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10 best men’s trail running shoes for off-road adventures

Look for lightweight runners with plenty of energy return, as well as traction and protection from uneven, wet ground  (iStock/The Independent )
Look for lightweight runners with plenty of energy return, as well as traction and protection from uneven, wet ground (iStock/The Independent )

If you really want to test your fitness, stamina and mud tolerance, then running trails is a fantastic way to get your cardio fix while going off-road and getting adventurous.

Trail is a very different beast to road running (find the best shoes for tarmac here) and demands shoes that are versatile enough to cope with the extra physical challenges that will come your way.

They need to strike a balance between being lightweight, stable and delivering good energy return, to help keep you moving forward.

Changes in terrain and direction mean that there is extra movement within the shoe, so a good trail model has to fit well, holding the foot in place whether you’re going uphill or down, speeding up or slowing down. Traction and adequate protection are also essential if you’re going to stay on your feet and minimise the risk of injury.

How we tested

So, every shoe we tested had to tackle various terrains on Dartmoor’s trails over the course of a couple of months. They had to contend with mud, bogs, gravel, boulders, wet rock and even the occasional river crossing.

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Eventually we narrowed our list and the final result are shoes which were suckers for punishment, delivering where it mattered and getting us out and back without incident.

The best men’s trail running shoes for 2021 are:

  • Best overall – On cloudventure waterproof: £150, On-running.com

  • Best for good looks – Adidas terrex speed ultra trail running shoes: £160, Adidas.co.uk

  • Best thick midsole – Merrell agility peak 4: £120, Merrell.com

  • Best supportive padding – Saucony peregrine 11: £115, Saucony.com

  • Best lightweight shoe – Vivobarefoot primus trail II FG: £120, Vivobarefoot.com

  • Best shoe with ankle collar – Salomon S/LAB ultra 3: £165, Salomon.com

  • Best protective sole – 361europe.com: £118.51, 361europe.com

  • Best for keeping mud and water out – Hoka One One men’s speedgoat 4 Gore-tex: £140, Hokaoneone.eu

  • Best for city runs – Nike pegasus trail 2: £80.45, Sportsshoes.com

  • Best for grip – La Sportiva kaptiva: £148.07, Lasportiva.com

On cloudventure waterproof

Best: Overall

  • Weight: 345g

  • Drop: 6mm

As the name suggests, these shoes are made for the hills and mountains and are equipped to deal with the elements that you’d expect to find there too. The shoe holds the foot well from heel to toe, and the outsole offers multiple grip patterns and deep lugs that really dig into the ground without becoming a magnet for small stones, which can reduce the effectiveness of the tread.

Weighing in at 345g, the cloudventures still feel light on your feet, with good cushioning that absorbs impact when you’re speeding up or going downhill. Another standout feature of the shoe is the supremely efficient waterproofing that also allows feet to breathe.

Buy now £150.00, On-running.com

Adidas terrex speed ultra trail running shoes

Best: For good looks

  • Weight: 240g

  • Drop: 8mm

Weighing in at just 240g, this is a very lightweight shoe that still feels like it can take a lot of punishment on the trails. The fit is excellent, holding the foot securely with no slippage, and the see-through design not only looks great, but also provides some sweat-wicking qualities. Adidas has combined both its “boost” and “lightstrike” materials in the midsole, which adds to the overall performance and offers a great combination of speed and cornering. This is all underlined with a well thought out tread pattern made from Continental rubber, so you won’t have any trouble keeping your feet planted.

Buy now £160.00, Adidas.co.uk

Merrell agility peak 4

Best: Thick midsole

  • Weight: 290g

  • Drop: 6mm

Coming with a slightly chunkier midsole made from “floatpro” foam, the peak 4 aims to beef up the protection without adding to the weight of the shoe. With an upper that moulds well to the foot, these has a tread pattern that does a good job of promoting speed over flat ground. All the while still being deep enough to anchor you on the downs and ups.

Buy now £120.00, Merrell.com

Saucony peregrine 11

Best: Supportive padding

  • Weight: 310g

  • Drop: 4mm

Peregrine is a long-established trail shoe. But this update concentrates on the upper, with some strategically placed padding in all the right places, so that the foot feels cradled, regardless of whether you’re training or going all out to break a PB. At 310g, the 11 has retained its lightweight feel and offers good protection from below. It also has an aggressive tread pattern which imparts a lot of confidence, especially over dry, loose trails, so that you can really open things up and commit to every stride.

Buy now £115.00, Saucony.com

Vivobarefoot primus trail II FG

Best: Lightweight shoe

  • Weight: 136g

  • Drop: 0mm

One of the first things you’ll notice about the primus trail II, is that you don’t notice them. At just 136g, they are the lightest shoe in this round-up, giving a wonderfully responsive feel to your runs and an incredibly light running sensation, which still feels cushioned and comfortable if you’re out in them for a long time. Ideally suited to dry, hard-packed trails, the outsole gives tonnes of grip, and because they act like a second skin, you feel connected to the trail, but protected from the rough stuff.

Buy now £120.00, Vivobarefoot.com

Salomon S/LAB ultra 3

Best: Shoe with ankle collar

  • Weight: 290g

  • Drop: 8mm

The updated ultra provides a very responsive fit. The addition of an ankle collar not only keeps out any dirt and rocks, but also creates a snug seal so you’re not fiddling around with your footwear in the middle of a run. A combination of very sticky rubber and a great tread pattern meant that we got lots of traction on both dry, loose trails and mud-bound routes. At 290g, they’ll never weigh you down, and there was plenty of energy return from the midsole, which kept us bouncing along, even towards the end of the run when our legs started to feel heavy.

Buy now £165.00, Salomon.com

361 yushan 2

Best: Protective sole

  • Weight: 353g

  • Drop: 8mm

Many runners complained about the flexibility issues in the original yushan’s, but the second-generation does a good job of improving this. Now the shoe offers a generous amount of give while still providing bags of protection from below, meaning you really won’t feel a thing even when hammering down over hard, sharp terrain. We got good traction from the outsole, and the upper mesh encases the foot nicely, while remaining breathable for comfortable running in warmer weather.

Buy now £118.51, 361europe.com

Hoka One One men’s speedgoat 4 Gore-tex

Best: For keeping mud and water out

  • Weight: 348g

  • Drop: 4mm

If your go-to getaways are wet, sloppy trails, then the speedgoat 4s should be your top choice. These trainers will cruise through puddles, streams and even rivers without leaving you with soggy socks for the rest of your run. Of course, there’s no point having a Gore-tex shoe if it doesn’t fit snugly around the foot to stop any ingress over the top. Thankfully, the speedgoats did a great job of providing a tight seal so you can really charge through any water obstacles. Traction was also excellent, and the 348g weight was barely noticeable thanks to a very responsive midsole.

Buy now £140.00, Hokaoneone.eu

Nike pegasus trail 2

Best: For city runs

  • Weight: 333g

  • Drop: 10mm

Do you live in a town or city and have no immediate access to off-road runs? Then the trail 2 has been created with you in mind. It’s a true hybrid shoe that’s designed to get you down the road and onto the trail head. It does this with a rugged outsole that facilitates the transition between pavement and footpath, with a fast tread that still digs into all kinds of terrain. At 333g, it’s light enough for those who feel the need for speed, while the “react” foam midsole means the shoe retains that characteristic pegasus bounce.

Buy now £80.45, Sportsshoes.com

La Sportiva kaptiva

Best: For grip

  • Weight: 280g

  • Drop: 6mm

The fit on the 316g kaptivas is very nice, with a comfortable, foot-hugging inner, so once you’ve laced up they won’t need any adjustments. They’re built for abuse, with a tough toe bumper that will keep you protected when you’re picking your way through boulder fields or careering down a scree-side. The hexagonal tread was also well suited to rockier terrain, but overall traction is excellent thanks to the sticky rubber compound that it’s made from.

Buy now £148.07, Lasportiva.com

Men’s trail running shoes FAQs

Is it OK to use trail-running shoes on the road?

While trail running shoes are of course designed for off-road terrain, they are still pretty adaptable. While they may not always be 100 per cent necessary for every run, you can, on the whole, use them on pavements and roads too.

What is the difference between trail-running shoes and walking shoes?

While both offer a good level of protection and support, there are a few differences to consider. Trail shoes tend to be more lightweight and breathable, while they also prioritise comfort and are more likely to fit comfortably from the first wear. That said, given that walking shoes are slightly heavier and more robust, they are more suitable for cold, wet weather, and likely to last longer than the more nimble, lightweight trail shoe.

Are trail running shoes necessary?

You may already have a pair of running shoes, but if you’re planning on tackling tougher terrains with steep inclines, mud and rain and sharp surfaces underfoot , you’ll want shoes that are purpose built. Trail shoes better traction than regular running does, with sticky rubber soles and deep gripping pad – great for navigating slippery mud and rocks. This will come in handy when whipping round those tight corners at speed.

Many trail shoes will also provide ample protection against uneven, jagged running surfaces thanks to a thin layer of plastic or fibre fitted inside the midsole, while extra space for your toes to spread is also a plus. And of course, thanks to heir durability, trail shoes will outlast regular running shoes.

The verdict: Men's trail running shoes

No matter what your level of experience, the On cloudventure waterproof trainers are a confidence-boosting shoe that will help you get off the beaten track without sacrificing speed. Light, comfortable and very well-designed by the manufacturer, this is a shoe that will appeal to a wide selection of trail runners.

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