Choosing the right trail running shoes can make or break your trail running adventures. While it’s not complicated, there are a few specific things to consider including the following; the fit and feel, stack height, heel-to-toe drop, time in shoe, and type of trails you will most often be running on.
Let’s break down each of those areas with some specific details for you to think about.
FIT AND FEEL
There’s nothing worse than getting out on the trail and realising that your shoes are slipping or perhaps worse, too tight. When they don’t quite fit right it can cause blisters, bruised toenails, hammer toe, plantar fasciitis, or even worse.
So while it may seem obvious, take the time to try on a lot of different shoes and make sure they fit just right. The Harvard Medical School suggest taking a tracing of your foot to the store and placing it on shoes you like. If the shoe is narrower or shorter than the traced version then don’t even bother trying it on.
After trying on a number of shoes you’ll be able to get an idea of which brands tend to suit your foot shape and size. Every runners feet are unique and likewise different brands and their shoes fit differently.
This point is all about how the shoes feel. There’s no point in buying a pair of shoes that are technically right in every way, but feel horrible on your feet. Don’t skimp in this area. If you’re going to spend a lot of time in these shoes out on the trails, they have to feel great and you have to love wearing them.
Size – As you probably already know, different brands will run a little large, small, or true to size. With this in mind, if it’s been a while since you’ve had your feet measured, get a professional to do that before you presume to know what size you’ll need. Measure both feet and buy a pair of shoes that fit the larger of the two should they be different.
Many runner like to buy a size larger than their normal shoe size to accommodate swelling of their feet on long, hot, hours running. Another way to help take this into consideration is to try shoes on in the afternoon rather than the morning. This way your feet will be slightly more swollen from the days use.
Width – The width of running shoes can sometimes be an area that we can forget to take into consideration. It is essential that the ball of your foot and your toes have enough room.
Unfortunately there are very few (if any) brands that make specifically narrow trail running shoes in sizes B or A width. Having said that, certain styles in some brands are narrower than others. For example, if your foot is narrow you could try the Salomon Speedcross. As with some other European designed shoes, they are built slightly narrower. On the other hand, for those with wider feet many brands offer wider sizes so you’re in luck!!
Toe Box – Some shoes allow for more space in the toe box… great for splaying the toes on the long runs. If you’ve never tried a pair of running shoes with more space upfront, they can feel a little like your foot is swimming. This is normal to start with, just ensure that you don’t mistake that feeling for a shoes that is too big. Otherwise your foot will slip around cause all sort of issues down the track.
Stability / Neutral – If your feet are flat, or you have minimal arches, you have probably been told you should go for a “stability” shoe. The idea is that they offer more support in the midsole and can stop your foot from overpronating. For some people with extremely flat feet, they may be of some help. For most people, a good neutral shoe will offer both comfort and all the support we need.
STACK HEIGHT
Put simply, stack height is the distance between your foot and the ground. It is usually measured at both the heel and forefoot. The larger the stack height, the greater the cushioning and the less “trail feel” you will have. And the opposite is true, the lower the stack height, the more you will feel the trails.
Some people like the feel of being more connected to the ground and so prefer a lower stack height with less padding. (Usually between 9-13mm in the forefoot). There is a belief amongst minimalist shoe enthusiasts that overly-cushioned shoes (can be as much as 30mm in the forefoot) may cause injuries. This was propagated by Christopher Mcdougall, in his very inspirational book “Born to Run”.
An example of a very minimal trail running shoe would be the Vibram V-Trail with a stack height of just 7mm. On the other end of the spectrum, a classic maximal trail running shoe, with a huge stack height of 31mm in the forefoot, is the Hoka One One Mafate 2.
Obviously, there’s a chance of injury with both minimal shoes and also with more padded maximal shoes. Often, injuries occur as a result of bad technique, fatigue, or just accidents. So, try both styles of shoe and see which you prefer, but don’t base your purchase on stack height alone as one shoe may be great in one situation, but not in another.
HEEL-TO-TOE DROP
The heel-to-toe drop, or just “drop”, in a trail running shoe is the difference between the stack height at the heel and at the toe. For example a shoe with a height of 30mm at the heel and 20mm at the forefoot has a 10mm drop. When the stack height at the heel is equal to the toe the shoe is said to have a “zero-drop”.
An average drop in an average running shoe is about 10mm. This does vary, but most people’s feet will be used to about that amount of drop. Changing to a zero-drop shoe can place more stress on your achilles, calves, hamstrings and glutes if you’re not used to them. So it is a good idea to change gradually over time if moving that way. One thing to note about a high drop shoe is that they can encourage heel striking. Watch your technique should you choose a more padded, higher drop shoe.
TRAIL TYPE
The conditions you will use your shoes in will play a huge factor in choosing a pair of trail running shoes. If you’re a beginner, in the the short term you may not notice the difference. Over time though, as you navigate different trail types and various conditions you will wish you had thought about this before you spent your hard earned money.
Ask yourself things like; Will I be running on loose gravel or more rocky technical trails? Will I will run only in fine weather, or will it be wet sometimes? Will I run in the snow or other extreme conditions, cold or hot?
The answers to all of the above will help to narrow down your shoe selection so you can get the right pair of trail running shoes for the type of trails, conditions, and running you will be doing.
The main consideration here, apart from those already discussed, is the tread. For muddy, uneven and rocky terrain you will want a deep, wide spaced lug. For more even, dry trails, the tread can be shorter and will still offer good stability.
OTHER TRAIL NINJA TIPS
- Tongue – Take note of the tongue in a pair of shoes you are considering. Some brands go for a gusseted tongue which means it is attached on the end and the sides. This is helpful as it can protect your feet from dirt and bits of trail getting into your shoe. The down side if that this style of tongue can cause your shoe to be hard to get on and off, especially when your feet have swollen from hours running.
- Socks – Wear the same type of running socks to try on shoes that you intend to wear when running.
- Reviews – Read or watch reviews to work out if the shoe you’re thinking of buying will work for you and how you’re planning to use them.
- Buy multiple pairs – It’s better to own multiple pairs of shoes for different conditions. And, studies have shown that rotating shoes can actually reduce the risk of injury.
- Weight – Generally the lighter is better.
- Cost – Buy on feel not price. If you have to watch your budget buy an older model of a great pair of shoes rather than a cheap, but not so well regarded shoe.