Trail-Running Shoes
Archive
Seeing a beloved piece of gear get discontinued is a bit like going through a rough breakup. Pearl Izumi鈥檚 decision to terminate its Run line left our writer particularly devastated.
A cadre of talented new hikers are ready for the trail and beyond.
The best thing going in this year's crop of shoes? Diversity.
Spring's best off-road shoes strike a balance between speed and comfort
Gear to help you focus on your surroundings, not your blisters
Forget the forecast. This gear will keep you moving through the toughest season.
Gone are the days of "shrink it and pink it." This equipment鈥攎uch of it designed by women, for women鈥攔ocks.
Top shoe brands are racing to enter the super-cushioned fray. We review 2014鈥檚 corpulent shoe crop.
鈥楾is the season for car camping and barbequing, which means grilled burgers, sunny days, and (hopefully) cold beer. But to keep your beverage of choice chilled, you鈥檒l need a cooler that can withstand the heat. We reviewed four mini coolers鈥攅ach 10 liters or smaller and each packed with a six-pack鈥攖o…
For years, I used to test how far I could go on day trips without eating. I don’t know if it was some unexplainable machismo or just laziness, but that mindset changed about six months ago. I鈥檇 gone on a four-hour run with an empty stomach and no food in…
It鈥檚 tough to tell how trustworthy a piece of gear is going to be when you first buy it. In fact, the only way to actually test your equipment鈥檚 longevity is to, well, test it. Thoroughly. So instead of having you, dear reader, put your gear through the ringer in…
Forget about rubbing two sticks together. Without matches, your only hope of getting a fire started in the wild is to take advantage of other tools at your disposal. Mykel Hawke鈥攁 former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret and founder of survival school Spec Ops鈥攔ecommends two easy,…
Yes, I write about gear for a living, I have access to the most sophisticated toys and tools in the outdoor world, and I鈥檓 constantly geeking out over tech details. But I鈥檓 keenly aware of the fact that the gear does not make the athlete. I was a much better…
Next week at Outdoor Retailer, Black Diamond will unveil jackets with a revolutionary cord management system that shrinks, hides, and embeds the technology needed to tighten hoods and hems. It鈥檚 called Cohaesive, and I鈥檓 excited about it for a few reasons. Cohaesive simplifies cord…
Over the past few decades, humans have developed some pretty high-tech synthetic fabrics, including membranes with nine billion pores per square inch and bi-layer wicking polyester. 聽聽 But in spite of our best efforts, the most advanced technical fibers still come from Mother Nature. Take merino wool, which is hard…
This is always a tricky question. There鈥檚 plenty of room for debate when it comes to choosing the 鈥渞ight鈥 ski length, and a useful answer should entail a lot of research. 聽 聽 Take the rocker revolution, which had people arguing about how the effective edge鈥攐r the length of metal…
The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, a tech orgy that draws hundreds of thousands of people every year, wrapped up Friday in Las Vegas. And as usual, there was some pretty weird technology on the floor.聽 Sensoria Fitness Sock A tattoo that measures your pH. A glove…
Exercise caution when you look for an inexpensive mountaineering pack. Remember, a well-built pack is going to last a lot longer than a cheap one, and you want to make sure it won鈥檛 fail at a crucial moment. But that doesn鈥檛 mean there aren鈥檛 good options out there that cost…
国产吃瓜黑料聽staff members are always busy testing gear鈥攚e reviewed more than 600 items for the summer and winter聽Buyer鈥檚 Guides alone. We can鈥檛 cover everything in the magazine, so we asked 11 国产吃瓜黑料rs to name their favorite piece of gear from 2013. And because our staff ranges from elk hunters to ultramarathoners,…
I ran my first ultra, The North Face Endurance Challenge 50-Mile on December 7. Save two missing toenails and a pinky toe that looks like it belongs on a cadaver, I think I am far enough away from the pain to write about the gear that helped…
You'll never forget the suffering of your first ultra gone awry鈥攗ntil you do.
An endorsement鈥攁nd a eulogy鈥攆or the Saucony Xodus 4.0.
It鈥檚 been years since we picked a thickly padded road runner as our top shoe. But the 1260v3 demanded the recognition. Yes, it goes overboard on the comfort, with a pillowy tongue and heel collar and spongy mesh in the upper. Yet it鈥檚 still efficient, so it was a welcome partner on long hauls.
I鈥檓 looking for a minimalist shoe for running on trails with a lot of rocks and brush. What do you recommend?
From minimalist speedsters to winter-ready mountain scramblers, we鈥檝e got you covered.
It鈥檚 summer, and time to run. What are some good trail runners for warm summer days?
There was a time when shoe companies took their bestselling road models, slapped some dark colors on them, toughened up their outsoles, made them uncomfortably stiff, and marketed them as trail shoes. And guess what. Hardly anyone bought 鈥檈m. Thank goodness that those days have finally come to an end.
Kicks designed specifically for the female foot, including The North Face Single Track Hayasa, best for mixed road and trail runs; the Salomon XR Mission, best for long trail runs in rough terrain; the New Balance 890V2, best for a cushy on up-tempo runs; and the Pearl Izumi Kissaki, best for high-mileage marathon training and racing.
It鈥檚 鈥渢he perfect fourteener shoe,鈥 one Colorado-based tester proclaimed, which is perhaps the best compliment a running-hiking hybrid like the PeakFreak can receive.
What are the best trail running shoes for handling spring mud and rain?
国产吃瓜黑料 picks the essentials for March, including the Salomon XR Mission.
国产吃瓜黑料 picks the essentials for March, including the New Balance Minimus Trail Zero.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Saucony ProGrid Outlaw.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Columbia Hoodster boots.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Saucony PowerGrid Cortana running shoe.
After competing in more than two dozen adventure races, Stephen Regenold breaks down his go-to outdoor gear
Best Foot Forward: From marathon trainers to minimalist trail runners, we've got the right shoe for you, including the Salomon XR Crossmax Neutral trail running shoe.
Best Foot Forward: From marathon trainers to minimalist trail runners, we've got the right shoe for you, including the Montrail Rogue Racer trail running shoe.
Best Foot Forward: From marathon trainers to minimalist trail runners, we've got the right shoe for you, including the Brooks Cascadia 6 trail running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Adidas Adistar Raven running shoes.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Asics GT 2160 running shoes.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including The North Face Double Track running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Hi-Tec V-Lite Infiniti HPI running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the La Sportiva Quantum running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Montrail Fairhaven running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Saucony Progrid Peregrine running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Brooks Trailblade running shoe.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the New Balance Minimus Trail running shoe.
I am going on a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim day hike in several weeks. I have done a lot of hiking mainly in light boots but I am wondering about using trail runners for this one. Any suggestions? Mark Henderson, NV
What is the best trail running shoe for someone with flatish feet, that is 195 pounds, and runs between 7-10 miles a day on rocky trails? My shoes often wear on the outside first.ScottCamp Lejeune, NC
What are the best shoes for winter running? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
I run on trails in the Virgin Islands because it's the only safe place to run, but I don't have trail running shoes. I have been tearing through shoes because they can't handle the rough terrain. What is the best warm-weather trail running shoes? Imagine a rocky gravel trail that gets muddy due to frequent tropical downpours. 鈥擥reg
Why They’re CoolThe Stormfronts reverse the paradigm of waterproof footwear construction. By using Gore-Tex XCR fabric on the exterior of the shoe, rather than tucking it in the lining, they move the first line of moisture defense out where the rubber meets the road—or where the nubuck meets the thaw-muck.
OFF TO THE RACES Designers got out their knives—very sharp ones at that—and stripped the 790 down for speed: It’s a full five ounces lighter than some shoes here. Not surprisingly, the featherweight design didn’t impress any testers in the cushioning or armor departments, and it’s probably not the best…
LIGHT AND NIMBLE If you crossed a mountain goat with a ballet dancer, the offspring would wear these shoes. The lightweight and easy-flexing 800 is especially nimble for a trail runner, delivering a smooth heel-to-toe transition on flat terrain. It has plenty of cushion for long runs, and the aggressively…
ROUGH AND STABLE Meet the grizzly bear of trail runners. The XT Wings are tough, unstoppable in rugged terrain, and, best of all, faster than their heft suggests. A broad heel base and medial pronation support provide stability on both flats and descents, while the pull-cord lacing delivers a snug…
em>Packed Trail In a word: smooth. The Cascadia 4 can handle both big miles and varied terrain, making it an ideal training shoe for trail marathons or ultras. The environmentally sensitive BioMoGo midsole (which, Brooks claims, will break down in a landfill 50 times faster than most…
Long-Distance Voyager Ultramarathoners are a picky lot, but ours loved the Cascadia 5. The shoe has enough forefoot flexibility and torsional (twisting) rigidity to keep foot fatigue at a minimum on insanely long runs. Thankfully, it’s also comfortable enough for casual days—one reason this is the top-selling trail runner in…
When we finally terraform Mars, the first colonists will doubtless be issued Montrail Hardrock Wides—kicks perfectly suited to the dusty slopes of 78,740-foot-high Olympus Mons. OK, admittedly, we’re reaching, but our 2005 Gear of the Year trail runners have more than proved their worth on this planet, moving effortlessly from…
Not counting genetic mutants like ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes—who could probably jog a century in flip-flops—the rest of us need trail runners that can go from dirt to rock to road and do it gracefully. The Vasque Blur accomplishes that trick and then some. The hybrid gave us quick toe-offs…
If you’re one of the lucky ones who can trot out the front door and weave together a perfect run on a mix of trail and pavement, stop gloating and buy a pair of Odysseys. At first glance the toothy tread appears to be trails-only, but the low-profile lugs, four-density…
With all due respect to Martha Stewart, this shoe is the ultimate control freak. With close-to-the-ground feel and gravity-defying weight, the Highlander is like a racing flat for trails. Speed fanatics will love the stiff sole, and mud wrestlers will envy the aggressive Gryptonite tread, which shook off glop better…
Technical Terrain Cross a race flat with a pair of crampons and the resulting mash-up might resemble the X-Talon. Tipping the scale at less than eight ounces, it’s like a slipper with cleats, with a snug fit and low-to-the-ground heel. Although its widely spaced, sticky rubber lugs…
Speed Demon For shorter trail races, no shoe made us feel faster than the Avi-Stoltz. It’s a highly reactive shoe whose comfortable, simple upper felt “like a house slipper,” according to one tester. (Others found the high ankle cuff annoying.) Despite its light weight, the Avi-Stoltz delivers enough support and…
ONE SWEET RIDEForget the South Beach Diet: The cushioning here will convince you that you’ve lost ten pounds. Credit trademarked midsole components (they boil down to strategically tuned EVA and a bit of foam rubber), which render each foot strike a pleasure instead of a pain. A thickly padded, noncreeping…
ALL-PURPOSE This crossover shoe performs well on a variety of surfaces. On technical trails, it’s stable and comfortably cushioned, thanks to high-rebound foam in the midsole and a solid plastic protection plate in the forefoot; on hard surfaces, the cushion almost makes this shoe feel like it was made for…
This versatile shoe goes from road to trail—and October to April—with ease. Midsole cushion is pillow-like on rocky trails and flexy enough for roads, and the upper breathes well and resists minor weather (but isn’t waterproof). It’s best for narrow-footed mild pronators. 10 oz; brooksrunning.com…
If you took a razor and cut every gram of fat from a typical trail runner, you’d get the X-1/C. Amazingly, Teva didn’t have to whittle away stability to do it. The trick: The upper’s lacing-and-support system, called Wraptor Lite, pushes your instep toward the center of the shoe while…
Technical Terrain Do your runs tend to involve alpine passes and rocky scrambles? Let us point you to the Wildcat, a supportive, moderately stiff shoe that can handle all-day outings or even adventure races. With solid underfoot and toe protection, a grippy outsole that excels on rock,…
Mountain Maniac Can a shoe give you superpowers? With the amount of confidence the Raptor inspired in our testers, it came pretty close. The most protective and stable—but still fairly lightweight—shoe in our test, the Raptor let us ignore the terrain and just run. The extremely grippy proprietary rubber and…