Men's Trail Running Shoes

Buying the best Trail Running Shoes is no longer a difficult task. Hoka One One wins our informal Don't Mess It Up” award for using a deft hand when improving on the (mostly excellent) original EVO Mafate 2. The upper is now roomier and stays comfortable after your feet swell up. And its Kevlar construction also protects your foot from trail debris, while a soft and stretchy panel over the top allows the toe box to expand.
A trail runner writing for Outdoor Gear Lab lauded the Speedcross 4's "incredible traction on virtually every surface," while a reviewer with Switchback Travel called them "mountain ready" and durable, though he did note that they get hot when worn in warm weather.



While trail running shoes are designed to protect your feet from abrasion, direct blows from the pointy sides of rocks, or from repeated impacts inherent in the motion of running itself, they need to balance this protection with the fact that to run effectively, our brains demand feedback from our feet.
And while the rather thin outsole doesn't offer much protection if you step on a sharp rock or a protruding branch, the shoes will keep your feet safe from pokes and scratches as you jog through brambles, and they breathe well enough to keep your foot cool even in hot, humid weather.

That said, for an extremely lightweight racing shoe, I was quite impressed with the amount of protection and cushioning that it did give me. But obviously don't expect the same amount of bounce and energy return of the Hoka Torrent - they are two very different models.
If you happen to prefer technical trails or mountain trails, you would probably be best served by specialty trail running shoes; and if your preference leans towards the eclectic, crossover trainers should help you maintain the kind of agility you need over multiple surfaces - gravel, grass, loose sand and rock.

Those adventures led him to settle in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, a modern-day mountain running mecca and home to the iconic Hardrock Hundred trail race, where he began reviewing trail running shoes and other running apparel for OutdoorGearLab.