very little with its predecessor in terms of technology, looks or feel. This years’ complete overhaul is no bad thing as the Kinabalu 3 was, to many, a bit on the heavy and firm side and a little old-fashioned in terms of style. The new Kinabalu Trail is perhaps the complete opposite light, responsive and good looking. Let’s check out the detail…
Cushioning & midsole
Featuring a newly developed Kinetic Fusion Foam midsole that provides a responsive, cushioned ride. The foam has been designed to provide the ultimate balance of lightness, responsiveness, and durability, which has been achieved by fusing EVA and PEBAX. What this means in reality is that shoes are an excellent choice for longer, less intense days of running, absorbing impacts brilliantly and returning your energy well for a fast, efficient feel without feeling overly soft or heavy.
The midsole also includes an Evolved Rocker2 (ER2) that builds on 10 years of continued Research & Development by Scott to create their most efficient running platform to date. Scott have implemented a deep understanding of running biomechanics to engage a more dynamic running technique by reducing heel strike impacts and encouraging more roll through with each footstep. Combined with a 6mm heel to toe drop what this means for you is increased running efficiency, you can run longer for less energy. What’s not to like!
Outsole Grip
The Kinabalu Trail features a brand-new lug layout known as Versatile Traction with 5mm lugs arranged in a multidirectional pattern that provides excellent traction on a wide range of surfaces from rocks to grass and even a smattering of tarmac when needed. But where it really excels is on harder packed, undulating trails. The design is such that it optimises ground contact points and propulsion giving confidence and performance on challenging terrain.
Upper & Fit
The Kinabalu Trail offers a pretty “standard” width, not overly wide, but not narrow either. What it provides is an excellent, snug, but not restrictive feel that is ideal for off-road running when you want to feel secure on the trails. This is achieved in part thanks to the excellent lacing system combined with a nicely secure heel that prevents any unwanted movement.
The Kinabalu Trail utilises the same honeycomb-patterned mesh as the Kinabalu 3, but the overlays have been removed meaning less weight, more breathability, less risk of pressure points and a sleeker look overall.
To maintain protection from rocks, roots and other trail debris the Kinabalu Trail features a fairly minimalist, but effective overlay that runs around the base of the midsole and around the toe cap.
Overall, the overhaul to the Scott Kinabalu Trail is one to be praised and we think this is a shoe that will bring Scott right back to the forefront of trail runners shoe choices. If you are looking for a reliable training partner that is comfortable and purposeful then it is well worth a look and should fit a wide range of foot shapes.
In comparison to shorter distance focus of the Kinabalu Trail the new Ultra model is built for long distances, comfort, and stability and it absolutely nails all three! It does so without compromising on fit or weight too, the Scott Kinabalu Ultra is unbelievably light for such a well cushioned shoe, and you don’t lose the feeling for the ground or responsiveness like you can with some ultra shoes.
Cushioning & midsole
Stack height and is where you immediately notice the difference to the Kinabalu Trail, with a lofty 40 mm heel and 33 mm forefoot cushioning depth, compared to … and ….. As soon as you slip your foot into the shoe there is an instant feeling of comfort and underfoot impact protection. You just know this is going to be a shoe for the long haul.
The cushioning itself is provided by Scott’s Kinetic Nitrogen Foam which is created by infusing nitrogen into the foam during the production process. By doing so, the midsole is remarkably light, more responsive, and more agile than traditional foams. This certainly shines through in use with the shoe feeling lively and reactive to run in, feeding back energy well as you up the pace, while keeping the legs feeling fresher for longer.
If you are looking for a super soft, squishy ride then this isn’t the shoe for you, but if you want a really well cushioned, but slightly firmer ultra distance shoe then this is the shoe for you. The cushioning and impact protection is there, but you still get to feel fast and flowing.
Despite the relatively high stack, the Kinabalu Ultra feels extremely stable on the trails, in part thanks to the slightly wider underfoot outsole platform that provides high levels of confidence on uneven terrain.
Rocker wise, the Kinabalu Ultra features Scott’s new Evolved Rocker 3 (EV3), which is slightly less obvious when running than the ER2 in the Kinabalu Trail. This new technology from Scott is incorporated into the shaping of the midsole foam rather than a specific rocker plate. What this means in action is that you feel encouraged through the gait cycle from foot strike to toe off rather than forced, a very natural feeling that encourages efficiency.
In addition to the classic back to front guidance from the rocker, the ER3 design also provides medio-lateral guidance to maximise stability throughout the gait cycle further enhancing stability and support. All vital considerations when running longer and longer distances.
Outsole Grip
Utilising the Scott Ultra Traction outsole means a virtually full covering of well-spaced 5mm deep lugs that are aimed at harder packed, mixed terrain. This is not a mud shoe, but it isn’t designed to be but is certainly capable of providing traction on wet ground when needed.
With a softer feel to the rubber and the larger contact areas this is an outsole that performs well on rocky terrain. While the lack of a rock plate may concern some, the sheer depth of cushioning should be ample to keep any protruding rocks at bay.
Upper & Fit
The Scott Kinabalu Ultra feels instantly comfortable, not just underfoot, but upper wise too. The Matryx upper wraps around the foot well and offers an excellent balance of weight, durability and breathability. The material is highly flexible and soft so it never feels like there are any creases or pressure points when feeling the foot so you can concentrate on your running.
A fairly traditional lacing system locks the midfoot in place well preventing any unwanted movement within the shoe and the toebox is ample wide enough and will allow toe wiggle room for most. Those with wider feet or running extra long miles may find its not wide enough, but for most it will work well. A nice touch is the use of slightly elastic laces which provides a nicely noticeable freedom without compromising the security of the foot hold.
As with the Kinabalu Trail there is no heft synthetic overlays, but Scott has included a lightweight, reinforced overlay rand that covers the base of the upper right around the toebox providing just the right level of protection from rocks, brash and other trail debris.
The heel appears relatively low, and this will be a personal preference as to whether this is a positive or negative. It means that there is virtually no chance or Achilles irritation, but some may find that locking their heel in place may be slightly tricker. That said, the double eyelets at the top of the lacing system mean most people will be able to get the fit they want.
In conclusion, the new Scott Kinabalu Ultra ticks all the boxes for a long-distance shoe and offers a smooth, stable feel that is more responsive and agile than a lot of shoes with this level of cushioning offer. As with the Kinabalu Trail, this is a great update by the Scott Running Team!
Want more details and to buy, check out them out on our website.
