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The best trail running shoes for you will depend a lot on the trails you run, and how fast and long you plan to run on those trails. That means we didn’t try to be definitive when selecting our top off-road shoes of the year, but instead explained the kind of trail runners we are and then picked out our favourites of 2026.
Our team is based in the UK and as a result tend to spend a lot of time on softer trails, mostly forests and fells, as well as coastal paths. Rocky mountain tracks are rarely within easy reach, but we do get the chance to tackle those on trips, and we have a lot of experience of racing on the trails too; from short, muddy XC events to epic ultramarathons.
Below you’ll find more info on the team and our video round-up of the best trail running shoes we’ve tested in 2026, followed by more info on each of the shoes we highlighted in the video.
Staying on the road? Check out our round-up of the best running shoes of 2026
Who are The Run Testers?
We are a group of experienced runners and journalists who have been running for decades, and talking and writing about the sport for just as long. We’ve worked for publications all over the world, and if you search for expert advice on running shoes, watches, headphones or other gear, there’s a good chance one of us will pop up in the results.
When it comes to our trail-running expertise, we’ve been tested trail shoes for donkey’s years and have tackled hundreds of off-road races between us.
Tom is based near the South Downs and regularly races on the trails, while Kieran has powered through too many off-road ultramarathons to count, including the Marathon des Sables. Nick mostly sticks to more runnable trails in his local forest, but come the winter hits the deep mud for XC races with his club, as well as taking regular trips to the Pentland Hills in Scotland.
The Best Trail-Running Shoes 2026
In the video below Tom, Kieran and Nick talk through their top trail-running shoes of the year, as well as giving more info on the kind of trails they’ve been tackling in 2026. Scroll down for more info on each of the shoes we’ve selected.
Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL
Price: £145/$160 | Weight: 277g/9.7oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 8mm
The Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL is a trail shoe we love for its versatility. Kieran picked it out for our round-up, but Nick is also a big fan. It’s as comfortable as a cushioned road running shoe but has a more substantial outsole that grips well on light trails as well as being more durable than the outsole on the standard Salomon Aero Glide 4.
It’s a great option for runners who split their time between the road and the trails, and can handle daily training at a range of paces too – it’s fairly light and the Optifoam Squared midsole foam is pretty bouncy too.
While we wouldn’t take the Aero Glide 4 GRVL onto deep mud or very technical trails, it’s a very capable all-rounder that you can use year-round on light trails, and is comfortable for long spells on the road as well.
Adidas Terrex Agravic SL
Price: £140/$160 | Weight: 284g/10.0oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The Agravic SL shares some DNA with the popular Adidas Adizero Evo SL road running shoe, using Adidas’ energetic Lightstrike Pro midsole to create a fun, rockered ride for eh trails. It’s tamed down a bit to ensure it’s stable enough for off-road terrain, but we found the Agravic SL did deliver a good amount of speed when hitting runnable routes, while still being stable enough for tricker trails.
While it’s not the most comfortable on the road, it can handle short stretches of asphalt running, and grips well on a wide variety of trails in our experience thanks to the 3.5-4mm lugs. Deep mud might be too much for the Agravic SL, but it worked well for us on soft ground in general, while being comfortable and lively on firmer terrain.
Asics Metafuji Trail 2
Price: £220/$280 | Weight: 253g/8.9oz (UK 8) | Drop: 5mm
The Asics Metafuji Trail 2 is a super-shoe with a carbon plate and a midsole that contains a layer of Asics’ softest, springiest FF Leap foam. It’s built for fast runs across varied terrain with a lightweight, propulsive design, but has enough control for technical sections and is a little less wild than the first version of the shoe.
It’s also comfortable enough for your longest runs and races, and is built to handle ultra distances. While expensive, we rate the Metafuji Trail 2 among the very best trail super-shoes available, and it’s not just for racing – we enjoyed using it for a lot of training runs as well.
Norda 001A
Price: £250/$295 | Weight: 268g/9.5oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 5mm
The Norda 001A impressed us with its comfort, versatility and durability. It does a great job across an incredibly wide range of terrains, from roads to technical tracks, so while it’s undoubtedly very expensive, it might prove worth the outlay if you’re a trail runner whose adventures can take you almost anywhere.
It’s not as springy as trail super-shoes, but the Arnitel TPEE midsole does have an energetic feel and the more muted ride allows for more control and stability, which we appreciated on our trail runs. We also tried the Norda 001A G+, which has a waterproof upper for extra protection in grim weather.
The North Face Altamesa 500 v1
Price: £135/$170 | Weight: 288g/10.2oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 6mm
There aren’t many trail shoes that truly do deliver the same kind of comfort and bounce as the best road shoes, but the Altamesa 500 v2 is definitely one of them. The chunky Dream midsole is delightfully springy, and despite this the shoe still felt secure and stable when hitting the trails.
It’s not one for the most technical tracks, because it is a bit too wide and unwieldy, but for any other trail bar deep mud The North Face Altamesa 500 v2 works well, with the outsole gripping reliably in wet conditions and the energetic midsole providing a highly enjoyable ride. It can also handle road running, and if you want a versatile all-terrain option that feels as good as your cushioned road shoe on light trails, this should top your list.
Inov8 Trailfly Pro
Price: £165/$195 | Weight: 239g/8.4oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 6mm
British brand Inov8 have produced several of our favourite trail shoes of recent years and are known for delivering a natural ride that keeps you connected to the ground, along with some of the best mud-busting shoes for running through British winters too.
The Trailfly Pro aims to bring a more energetic ride feel than other Inov8 shoes while still keeping you in touch with the terrain beneath your feet thanks to its lightweight, flexible design. It’s a nice alternative to the super high stack and springy shoes that are becoming more common on the trails, giving you a good amount of energy return while keeping things under control.
Kiprun Kipride Gravel
Price: £110 | Weight: 279g/9.8oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 6mm
Gravel shoes are having a moment and we’re big fans of the trend, since it tends to produce versatile all-terrain shoes that can handle roads and a variety of light trails, as well as gravel. The Kiprun Kipride Gravel is a good example of this, with its comfortable design and outsole that’s durable enough to hack a lot of miles on gravel.
It comes in a fair bit cheaper than most rival gravel shoes too, though it’s not currently available in the US. The high stack of foam in the midsole its made from Kiprun’s Fastech foam which delivers a good amount of shock absorption and energy return, meaning you can use the Kipride Gravel as a daily trainer that can handle some faster efforts as well as easy days.
Brooks Cascadia Elite
Price: £225/$275 | Weight: 288g/10.2oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The challenge with plated trail super-shoes is always how well they can find the balance between the soft, springy ride you get from road racers and the stability, durability and comfort required on the trails. The Brooks Cascadia Elite does a great job in this respect, with the DNA Gold midsole foam providing a fun, punchy ride while the overall design of the shoe allows it to remain stable and supportive even over long runs on varied terrain.
It’s not the lightest or the flat-out fastest trail shoe we’ve tested, but it does offer a fast and controlled ride, and the Vibram Megagrip outsole is reliable across any terrain we tackled in the Cascadia Elite. If you have fast times over very long distances in mind, this is a shoe to look at, especially on rockier, harder trails.
Inov8 Mudtalon Speed V2
Price: £130/$160 | Weight: 266g/9.4oz | Drop: 4mm
We often praise shoes for their versatility and indeed many of our picks on this list have that as a key strength, but sometimes on the trails you just need the right tool for the job, and the Inov8 Mudtalon Speed v2 is a shoe that excels when things get really soft and muddy.
The 8mm lugs on the bottom of the shoe are designed to bite into the deepest mud and help you stay on your feet when charging down grassy hills, and if you’re someone who loves fell running, mud runs and XC (but doesn’t want to wear spikes), the this is the shoe for you.
Despite the deep lugs the Mudtalon Speed is pretty light and the upper drains quickly in wet conditions, and it’s Nick’s go-to shoe in the darkest, muddiest depths of XC season.
Kailas Fuga EX Pro
Price: £220/$300 | Weight: 291g/10.3oz (UK 8) | Drop: 5mm
The Kailas Fuga EX Pro is another versatile option for the trails that has an X-shaped plate and uses a bouncy midsole foam that can deliver both speed and comfort on your trail runs. The outsole rolls well on the roads while also biting into trails effectively, and it’s a good option for long trail races on varied terrain, especially if you’re prioritising comfort.
At full price, the Kailas Fuga EX Pro is extremely expensive, however, and wouldn’t top our list ahead of other options based on value. That said, to does seem to be heavily discounted at times, especially in the UK where’s it’s currently just £93, at which price it’s a bit of a steal.