Trail Running Shoes

Trail running involves any running that is not on road. For example, tracks, hills, farmland, beaches, coastal paths and more. Essentially, anything that looks different from the road. While it’s possible to travel to specific locations for a run, many of us are influenced by the terrain that surrounds us. Whether that be a park, hill range or coastline. For this reason, we have an extensive collection of men’s and women’s trail running shoes that are suited to varying types of terrain. Meaning you can pick trail running shoes that work from your doorstep, or wherever you go to escape from the world. At Run4It, we stock trail running shoes from brands such as Altra, Brooks, HOKA, inov-8, Nike, Salomon and Saucony. Trail running shoes vary by the amount of grip, cushioning and protection they offer. We do not categorise trail running shoes by support. This is because our feet do not move in a consistent manner on uneven terrain, like they do on the road. Most trail running shoes are built with a degree of support, but in a different way to running shoes. The additional support in trail running shoes helps control lateral movement from side to side and reduces the likelihood of you going over your ankles. If you’re running on a mixture of road and trail, you can choose from trail running shoes that have lots of cushioning with some extra grip. These are commonly referred to as hybrid or door-to-trail running shoes. Many of these models feature the same midsole technologies as their dedicated road running shoe counterparts, such as Nike React foam and Brooks DNA cushioning. The lug pattern on the outsole is durable enough for some road running, but offers increased traction on wet and loose surfaces. Some of our top recommendations includes the Nike Pegasus Trail, Challenger ATR and Altra Olympus. When the path is less obvious and presents us with more obstacles, such as tree routes, muddy bogs and uneven rock formations - you’ll need trail running shoes that provide enhanced grip. Deeper lugs and stickier rubbers, such as Vibram Megagrip or Contagrip, provide extra traction on wet, dry and loose surfaces. Meaning you can place your foot down with confidence and enjoy the run. Some of the trail running shoes feature protective structures, such as rock plates, which shield your feet from sharp objects that are found on trails. Choose from iconic trail running shoes such the HOKA Speedgoat, Saucony Peregrine, Salomon Speedcross and Altra Lone Peak. An ultra run is defined as anything that’s further than a marathon. It’s more common to run an ultra on trails than it is on road. With this in mind, we have a number of trail running shoes that have high levels of cushioning, great support and versatile outsole patterns. The perfect combination for tackling long distances on varying terrain. A hill is an area of ground that rises higher than the land that surrounds it. Some runners love the idea of getting to the top of them. This means running up a steep slope to get to the top and negotiating a similar run back down. Both of which present a different challenge. We have trail running shoes that have very pronounced lugs, for maximum traction. Helping you power up the hill and then keeping you upright on the way back down. If you want to keep your feet dry on trails, we have Gore-Tex trail running shoes. The fully waterproof Gore-Tex material stops any water getting through the shoe. Keeping your feet dry and comfortable. The breathable Gore-Tex fabric lets sweat evaporate, reducing the chances of overheating. Many people use trail running shoes for walking. Trail running shoes are usually lighter than walking boots and have more cushioning. A number of our trail running shoes should be very comfortable for long walks on mixed surfaces. Searching for trail running tips? Check out our trail advice article on The Run4It Journal. It's packed with advice on how to navigate the trails.