Best trail running shoes 2026
Trail shoes add grip, protection and a tougher upper for mud, rocks and roots. Pick by how rough your trails get: light, mixed or technical.
21 current models, newest first. Updated October 2026. Want a personal pick? Try the shoe finder.
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Brooks
Cascadia 20
Brooks' trusty trail workhorse: stable, protective and confidence-inspiring on rough ground.
310 g6 mm dropprotectivestable -
HOKA
Tecton X 4
Twin carbon plates and PEBA foam make this a trail super shoe that stays comfortable from 5K to 50 miles.
255 g5 mm dropCarbon platepropulsivelight -
HOKA
Zinal 3
A light, nimble trail racer for fast, technical mountain courses.
230 g5 mm droplightresponsive -
HOKA
Speedgoat 7
Runner's World's 2026 trail champ: cushioned, grippy and confident on almost any terrain thanks to 5mm Vibram lugs.
285 g4 mm dropplushgrippy -
Altra
Lone Peak 9+
A trail legend: zero drop, roomy toe box and built tough for technical terrain.
310 g0 mm dropnaturalgrippy -
ASICS
Metafuji Trail
A carbon-plated trail racer with super-foam bounce for runners chasing times off-road.
255 g5 mm dropCarbon platepropulsivelight -
ASICS
Trabuco 14
A cushioned, grippy trail cruiser for long days on mixed terrain.
300 g8 mm dropbalancedprotective -
Brooks
Catamount 4
A light, plated trail speedster for runners who like to race off-road.
255 g6 mm dropPlate / rodsresponsivelight -
HOKA
Mafate 5
A maximal mountain cruiser that soaks up rocks and roots over very long days.
320 g4 mm dropplushprotective -
Kiprun
Kipsummit Max
A stable, well-protected trail shoe for long days out, with supercritical A-TPU foam and Vibram Megagrip lugs.
280 g6 mm dropfirmstable -
Kiprun
Kipsummit Race
A carbon-plated trail racer with A-TPU foam and Vibram Megagrip, built for fast, runnable trails and long races.
255 g6 mm dropCarbon platepropulsivestable -
New Balance
Fresh Foam X Hierro v9
A cushioned trail cruiser with Vibram grip and wide-fit options.
320 g8 mm dropplushprotective -
On
Cloudultra Pro
On's plated ultra shoe: a tall, smooth HelionHF ride with a speedboard for long days on dry, runnable trails.
262 g6 mm dropPlate / rodssmoothcushioned -
Salomon
Genesis 2
RunRepeat's top Salomon: support and flexibility for rugged mountain terrain.
285 g8 mm dropbalancedgrippy -
Salomon
S/Lab Pulsar 4
An elite, featherweight trail racer built to break records.
200 g6 mm droplightresponsive -
Salomon
Speedcross 6
The mud king: deep, aggressive lugs for sloppy UK winter trails.
300 g10 mm dropgrippyfirm -
Salomon
Ultra Glide 4
Cushioned trail comfort for long miles and all-day adventures.
285 g6 mm dropplushrocker -
Saucony
Peregrine 16
An agile, grippy all-rounder that loves muddy UK trails.
270 g4 mm dropgrippynimble
Not sure which one is right for you?
The shoe finder checks every current shoe against how you run and shows your two best matches.