1. PUMA and Helly Hansen Trailfox Overland and the Nitefox Highway

Designers: PUMA and Helly Hansen
Manufacturer: PUMA and Helly Hansen

The surge in hiking sneakers has been one of the best kicks-related trends in recent years, and PUMA is getting down with the cause by bringing back two models from the early 2000s.

Helly Hansen is collaborating on both silhouettes, adding subtle flashes of orange and co-branding on each. The collaborative Trailfox MTS also includes dynamic webbing tape details.

Both the Trailfox Overland and the Nitefox Highway have been updated with vibrant colors and modern performance feature.

The Trailfox, PUMA’s more heavy duty trail runner has a new upper, added overlays, breathable mesh detailing, and a nubuck eyestay overlay. Updates to the Nitefox include a curved and rugged outsole and reflective details.

With a styling nod to the early 2000s, the Nitefox Highway combines outdoor performance with street elements. The curved and rugged outsole fits perfectly with the reflective details and vivid color combos.

The Trailfox Overland is a protective trail running shoe that’s made for rough terrain and offers a unique standout appeal. Breathable mesh upper with premium leather overlays. Padded tongue and collar with round laces for adjustable lace-up closure.

The shore offers breathable mesh upper with premium leather overlays and padded tongue and collar with round laces for adjustable lace-up closure.

Helly Hansen is collaborating on both silhouettes, adding subtle flashes of orange and co-branding on each. The collaborative Trailfox MTS also includes dynamic webbing tape details.

2. Saucony Switchback ISO

Designers: Saucony
Manufacturer: Saucony

For the Switchback ISO, Saucony partnered with BOA Technology® to take their dial lacing system and combine it with our ISOFIT construction, creating a game-changing fit experience that quickly and easily hugs your foot.

The low profile, full-length EVERUN contoured midsole of this trail running shoe gives amazing flexibility and energy return while cradling and protecting your foot. The dual-density PWRTRAC outsole combines a firmer center footprint with a softer, tackier perimeter for traction, allowing you to conquer all obstacles in your path.

The full-length EVERUNTM midsole offers continuous cushioning throughout the run.  Other features include: the BOA lacing system, ISOFIT dynamic upper, FORMFIT performance contoured footbed, and Dual-density, ultra-grippy, PWRTRAC outsole for traction.

3. Salomon Sense Ride 2

Designers: Salomon SAS
Manufacturer: Salomon SAS

There’s no question that Salomon’s Sense Ride 2 was designed with the great outdoors in mind; they’re ideal for both rugged, technical trails, well-groomed paths, and even some light pounding on the road. The trainers are stable and have reliable traction, allowing you to keep going for miles and miles on the trails, all while being super lightweight. 

Like all of the brand’s shoes, the Sense Ride 2 features Salomon’s signature lacing system they call Quicklace—instead of regular laces that you tie, there’s a tough Kevlar drawstring that you just have to tighten or loosen using an adjustable cinch. Then you just tuck the slack end of the laces into a small pouch on the shoe’s tongue.

And unlike regular laces, they’ll never loosen or come untied, so you can log your miles worry-free.

Wear testers enjoyed the Sense Ride 2’s overall ride on any type of terrain. As one runner put it, “This shoe is very well-rounded—rugged enough for rocky trails, but still comfortable on roads.”

4. Hoka One One Speedgoat 3

Designers: Deckers Brands
Manufacturer: Deckers Brands

Named for HOKA Athlete Karl Meltzer, “The Speedgoat,” who holds the record for the most 100-mile trail race wins, this shoe is designed to attack all kinds of technical trail. A 2019 “Gear of the Year” winner from Runner’s World, The Speedgoat 3 is a durable, stable shoe that’s comfortable across any terrain.

The Hoka One One Speedgoat 3 is a reliable trail running shoe for neutral runners. Positive comments were geared toward the shoe’s traction, sizing, and zero-drop design. Though it also received negative comments, overall, the shoe is still a successful update to the Speedgoat model.

The Hoka One One Speedgoat 3 is very comfortable even when worn for long hours. Several runners admired the impressive traction of the shoe even on uneven surfaces. The shoe offers reliable cushioning, as noted in some user reviews. The Speedgoat 3 runs true to size. The zero-drop design is admired by most users.

5. Scarpa Spin Ultra

Designers: Scarpa
Manufacturer: Scarpa

Well-cushioned, grippy, and comfortable for hours, this is a one-shoe arsenal for trail runners.

The Scarpa Spin Ultra is among the most complete, ready-for-anything trail shoes around. It’s not so aggressive as to render it useless outside the VK and FKT crowd, yet it’s stable and protective enough to take on the entire mountain—our testers praised it on brief treadmill jaunts and 10-mile trail runs alike.

Scarpa, best known for its climbing and mountaineering shoes, didn’t try to reinvent the wheel here; the outsole, midsole, and upper have materials found on many trail shoes. It’s the thoughtful execution that completes the Spin Ultra.

The Vibram LiteBase Megagrip outsole combines the Italian company’s tacky rubber with a thinner construction that saves weight and positions you closer to the trail.

There’s no rock plate, so the shoe flexes to the contours of the trail (yet none of our testers complained about needing more protection from eastern Pennsylvania’s rocky singletrack).

Moving up the shoe, a two-layer, compression-molded EVA foam midsole provides lightweight cushioning. The upper is a mesh construction with micro-nubuck overlays for structure, while a welded TPU toe cap provides bash protection.

On the trail, the Spin Ultra strikes an ideal balance of comfort and stiffness, keeping you cushioned as you pick apart technical sections and not weighing you down when you’re feeling the urge to go fast.

6. Merrell MTL Cirrus

Designers: Wolverine World Wide, Inc.
Manufacturer: Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

This lightweight trail runner strikes the absolute balance between weight and protection for fast runs in highly technical mountain environments.

Merrell originally created aptly-named Cirrus for skyrunning and the Vertical Kilometer. If you don’t know what a Vertical K is, it’s basically taking a 5-kilometer race and slapping it on the side of a mountain, racing up—you guessed it—1,000 vertical meters (3,300 feet for us Americans).

The MTL Cirrus was designed with the help of trail-running superhuman, Joe Gray. If there’s a non-ultra distance trail race in North America, he’s on top of the podium, so you know this shoe is meant to go fast on technical trails.

Gray recently changed sponsors, but the shoe remains the same. The MTL Cirrus has a light and firm feel for shooting up the mountain, even when it gets so steep you might want to use your hands.

7. Brooks Cascadia 14

Designers: Brooks Sports
Manufacturer: Brooks Sports

Brooks Sports’ most-loved trail shoe, improving durability and adding TrailTack traction for better grip.

The TrailTack Rubber outsole allows for increased traction on wet and dry surfaces.

 The full internal saddle system gives you a close-to-foot fit.

The new Cordura Mud Guard protects from debris, while allowing water in and out.
The updated Pivot Post system works like a stabilizing suspension system, connecting with uneven ground underfoot to keep your foot level from landing to push-off.

A more streamlined design and updated outsole shaves weight, while improved flexibility helps you move naturally over mixed terrain.

The TrailTack rubber outsole offers extra traction on both wet and dry surfaces, inspiring you to explore farther, higher or faster.

8. Inov-8 Roclite G 275

Designers: Rocnite Inc.
Manufacturer: Rocnite Inc.

Graphene-enhanced Trail Running Shoes.

The lightest and fastest shoe in the ROCLITE range boasts a highly durable mesh upper for protection and comfort as well as graphene grip (G-Grip) for the ultimate in traction over multiple terrains.

A good pair of shoes are an essential piece of kit on the Spine Race and my feet were much better than a lot of other competitors. I wore one pair for the full 268 miles and there was no swelling. The ROCLITE G 275s worked superbly, giving me excellent grip, including on wet rock, while also providing cushioning underfoot.

The ROCLITE G 275 can take on tough climbs and technical descents like a boss. It’s light enough to feel really agile but with enough structure and protection to keep you feeling comfortable mile after mile.

The ROCLITE G 275 is a lightweight trail shoe that can take on muddy, rocky terrain while protecting your feet.

9. Adidas Terrex Agravic Boa

Designers: Adidas
Manufacturer: Adidas

Feel fast and confident on your mountain runs.

These trail running shoes are built for rough terrain. They feature a Boa® Fit System that allows for easy on and off and a sock-like build for steadfast support.

A responsive midsole returns energy with every step to keep you going further. Secure fit Boa® Fit System for micro-adjustment and secure, consistent hold Endless energy.

Boost is our most responsive cushioning ever, delivering incredible energy return: The more energy you give, the more you get Optimal grip Continental™ Rubber outsole for extraordinary traction even in wet conditions.

10. Karhu Fusion 2.0

Designers: Karhu North America
Manufacturer: Karhu North America

Finnish footwear label Karhu has returned to two of its signature silhouettes, the Fusion 2.0 and the Synchron Classic, for a new capsule dubbed the “Monthless” pack.

The pack takes its name from the Roman calendar, which saw February as a monthless period due to the cold and snowy weather.

The two colorways contrast the dark time period with pops of color. On the Fusion 2.0, the “Night Sky” suede overlays are offset by off-white mesh, a yellow “M” logo and panelling in a pink “Lantana” shade.

This color also appears on the Synchron Classic, along with “Lunar Rock” sections and bright panels closer to the tongue and lacing sytem.

The Fusion 2.0 is a salute to the original Karhu ‘Fusion’ model from 1996 when it was the top running shoe in the collection.

To bring back the ‘Fusion’ from the archives, Karhu reworked the model with its original designer and launched it as the Fusion 2 Fusion 2.0.

11. Altra Superior 4

Designers: Altra Running
Manufacturer: Altra Running

The Superior 4 is even lighter, grippier and sleeker.

It features a knit, wrap-around style upper to more security, plush yet resilient Altra QuanticTM midsole and sticky MaxTracTM rubber outsole. The rounded heel style and updated lug pattern tops off this light weight trail crusher.

The Superior 4 takes an already lightweight, fast trail shoe and makes it even lighter.

The upper has been completely redesigned in a wrap-around style for added security and support; the midsole features Altra’s proprietary Quantic foam, while the outsole is now made of our sticky MaxTrac rubber.

Altra Superior 4 Midsole Traditionally, the Altra Superior had an 18mm stack height. That stack height was increased to 19mm in the Superior 3.5. Now, with the Superior 4, the stack height of 21mm makes this the most forgiving Superior ever in terms of responsive, yet soft, cushioning.

Upon initial step in, the Superior 4.0 feels very Altra like, with a low heel collar and wide toe box, but with the burrito style tongue/midfoot providing a very comfortable and secure wrap. Cushioning feels very soft and the shoe is quite flexible, yet not overly so.

12. Topo MTN Racer

Designers: Topo Athletic
Manufacturer: Topo Athletic

The MTN Racer has the signature Topo Athletic roomy toe box, which prevents crammed pinky toes and black toenails on long runs, and a slightly stiff upper.

These wide toe box trail running shoes are performance tuned for trail racing and speed-hiking. Vibram® Megagrip outsole delivers optimal traction on any surface.

The Vibram® trail running shoes feature a spacious lug design through the sole which offers excellent mud and snow release. Lateral drainage ports enhance water release and quick drying.

The shoe is significantly lighter than the Ultraventure and while there is no rock plate in the MTN Racer, the Vibram bottoms are super protective over even the pointiest of rocks.

The sizing does seem a tad smaller than the Ultraventure (heel to toe) and it seemed to shrink even more when fully engulfed in water but not enough that would require a larger size.