8 best men’s trail running shoes for off-road racing and long-distance training

The thundercross is the latest and greatest trail shoe from French alpine sports brand Salomon. Featuring a generously cushioned midsole, combined with big 5mm lugs for grip on rocky, muddy terrain, it bridges the gap between Salomon’s lightweight trail shoes and its more aggressive, mud-orientated designs, like those in the signature speedcross line.

The EVA-based energy foam midsole provides an excellent mix of springy responsiveness and shock absorption without hampering stability. Yes, it has a lot of cushioning compared to other shoes in the Salomon fleet, but rarely does it feel unbalanced, and when the trail turns muddy, it really comes into its own.

The version we tested wasn’t waterproof, but there is a Gore-Tex option available for an additional £20 if you often run in wet or cold conditions. That said, the regular version does an excellent job of letting water out, which means the shoe never gets completely waterlogged and squelchy, even in heavy rain. A good choice if you’re looking for something to take you on long runs on less than favourable terrain, but in comfort.

Good running shoes are rarely cheap, but this highly capable trail runner from Asics proves you don’t have to dig too deep into your pockets to get something grippy, responsive and durable. At just £39.99, the trail scout 2 is very reasonably priced, making off-road running more accessible to those on modest budgets. But don’t be fooled by the price, because although cheap, this shoe handles well on mixed terrain, provides plenty of traction and holds the heel in place beautifully.

Don’t go in expecting a premium experience, as you’ll be disappointed. There’s no fancy foam in the midsole, nor is there much in the way of padding in the upper (ridiculously cushy tongue aside). However, if you’re looking for support, stability and an outsole that won’t slip when the tarmac turns to trail, all without breaking the bank, this shoe is for you.

One of our favourite features is the durability of the uppers. The material is reassuringly thick and incredibly abrasion-resistant, but this does come at the expense of breathability. For this reason, we found that the trail scout 2 performs best in cooler conditions. It’s also worth noting that the shoe runs fairly narrow, so if you have a broad foot, you may want to consider sizing up.

French running brand Hoka One One is known for its generously cushioned, maximalist shoes. The zinal 2’s low-profile design brings the foot closer to the ground, improving feel, control and stability when running on technical ground at speed. Hoka describes it as “a veritable paring knife for the trail”, and we can certainly see where it’s coming from.

The zinal 2 has a sock-like design with a stretchy knitted collar and a tight fit. The collar is great for keeping the foot locked in place, and it has the added benefit of making sure no trail debris finds its way into the shoe during runs. It’s intentionally close-fitting for precision, but we’d still advise going up a half size if you’re usually in between sizes, as we found it to be extremely narrow.

If you’re looking for a slim, nimble shoe for hoovering up PBs and tearing up race days, the New Balance more trail V3 probably isn’t it. But what this trail runner lacks in agility it more than compensates for in pure comfort.

The first thing we noticed about this shoe was the width. It has a whopping 40mm stack height (good news for vertically challenged runners), but thanks to the enormity of the Vibram soles, it feels incredibly stable underfoot. All of that foam coupled with the large ground-contact area make this one of the cushiest options on the market. Not the lightest, not the fastest, but definitely the most comfortable. It’s the running equivalent of a fat-tyre bike.

Canadian outdoor brand Arc’teryx is known for making some of the best alpine sports equipment in the world. Basically, if it happens on a mountain, Arc’teryx makes great gear for doing it, and trail running is no exception.

This recently updated version of the label’s signature trail shoe is geared towards big distances and features a built-in Gore-Tex membrane to keep feet dry (within reason). It’s a sleek, streamlined-looking shoe with a durable mesh and rubber construction that’s hardwearing and extremely easy to clean. It features a maximum stack of 29mm and a drop of 6mm.

We found the norvan LD 3 to be light, comfortable and fast. The “LD” stands for “long distance”, but we felt the foam to be relatively firm. This is great for everyday trail runs, but we’d probably still reach for something slightly cushier if we were heading for a particularly lengthy training run. Go up a half size for the best fit.

Trail runners were designed for athletes, but more recently they’ve been hijacked by the fashion crowd. The shoe at the centre of this trend is Salomon’s XT-6 – a flagship model from over a decade ago that was resurrected as a lifestyle sneaker in the late 2010s. It’s a great-looking shoe that works perfectly as an everyday sneaker, but it still has everything going on under the hood to make it a functional trail runner too.

Granted, it’s a decade old, so there are certainly more technologically advanced trail running shoes on the market today. But for those who like the outdoorsy aesthetic, these make for an attractive alternative to a boring old pair of Vans or Converse.

Comfort-wise, they’re fantastic, although a change in production seems to have made recent versions fit a little bigger than they used to. For this reason, we’d recommend going down a half size.

This grippy, responsive trail shoe from Saucony is built for going fast on hard-packed surfaces and moderate trails. The outsole is extremely durable, which makes it great as a door-to-trail shoe that has to pound the occasional paved surface, and it provides excellent traction on all but the most technical and muddiest of terrain.

It’s not a cheap shoe, but that’s largely due to the fact that it features a carbon plate. This gives the shoe a quick push-off and helps the foot to land stably on uneven terrain.

If you’re after a super-cushioned ride for your next ultra, this probably isn’t the shoe for you, as it can feel a tad unstable at lower speeds and overly stiff for big miles. However, the endorphin edge excels on trail surfaces at the harder end of the spectrum, and even tarmac when speed is the goal, making it well suited to runners looking for a shoe for short-to-middle-distance racing, speedwork and training.

Most people don’t have the luxury of being able to run right out of their front door onto beautiful trails. For many, reaching anything vaguely resembling nature requires some paved surfaces to be negotiated first. This poses a problem for most trail running shoes, which often feature pointy lugs on the soles. Hard surfaces can wear these down quickly, leaving shoes gripless and slippy on the terrain they’re designed for.

For urban dwellers, a shoe like the Nike pegasus trail 4 Gore-Tex is a winner, because it’s equally at home on the road or in the woods. It’s not great at handling anything too technical, rocky or muddy, but for venturing off paved surfaces to beat the crowds, it’s perfect.

It also features a Gore-Tex construction, and while water can still creep over the collar, the extra warmth the fabric provides will be ideal for runners who suffer from cold feet in the winter months.