Best Trail Running Shoes: Winter 2024

Expert Advice on Running Shoes,Autumn & Winter Running Advice,Trail & Fell Training Advice
Best Trail Running Shoes: Winter 2024

Going off-road this season? 

You might be needing trail running shoes.

It’s always best to come into our store to get a proper shoe fitting so we can make sure you end up with a suitable shoe for your foot strike and foot shape. No amount of internet research compares to the experience of going into a specialist and trying on a variety of different options and jogging up and down outside in them. Here is a small selection of popular trail shoes from the Run and Become range this season.

Trail shoes are built to cope with grass, hard-packed parkland, canal sides, forests and woodland trails. They can handle a little road running, but they have less cushioning than road shoes. The outsole has a deeper grip, and the upper is more durable as well. Some have more cushioning and less grip, and vice versa.

For seriously rugged terrain, have a look out the Fell Running Shoe Guide.

Cushioned Trail Shoes / Stable Trail Shoes / Low-Profile Trail Shoes / Waterproof Trail Shoes / Wide Fitting Trail Shoes

Hoka Trail Running Shoes

Best Cushioned Trail Running Shoes

If you're running on the road to get to the trail or if your trail includes a lot of hard surfaces you could try any of these options which combine grip and cushioning...

Hoka Speedgoat / Hoka Challenger / Salomon Thundercross / Brooks Caldera

Hoka Speedgoat

With Hoka’s trademark maximal cushioning, the Speedgoat 6 is designed to tackle rugged terrain with enhanced comfort. Hoka’s “bucket seat” design means your foot sits lower in the midsole than you’d expect which makes it more stable than it looks. A hard-wearing Vibram Megagrip outsole with 5mm lugs helps keep your footing secure when the terrain is treacherous. Built on a 5mm offset so you’re on an even platform as you tackle the trails. Also available in wide fit.

Men's Hoka Speedgoat 6

Men's Hoka Speedgoat 6

£140.00

Women's Hoka Speedgoat 6

Women's Hoka Speedgoat 6

£140.00

Hoka Challenger

Mega-cushioned like all Hoka shoes the Challenger is a door-to-trail running shoe with 4mm lugs for on and offroading. Hoka’s early stage meta rocker rolls you through the stride and the midsole is thick enough that you don’t feel sharp rocks poking through. Also available in wide fit.

Men's Hoka Challenger 7

Men's Hoka Challenger 7
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Women's Hoka Challenger 7

Women's Hoka Challenger 7
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Salomon Thundercross

Salomon's most cushioned trail running shoe in a Women's specific fit. The ideal trail running shoes that offers supreme cushioning as well as grip on those long, tough terrains constructed with Salomon's trademark Contagrip outsole with multi-directional lugs gives outstanding traction over varied trails.
Men's Salomon Thundercross

Save - 25%

Men's Salomon Thundercross
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00 £105.00

Women's Salomon Thundercross

Save - 25%

Women's Salomon Thundercross
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00 £105.00

Stable Trail Running Shoes

Brooks Caldera

For those trail runs where there's a mix of firm terrain and mud, Caldera will serve you well. There’s a lot of cushioning here, so you get that soft feel underfoot that you’re used to from your road running shoes, and the miles pass comfortably. Mountain-goat hooves inspired the lug pattern on the sole, so the grip is sure and you can run with confidence.

Men's Brooks Caldera 7

Men's Brooks Caldera 7
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Women's Brooks Caldera 7

Women's Brooks Caldera 7
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Most Stable Trail Running Shoes

Shoes offering an element of support as well as grip and cushioning include...

Brooks Cascadia / La Sportiva Akasha

Brooks Cascadia

Dubbed by Brooks an “SUV for your feet”, the Cascadia packs plenty of grip. Its four pivot points – one on each side of the heel and forefoot, where the wheels would be if your foot was car – serve to balance the foot on uneven terrain. They also provide a certain amount of pronation control if you're running on firmer ground for any length of time. Improved DNA LOFT 2 foam in the midsole, offering an extra 2mm more cushioning for increased comfort. “Water in, water out” upper, which drains easily after getting wet, makes this a favourite for multi-surface running. New Ballistic Rock Shield plate protects the foot from sharp rocks. The sustainable PriintDyed technology has been used in production to use less energy and water in the dying process.

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18

£135.00

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18 Wide

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18 Wide

£135.00

La Sportiva Akasha

The design of this premium cushion trail running shoe comes from La Sportiva, based in the Italian mountains, where they do all their testing. Trail Rocker technology in the midsole promotes a smooth heel -to-toe rolling motion. The dual mix FriXion XT sole offers durable, aggressive grip for exceptional traction. The Impact Brake System technology helps traction by enhancing grip downhill and absorbs impact. No need for a rock plate in the Akasha as its midsole is very thick, alongside the grippy, durable outer sole offering lots of protection.

Men's La Sportiva Akasha 2

Men's La Sportiva Akasha 2
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Women's La Sportiva Akasha 2

Women's La Sportiva Akasha 2
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Low Profile Trail Running Shoes

Best Low-Profile Trail Running Shoes

These offer better proprioception, i.e. you can feel what’s going on beneath your feet, allowing you to be nimble over uneven ground with less risk of turning your ankle...

Altra Lone Peak / Altra Experience Wild / Saucony Peregrine

Altra Lone Peak

Like all Altra shoes, the Lone Peak has a spacious, rounded, 'footshaped' toebox to encourage toe splay, and a zero-drop platform to keep you on a level footing. A sticky rubber outsole with a TrailClaw lug pattern gives grip in boggy, wet conditions. Lugs are positioned directly beneath the metatarsals so they dig into the earth as if they were an extension of your feet. A rock plate protects the foot from sharp stones.

Men's Altra Lone Peak 8

Men's Altra Lone Peak 8
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Women's Altra Lone Peak 8

Women's Altra Lone Peak 8
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Altra Experience Wild

Altra introduces their first women’s trail-running shoe with a 4mm heel-drop. This low drop, combined with the rocker-shape geometry, helps to ensure a smooth and natural transition from impact to toe-off.

Women's Altra Experience Wild

Women's Altra Experience Wild

£130.00

Saucony Peregrine

This trail running shoe is on the lighter side, at 245g for women and 277g for men. The 4mm heel-drop ensures you don’t land too heavily on the heel, but instead engage your midfoot more. This helps when tackling uneven terrain; it keeps you more stable. The PWRRUN midsole is a little softer and more responsive than the previous version. It’s been reformulated, so there’s enough cushioning for those firmer, longer runs, but not so much that you lose all proprioception. A major plus is the new tacky grip outersole, which keeps you upright when the ground gets slippy!

Men's Saucony Peregrine 15

Men's Saucony Peregrine 15

£130.00

Women's Saucony Peregrine 15

Women's Saucony Peregrine 15

£130.00

Waterproof Trail Running Shoes

Best Waterproof Trail Running Shoes

Most trail running shoes are not waterproof because if you step in a puddle that goes over the top of your waterproof shoes, the water will get in and won’t be able to get out so you’ll end up with waterlogged feet. Instead they are designed with easily draining materials so if the water gets in, it can get out just as easily. However if waterproofing is important to you, you can try these...

Brooks Cascadia GTX / Saucony Aura GTX

Brooks Cascadia GTX

The durable and sturdy Brooks Cascadia GTX is a fully waterproof trail shoe. The Rock Shield in the midsole protects feet against sharp rocks. And a very significant feature is the recycled content used to protect the environment.

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18 GTX

Men's Brooks Cascadia 18 GTX

£150.00

Saucony Aura TR GTX

Cheaper than the others, this is a great price point for a waterproof shoe. The Gore-Tex® upper is flexible, and it's as breathable as a waterproof membrane gets. The upper gives a snug fit for support on uneven ground. The XT-600 outsole with toothy 4.5mm lugs, gives aggressive traction in muddy, wet conditions. A VERSARUN EVA-based midsole gives great energy-return with a bouncy feel.

Men's Saucony Aura TR GTX

Men's Saucony Aura TR GTX

£115.00

Women's Saucony Aura TR GTX

Women's Saucony Aura TR GTX

£115.00

Wide-Fitting Trail Running Shoes

Best Wide-Fitting Trail Running Shoes

It's always been hard to find a good trail running shoe that fits a wide foot. Up until now it's been a question of trying the widest of the standard width options. But finally there's a decent trail shoe on the market that's made for the wider footed amongst us...

New Balance Hierro / Hoka Challenger Wide / Hoka Speedgoat Wide / Salomon Speedcross Wide

New Balance Hierro Wide

The New Balance Hierro V8 is a trail running shoe that incorporates sustainable materials and practices in its production. The plush midsole cushioning offers incredible comfort, along with the combination of natural rubber and recycled rubber, provides the durability and excellent grip whilst you're on the move.

Men's New Balance Hierro v8 2E Wide

Men's New Balance Hierro v8 2E Wide
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Women's New Balance Hierro v8 D Wide

Women's New Balance Hierro v8 D Wide
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£140.00

Hoka Challenger Wide

Made for running on mixed terrain. Good grip for the soft stuff yet the outsole is not too rigid so you can use it on harder, flatter ground (like pavements) as well. Plenty of shock absorption. Also available in standard fit.

Men's Hoka Challenger 7 Wide

Men's Hoka Challenger 7 Wide
Men's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Women's Hoka Challenger 7 Wide

Women's Hoka Challenger 7 Wide
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

Hoka Speedgoat Wide

In comparison with the Challenger, Hoka Speedgoat has a more durable Vibram Megagrip outsole. Not only does it have deeper lugs, but it also offers the 'stepped' lugs feature, which will help you to shake away the mud from your shoes and keep your feet light. Also available in standard fit.

Men's Hoka Speedgoat 6 Wide

Men's Hoka Speedgoat 6 Wide

£140.00

Women's Hoka Speedgoat 6 Wide

Women's Hoka Speedgoat 6 Wide

£140.00

Salomon Speedcross Wide

Designed for rugged terrains and unpaved surfaces, this shoe offers an unmatched level of comfort as well as stability and grip. Whether you're tackling steep inclines or muddy trails, the Speedcross has you covered.

Women's Salomon Speedcross 6 Wide

Women's Salomon Speedcross 6 Wide
Women's Trail Running Shoes
£130.00

With the right trail running shoes you’re equipped for anything the weather might throw at us this season. Enjoy getting off the pavements and discovering the countryside.

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