7 Best Men's Trail Running Shoes

How we test trail running shoes

As avid critics of running shoes, we get down to the nitty-gritty of each trail running shoe for men before we hail them as our top pick. We have even invested in our very own shoe-testing facility to examine each model more closely and accurately. 

There are the steps we strictly follow to keep our choices as bias-free as possible: 

• We buy each men's trail running shoe we assess with our own money. 
• To see how they perform and how durable they are, we log at least 30-50 miles in each model. We use them with versatility in mind, from light trails to technical ones, both in wet and dry conditions.
• In our lab, we cut each of them open in order to do even more tests and examine technologies used to make the shoes. 
• We then measure every aspect of the shoe via multiple parameters, including breathability, softness, durability, flexibility, etc., which results in 20+ data points that describe each shoe.

Differences between men’s and women’s trail running shoes 

There are 4 main differences: anatomical ones - women’s shoes can have narrower heels and wider toeboxes; industry labels for sizes and widths - quite different (see below); stack height and heel drop can be different in women’s shoes; colorways - often there are more pink, red, purple, etc. variants available in women’s sizes. 

However, the most important thing to know when comparing women’s and men’s trail running shoes is the size conversion. This can come in handy if you have smaller feet and want to try women’s shoes. The table below shows this conversion, although there are some brands that deviate from it: 

There’s no reason not to do this because, in most cases, there are no differences in shoe design when it comes to men’s and women’s shoes. Even when it comes to width, it is often about making the upper more roomy and not the base (cast) wider. 

If you want to learn more about these differences, we recommend reading our guide: Understanding differences between men's and women's running shoes. 

5 must-know things when buying men’s trail running shoes 

There are many features of trail running shoes that we test in our lab, but these are the most important ones when looking for a new trail shoe: 

1. Which terrain they are made for: you’ll know this by looking at the overall design. How protective they are and how deep the lugs are 
2. Which season they are made for by looking at the upper! Very breathable trail running shoes have almost see-through uppers, which makes them perfect for hot weather. On the other hand, a thick upper is great in winter and a waterproof membrane works wonders in wet weather. 
3. Stability, especially if you’re a heavy overpronator. For this, we look at different stability features like stiff heel counters, firmer midsoles, torsional rigidity, etc. 
4. Anticipated distance and pace by looking at the padding, cushioning, and overall design. Very fast trail shoes made for men who love short explosive races have a very aggressive design, low weight, and not a lot of cushioning. To be agile enough, they have to be closer to the ground. On the other hand, trail running shoes for longer distances are more cushioned (higher stack) and comfortable (more padding). 
5. Toebox width and height. Given the varying terrain, in trail running it’s even more important to nail the toebox volume than in road running. Otherwise, you’re risking instability, slipping, black toenails, or a strain due to sliding within the shoe, cramped toes, and overall bad lockdown.

We will cover all of these features in great detail below and add even more data-backed advice. 

Terrain difficulty and how it translates to trail running shoe features

There are different types of terrains trail runners run on and some ask for very specific features. The good thing is that many trail running shoes are versatile enough so that you can use one pair of shoes for different adventures. 

The table above is very general. When finding trail running shoes, one should go even deeper and understand what trail shoes should have to keep runners’ feet safe, comfortable, and running! 

The most mentioned feature here is the lug depth. In our lab, we use a digital calliper to measure the thickness of the lugs. 

Here are a few more specific guidelines when it comes to shoe features and terrain. 

Trail running shoes for mud 

For running in mud, choose running shoes with very deep lugs that are spaced further apart. This is needed for mud shedding. When lugs are too close to each other, mud often just sticks to the outsole and lugs are of no value then. Depending on the season, you might want to consider a waterproof upper.

Hard-packed dry trails 

For hard-packed and dry trails, it’s best to choose shallower lugs that are placed close to each other.

Trail shoes for flat and wet surfaces

When running over very flat and wet rocks or simply smoother surfaces, it’s best to choose shallower lugs that also have large flat lugs with a few channels in between to guide the water away from the outsole.

Sharp rocks and obstacles 

If you’re running over sharp rocks or trails covered with debris and obstacles like branches and sharp vegetation, you should look for protective features like rock plates, large and thick toe bumpers, rip-stop/durable upper materials, and maybe even sock-like heel collars to prevent the debris from getting into the shoes, etc.

Road-to-trail running shoes 

Road-to-trail running shoes or hybrid shoes have very shallow lugs because they should not hurt your feet when running on concrete, and yet the lugs still exist so that the shoes have some grip on light trail terrain.

Do-it-all trail running shoes

Very versatile trail running shoes usually have multidirectional lugs of different shapes and average thickness.

How seasons affect trail shoe choices

Now that we’ve covered the lugs and how different they are depending on the dry/wet terrain, we can also cover the uppers. 

When it comes to the weather, we can look at 3 types of trail shoe uppers: 

1. Breathable uppers, best for hot weather when air circulation is a must,
2. Non-breathable uppers or warm uppers, best for cold weather when trapped heat feels great and prevents feet from freezing,
3. Waterproof uppers which keep the water on the outside. 

In our shoe lab, we use a smoke machine and a 3D-printed cast that directs the smoke to test the breathability of trail running shoes 

Assessing the breathability of trail running shoes on a 1-5 scale where 1 is the least breathable and 5 the most (in the video, shoe on the left got a perfect 5/5 while the shoe on the right got 1/5)

When the smoke machine is turned on, we look at the smoke and where it comes out, plus how quickly. Based on this, we rate the breathability on a 1-5 scale. Then, we look at the uppers under the microscope. 

In most cases, it’s easy to understand why a certain shoe breathes well or not by looking at the images. 

And, when it comes to waterproof trail shoes for men, they usually don’t breathe well or at all. 

To learn more about waterproof membranes, how they look like, how to recognise them, and when not to use waterproof running shoes, read our guide on best waterproof running shoes. 

Stability in men’s trail running shoes

Stability is mostly related to arch support. Overpronators and men with flat feet tend to wear stability running shoes. However, the terrain in trail running varies too much for stability footwear to be a big deal. That’s why there aren’t many stability shoes per se in the world of trail running. But, there are stable shoes. 

Here are features we recommend looking for if you want your trail running shoes to be extra stable: 

• A wide platform. The wider, the better! 
• Torsionally rigid platform. This especially helps when hiking over sharp or pointy obstacles as the rigid platform keeps the feet stable so they don’t have to balance it out with a lot of small movements. 
• Stiff heel counters. 

When it comes to the midsole width, we have you covered! We measure both heel and forefoot platform width. 

However, it is worth noting that some trail shoes can have very wide heels to the point of being bulky. This makes them unsuitable for technical terrain when you need to be fast and agile. 

Assessing torsional rigidity of men’s trail running shoes in RunRepeat lab: this shoe scored 5/5

To assess the torsional rigidity, we twist the shoes in our hands. Based on how much we can twist them, we assign them a 1-5 rating, where 1 is the most flexible and 5 is the most rigid. 

Assessing the stiffness of the heel counter in trail running shoes: this shoe scored 2/5 

After finding a wide and rigid platform, we recommend you look for a stiff heel counter. In the lab, we assess the stiffness on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest. This is quite easy to assess as we just squeeze and push the heel counter and we recommend you do it as well if buying the trail running shoes in person. 

Cushioning and ground feel in men’s trail running shoes

Cushioning and ground feel are all about 2 measurements: stack height and midsole softness. Some runners prefer being low to the ground and feeling most of the bumps, rocks, etc., while others enjoy maximal impact protection and feeling nothing but the foam. 

If you’re a beginner, we don’t recommend minimalist or barefoot trail running shoes. They ask for a long adaptation period and starting with cushioned trail running shoes (at least 25 mm at the heel) is a good way to go! 

Minimalist trail running shoes are very low to the ground (this one has 16.3 mm at the heel) 

If you’re a fan of soft trail running shoes, you should look for those that scored low on the durometer. 

Soft midsoles feel great and are great at absorbing the shock, however, firmer midsoles are often more stable. There’s no “good choice” here, it’s up to your personal preference! 

Race trail shoes vs. daily trainers 

The best thing about running shoes is that, especially if you’re a beginner or a recreational runner, you can find shoes that can do it all. A bit of everything, nothing too extreme. But we should know what those extremes are. 

First, trail running shoes for daily runs. Easy miles, recovery runs, and similar. These running shoes are usually quite cushioned and padded as they should make the runs as comfy as possible. 

On the other hand, we trail race shoes. Agile, aggressive, often lower to the ground and less padded because cutting the weight is very important. 

Having a very padded tongue comes in quite handy when you tend to suffer from a lace bite. If you often retighten the laces and experience pain on the instep, best to look for a padded tongue.

Bonus tip: if you plan to switch the insole or want a very thick/thin one, pay attention to the thickness of the insole and whether it’s removable. We make notes on all of this in our reviews. 

Toebox width and height in trail running shoes for men 

While women tend to have wider forefoot than men, it does not mean that a wide toebox is not needed in men’s trail running shoes. Or a very narrow one, for that matter. 

Knowing the width of the toebox where it’s the widest and at the big toe allows us to understand how tapered (pointy) the shoes are and which toe shape they will work for.

To get these measurements, we fill the shoes with a special gel and then put them in a freezer. This gel perfectly fills the shoes and allows us to make 3 measurements. 

If you need the most room at the big toe, here are men’s trail shoes to take into account: 

In case you need more room around the ball of the foot, these trail shoes have the best measurements for you: 

And, if you need a narrow shoe, consider these models: 

And, as we all know, some men suffer from black toenails. If the toebox presses on your toes from the top, we recommend looking for trail shoes with a high toebox. Again, we use our gels to make the measurement! 

Most durable men’s trail running shoes

Depending on the terrain you’re running and on the overall conditions, you might be prioritising the durability of the toebox (obstacles, hitting the rocks or branches with your toes, sharp objects which could poke through or rip the upper), heel padding (too much friction kills the padding and comfort), or outsole (harsh surfaces). We test all 3 in our lab! 

Assessing the durability of the toebox: 1/5 least durable and 5/5 is the most durable. The bigger and deeper the hole, the less durable the toebox! 

Assessing the durability of the heel padding 

Testing the durability of the outsole in men’s trail running shoes 

In this case, we don’t have to assess the durability of the outsole because the material is compact. We use a tyre tread gauge to precisely measure the depth of the dent. The deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole!