[Closed] Trail running shoes

Hang on, I shall ask 'er indoors, who is a keen runnist.

She say Inov8 Terraultra 270. She's just got a pair, they are, quote "f_____g amazing, brilliant offroad, and I'd happily run a road marathon in them".

On offer at SportShoes too at the moment (and you get a 20% Inov8 discount with your STW membership anyway, so you could try direct from them)

It depends on your foot shape. The classic answer for a compromise shoe is something like a Salomon Speedcross, decent grip, decent cushion, not so high as to feel unstable, but not great on wet rock ime. My favourite trail runner for mixed stuff is the La Sportive Mutant, which has enough cushion for hard surfaces, but proper toothy grip on soft ground and rock.

The problem is that it's all quite personal and also depends a little on where you run. Some, particularly lighter, runners are happy with quite minimal cushioning even on the pavement / slabbed trails, others aren't. If you quite like relatively minimal sole units, inov-8s are good, I lose track of which model does which, but on the whole, they're not plush. But at this point you don't really know what you're after. Then again shoes wear out alarmingly fast, so you're probably best starting somewhere in the middle and working it out from there.

She say Inov8 Terraultra 270. She’s just got a pair, they are, quote “f_____g amazing, brilliant offroad, and I’d happily run a road marathon in them”.

So I've used the earlier version of those and found them quite hard and slappy despite the 'ultra' intensions, maybe the newer version is better, but as per above, it's very personal.

Folk will just tell you what they use, which is fairly subjective really, bit like asking about saddles.

In answer to your question, yes, such shoes are in existence, I use Asics because they fit me well, and I find them very comfy.

inov-8s are good, I lose track of which model does which, but on the whole, they’re not plush.

One of the reasons she likes those Inov8s is because they're really well cushioned. She's not a minimalist-shoe runner, especially on road/harder surfaces. She has got some Rocclaw(?) which are apparently better for proper off-road sludge, but she wouldn't run more than half a mile on road with them as they are really hard.

But, yeah, appreciate that it is a pretty personal thing.

I quite like my altra lone peaks. I've tried Salomon speed crosses and invo8s and found both foot crushingly painful.

The lone peaks have nowhere near the grip of speed crosses or mud claws but are comfy and my toes don't ache after 3km.
I don't do road running. I can't get my head into it. I'll maybe do 1 or 2km on tarmac on a run.

Then again shoes wear out alarmingly fast,

Don't they just. Never too worn out to be actually thrown away though, it would seem...

Thanks all.

Foot shape - medium width, highish arch, tend to overpronate. I probably do need quite a bit of cushioning, I doubt I'll get on with a minimal shoe.

I have looked at the Speedcross, not least because they look amazing, but because they have a
lot of heel cushioning and I would like something waterproof if possible. Interesting that you find them ok on tarmac even with that tread. A detailed review I read said they found the tall heel to be a bit unstable too.

I note what you say BWD about how long they last. it's not like I'll have them for five years so if they're not quite right it's not the end of the world.

One of the reasons she likes those Inov8s is because they’re really well cushioned.

I've only used the first version of them. Looking at the website, it seems like they've changed the midsole foam, so it's entirely plausible that the current version is a lot more cushioned on hard stuff. I'd bloody well hope so, the originals were disappointing. The graphene rubber in those things is good too.

I bought mudclaws and raced Carnethy 5 in them, immediately sold them when I got home. Speedcross weren't as uncomfy, but I certainly wouldn't want to run any distance in them.

In terms of waterproof, for running I don't bother, but I do wear goretex trailrunners for hill walking duites.

Again, that's my feet though!.

Folk will just tell you what they use, which is fairly subjective really, bit like asking about saddles.

This is very true, but I'll do it anyway!

I really like Inov8 X-Talon 190s. I used an old pair for years before wearing the grip out to such a point they were basically slick in places, and then bought a NOS pair to replace them as they don't make the 190 any more. Very light, great grip (unless you run on wet rock, where they are treacherous!) and they drain really really quickly.

This is based on my preference for very minimal shoes, and bearing in mind that more minimal shoes will require a different running style, with your feet more 'under you', so not great if you prefer landing on your heels, or if you require more arch/ankle support.

There is definitely an element of "recommend what you own" and "horses for courses" here. But then, it'd be brave to recommend what you haven't tried, so based on my rather extensive running shoe collection:
Nike Pegasus Trail 3 - A competent road to trail shoe. Very, very comfy with loads of cushioning. Works brilliantly as a summer trail shoe but in truth, struggles in the mud and on wet rocks. If you're doing 50/50 road to trail and not going anywhere to techy they're a good option. Available in a GTX version as well.
Nike Terra Kiger (6 I think) - a more aggressive outsole and a lot less cushioning, less good on the road but much better in the mud. However, like all Nike trail shoes, it's sketchy on wet rock.
Decathlon/kalenji/Evadict XT7 - Now these are a very good option. A little dicey on pavement (not horrendous, but clearly better on trails), great in the mud, fine on wet rock and enough cushioning not to beat you up. The outsole is so much better than the Nike shoes, though it does feel a bit more basic. They do fit a little narrow though. Dirt cheap too.
Salomon Speedcross (owned by Mrs Lunge) - Great in the mud and wet grass but she reckons they're super sketch on wet tarmac. She loves them, but won't wear them unless there's a fairly minimal amount of road work.

In terms of waterproof, for running I don’t bother, but I do wear goretex trailrunners for hill walking duites.

MrsIHN concurs. Water will get in the top anyway from puddles/rain, and waterproof trainers just take longer to dry out.

Another vote for Asics here, specifically these (which were half price on Wiggle but are now out of stock.)

I use these, and the previous model, for running on the road to the woods and the trails therein.

In terms of waterproof, for running I don’t bother, but I do wear goretex trailrunners for hill walking duites.

I'd also agree with this.

I think a typical run will be 1/2 mile on pavement at each end, then probably 4-5 miles of muddy footpaths across fields and through woods, wet grass, puddles, maybe an inch of mud, not likely to encounter much rock or scree. I guess more like cyclocross than mountain biking. 🙂

I tend to run in Inov8 but being a cheapo and not getting on with zero-drop shoes, I like both the Trailtalon and the Parkclaw for the gravelly bits of trail and the X-Talon Ultra for the slop. For what you've just described, I'd be taking the X-Talon Ultra

You're never going to get a perfect balance, though

I think a typical run will be 1/2 mile on pavement at each end, then probably 4-5 miles of muddy footpaths across fields and through woods, wet grass, puddles, maybe an inch of mud, not likely to encounter much rock or scree. I guess more like cyclocross than mountain biking.

Based on that and the shoes I know or have tried, I would either buy these or these from Decathlon or some Salomon Speedcross.

I've got some Decathlon Evadicts, they'd probably be a pretty good match to what you're looking for. As lunge says they are fairly narrow in the midfoot, which you may or may not get on with.

I use to like Salomon but it seems over the years they have got narrower. Currently using Nike Wildhorse which seems okay. I've also got some Adidas trail shoes, though for some reason they seem to hurt the ball of my feet.

I'd also say Salomon Speedcross might be a good option for you. I have some and got on really well them. They'll struggle in real slop, but then most shoes will.

That said, I started getting calf problems (a pull of some kind that wouldn't heal) and got some Nike Air Pegasus Trail for the extra cushioning. They are very comfortable but as above, will struggle a bit in the mud.

These days my running is entirely off road (drive to woods with dogs), but mostly fire road so very rare I get in the real slop, hence the Pegasus Trail are OK for me.

I also agree with the comments about waterproof shoes - water will get in the top anyway, so you want a shoe that will get rid of the water as quickly as possible.

I use to like Salomon but it seems over the years they have got narrower.

I'll second this. I had some speedcross 3 and I replaced them with a speedcross 4 wide and the wide was the same size and shape as the previous model

I loved Saloman speedcross until a few years ago when their sizing changed and I can't get any to fit my size 12s properly.

I got Inov8 trailtalons and they fell apart pretty quickly to be honest. I've had to relegate them to dog walking duties now. Also their laces constantly needed adjusting particularly near the toes, in order to get a comfy fit

Im now using Asics and love the sizing and feel. I might put some triathlon speed laces on them to avoid the phaff of 10 secs of tying shoelaces, something that I loved about the Salomons

EDIT : just read the above posts - seems Im not the only one that fell foul of Salomans narrow sizing

I have looked at the Speedcross, not least because they look amazing, but because they have a lot of heel cushioning and I would like something waterproof if possible. Interesting that you find them ok on tarmac even with that tread. A detailed review I read said they found the tall heel to be a bit unstable too.

I loved the Speedcross waterproof I got last year but they were shite durability wise (2 months and 100km before wrecked). Both shoes leaked and the laces wore the tabs out. Typically get the better part of a year out of trail shoes. Got a refund off of SportShoes.com and bought some Altra which are doing fine durability wise.

For the wider of foot the Altra lonepeak and olympus are pretty handy for mixed trail running, certainly enjoying mine.

I've gone from adidas kanadias, to brooks cascadias to sportiva mutants.

mutants are my favorite by far and I'll probably just keep buying these now, 500km in so far and showing very little signs of wear. my cascadias were falling apart by this point.

From what I've read, the Speedcross 5 is a lot wider than previous versions, and the rubber softer to be better on rock/tarmac. Anyone else heard of the durability problems?

the Mutant is interesting but i can't work out what's going on with the flap on the laces. Do they have normal laces that you tie, and then tuck under the flap, or is it some sort of no-tie system like on Salomons?

It's all a compromise, and totally depends on conditions under foot.
Anything badged as 'trail' in my experience will only be adequate at best in 'proper' mud.
Anything badged as 'mud' will most likely be horrendous on road or tarmac and not great on hard packed trail.
from what you've said, a more 'trail' orientated shoe seems like a logical choice, but don't expect it to be great in all conditions and at best poor in some.
This is one of the reasons that there are so many different types of trail shoe. No one shoe can do it all.

Do they have normal laces that you tie, and then tuck under the flap

yes. works pretty well.

Daughter is a cross country runner. For the running you describe she uses Nike Wildhorse 7. Good discount on the men’s in the Nike Store currently.

https://www.nike.com/gb/t/wildhorse-7-trail-running-shoes-CRlFcx/CZ1856-800

Grip appears to be good, they do some silly muddy hills in them and appear to grip wet grass well.

When I was running I swore by Ascics and Brooks, but the modern (younger) guys and gals all seem to favour Nike.

Oh forgot to add, those Nike wildhorse appear ok on tarmac, they do a warm up on the track before jogging into the woods. Probably run 1.5 miles on track/tarmac before staring the trail / CX country aspect.

SCott Are My go to trail road shoe.

I love my Speedcross GTX, but I've just worn the soles flat on my second pair. I've not had an issue with anything else, but the soles do wear down really quickly. I guess it's just a function of the amount of rubber they have in contact with the ground (not much).

Don't listen to me, though, since controversially I don't particularly enjoy running. I just love them as trainers that are great for walking and stop me getting wet feet.

Horses for courses, and you'll no doubt go through several pairs until you find what you like, and then the manufacturer will 'update' them making them terrible.

If its only a mile or 2 on tarmac then anything will be fine. Currently my favourite trail shoes are Salomon Sense Ride 4s, and the La Sportiva Lycan 2. IMO avoid the Speedcross as they have a really unstable heel and you may role your ankle alot, the Wildcross is a much better shoe. Also I don't find the speedlace system very convenient (the tucking it away bit), its faster to tie a regular lace.

Most trail shoes are quite firm with their cushioning as you don't want a wobbly platform when treading on uneven ground, thats also why some brands / proper fell shoes tend to go more minimal, as you'r having to place your feet to avoid a twisted ankle rather than pounding through the terrain, a lightershoe better facilitates / forces this.

Shoes that I've got on with are Salomon Wildcross and Sense Rides, Saucony Peregrines, Asics Fuji Trabuco's. I've never got on with Inov8 'Trail' shoes but they're my go to Fell shoes.

Sounds like your run profile is very similar to mine. Everything's going to be a compromise. I've tried various proper mud shoes for when conditions are particularly bad but I've always found them so grim on even short bits of tarmac, and of such marginal benefit in deep mud, that I've given up on them. My current favourites are the Inov8 Terrultra 270's mentioned above. I've not found them lacking in cushioning and I came to them from Hokas but if you want more cushioning there's always the Trailfly Ultra G300. However, Inov8 seem to be really pushing the boundaries on price these days - £170 (or even £136 with an STW discount) seems a lot to pay for a pair of shoes you might not get on with.

My speedcross double up as ice skates on wet pavements. Comfy though on not extreme mud etc. I'd also have that lacing system on all my trainers, it's brilliant.

Inov8 I would love to try but they just don't fit my feet. No matter how tight they were. I could shake my foot in the shop and they'd wobble.

Waterproof is a waste of time I'd rather have really holey to let the water out quickly.

In my shoe cupboard currently I’ve got Salomon, Altra, Scott, Hoka, Adidas and Scarpa - I gave up on Inov-8 years ago at their laughably poor durability. All of my running is on trails. I would say that Scott RC are pretty good for mixed surfaces - good enough grip for technical running (I’ve run up a few mountains in mine) but enough cushioning for firm surfaces. Speedcross are either love/hate - the blocky heel doesn’t make them suitable for fast, technical downhills IME - more of a lightweight walking shoe.

If I could recommend this video, you may find helpful, is a little long but is broken down well and gives a decent oversight into possibly every every available shoe.

I would go for a "trail" shoe from one of the major brands such as Asics, Nike, Saccony etc. That should provide a good midsole with an outersole good enough for most off road. If you want something for real slop then the only thing that will give you good grip is a pair of spikes or heavily studded fell shoes which are pretty useless on anything else!. Its always a compromise I would avoid a fell shoe or one of the Fell shoe brands such as Inov8.

I’m true recommend what you wear style, La Sportiva Akasha … on my 4th pair now in as many years.
Theyre everything I want in a trail shoe. Grip, comfort, fit, durable ..great laces that never come undone!
Makes it an easy choice when they’re due for renewal!

One of the nice things about La Sportiva Mutants btw, is that the slightly higher ankle cuff keeps some of the grit and gravel out of your shoes on drier, looser terrain. On the lacing front, they have normal lacing, but also a weird little side pocket where you can stuff the tied lace if you really want to, I never bother.

On the Speedcross durability thing, a mate of mine did the Spine Race in a pair and didn't kill them, but went off them when they updated to a narrower last a few years back. They now offer both standard and wide last versions fwiw. I still prefer Mutants because they actually grip on wet rock, pavements and asphalt, which I find oddly reassuring.