Ronhill Freedom Ultra First Impressions: A Performance-Driven Trail Racer

Introduction

Around a year ago, the UK brand Ronhill released two trail running shoes that impressed with their materials and construction, even if a lighter, more agile feel would have been welcome. The Freedom Ultra is the answer to that feedback: a more performance-oriented trail running shoe aimed at faster training runs and race day. As only the third trail shoe in the brand’s current range, it combines a booty-style Matrix Evo upper, supercritical Michelin midsole foam, and an OC1 Michelin rubber outsole. Here are our first impressions after an initial 7.6-mile test run.

First Impressions

The Freedom Ultra retails in the UK for £150 and sizes a little small, so going up half a size is worth considering; a UK 10 fit just right on length. Our pair tipped the scales at 295g, notably lighter than the brand’s two previous trail shoes, though still slightly heavier than we would like in a dedicated trail racer.

Key figures: a 5mm heel drop, a stack height of 30mm at the heel with 25mm under the forefoot for decent midsole cushioning, and a lug depth of 4mm on the outsole. It also has a genuinely stylish design, but as every runner knows, performance is what matters.

An extremely comfortable upper

The upper uses a booty-style construction, so slipping the shoe on feels more like pulling on a sock. An integrated ankle gaiter helps keep trail debris out, and the durable Matrix Evo fabric should be comfortable, highly breathable, and drain quickly while withstanding tough trail environments.

Straight out of the box, the fit felt exceptional. There is generous width in the toe box, plenty of wiggle room up front, and zonal padding wrapping around the ankle and heel, with real cushioning in the tongue area. Notched laces similar to those on Nike’s Vaporfly give a precise and secure midfoot lockdown that stayed put throughout the run. A substantial toe bumper provides welcome protection, which matters when stubbing a toe at speed on trails.

After 7.6 miles of testing, this was easily the most comfortable running shoe upper we have tested this year, on both road and trail. It has a worn-in slipper feel from mile one, and the combination of booty construction, tongue padding, and roomy toe box makes it work exceptionally well for a range of foot shapes.

Midsole and ride feel

The Freedom Ultra moves to a supercritical Michelin midsole foam with high energy return, a different setup from its predecessor. Pushing into it at home, the foam felt firm rather than soft, and that impression carried over onto the trails.

On a mixed route of asphalt, soft sandy towpath, packed gravel paths, and stony rocky trails, the midsole handled everything well and offered good underfoot protection on the rocky sections. However, for a shoe marketed as a high-performance trail racer for speed, efficiency, and durability over medium and long distances including ultramarathons, a little more softness would help against muscle fatigue on 50k to 100-mile efforts. Hopefully, this is just a characteristic of a new shoe that settles with mileage.

Outsole and grip

Underfoot is an OC1 Michelin rubber outsole with a 4mm multidirectional lug pattern. The test run took place on dry trails, so performance in wet conditions was not assessed firsthand, but the predecessor used very similar Michelin rubber and handled wet, muddy, and slippery conditions well.

With lugs of only 4mm, this shoe is clearly aimed at drier trails. It is not the one you reach for in the depths of a wet and muddy UK winter.

Things to consider before buying

• The sizing runs a little small; consider going up half a size.
• The 4mm lugs suit dry trails rather than deep winter mud.
• The supercritical foam gives a firm ride feel, which may not suit everyone over very long distances.
• At 295g, it is lighter than previous Ronhill trail shoes, but some racers may still want slightly less weight.

Buying advice

The Freedom Ultra makes the most sense for runners who want a cushioned, comfortable trail running shoe for faster training and race days on dry to moderate terrain. Its booty-style upper and secure lockdown make it an easy shoe to spend long hours in, and if the midsole softens as it settles, it could become a genuinely top-performing trail racer. We will be logging 60 to 70 miles to see how it develops over time.

Conclusion

The Freedom Ultra is a promising start for Ronhill’s performance-oriented trail ambitions. An exceptionally comfortable Matrix Evo upper, a high-quality Michelin rubber outsole, and interesting midsole technology show that the brand is taking trail running seriously. The firm foam is the biggest question mark, but the early impressions are good, and this is a shoe worth keeping an eye on for anyone racing on drier trails.