Ronhill Freedom Ultra Review
The Ronhill Freedom Ultra is a well-cushioned trail running shoe that’s versatile enough for everyday road-to-trail use. It’s responsive enough not to hold you back when you want to pick up the pace, yet cushioned enough for ultra trail races too.
The first thing to note is that the Freedom Ultra has been designed by a British designer, in Britain, for British trails. Most trail running shoes available in the UK are designed by overseas brands aiming to serve a global market. As a result, their uppers often aren’t as robust as ideal for UK terrain, and their outsoles may lack the traction needed for wet British conditions. The UK has an expansive network of footpaths offering access to a wide variety of terrain. So, for a trail shoe to be truly suitable here, it must be versatile—comfortable and grippy on everything from tarmac roads to gravel tracks and grass fields.
The Freedom Ultra uses Ronhill’s True-Fit last, which offers a secure, positive fit at the heel and midfoot, with a roomy forefoot and a straight big toe line. This design allows the foot to spread on impact, cushioning and stabilising the runner before propelling them into the next stride. The straight big toe line encourages an efficient toe-off directly beneath the big toe. By enabling natural foot function, the True-Fit last reduces swelling during long runs. This is because proper foot movement aids lymphatic circulation. If shoes are too tight and restrict movement, lymph can pool, causing foot expansion, discomfort, and even blisters.
The upper fits like a sock, sealing the shoe to prevent grit or debris from entering on the trail. The opening is loose enough to make it easy to slip the foot in, and the cuff is so unobtrusive around the ankle that I barely noticed it. The heel has no rigid plastic cup; instead, its structure is maintained by a firm external overlay around the base. The heel is lightly padded, but still comfortable. The internal padding has a soft, suede-like feel, as does the top of the sock construction. The tongue section is padded just enough to protect the foot from lace pressure without absorbing excess moisture or adding weight.
Surrounding the internal sock is an upper made from Matryx Evo—a highly durable, abrasion-resistant fabric reinforced with Kevlar strands for added strength. The upper is a one-piece zonal design, with reinforced areas where needed and thinner sections elsewhere for breathability. Additional structure and protection come from overlays, which run around the base between the upper and midsole. The overlay thickens over the toe box to form an effective toe bumper. The bobbled laces are designed to stay tied and include an extra eyelet for improved heel lock or a butterfly lacing option.
The midsole features a supercritical foam formulated by Michelin. Supercritical foams offer excellent rebound, giving a bouncy feel due to their sealed construction that prevents air from escaping—similar to a balloon returning to its shape. The foam feels firm underfoot, with minimal compression, allowing you to forget about the shoes and just enjoy your run.
The stack height is 30mm in the heel and 25mm in the forefoot—relatively modest for a shoe built for long-distance use. The Freedom Ultra relies on the foam’s resilience rather than softness, maintaining a consistent level of rebound and helping the runner stay upright with good posture. Many ultra-distance trail shoes use oversized midsoles that cradle the foot, providing soft cushioning but limiting foot function. The Ronhill Freedom Ultra takes a different approach. With a narrow heel and midfoot, it offers a nimble, responsive feel. It’s not just a plodding shoe. Many ultra shoes are so wide they don’t fit single track grooves, but the Freedom Ultra excels on narrow paths while still offering enough cushioning for tarmac.
A low heel-to-forefoot drop of 5mm promotes midfoot landing. This loads the foot correctly, allowing you to use its natural cushioning, stability, and propulsion. It also helps with agility—making it easier to jump over obstacles or change direction quickly. The midsole has some flexibility, adapting to uneven terrain without forcing the runner to fight the shoe or risk ankle twists. It has a curved, rocker shape that encourages quick cadence and upright posture, helping the runner stay light on their feet, avoid obstacles, and reduce sinking into mud.
The outsole rubber, developed by Michelin, is durable for hard-packed trails yet still delivers strong traction on wet surfaces. Vibram MegaGrip is often considered the gold standard—its softness provides a sticky feel on roads. In contrast, Michelin’s compound feels firmer but still grips well in the wet. In the few weeks I’ve used the Ronhill Freedom Ultra, I’ve run down steep, wet tarmac descents, crossed wet wooden bridges, and stepped across wet stones—all without issue and with full confidence in the grip. The 4mm lugs are ideal for hard-packed terrain, but they also bite into softer ground effectively. On very sticky mud around farm fields, the outsole did clog slightly, but most shoes do—and even then, traction was still adequate to keep running.
At 280g for a men’s UK8, they’re lighter than they look. They also feel light underfoot thanks to the firm midsole, which doesn’t compress much and allows for quick responsiveness. In terms of sizing, Ronhill shoes are similar in length to Brooks, Saucony, 361°, Altra, and Topo. If you typically use Hoka, Inov-8, La Sportiva, or Karhu, you may want to size down by half a UK size in the Freedom Ultra—for example, a Hoka UK 11.5 fits similarly to a Ronhill UK 11.
I’ve used the Ronhill Freedom Ultra for everything from hour-long mixed morning runs with striders at the end to multi-hour Sunday long runs. They feel responsive on all kinds of terrain. It’s satisfying to run across a wet farm field, hit a tarmac road without feeling over-shod, and then tackle a rocky bridleway without fearing an ankle roll due to stiffness. In summary, the Ronhill Freedom Ultra is a highly versatile trail running shoe designed specifically for UK conditions. It’s equally suited to a five-mile spin around the park or a 50-mile adventure through the Durham Dales.
Other Considerations
Inov-8 TrailFly: The broad rounded toe box allows a similar level of foot function. The traction is similar. The midsole doesn’t offer quite the same cushioning level and they don’t ride as nicely on tarmac surfaces. Available in two width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-review/
Scott Kinabalu: A similar straight big toe line in the toe box. A much stiffer shoe that is nice and cushioned on hard packed terrain but, not versatile enough for more broken ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scott-kinabalu-3-review/
La Sportiva Prodigio: A similar concept in that it is an Ultra Trail Running Shoe designed to be more nimble. Doesn’t offer the same grip on softer ground but, is equally grippy on wet surfaces. The midsole is stiffer initially. It takes a few weeks of running before the Prodigio becomes as smooth as the Ronhill Freedom Ultra is from the box. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-prodigio-review/
New Balance Hierro v8: A comfortable shoe that is more of a road shoe with some grips. It doesn’t have the same level of traction or durability in the upper. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-hierro-v8-review-fresh-foam-x/
VJ Maxx 2: A similar nimble shoe with a similar amount of space in the toe box. The ride isn’t as smooth on hard packed surfaces probably due to the lack of a rocker however, on more broken ground the VJ Maxx 2 feels a bit more nimble. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-sport-maxx2-review/
Topo MTN Racer 3: A broad rounded toe box offers the foot the room to function similarly to the Ronhill Freedom Ultra. The MTN Racer 3 is stiffer through the midfoot which makes it less nimble on more broken terrain. The traction level is a touch better on softer ground as the lugs are a touch longer and a bit more spaced out. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-mtn-racer-3-review/
Altra Timp 5: A broad rounded toe box offers enough room for foot function. The cushioning is much softer. Traction is only suitable for hard packed trails. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-timp-5-review/
Brooks Caldera 7: A straight big toe line offers some foot function. The midsole is a touch softer and is nitrogen infused. Very similar to the Michelin Critical Foam used for the Ronhill Freedom Ultra’s midsole. However, the Caldera has a much broader heel and midfoot which makes it no suitable for use on single tracks. Traction is good. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-caldera-7-review/
NNormal Kjerag: A very similar concept in that the Kjerag is a trail running shoe designed to be used for everything from a short fast trail race up to a 100 miler. The midsole is stiffer and doesn’t feel quite as smooth. The 3.5mm lugs don’t offer enough traction for mixed use in the UK although the rubber does grip well on wet surfaces. The toe box shape is similar with a straight big toe line and space for the foot to function. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/nnormal-kjerag-review/
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