For trail running, it’s essential to have something on your feet that will help you feel confident enough to take that muddy corner quickly, to skip down a wet, rocky path, climb scree and jump logs. There are a lot of different options out there, however, and finding the right pair that can handle such a variety of conditions can be tricky. For this reason, we’ve compiled our selection of the best trail running shoes for 2025 along with a buyer’s guide to help you make the right shoe choice for your needs.
The Best Trail Running Shoes of 2025: The Results From Our Tests
In this test of a surprisingly diverse range of off-road running footwear, we’ve addressed all of the key areas mentioned above and suggested where each pair will be best placed. They’re all great, but in different ways and we’d recommend them for different uses.
There are three overriding questions to consider when you’re looking to buy a pair of trail shoes: what terrain will you be using them for? What kind of distances will you be running in them? What kind of feel do you like to get from a shoe? In this guide, we’ll help to pin point where each pair sits in regards to each of these criteria – and for more information on why that stuff is important, we recommend looking at our in-depth guide on how to choose trail running shoes.
- Best Overall Trail Running Shoe: La Sportiva Mutant
- Best Value Trail Running Shoe: Kiprun MT3 Trail
- Best Trail Running Shoe for Cushioning: New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro V7
- Best Carbon Plated Trail Running Shoe: Asics Metafuji Trail
- Best Trail Shoe for Rocky Trails: Hoka Zinal 2
The Expert
I’m the editor of this site and I’ve been reviewing outdoor gear for our 10 years now. In that time, I’ve served as a judge for the Scandinavian Outdoor Award, ISPO Awards and in the OIA Awards and I’ve also done a lot of running. Two years ago I set a 500-mile FKT and I’ve run in various ultras around the world. I even once took part in the famous Man versus Horse race in mid Wales. No prizes for guessing who came out tops in that.
How We Tested Them
With the help of our Test Team, we’ve made sure all of the trail running shoes in this round up have been properly tested out in the environments they were made for. We haven’t just taken these for quick runs around the local dog walking field. No, we’ve made sure they’ve been used in real mountain environments – whether that’s through the bogs of Rannoch Moor in the Scottish Highlands, on hard-packed trails over high fells in the Lake District and even while setting FKTs on multi-day fastpacking adventures. In case of interest, we’ve also conducted similar tests to find the best running shorts and best running socks too. If you’d like to discover some new brands beyond some of the mainstream ones featured here, you might like our guide to the best new and boutique running brands.
Editor’s Note: In our latest updates, we’ve added the Kiprun MT3 Trail to this list and selected it as the best value trail shoe overall. We also removed Asics Fuji Speed 2 and replaced it with the newer Asics Metafuji Trail.
La Sportiva Mutant
Best trail running shoe overall: this came out tops in our tests due to its all-round versatility.
Price: £155
Weight: 320g
Best for: Rocky and muddy trails, medium-length distance
Key attributes: Sturdy, grippy, comfortable
Performance: 10/10
Value: 8/10
Not so long ago, we conducted a test to find the grippiest trail running shoes and it was the La Sportiva Mutant that came out on top. Not only was it the best product when it came to grip on different terrain but it also impressed us for its all-round offering. Quite simply, it is the best trail running shoe we’ve used in recent years.
Aside from the grip, one other aspect that stood out to us during our tests was the fit and feel of the upper. It’s unique design creates a very comfortable, secure and wrapping fit that fills you with a lot of confidence. The Mutant also strikes an excellent balance between durability, cushioning and weight. It feels light and fast but it also feels hardy and protective.
La Sportiva have made this specifically for mountain running but, from our experience, it’s the kind of shoe that has the versatility for all kinds of trail running.
Stack height: 26mm/16mm / Drop: 10mm / Lugs: 5mm
Buy the La Sportiva Mutant: £155 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk
Kiprun MT3 Trail
Best value trail running shoe: At £90 and with solid performance, this gets our pick as the best value for money.
Price: £90
Weight: 310g
Best for: training runs, short to medium distance trail races
Key attributes: Good value, versatile, agile feeling, quite light
Performance: 7.5/10
Value: 9/10
We were impressed with the all-round versatility of this trail running shoe from Decathlon, especially given that it comes in at less than £100. We found the grip to be good on frozen trails and on wet and muddy bridleways too. It feels light and agile and we liked the reasonably wide platform that brought a lot of stability and confidence without feeling clunky. The upper is made from a mesh that’s breathable, durable and that shed water well when we wore the shoe through puddles. We also found that the laces held well. There’s a bit of room to the toe box; it’s not oversized but it gives a touch of space for your feet to splay when they start to swell.
If you like a shoe with loads of cushioning then we’d advise looking elsewhere (start with the shoe immediately below, perhaps). We found that the Kiprun MT3 felt pretty solid underfoot, though it does still bring some shock absorption to the table. Overall, it’s the kind of shoe we’d happily wear from training runs and short to medium-distance trail runs that don’t involve too much road. For longer distances, we’d want something with a touch more softness at the midsole.
Stack: 26mm / 18 mm / Drop: 8mm / Lugs: 4mm
Read our full Kiprun MT3 Trail review.
Buy the Kiprun MT3 Trail: £90 at Decathlon.co.uk
New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro V7
Best Trail Running Shoe for Cushioning: this got our pick as the best option if you like a soft feel and plenty of shock absorption.
Price: £100
Weight: 318g
Best for: Long miles on hard and soft trails
Key attributes: Comfortable, nicely padded underfoot, tough, grippy and protective
Performance: 6/10
Value: 7/10
The Hierro V7 is a tough-cookie trailer that’s perfect for people who want to pound the paths for long periods of time; over long distances. Beyond that durability, the standout feature is the cloud-like feel underfoot, courtesy of a fairly high midsole stack – 28mm at the heel and 20mm at the toe – of lightweight Fresh Foam X which gives a really plush ride, even on the hardest of trails (or any road sections). A light protective plate (not a full rock plate) also blocks out sharp rocks and roots well without making the sole overly stiff.
Bootie-style synthetic mesh uppers hug your feet nicely and zonal TPU threads, woven in at key points, enhance and elevate the structure of the shoe. Traction and durability is solid, thanks to a Vibram MegaGrip outsole with multi directional lugs on the underside. They run reassuringly grippy with a decent amount of bite, though they’re more dependable on defined trails – particularly any dusty or gravelly ones. They’re not the kind of shoe you’d want to use for flying down a steep and muddy fellside.
Stack: 28mm / 20mm / Drop: 8mm / Lugs: 4.5mm.
Selected for our Outdoor 100 – Read our full New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro review.
Buy the New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro: £100 at Sportsshoes.com
Asics Metafuji Trail
Best carbon-plated trail running shoes: we loved how fast feeling this shoe is – it’s got amazing cushioning too.
Price: £220
Weight: 260g
Best for: fast paced racing on hard trails
Key attributes: fast-feeling, light, carbon-plated
Performance: 8.5/10
Value: 6/10
This new shoe for Spring/Summer 2025 from Asics is pretty ‘out there’ in its design. With its carbon plate, high stack and bucket loads of springy cushioning, we found this is a shoe that’s all-in on speed. In our tests, we found it to excel on gravel bridleways, hard-packed trails and trail runs with large sections of road. We did find it to be a little too high and unstable on technical trails with lots of twists and turns, however. It has some bite on slippery trails but you’ll be better off with something with deeper lugs if an aggressive grip is your priority.
In one of our tests, we used it on a 13km night time trail race in France which had a constant fast pace and a mix of forest trails, road and pavement. Its plush cushioning and shock absorption, smooth forward propulsion, lightweight build and grippy outsole made it the perfect tool for the job.
Stack height: 45 mm / 40 mm / Drop: 5 mm / Lug depth: 4.5 mm
Buy the Asics Metafuji Trail: £220 at Runnersneed.com
Hoka Zinal 2
Best Trail Running Shoe for Rocky Trails: we liked this shoe’s performance on trails that were dry and technical.
Price: £160
Weight: 227g
Best for: short to medium distance running on dry trails
Key attributes: light and fast feeling
Performance: 8/10
Value: 6/10
This is a fast and light shoe that stood out in our tests for its agile and precise feel. It’s the kind of shoe that we found we could leap around in with confidence while on rocky trails. The toe is quite narrow and the fairly low stack height and neutral drop keeps you feeling well connected with the trail but without any discomfort. We found this was right at home on dry trails, particularly on dirt tracks, gravel or on rocky stuff. It had its shortcomings on very muddy and sloppy trails, with the lugs not quite aggressive enough for those conditions.
The cushioning is quite moderate – not plush but not minimalist either. As such, we found that this is a shoe that is great for fast pace running over short to medium-length distances. It was fine to wear for distances up to about 30km but if we were going beyond that, we’d want something with a touch more cushioning and room at the toe for foot splay.
Stack height: 30 mm / 25 mm / Drop: 5 mm / Lug depth: 5 mm
Read our full Hoka Zinal 2 review.
Buy the Hoka Zinal 2: £111 at Hoka.com
Best of the Rest
Salomon Genesis
Price: £140
Weight: 276g
Best for: all kinds of running
Key attributes: good cushioning and flex, handy speed lacing
Performance: 8.5/10
Value: 7.5/10
These trail running shoes strike all the right balances – to the point where we’d call them an everyman option. The fit is fairly average, the cushioning is mid level, the grip’s mid level and the weight’s mid level too.
While they’re not actually as cushioned as they look, we found these were still very comfortable to run in, be that on soft or hard surfaces. We loved how convenient and reliable the speed lacing was too. On mud, they offered good traction and shed away mud very well and the gusseted tongue kept out debris nicely. We do have some concerns over the long term durability of the outsole however, and that’s because on roads the rubber does feel quite soft and vulnerable to being worn down.
Still, these have landed as a firm favourite within our team and we’d consider them a worthwhile investment, especially for anyone looking for a shoe for all kinds of trails and distances.
Stack height: 34mm / Drop: 8mm / Lugs: 4.5mm
Selected for our Outdoor 100 gear of the year guide. Read our full Salomon Genesis review.
Buy the Salomon Genesis: £140 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk
Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed
Price: £130
Weight: 260g
Best for: short to medium runs on very soft ground
Key attributes: lots of grip, very lightweight
Performance: 8/10
Value: 7.5/10
Trail running shoes really do not get grippier than this. The Mudtalon is a seriously aggressive shoe design for the sloppiest of slopes boasting lugs that are a whopping 8mm in depth. For perspective, most trail running shoes have lugs that are around 4 to 5mm deep.
It’s a shoe that’s designed specifically for fell running, so you’ve got essentially a minimalist lightweight upper, light cushioning and then a very rugged outsole that’s designed to not only grip hard into mud but to shed it away too. In our tests, we found it did just that.
It comes in a narrow or wide fit. We tried the wide version which did feel very spacious at the toes but not to the point where our feet were sliding about. If you have narrow feet or you want a precise shoe for fast ascents then the narrow version should work best for you but if you want something that feels comfortable over longer distances or simply have wide feet then, you guessed it, opt for the wide fit.
Stack height: 11mm / Drop: 4mm / Lugs: 8mm
Selected for our Outdoor 100 guide. Read our full Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed review.
Buy the Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed: £78 at Ellis-brigham.co.uk
La Sportiva Cyklon With Boa Fit System
Price: £140
Weight: 315g
Best for: Medium-distance mountain running, summer hiking
Key attributes: Well-cushioned, good traction, zero drop
Performance: 8/10
Value: 8/10
The Cyklon shoe is the result of an exclusive collaboration between La Sportiva and Boa who make an extremely innovative precision fit system that’s an alternative to lacing. The two brands have both worked together here to develop something called a Dynamic Cage which creates a super precise, micro adjustable fit.
This ‘cage’ is essentially three individual panels throughout the shoe’s upper (two on the inside and one on the outside) and they link up with the Boa Fit System. When you press down on the Boa cog and twist it, this pulls in those three panels, directing lace tension to four specific areas around the midfoot. It creates a completely even tension right the way around your foot to make for a very stable ride.
Alongside the Boa Fit System and that wraparound tongue, the upper features a breathable mesh right throughout it which is stiffened and protected on its flanks and at the toe by a TPU laminate. Around the ankle, there’s an elasticated fabric that serves like a gaiter, blocking out any unwanted gravel, dirt and debris.
There’s also 6.5mm lugs, La Sportiva’s proprietary rubber compound FriXion, an EVA foam midsole with TPU lateral inserts under the heel, and a stack height of 7mm. Grippy on pretty much everything – there’s a lot to like here.
Stack height: 26.5 mm / 19.5mm / Drop: 7mm / Lug depth: 6.5mm
Selected for the 2019/20 Outdoors Magic Outdoor 100 – Read our full La Sportiva Cyklon With Boa Fit System review.
Buy the La Sportiva Cyklon: £140 at Alpinetrek.co.uk
Salomon Vision Trail Shoe
Price: £150
Weight: 300g
Best for: Rocky trails, medium to long distances
Key attributes: durable upper, recyclable, versatile
Performance: 7/10
Value: 8/10
The Salomon Vision is a trail running shoe that’s been designed to be fully recycled at the end of its life. Each pair comes with a QR code printed on the tongue. Scan that and it takes you to a landing page where you’ll be presented with a pre-paid shipping label which you can use to send your shoes back to Salomon. Once they’ve been received, they’ll separate the upper and the sole and ensure that the materials get recycled into new raw materials that can be used in other products. Pretty cool huh.
We’ve been using the Salomon Visions on some UK trails over the last month and have found that they felt comfortable and ready to roll right out of the box. The Contragrip rubber gripped well on hard packed but at times slimy chalk trails and it was fine for road to trail transitions. The lugs are 4.5mm in depth, which makes the Vision quite versatile but there are definitely more aggressive shoes out there.
Comfortable and a reliable performer, this is a pretty versatile shoe that we’ve enjoyed running in. If you like a light and fast shoe or one with super aggressive grip, look elsewhere, but if you want a solid performer that you can sling on for all your training runs – or for casual wear – we think you’ll like this.
Stack height: 24mm / 33mm Drop: 8mm / Lug depth: 4.5mm
Read our full Salomon Vision review.
Buy the Salomon Vision: £150 at Salomon.com
Arc’teryx Norvan LD 3
Price: £150
Weight: 265g
Best for: Long training runs, orienteering races
Key attributes: Breathable, lightweight, good traction
Performance: 9/10
Value: 7.5/10
This is a trail shoe built for long runs, the kind of thing that’s designed for those mountain excursions where you’re taking on a mix of sustained climbs and long, loping descents, over all kinds of terrain and over the course of a few hours as well. It’s a good option for orienteering challenges or longer fell races.
Starting with the upper, the Norvan LD 3 features lightweight and breathable fabrics that make use of a combination of mesh and toughened plastic to provide a blend of comfort and support. The inside of the upper has been designed as a two-layer system, where a second internal layer helps to reduce any friction that could, potentially, lead to day-ruining blisters when you find yourself miles into a route.
The midsole provides just the right amount of cushioning thanks to Arc’teryx’s collaboration with midsole manufacturers Dow. They’ve essentially produced an EVA midsole that’s been designed to cushion the foot from repeated stresses while providing a quick and snappy response following a foot strike.
Underfoot, the outsole uses Vibram’s new Litebase technology, which cuts weight without affecting shock absorption or grip. The lugs have a depth of 4mm which is about average for a trail shoe. They give good grip on muddy tracks and gravel as well as decent ability on wet rock.
Selected for our Outdoor 100 – Read our full Arc’teryx Norvan LD 3 review.
Stack height: 27mm / 18mm / Drop: 9mm / Lug depth: 3.5mm
Buy the Arc’teryx Norvan LD 3: £150 at Alpinetrek.co.uk
Arc’teryx Sylan GTX
Price: £210
Weight: 327g
Best for: Long miles on hard trails
Key attributes: comfy, create a smooth stride, durable
Performance: 8/10
Value: 6/10
The thing that stood out the most when we tested the Sylan was the curved rocker geometry to the sole unit. It creates a feeling of forward propulsion when you’re running. This feeling is strange at first but it doesn’t take long to get used to. In the short term, this can save you energy, while it could help to prevent injuries from occurring in the longer run
From our experience with this, we’d say it’s a great shoe for long runs at a slow pace – so things like mountain ultras. We did find it has its limitations on muddy trails, with the lugs not shedding as well as we would’ve liked. As such, we’d say it’s better for dry and hard packed trails than for soft, sloppy stuff.
The shoe pictured is the Gore-tex version which makes for a good hiking shoe. We’d recommend the non Gore-tex version for anyone looking for something for regular trail running.
Read our full Arc’teryx Sylan GTX review.
Stack height: 28mm / 22mm / Drop: 6mm / Lug depth: 3.5mm
Buy the Arc’teryx Sylan GTX: £210 at Arcteryx.com
What to Look for in a Trail Running Shoe: Our Buyer’s Guide
The first thing to be looking out for on a trail shoe is the grip. In many cases, particularly in places where it’s muddy and wet, you’ll want as near to football boots as you can find. That being said, if you’re trail running on dry and dusty paths, overly aggressive lugs might be a hindrance.
Another issue can be when the lugs on an outsole are so deep and so close together that they hold onto mud and become clogged. This then affects the amount of traction you’ll get. The trail shoes in this list are made by reputable trail running brands and all of them will be designed to shed mud, though we’d argue that some will be better than others on slippery fells. Inov-8 is a brand that’s well known for creating ultra grippy shoes. La Sportiva and Salomon also have a strong reputation there.
Some trail shoe outsoles look aggressive but are made of tough rubber, meaning they’re great on muddy paths, but they’ll be like ice skates on wet, steep roads or chalk. With that in mind, it’s worth looking into the characteristics of the rubber compound that’s used. Some brands, like Saucony and Salomon, will state whether the rubber compound is made for soft trails or hard ones. A soft, squeezy rubber is usually a sign that the shoes will grip on hard surfaces, while firm rubber will tend to provide the most traction on soft trails.
Proprioception
Proprioception, crucial in trail running shoes, refers to the body’s innate sense of spatial awareness and movement, aiding runners in navigating varied terrains with enhanced balance and control.
When running, your feet and toes are constantly making tiny adjustments to help your balance. If there’s a hard and thick sole, and one that doesn’t twist torsionally, then the effect of your toes on your balance could be quite negligible. Somehow, the result can be a feeling of instability, making you lose that much-needed confidence.
Related: Best Trail Running Packs
Related: Best Trail Running Caps
Compare, for example, your walking boots. Apart from being uncomfortable for running, they’d also feel unstable. Good trail running shoes should allow you to feel the ground and have enough space to let your toes work. Some of the examples here will enable the foot to be very close to the ground meaning the foot can balance well. The negative is that you’ll feel more of the stones and roots.
Waterproof Versus Non-Waterproof
Generally speaking, running in waterproof trail running shoes isn’t ideal. First of all, that’s because when you’re going at tempo you’re going to what something that provides as much breathability as possible, and membrane-lined shoes can get clammy when you’re really working hard. There’s also then the fact that water can easily get into trail running shoes when conditions are wet and, with waterproof shoes, once that moisture gets in then it tends to stay in. With non-lined shoes, when that moisture gets in, at least it can get out and your feet can dry out as soon as the conditions get drier.
Still, that’s only generally speaking. There are conditions where waterproof shoes might be beneficial. On short runs in cold weather and when there’s no risk of water creeping in at the ankle, waterproof trail running shoes can be great. The thing is, depending on where you are, those conditions might not come about too often – certainly not in the UK where we conducted our tests of these shoes!
What Does ‘Stack Height’ Mean On Trail Running Shoes?
It’s easy for trail running brands to throw ‘stack height’ and ‘drop’ numbers at you, without explanation of what they influence, so we’re here to put that straight.
Firstly, stack height represents the thickness of the midsole at both the toe and heel. With the modern-day polarisation between highly cushioned and barefoot running shoes, this number is becoming an increasingly important stat that’ll show how the shoe will likely behave. Put simply, shoes with high stack heights will be more cushioned, but less responsive due to little underfoot feel. Low height shoes will be less cushioned, but will have greater stability and feel underfoot.
The amount of stack height you choose is of course all down to personal preference.
What Does ‘Drop’ Mean On Trail Running Shoes?
The difference in stack height between the heel and toe is what’s known as ‘the drop’. A 0mm drop, for example, would have the heel and the ball at the same level – as you would barefoot. In recent years, ‘barefoot running’, where people run in shoes with a very low stack height, has become extremely popular. The drop can be anything between 12mm and 0mm. Anything below 5mm would be considered a ‘low-drop’ trail running shoe.
The drop of the shoe affects how your foot strikes the ground whilst running. High drop (8 mm+) shoes promote a heel strike (due to the cushioning in the heel), while low-mid drop (- 8mm) promote a mid-forefoot strike.
It’s important to remember that stack height and drop are independent of each other. Depending on your preferred gait, you could find high stack height trail shoes that still have a zero or low heel-to-toe drop.
