OMM Fell Shoe Review
The OMM Fell Shoe is a running shoe designed for mountain terrain and soft, muddy trails.
Up to now, OMM have been known primarily for clothing and accessories for mountain runners. Their kit is well thought out and uniquely designed for use in their flagship event, making it suitable for all types of mountain running. The OMM event has had several names since its inception in 1968, originally the Karrimor Mountain Marathon, then the KIMM (Karrimor International Mountain Marathon), and now the OMM (Original Mountain Marathon).
The event is designed to test mountain craft over two days. Competitors must be self-sufficient, carrying all food and equipment for the duration. They navigate an unseen course to an overnight camp and then repeat the process the following day on a different route back to the start, after spending the night on an exposed hillside. The challenge is made even tougher by being held in a different mountainous area each year, always on the last weekend in October.
Underfoot, the terrain is mainly open mountainside with very few paths other than sheep and rabbit tracks. There is lots of heather, sections of scree, rocky ridges, and areas of bracken and rough grass. It is therefore no surprise that the OMM Fell Shoe is built to be worn all day, offering a high level of underfoot protection and a tough, durable upper to cope with abrasion from heather and boulder fields.
The heel tab is stiff and comes up quite high compared to most running shoes. The heel cup and cuff are lightly padded to reduce water retention while still providing enough comfort for long days. The tongue is high but very soft, so it is unlikely to cause discomfort. Its height helps prevent debris such as grit from entering the shoe, and it is half-gusseted to further reduce ingress. The tongue also features a lace-locking tab, with two additional tapes from the upper threading through the base of the tongue. This keeps the tongue centred and prevents it from slipping during runs.
The fit is narrow with a low volume, designed to reduce foot movement over rough and broken ground. The toe box is pointed, which limits toe splay slightly, but the big toe line is fairly straight, allowing a positive push-off. There is an additional lace hole that can be used to create a snugger heel fit or for butterfly lacing.
The midsole stack is 23.5 mm in the heel and 19.5 mm in the forefoot. This provides a good level of protection and cushioning but also makes the shoe quite stiff. That stiffness helps carry the foot through the gait cycle on long days, but the downside is reduced flex over uneven terrain. I found that on very steep climbs the lack of midfoot flex caused the heel to lift.
After around 50 miles of use the midsole became more flexible, reducing heel lift on steep climbs and making foot movement less noticeable on rough ground.
The firm midsole, combined with the 4 mm heel-to-toe drop, promotes a mid-foot strike and adds stability. The outsole features large lugs measuring between 8 mm and 11 mm, made from Vibram Megagrip rubber. These lugs bite into soft ground while still offering decent surface contact on rock slabs. Both the outsole and midsole feel durable enough for prolonged use in harsh terrain.
Traction on muddy farmers’ fields is excellent. You can feel the lugs sinking into the ground, giving a very positive push-off. The outsole does collect mud, shedding it reasonably well from the forefoot but less so from the heel due to limited flex. However, this did not noticeably affect traction. Many brands claim to design trail shoes for muddy UK conditions, only to compromise with shorter lugs. It is refreshing to see OMM, as a British brand, producing a shoe genuinely suited to classic fell conditions.
Sizing is similar to Brooks, 361, Topo, and Altra. If you usually wear Hoka, New Balance, Inov-8, Scarpa, La Sportiva, or Karhu, I would suggest trying half a UK size smaller. For example, a UK 11 in OMM is similar in length to a UK 11.5 in Inov-8.
My first run was a two-and-a-half-hour loop on muddy singletrack up to the moors, across open ground, and back along the river. The shoes were comfortable straight out of the box. They perform best on soft ground, and short road sections feel awkward, similar to running in football boots. On mud, roots, stepping stones, and rocky outcrops they felt secure and confidence-inspiring.
The ride suits longer, steady outings rather than fast racing, which makes sense for a shoe intended for one of the toughest mountain running events in the UK calendar.
In summary, the OMM Fell Shoe is a highly grippy off-road running shoe designed for soft ground, open fell, and mountain terrain. The protective, stiff midsole makes it particularly well suited to longer days out.
Alternatives to OMM Fell Shoe
Inov-8 Mudtalon: A broad rounded two box and two width fittings allows you to get a good fit and gives the feet the room to spread and function in the shoes. They feel lighter and nimbler offering a more natural feel to the ride. However, they don’t have the same stable, protected feel. The longer lugs on the OMM Fell Shoe you can feel sinking into the ground more however, the traction wasn’t noticeably better. The Mudtalon has 8mm long lugs which are smaller and more pointed. This allows the midsole to flex more to the contours of the ground but, also means there is less surface area in contact with the floor if only a few studs have made contact. Which is the better shoe will depend on your running gait and foot shape. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-mudtalon-v2-review/
Scott Supertrac RC 3: A more versatile shoe with a 6mm lug. Nicer on harder packed terrain offering a smooth ride on firmer terrain. However, on anything approaching cross country the lugs simply aren’t long enough. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scott-supertrac-rc-3-review/
Saucony Peregrine 15: Like the Scott Supertrac RC the Peregrine is more versatile with a 6mm lug and nice cushioning but struggles in deep mud. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/saucony-peregrine-15-review/
VJ IRock Plus: A wider fit than the Irock 4 but with a more protective upper. Designed for longer runs over rough ground in the mountains. The 6mm lugs are shorter than the ones on the IRock 4 and reduce the grip on wet ground making them less effective to double as a cross country shoe. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-irock-4-plus-review/
Scarpa Spin ST: 8mm lugs put’s the Scarpa Spin ST in the same bracket as the OMM Fell Shoe, VJ Irock 4 and Inov-8 Mudtalon. In that the lugs are long enough for use on cross country races and UK fell races. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scarpa-spin-st-review/
La Sportiva Mutant: A very popular Mountain Running shoe designed for rough mountain terrain. The lugs are quite flat which makes them not as grippy in the mud but, effective on wet rock. The built in gaiter is a nice feature that prevent debris from getting into the shoes. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-mutant-review-new-version-for-2023/
VJ IRock 4: More of a lightweight racer than an all day on the hills shoe the VJ I-Rock 4 has long pointed studs that bite effectively into wet muddy ground. The shoes are flexible and contour with the ground well to put the maximum amount of outsole in contact with the ground to enhance the traction. The toe box is quite pointed and the fit is narrow. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-irock-4-review/
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