The best trail running shoes we tested:
Best road-to-trail shoes: Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex
Best shoes for long trail runs: Hoka Speedgoat 5
Best trail running shoes for fast, technical runs:Merrell MTL Skyfire 2
Most versatile trail running shoes: Brooks Cascadia 16
You wouldn’t take a sedan on a 4WD-only road, right? In the same way hardier tires safeguard your car from obstacles and debris, running shoes specifically designed for trails are going to better protect your feet when you venture off paved paths.
But not all trails are the same, and different surfaces — as well as different running styles and speeds — require different features. You might need thick lugs to dig into muddy spring trails or maximal cushioning to go the distance on hard-packed dirt. Whatever type of terrain you prefer, there are more trail shoes out there than ever to support you.
To find the best trail running shoes, we hit the dirt in nine of the newest and most popular options from brands like Nike, Hoka, Brooks, Merrell, Saucony and more. We logged more than 100 miles in these shoes, tackling soft singletrack, desert sand and rocky scrambles. While everyone’s feet and preferences are different, we narrowed down our picks to four pairs we think will best serve most off-road runners.
Best road-to-trail shoes
The newest trail version of the Pegasus, the Trail 4 Gore-Tex, can go just about anywhere. These shoes feel great when running on pavement but can just as easily stand up to dirt and water (though yes, you can splash though puddles, you won’t stay dry putting your foot in a stream). We especially love the full-length React midsole that is protected by a rubber outsole for extra durability. A great choice for runners who split their time between the roads and the trails.
Best shoes for long trail runs
The Hoka Speedgoat 5 offer tons of support and stability, starting with the more flexible upper and holding up with a lighter midsole and even more grip on the outsole. A favorite of ultramarathoners, the Speedgoat 5 are a perfect choice for anyone who racks up the mileage and likes to take on a slew of different terrains.
Best trail running shoes for fast, technical runs
These super-lightweight training shoes make short work of short, steep terrain. The 5-millimeter lugs make this pair closer to racing shoes, replacing traditional spikes to better grip dirt. But it’s the innovative full-length, nylon-based plate that helps push you forward with every step. Combine all this with a quick-dry upper and you’re fully set for your most technical runs.
Most versatile trail running shoes
The Brooks Cascadia 16 are 20% lighter than their predecessors and can tear up any type of terrain you intend to traverse. The wide base may feel big at first, but you’ll be glad to have the extra space when your feet inevitably swell up during your run. We also love the extra-cushy midsole, which prioritizes stability over speed. While we haven't gotten our hands on them yet, Brooks has also released the Cascadia 17, which it claims have improved traction, stability and cushioning.
Best road-to-trail shoes: Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex
$160 From $112 at Nike
Nike calls the Pegasus the “workhorse” of its shoe stable, and the trail version takes this style’s do-it-all nature to the next level. We loved previous iterations because they were great shoes to travel with; the Pegasus Trail are streamlined enough to feel good on pavement, yet sturdy enough to stand up to dirt. We specifically tested the Gore-Tex version as a recommendation for wet conditions, but these shoes perform across the board (there’s a regular version too).
It’s worth noting that the waterproof Gore-Tex layer only reaches to the top of the laces, which keeps your feet dry when splashing through water (like we did immediately after a torrential downpour in Boulder) but won’t help if you completely submerge your foot in a stream (which we also did on a separate trail run farther into the Rocky Mountains). That said, the fact that these shoes aren’t completely waterproof is a plus in our books. That’s because it allows for more breathability, which is exactly what you want on hot, sweaty, summer trail runs. The quasi-gaiter also helps keep debris from getting kicked up into your shoes.
What makes these shoes such a great road-to-trail option is the full-length React midsole. It’s the same lightweight, responsive foam you’ll find in road shoes like the Pegasus 40 and React Infinity 3, except here it’s protected by a rubber outsole that wraps around the front of the shoe for extra durability. (There’s no plate underfoot, though, and we did feel more pronounced rocks or roots poking up through the moderate stack of cushioning, which measures about 32 millimeters at the heel and 24 at the forefoot.)
Speaking of the outsole, Nike actually used less rubber in these shoes than in previous versions, but the brand improved the quality of that rubber. It’s softer and stickier in the forefoot than in the heel, which allows for better overall grip without sacrificing trail dexterity. We found the rubber combined with the shallower, 4-millimeter lugs to grip effectively on everything from wet asphalt to hard-packed dirt and dry or slick rocks. Considering the Pegasus 4’s crossover appeal and all-weather capabilities (we’ll definitely be running in them once snow hits the streets of Denver again), they’re a great choice for runners who split their time between the roads and the trails.
Best shoes for long trail runs: Hoka Speedgoat 5
$155 at Hoka and REI
Hoka Speedgoats have long been a choice for ultramarathoners who love the support and stability they provide. You don’t have to rack up insane mileage for these to appeal, though; any runner who spends a decent amount of time on their feet will appreciate the fifth version of these trail running staples, which have improved upon the upper, midsole and lugs.
Let’s work our way down from the top. The more time you spend on your feet, the more they’ll swell. To address that, Hoka reconstructed the upper using more flexible materials (it’s now a durable double-layer jacquard mesh) to give more room in the midfoot and forefoot. These are not quite natural foot-shaped shoes, like those from Altra or Topo Athletics, but when we decided — perhaps ill-advisedly — to conduct a testing run one afternoon when the temperature topped out at 98 degrees Fahrenheit, we were shocked that our swollen feet didn’t feel squished even at the end of an hour. (FYI: We’ve found some Hokas to run a full size too large, so you may want to order two options to see which fits best.)
Cushioning is a huge part of Hoka’s appeal, and the Speedgoats have the brand’s standard wider platform to keep your ankles from rolling when on variable terrain. But the midsole is made from a lighter, compression-molded EVA foam, which improves the shoes’ overall responsiveness (translation: each step will feel a little bouncier). With a midsole stack height of 38 millimeters in the heel and 34 millimeters in the forefoot, they skew toward the maximal end of cushioning for comfort while still allowing you to pick up the pace.
Underfoot, Hoka included a new and improved outsole that uses Vibram® Megagrip and Traction Lug technology for increased grip, especially on drier, looser terrain like gravel and soil. Besides our Boulder testing, we wore these on the red dirt trails outside of Moab, Utah, and were impressed by how surefooted we felt even on sandy slickrock and ladder-like ascents.
Best trail running shoes for fast, technical runs: Merrell MTL Skyfire 2
$200 $120 at Merrell
Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: These are not shoes for everyone, nor are they the kind of trail shoes you’re going to wear every day. But those who tackle short, steep terrain (or those who prefer a more minimalist feel on longer runs) are going to love them. The MTL Skyfire 2 are super-lightweight racing shoes, more akin to a track spike than any of the other trail shoes on this list — except, instead of spikes, you’ve got 5-millimeter lugs gripping the dirt.
The big selling point is a full-length, nylon-based plate, which not only provides underfoot protection and stability on variable terrain but also pushes you forward with every step. (A nylon plate is different from a protective rock plate in that it doesn’t mitigate impact from below quite as well; instead, it’s more like the propulsive carbon plates you’ll find in high-tech road-racing shoes.)
That plate is sandwiched between two layers of FloatPro Foam, Merrell’s most responsive midsole cushioning. The top layer is softer for comfort, while the bottom layer is denser to help pop you off the ground. But there’s not a lot of either layer: The midsole stack height maxes out at 25 millimeters under the heel and tapers to 19 millimeters under the forefoot. You’re going to feel everything in these shoes, which — along with the Vibram MegaGrip outsole — is what helps you stay in control at higher speeds.
The minimal trend continues with the upper, which is made of engineered mesh (a stronger and more flexible version than regular mesh) and TPU (a type of polyurethane plastic) — a combo that felt very airy and quick-drying on one oppressively humid run. It’s also snug enough to keep your foot secure when you’re moving fast, but may run a little narrow for some people. All in all, the Skyfire minimize weight while maximizing traction so you can rip it up on the toughest rough terrain.
Most versatile trail running shoes: Brooks Cascadia 16
$130 $70 at Brooks
When a pair of shoes has more than a dozen iterations, you know they’re good. Brooks has fully dialed in the Cascadia’s stability and durability, which is why they’re often recommended as beginner-friendly trail shoes. The 16th release — we have yet to test the newest model — has a new midsole and outsole construction and is 20% lighter than its predecessor, making them the kind of shoes you can run comfortably in for hours, no matter the terrain. Fair warning: The wide base does make them feel a little bit like a boat when you first put them on, but that roominess is much appreciated when your feet inevitably start to swell.
One of the main reasons newer trail runners may like the Cascadia is their midsole. Brooks added DNA Loft foam, a super-plush combo of EVA foam, rubber and air that you’ll also find in the brand’s bestselling Ghost shoes, and an additional 2 millimeters of cushioning underfoot. That might not sound like a lot, but outside of run testing, we also wore these for a four-hour hike with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and our feet felt incredible at the end.
All that cushioning means you’re hardly going to feel anything underfoot. Even though the stack height is 29 millimeters in the heel and 21 millimeters in the forefoot, these shoes felt more cushioned and less responsive to us than the Nike Pegasus. That’s not a bad thing, as long as your priority is stability over speed. To counter that lack of sensitivity, the updated midsole design includes more grooves on the sides, which allows for better adaptability on rougher terrain. While we never really “felt” the ground in these, we definitely felt more stable as the shoe molded around trickier rocks and roots in our path.
Besides the comfort level, there are a few features that make the Cascadia such versatile trail shoes: For one, the TrailTack rubber outsole provides wet and dry traction, a Ballistic Rock Shield protects against pebbles and debris, and drainage ports allow water to escape quickly so you’re not squelching your way forward. We found these to work particularly well on moderate trails and dirt or grassy paths, but would call these classic, do-everything trail shoes.
Terrain
The number one deciding factor in buying trail shoes is terrain. Trails are, by their very nature, variable — some are smooth dirt or gravel, while others require traversing mud, rocks, roots or sand (or maybe some combo of the above). Most trail shoes can handle multiple types of terrain, but there’s a big difference between cruising along dirt singletrack and scrambling across a boulder-strewn route. As a result, trail shoes are generally designed for specific surfaces and types of running, so you want to opt for shoes that best serves the terrain you hit most often.
Trail shoes range from road-to-trail, like the Hoka Tecton X 2 or the North Face Vectiv Enduris 3, to surface-specific, like the Saucony Peregrine 13 ST, which are designed for soft, muddy surfaces, or the Merrell MTL Skyfire 2, which are best suited for highly technical vertical routes. Light trail shoes are a good entry point because they have a lightweight construction like road shoes but a little more stiffness for stability on uneven terrain, while providing a little protection from rocks and roots and shallow lugs for traction on dirt or gravel. More-rugged trail shoes will be made of sturdier materials, provide more protection with features like toe guards and hidden plates underfoot and have a grippier rubber outsole with thicker, multidirectional lugs that help you maintain your footing on all kinds of surfaces.
Performance
While road shoes are all about supporting top-end speeds or maximal comfort, trail shoes have to do a lot more work to help keep you upright.
Traction is a biggie. The outsoles of trail shoes have different sized lugs to make sure you don’t lose your footing. For packed dirt or gravel, you generally want smaller lugs, while bigger lugs are more helpful on soft dirt and mud. The type of rubber used will help the shoes grip slicker surfaces, like rock.
With uneven terrain and gnarly obstacles in your path, another important feature for trail shoes is foot protection. That can be as simple as durable upper materials that can withstand abrasion and tears or extra rubber at the front of the shoe to protect your toes from rocks and debris. More technical shoes may have plates that protect the bottom of your foot from sharp rocks or roots. The amount of cushioning underfoot can also protect your feet to some extent.
If you’re going to be running in wet or muddy conditions regularly, pay attention to the drainage, water-resistance or waterproof features trail shoes offer. Fully waterproof shoes might be great if you’re regularly crossing streams and fully submerging your feet, but those kinds of shoes can also hold a lot of heat. Shoes with drainage ports or slits, on the other hand, will dump water and let your feet dry without sacrificing breathability.
Comfort
With any type of athletic shoes, comfort is king. Compared to road-running shoes, trail shoes tend to be a little heavier, thanks to all those additional features, and a little stiffer, which helps prevent your foot from excessively rolling on uneven terrain. That said, trail shoes should fit snugly to the feet, securing your heels while allowing for some wiggle room around the toes and front of the feet, and you shouldn’t feel any rubbing or extra pressure around the laces or tongue.
But the main feature to consider in terms of comfort is midsole cushioning. The midsole is the part of the shoes that connects the top, which wraps around your foot, to the outsole, which is the part that hits the ground. A larger amount of midsole cushioning generally supports longer times on your feet and may reduce the impact of running on your joints. More minimalist trail shoes like the Nike Ultrafly allow you to better “feel” the terrain beneath you, which could help you run faster and be more nimble on technical terrain. In most cases, this is a personal preference. Different shoes work for different runners, so try on a few pairs to see what feels most comfortable on your feet.
How we tested
We chose nine of the latest trail shoes designed for all types of terrains. In narrowing down our selection, we considered not just what terrain the shoes were designed for, but also what kind of traction they provided, what protective features they offered, the weight of the shoes, their lacing systems, the amount of midsole cushioning, their breathability and, of course, price.
Terrain
- Running conditions: We ran more 100 miles in these shoes, first wearing them on the trails of Chautauqua Park at the foot of the Flatirons mountains in Boulder, Colorado. We also tested several more specialized shoes on the sandy trails near Moab, Utah; the more technical terrain of the Rocky Mountains; and the singletrack dirt of Pacific Northwest trails outside Seattle.
Materials
- Breathability: To test breathability, we wore the same socks on each initial run and logged at least one hour in each pair of shoes, assessing how well the pairs regulated temperature and minimized moisture.
- Weight: We assessed how heavy each pair of shoes felt while on the trail.
Design
- Lacing: We compared different lacing systems, paying special attention to how they affected the shoes’ fit.
- Cushioning: When it came to cushioning, we tested shoes for comfort responsiveness and sensitivity. More cushioning is generally more comfortable — especially for longer runs — but the tradeoff is that you can’t feel the terrain as well.
- Traction: We tested how well the outsoles’ rubber lugs gripped the terrain.
- Protection: We made note of each pair’s protective features and how effective they were, from rock plates to toe guards.
Other trail running shoes we tested
Nike Ultrafly
$260 at Nike
Nike’s much anticipated Ultrafly trail runners impressed us with their super-responsive ZoomX midsoles and carbon fiber plates, both of which help to propel you forward faster. The Vibram outsole — a first for Nike — also performed well, easily gripping the terrain on one rocky descent. But for all the Nike Ultrafly do right, they aren’t perfect. The shoes’ biggest downfall is their insecure upper, which led to ankle instability. Taking on rock-strewn hills felt particularly precarious; we even rolled our ankles a few times. Nike also miscalculated when it released trail runners in white. Yes, they looked gorgeous out of the box, but after running 50 or so miles, your shoes will be mud-brown.
Nike Zegama
$170 at Nike
The Nike Zegama are specifically designed for long distances and the first of the brand’s trail shoes to incorporate its bouncy, energetic ZoomX foam, which so far has been reserved for Nike’s speedier road shoes like the Alphafly and Vaporfly. They’re super comfy, but even though the engineered mesh on the upper and internal heel helped provide stability, we felt like we were sliding around in the shoes on more technical terrain (the rubber outsole didn’t feel as sticky as that on the Pegasus Trail, but the widely spaced lug pattern did provide solid traction on dry surfaces). These felt most similar to The North Face’s Vectiv Enduris 3, though the Nike’s felt a little lighter and bouncier, even without the former’s 3D TPU plate and dual-density midsole. We’d reserve these for long, slower runs on less technical trails.
Altra Lone Peak 7
$150 $120 at Altra
Altra’s zero-drop designs — which means the heel and forefront are all on the same level, no matter how much cushioning is underfoot — won’t work for everyone. But that kind of “barefoot” feel, combined with the natural foot shape of the shoes, can encourage more natural motion when you’re running. If that works for you, Altra’s Lone Peak 7, a longtime bestseller from the brand, are a great option for longer days on gravel or dirt. The midsole has 25 millimeters of responsive cushioning and the MaxTrac outsole is good for more technical terrain, but without a protective plate, you’re going to feel rocks and roots digging into your soft underfoot. We preferred the lightweight, breathable upper on these, which is made from a quick-drying, less porous fabric, to that of the Mont Blanc Boa, which trapped some heat, although we’d love to see the micro-adjustable Boa dials on more trail shoes. Altra has also released its Lone Peak 8, though we haven’t had a chance to test them yet.
Saucony Peregrine 13 ST
$150 From $120 at Saucony
We didn’t get to put these Sauconys to the test in seriously muddy conditions, but we loved how comfortable they felt on softer dirt (ST stands for “soft trail”). The outsole’s 6.5-millimeter lugs really dig into the ground, and we thought we’d be uncomfortable moving those onto harder-packed dirt (and we might have been, if we had been wearing these for several hours), but, maybe thanks to the embedded rock plate, they weren’t that noticeable. The shoes’ gaiter-like construction, made from closed mesh, provides added protection from mud and debris, with a lightweight film in high-abrasion areas. Two things we didn’t like: The “speed laces” are supposedly for quick adjustments, but it always takes us a few tries to get them fitted correctly, and the upper isn’t breathable or waterproof, which seems necessary for muddy runs.
Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3
$150 at Topo Athletic
If you like the idea behind Altra but don’t want to commit to a zero-drop shoes, Topo Athletic’s Ultraventure 3 have a similarly roomy toe box that will accommodate wider feet or feet that swell over long distances. Because they allow your toes to spread naturally, which will give you more stability on uneven surfaces, these have the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance and Seal of Approval. Topo increased the stack height — to 35 millimeters at the heel and 30 at the forefoot — on this iteration to offer more protection and comfort, and their ZipFoam compound is lighter, softer and more responsive now. The Vibram outsole is nice and sticky, but with broader, shallower lugs, we didn’t feel comfortable sending it on loose soil or swampier parts of the trail.
