5 Best New Balance Trail Running Shoes, 20+ Shoes Tested in 2023
It’s no surprise - New Balance creates some of the best road running shoes. And when it comes to trail running shoes, the brand doesn’t hold back.
New Balance trail shoes are plenty durable, and scream trail-ready, to say the least. They’re protective and grippy, you don’t have to worry about the rugged terrain.
There are more than 30 New Balance trail models, and choosing can be a drag. And in this list, you’ll find the elites from across categories.
How we test trail running shoes
Here in RunRepeat, we don’t believe that there’s such a thing as “too trivial” in running shoes. We love to get into all the details - the minute ones included - to make sure you only get the best.
And to do so, we do the following without fail:
- Buy each shoe with our own money to test them in our independent shoe testing lab to avoid bias
- Run for at least 30-50 miles in each of them
- Chop the shoe into pieces to see what’s inside of it, and measure everything up through 30 different parameters
To see how each New Balance trail running shoe matches against other running shoes, our system collates hundreds and thousands of user and expert reviews to produce a Corescore, ranging from 0-100.
Best New Balance trail running shoes overall
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all running shoes.
- Top 8% in trail running shoes
- Top 7% in New Balance running shoes
- Top 20% most popular running shoes
Pros
- Comfortable
- Super plush
- Protective underfoot
- Amazing lockdown
- Easy to put on (heel loop!)
- True to size
- Heel rudder
- Looks amazing
- Value at $135
Cons
- Heavy
- Runs warm
- Could be grippier
Verdict
Best New Balance neutral trail running shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all running shoes.
- Top 27% in trail running shoes
- Top 26% in New Balance running shoes
Pros
- Dreamy softness underfoot
- Wide stable platform
- Great protection
- Solid lockdown
- Fantastic grip
- Responsive and bouncy
- Versatile for trails and roads
- Perfect for long runs
Cons
- Heavy
- Not particularly breathable
- Not for highly technical trails
- Fits medium-to-narrow feet only
Verdict
Best New Balance trail wide toebox running shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all running shoes.
This shoe has a 10% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 20% most popular running shoes
Pros
- Grippy on rough surfaces
- Comfortable for all-day use
- Lightweight
- Wide width is truly wide
- Supportive fit
- Toe box lets your toe relax
- Breathable
- A down-to-earth price
Cons
- Lacks arch support
- Durability is short-lived
Verdict
Best New Balance trail cushioned running shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all running shoes.
This shoe has a 10% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 25% in New Balance Fuelcore running shoes
Pros
- Supportive
- Affordable
- Stretchable upper
- Comfortable fit
- Lightweight
- Protective toebox
- Versatile
- Excellent grip
Cons
- Narrow forefoot
- Not very durable
- Not enough cushioning
Verdict
Most popular New Balance trail running shoes
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all running shoes.
This shoe has a 10% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn morePros
- Secure fit
- Comfortable platform
- Efficient grip
- Protective upper
- Easy to clean
- Bouncy
Cons
- Flimsy upper materials
- Irritating collar
- Not very durable
Verdict
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