The best trail running shoes have more grip than standard running shoes for when you want to escape the city sidewalks and explore the trails instead. This improved grip helps as you make your way over uneven and wet terrain.
This sets them apart from many of the best running shoes, as those are generally designed with road and sidewalk runs in mind. Plus, trail shoes often have increased ankle protection and water resistance too.
But you can never truly know which set is right for you until you've got them on your feet. That's why we put the best trail running shoes to the test, running at least 20 miles across off-road terrain in all weathers to see how they fare.
The best trail running shoes available right now
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If you're looking for a comfortable shoe to take out on the trails, we've been impressed with the Hoka Speedgoat 5. Designed to give you all of the cushioning you'd expect from Hoka, without feeling overly plush on soft ground, or overly heavy, the Speedgoat 5 is a stable shoe, with a good amount of grip.
Compared to some of the other best trail running shoes, like the Nike Pegasus Trail 3, these are definitely on the plusher side of trail running shoes, but they don't feel heavy underfoot.
There's a reason why a lot of ultramarathon runners choose Hoka — they're designed to keep your feet comfy over long distances. Like other Hoka running shoes, the Speedgoat 5 has a roomy upper. There's also a protective layer around the toebox to prevent any stubbed toes when running over rocks or tree roots.
Overall, this is a fantastic running shoe for most trail runners. It has enough cushioning to take you from your door to the trails and provides a good amount of grip to allow you to pick up the pace when you get to the muddy patches.
The Nike Pegasus Trail 4 is the best trail running shoe to buy if you’re running from your door to the trails. It’s got all the comfort of the classic Pegasus road shoe, but with a grippier outsole to cope with muddy terrains. It looks great too, not that you’ll care once it’s covered in mud.
Unlike its road cousin, the Pegasus Trail 4 doesn’t have a forefoot Zoom Air unit, although it does have the same React foam midsole for a responsive, cushioned underfoot feel. Forget everything you’ve ever heard about trail running shoes — this totally replaces that old-school stiff midsole with something far plusher.
You won’t feel the stones or the tree roots underfoot, you’ll bounce over them. The main difference between this and the road version is the outsole, which has a pattern designed to mimic mountain bike tires for a good grip on slippy terrains.
The main drawback with this shoe is the outsole, which some runners find just isn’t grippy enough on wet and muddy terrain. If you’re running on lighter trails, you should be fine in the Pegasus Trail 4, but if you’re off on a more technical adventure, you might be disappointed.
After a year of rumors, Nike’s first super-trail shoe has dropped, and it’s fast. The Ultrafly Trail is Nike’s first trail running shoe with ZoomX midsole foam and a full carbon flyplate, designed to help runners take on the trails at a rapid pace.
For the first time, a Nike trail running show also has a Vibram outsole, with deeper lugs for a grippier run on uneven terrain. I tested these running shoes on a number of different trails and terrains — from a forest track to a gravel path.
I received the shoes in summer, so things weren’t all that muddy and wet, but I was impressed with the grip I got from the Ultrafly Trail. In the past I’ve slipped when wearing the Pegasus Trail in wet weather, and I really hope the Vibram outsole features in more shoes in Nike’s collection in the future.
There’s no doubt about it — the ZoomX foam and carbon flyplate make for an extremely fun underfoot experience. I felt like I was eating up the trails in these shoes, and I appreciated that there was enough underfoot cushioning to allow me to run from my front door to the trails on concrete.
- Read our full Nike ZoomX Ultrafly Trail review
The Arc'teryx Vertex Alpine GTX are billed as the company's ultra-focused mountain running shoes. The brand is already known for its top-notch cold-weather gear, but these light-as-an-eagle-feather shoes are designed for speed and stability on technical terrain.
Half trail running shoe, half approach shoe, this unique hybrid footwear features a knit collar to keep debris at bay, and a sock-like fit reminiscent of the previously reviewed Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3s, which are in the same price range with a similar feature set.
The GORE-TEX liner adds insulated waterproofing, while the Vibram XS Flash 2 outsole is grippy and durable enough for most weather conditions. We took them for a spin in the Catskill Mountains, which are notorious for jagged, rocky terrain and increasingly unpredictable weather changes.
But no matter how sloppy things got on the trail, the Vertex Alpine GTX provided impressive stability — and agility — from every angle; rock scrambles were no match for that impressively grippy tread.
During our longest testing session in the Mohonk Preserve (14.7 miles with 2,402 feet of elevation gain), our route ran the gamut of walking, hiking, scrambling, and jogging our way through the mountains, and these shoes were downright ideal for all that varied terrain.
Trail runners, climbers, alpinists, and mountaineers will find a lot to like about that protective TPU shank and top cap, not to mention the dual EVA and Polyolefin midsole. They're a bit clunkier than some trail shoes, but they're versatile, lightweight, and a worthy addition to this list.
The Nike Wildhorse 8 is not only one of the best-looking trail running shoes we’ve ever seen, it’s super-comfortable and offers a good amount of protection on the run.
Similar to the Wildhorse 7, the mid-sole contains Nike’s React foam, which offers just the right amount of cushioning — you can definitely still feel the ground, but it’s a smoother, more comfortable experience than your traditional, firm trail shoe
We’ve tested the Wildhorse 8 running along the sidewalk to get to the trails and found the cushioning was comfortable on harder concrete surfaces. Another major selling point with the Wildhorse 8 is the ankle gaiter, which offers a little extra ankle support, but also prevents small rocks or debris from getting into the shoe.
The padded heel collar and tongue work for an all-together comfortable experience and the wide toe box give the shoe a good, true-to-size fit. The downside with the Wildhorse 8 is the outsole.
While the lugs are brilliant on soft wet, muddy tracks, on harder slippery surfaces, they don’t quite have enough grip. All in all, this is a brilliant shoe for most trail adventures and the best trail running shoe overall.
- Read more about the best Nike running shoes
For a shoe to be on its 12th version means they are doing something right, and this rings true with the Saucony Peregrine 12. The Peregrine 12 has a good amount of grip on most surfaces and feels like a true trail running shoe underfoot.
That said, the firmness won’t be for everyone, and if you’re used to a plush road running shoe, the Peregrine might take some getting used to. The Peregrine 12 is lighter than previous iterations of the shoe, "stripped down for blistering speeds", says Saucony.
Despite being so lightweight underfoot, the shoe still has a good amount of Saucony's PWRRUN cushioning which is comfortable, although still harder than other trail shoes on the market, such as the Nike Pegasus Trail 3.
When it comes to trail running, the grip is the most important element, and the Peregrine 12 copes well on wet, slippery surfaces, as well as on mud. Saucony has added a protective rock plate to the Peregrine 12, and the shoe definitely feels more flexible than previous versions.
The downside here is that the narrow fit might not be suitable for all runners, although the shoe does come in a 'wide' version. We also found, during testing, that the tighter heel cup, designed to prevent the heel from slipping and to offer support on uneven ground, rubbed a little. It's worth wearing long socks with these shoes.
For runners who want a shoe that’ll keep up with them in all different weathers, it doesn’t get grippier than the Inov-8 Trailfly G300 Max. The British outdoor brand knows its stuff when it comes to trail running, and it shows.
The Trailfly G300 Max has graphene in the midsole foam, designed to give runners 25% more energy return. Inov-8 says the addition of graphene also helps the foam retain its rebound power for longer, helping runners stay comfortable on ultra adventures.
When it comes to the outsole, the Trailfly G300 Max isn’t messing around — the brand’s GRAPHENE-GRIP rubber lives up to its name and is some of the best on the market over difficult terrains.
The downside here is that true inov-8 fans might find the chunky sole a little off-putting, as it’s a far cry from the brand's older minimalist shoes. That said, you shouldn’t let this put you off — underfoot this shoe doesn’t feel overly cushioned and bouncy, but will keep you running comfortably for mile after mile.
The Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 trail-running shoes were built from the ground up for longer distances, and ultra runners will appreciate the latest design choices. These shoes provide an ideal balance of comfort, cushioning, and Spider-man-like grip — no matter how technical the terrain may become.
We tested these over a trail marathon and were impressed by the design of the shoe — from the anti-debris mesh upper, that creates an integrated gaiter all the way around your ankle, to the “high-rebound” midsole is made for high-energy returns when you hit the trail.
They were comfortable from the get-go, although some runners might prefer a little more cushioning between their feet and the ground.
- Read our full Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 review
How to choose the best trail running shoes
The best trail running shoe for you is the one that fits you best, so it’s always a good idea to head to your local running shop to try a couple of different brands before you buy. Other things to consider before investing in a pair of trail running shoes are the surfaces you plan on running on. If you’re just planning on exploring your local woodlands, you’ll be fine in a shoe with a less dramatic outsole. However, if you’re off on technical trails, you’ll need extra grip to avoid accidents.
Other things to think about are how long you plan on running. If you’re heading to the Marathon des Sables or the UTMB, you’ll want a trail running shoe with a good amount of responsive cushioning to keep you comfortable. On the other hand, if you’re heading from your front door to the trials, you’ll want a shoe that is comfortable on the concrete, as well as the trials.
How we test the best trail running shoes
We test trail running shoes by running in them! All of the shoes on this list have been put through their paces on a number of different tracks and trails. We’ve run at least 20 miles in each shoe, through the woods on sunny, dry days, and in the mud when the weather has turned in order to help you work out which is the best shoe for your adventure.
FAQs
Is it OK to wear trail running shoes on the road?
Yes, there's no reason why you can't wear your trail running shoes on the road. That said, keep in mind trail running shoes aren't designed to be worn on concrete, so might not have as much midsole foam to protect you from the harder surface. The outsole will also be designed for gripping onto mud or light trails, so might actually have less grip on the pavements than road running shoes.
