20 Best Sneakers For Trail Running (2023 Updated)

Just under one month of late summer wear – here’s my thoughts (6’00 @ 220 lbs, usual size 12 D, heel runner, neutral pronation) These Nitrel v4 trail shoes weren’t offered in size 12. 5 and wanting to avoid the usual NB “toe-pop-out-the-top” fabric hole, so I sized up to 13.

The outsole seems dry surface traction worthy but very stiff. Can’t feel much of rocks or road gravel underfoot but again it’s a durable stiff sole, enough flex even with the minimal cushioning of the standard insole liner.

I did slip on wet street pavement coming to an abrupt stop, I expect this might become a bigger problem in colder weather. Hoping the aggressive lugs on sole will offer more traction in snow this winter.

This Nitrel v4 in size 13 for my foot became too wide as the fabric loosened over the past couple weeks of use, particularly in the toe box and above including the lower lace eyelets. Wearing thicker socks with lacing differently only added to discomfort of my left big toe pushing forward, rubs to the leftward front side.

Due to it’s design or sizing, it’s an awkward, sloppy and baggy looking shoe too. Lots of slop from the ankle forward. I won’t waste money on these Nitrel v4 by trying another insole for more cushioning to make up the toe box void.

Looks like I’m stuck this these ill fitting shoes as spares. To top things off, I found NB had lowered the price by $10, three weeks after I bought them.

I was on a mission to purchase a good pair of trail shoes for daily walks/hikes with my dog. I even went as far as having my feet scanned for fit, etc. , and ended up purchasing a different brand shoe, and returning them, etc.

Also tried on at least a dozen other very expensive shoes. I was ready to give up and I happened to see these and ended up purchasing them because I loved the color. I could not be happier with these shoes and I can’t say enough good things about them!! They are so incredibly comfortable, they fit great, and are supportive and sturdy at the same time.

I love that there is plenty of room in the toebox. I’ve worn them every day for 6 months and they have held up well. They aren’t ready to be replaced yet, but I will for sure repurchase these again. (And again and again.

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I am usually a size 6B. The size 6B in these is way too short. So I ordered a size 6. 5B. Actually I ordered 3 pairs of size 6. 5B because I have found that not every shoe, although the same model, by New Balance fits the same.

It was crazy how each pair of size 6. 5B fit a little differently, including the left shoe to fit smaller, (I don’t have this issue with other shoes). One pair, the left ankle of the shoe fit up higher hitting just under my ankle bone, causing discomfort.

Overall, all pairs of shoes were way too wide for my narrow foot. The size 6B too small in length, and the right shoe in the 6. 5B to be too long in length. Too many sizing issues for me. Returned. I’ve had this issue with recent previous NB shoes.

I doubt I’ll be purchasing from New Balance again in the future. Quality control has declined.

I have bought Asics for years now but usually buy the latest Kayano model. I boughg these Trail Scout runners because I found that my Kayanos wore out very quickly. I walk/run every morning and i find that the soles wear out well before the rest of the shoe, so i bought these Trail Scouts to see if the trail runners can stand up better than the Kayanos.

These Trail Scouts are cheap. They are a budget type shoe from a good name and styling makes them appear to be a decent shoe, but they are cheap and wear cheap too. The soles are definitely better and harder wearing, but coming from a premium runner, i notice that the Trail Scouts architecture is cheaper and the support is noticeably less substantial than a better shoe.

They are good, but i miss the quality. Ill be looking at buying a premium Trail runner from Asics shortly and they definitely wear better when running on various surface types.

For urban hiking and mild hard pack mountain trails only. The sole is so stiff that it is good for around town trails and soft mountain trails. The blocky lug pattern also doesn’t clear mud/wet dirt well.

The hard, smooth block pattern of the sole doesn’t not grip rocky/scree at all. BUT it does support my weight, 260lbs at 6’3″, really well. So I have relegated these to around town and gym shoes. The technical shortfalls, hard sole/block tread, is not for Mtn trails.

Great style though and highly breathable upper. And the laces lock into position without loosening over hours of walking. Just needs a softer/forgivable sole and waffle/chevron pattern lugs to shed mud/wet dirt/clay.

The tread is reasonably good for a cross between road running and gravel or firm trails, though it suffers in the wet and mud. Tread clogs rapidly, and the rubber is too hard to deal well with damper surfaces.

They seem reasonably well built, with more cushioning than a true off road shoe. Fitting is close at the heal, but not as short or narrow as Salomon’s cross trainers. Holds the foot well, but some lateral movement is allowed at the front of the shoe on complex surfaces.

Good value, but obviously can’t cover every eventuality.

I wear athletic shoes all day, every day as I own my own business and am on my feet all day. I average between 14,000-25,000 steps on any given day. As a result, I buy a great many pairs of shoes and switch between the 15 or so pairs I own.

The New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro trail shoe fits my foot perfectly and is comfortable all day. BUT. my complaint stems from the fabric around the ankle. Within two to three days of wear with these shoes I have worn holes around the puffed fabric on the insides of the shoes.

I know it is from how I walk and given that I put a lot of steps in daily. But I wish they wouldn’t start to look rough so soon. I will continue to buy them however. P. S. I have a narrow foot and the shoe fits me perfect.

If you have a normal to wide foot I would consider getting the wide width shoe. I can’t see how the regular width would be comfortable on a normal foot.

I use these to walk on a local walking trail that has a base of crushed rock/stone. The cushioning of this shoe is great. I don’t feel the rocks the way I do when I wear my hiking boots. I normally wear a narrow shoe and these normal width shoes fit my feel well.

I did need to go up an extra 1/2 size from my normal boot size which is already 1/2 up from regular street shoes. So far I am very pleased with the comfort of these shoes. I did add an insert for high arches.

I have over 100 miles so far on these and they are not showing any signs of wear.

Nothing is perfect because we all have our likes and not all of us like the same. Overall the shoe is performing great with 20 miles and one event was 11 miles. Hard terrain, lots of roots, rock, sand, and dry dry dirt.

108 f degrees real feel was 113 f. 5000 elevation (climbing). Lots of long downhill and lots of long uphill. Plenty of fast straight aways. No water in sight on course other than sweaty legs so shoes did get soaked by body sweat and stayed wet however did not bother me and did not effect shoe performance.

Great conditions for testing the shoe. I am happy with the shoe. Really did not feel the impact during the runs so compare to other trail shoes where I felt I just finished slapping my bare foot against a rock for 12 hours these shoes really left my feet with the smallest amount of sense that I had ran for 2 hours on a hard surface trail (basically concrete) because so dry.

I don’t like the laces but I never do because I like laces the are stretchy and don’t put pressure on the upper foot which is why I wish they would make all running shoes with BOA dials since these dials remove all pressure points and are super easy to release if foot swells too much or you need a little extra firmness for locking in the foot.

Add BOA dials and this is the shoe. It’s fast up, down and straight. Almost no impact. Weight is light enough. I feel everyone should try the shoe because the shoe is great. Pros scale 1 to 10 and 10 is best Traction 9 Stability 8.

5 Downhill 8. 7 Uphill 8. 7 Comfort 9 Con Scale 1 to 10 and 1 being worst Shoe lace 1 Upper 9.

Love my new trail shoes! I haven’t had my Endorphin Edge very long but already tested out steep uphills & steeper downhills, with leaf litter, with rocks & roots and these shoes are all that I wanted them to be.

I’ve only done dry/slightly damp trails so far, not wet, but the lugs and outsole are very similar to my old peregrines. (Peregrines had excellent grip but I found they weren’t comfortable for longer runs.

) Happy to see that the Edge has a good classic saucony width like the old models. I didn’t have to wait for wide width to become available. There’s enough room for toes to splay. Also like the toe box height.

No black toes on the downhills. Yay! And no weird stress points or rubbing or blistering yet. What else? Oh, excellent lockdown. Thankfully, the outsole is not as squishy as the endorphin speed 2 (which I have for road running).

Out on uneven trails, I prefer a more rigid feel of the ground which gives me more control. The outsole is not super squishy but it’s also not hard. It’s a comfortable medium with excellent energy return.

I really enjoyed my runs. You gotta try it out for yourself. Everyone has different feet and needs, but I’ve always loved the classic saucony fit. These did not disappoint. One last thing, I got mucho love on the ocean/loam colorway from other folks on the trail :).

So firstly I just wanted to compliment Start Fitness and how quickly I received my trainers, bang on as ever! I have given the trainers 4 out of 5 stars as my first outing in them was very uncomfortable.

I ran 15 miles across the South Downs and the grip was terrible, I looked liked Bambi on ice at times and the weather was dry. I’m hoping that the grip gets a little better once I scrub them in a bit more because during that first run I had little confidence.

The right trainer also caused some blistering on the outside of my right heel so again I hope this is not going to be an ongoing issue? Due to the stack height I had a couple of moments where I nearly rolled my ankles, thankfully I made it home without any injury.

Thanks to the Powerrun PB midsole the ride was comfortable and I will be using them again for my next trail run shortly, I just hope I don’t have any further issues otherwise they’ll be getting sold on ebay and replaced with something like the Hoka Tecton X.

Overall I would recommend them but just take it easy while on the trails to begin with.

I found this shoe by accident at Cabellas on clearance but in grey and they are very comfortable. I immediately got on the internet to see if I can find other colors and I found the black ones here. I like the fact that they have a real rubber sole and plenty of traction unlike other shoes that have foam bottoms.

They feel like good quality and I would definitely buy them again in the future. Great alternative shoe to the Woke Nikes which I will never buy again. Keep up the great work Under Armor.

These were really nice for the first couple months, then they weren’t. The outside split at the area just behind the reinforced toe where the foot bends and quickly let go. Not impressed considering these are a hiking shoe and the price tag!.

After doing some slightly obsessive research, I settled on the speed cross 5 gtx because of their seemingly impressive specs. Unfortunately, they’re possibly the most uncomfortable shoes I’ve ever bought.

I’m a size 12uk and whilst the length is ok, they’re extremely tight in the middle. They feel a bit like the plastic ice skates you hire at the ice rink. I’ve tried to grin and bear it hoping my feet/shoes will adjust but I just get blisters every time: I can’t wait to take them off.

The lace design is cool however most of the pressure is at the very top. The heel area is very solid and uncomfortable due to the junction where the goretex lining is. Which is the cause of my blisters and has already showing signs of wear/fraying after only approx 100km of use.

(Bought these in Aug21 but didn’t use over winter) The grip is incredible. The goretex works great. They look awesome but ultimately I feel like I’ve bought an expensive sports car with all the extras, but gives me chronic back ache to drive.

These shoes aren’t cheap and I blew my budget on something I can’t wear so will have to find an cheaper alternative 🙁 Wish I could go back in time and spend the money on something else or return/exchange them.

Help would be hugely appreciated to find a solution but if not my wife will just remain mad at me for spending so much on something that sits in the closet.

As with all the speedcross shoes I’ve had was able to wear them up the hills straight out of the box. Differences (between v4 and v5), and my thoughts/experience: – Lug size increase/change. Seems to make the shoe much more aggressive, particularly going downhill (on rocky/slippery dirt trails).

– Shoe feels much higher off the ground than what I recall with previous versions. Definitely is, and by a lot, when put next to my other versions, but of course the lugs on them are well worn down. – Higher collar at the back.

Read some reviews saying this caused rubbing for some, I haven’t experienced that. – Got the GT version this time (first time out of 5 pairs). Haven’t experienced any feet sweating despite walking/running 25km a few times in reasonable heat (25 degrees plus).

– As has been the case with all pairs of speedcross I’ve owned fit true to size. Now my only gripe with Speedcross, and the reason I gave them 4 instead of 5 stars, is the colours are limited for men (LOL).

Women get all sorts of colour combinations. I had to settle with the pretty boring black/phantom combination. Note: Much credit to Athlete’s Foot. Not only was the purchase price for these the lowest of anywhere I looked, price included delivery and they arrived the next day.

First, these shoes are super comfortable. They are generous in width which is a plus for me since I have a wider foot. The extra room also keeps my feet from feeling like they are going to burst out of when flexing and climbing.

Shoes can sometimes pinch my feet in certain spots preventing me from getting much wear out of them. These don’t do that at all. I also like how they give me plenty of support and bounce but still allow me to feel the ground.

That is important for me as I like to feel the changing terrain so that I can adjust my footing accordingly. I can definitely wear these shoes out on the trail all day long. The Pegasus Trail 3 Mens Trail Running Shoes are also super stylish.

The color palette is gender neutral yet still fun. These can be worn out on errands and still look good. I also love the string loop on the back for getting the shoe on. It isn’t the usual loop of fabric that can often be hard for me to get my finger inside to use.

I think what I liked most about these shoes is that they are plenty wide yet still supportive. It really helped make the shoes comfortable and practical while out running. If I had to pick one thing I am a little hesitant about it would be the nose of the shoes.

I am not sure that the rubber will stay well adhered to the fabric if it gets wet often or with a lot of use. If you are looking for a stylish yet comfortable shoes that will allow you to run on various surfaces this one is it! I highly recommend these shoes and can’t wait to get some more runs out of them.

I’ve worn various road-focused versions of the Nike Pegasus for more than a decade, and this trail model doesn’t disappoint. I use on both single-track and at the gym, and have found sizing true to other Nikes running shoes.

My one disappointment with the fit is my foot sitting farther forward than I’m used to, which creates extra space between the back of my heel and end of the shoe. My favorite feature is the deep cushion underfoot that creates a very comfortable ride.

Because of the height, I expected to sacrifice lateral stability, but found it to be surprisingly good. The Pegasus Trail 3 isn’t as stiff or rugged as other trail running or hiking shoes, so wouldn’t recommend for a technical or muddy hike.

But the lugs provide good grip on the loose dirt and rocks we have in our area. And it’s certainly versatile: I put these on several times for a workout and found myself still wearing them after errands, picking up the kids, and a few hours around the house.

The teal wasn’t my favorite (though it grew on me) because it was tough to match with any of my workout clothes. But performance- and comfort-wise, the Pegasus Trail 3 has performed well.

Started off with the speedcross 2 and was pleased with the product. I put a lot of miles on my shoes and had to replace them due to the stitching. The product gradually improved to the point of I didn’t have to replace after I bought the 5s.

The 6 is even better than the 5s. I love the comfort and durability of these, so far. Would highly recommend. Will be purchasing another pair shortly.

I havent run in a Speedcross in a long time, and these are sick! They are lighter and feel more dynamic. I was a Speedcross 3 fan, and am back wearing Speedcross. Light and fast with the best grip. They look cool too, I like the modern styling.

I’m surprised the fit is improved too. I can wear these on the trails but also around town too. They stand out in a lot of way!.

First off— I’m grateful that I purchased these from REI and they maintain their generous return policy. I bought these shoes for when I travel and want shoes I can hike and run in. That don’t look clunky and hideous.

These shoes fit the bill— comfortable, supportive, sleek, and great grip. However I have only worn these shoes maybe 10 times and the upper on my big toe joint on BOTH feet just completely ripped open while I was on the trail today.

I didn’t brush them against anything and it was pretty much a dirt pack fire road. Very disappointed in the quality of this shoe. My other pair from On only lasted 6 months too before the upper wore out.

Maybe it’s more of a fashion sneaker?.

When I received these I put them on and instantly said no. I usually wear Cloud Flow and needed something for walking and hiking in the snow. These started off stiff and uncomfortable. I ended up wearing them in the house for a few hours and they got much better.

These are obviously heavier and stiffer than my other ON shoes, but are supposed to be. If I have a complaint, it’s the thin laces. If you’re buying for fashion, get a different style. For function, these work well.

As always, I wear an 8 in everything and all my ON’s are an 8. 5.

I’ve bought two pairs now of the On Cloudventure shoes, and I love them both. Great traction, spread my weight across my feet wonderfully, comfortable for 12+ hr days on my feet, and no break-in period.

Also they are lightweight and feel very high quality. Can’t recommend these shoes enough. They’re like wearing boots with really good grip support, but with the lightweight and comfort of sneakers. They run a little small, I had to buy half a size up from my normal size.

My feet are about average to narrow and no issues there.

The overall construction and fit of the shoe is what I expected. This is “not rain ready”. The waterproof qualities are not present. A better description may be water resistant. Approximately 10 minutes in heavy dew and feet were starting to get wet.

Another 10 minutes, and. not waterproof. The other Adidas trail shoes with Gore-Tex liners have proven to be waterproof. Will see how they work in the snow as the liner does provide a second layer of protection.

Love these trail shoes. Great looking, reasonably priced and comfy. Can’t wait to take them for a spin! They do run large. I usually size up a whole shoes size for running shoes from my normal 7. 5 to an 8.

5. I ordered both an 8 and an 8. 5 in these just to be safe. The 8. 5 is going back.

Can’t speak for durability but I’ve owned Adidas in the past and they last forever! This pair seems well-made, has great thick cushioning, and flexible toe-box width. The Achilles cushioning seems a bit higher than I’m used to, time will tell if it blisters my heel.

I bought this thinking it would be a good all-round training shoe for the relatively smooth trails that I do most of my training on but that the blade/foam combination might give it a nice extra snap for occasional fast runs and races too.

I have the Sense Ride 4 for more technical, bad weather runs, but I had been using those for regular training too. First impressions were excellent – good grip, good fit, true to size (though I got a half size up since my feet swell a bit on long runs) and on my first few runs it was a great combination of comfort on easy runs and responsiveness on fast efforts.

I even used it for a 5km park race and was really happy with how it felt in such a fast race. After about 80-100km, I noticed that the responsiveness started to dwindle. The foam was not as springy and the plate was much less stiff (I could also bend the shoe much more with my hands than at the start – had not expected the stiffness of the plate to decay so much so fast).

On vacation, I did some runs in the Scottish highlands with them on much more technical terrain and my feelings were mixed there. Very good protection and grip, but the outward splay of the bottom layer of harder foam led to me getting caught and tripping on larger rocks multiple times.

The outward lip here could be improved to reduce this risk, since for me it means I won’t wear these on technical, rocky terrain anymore. In fairness, this is not what Salomon say the shoe is for. Currently at about 300km with them.

The upper is holding up perfectly – no damage or wear. The outsole however is a different story. The lugs around the heel and the ball of the foot are almost worn out. The Sense Ride 4s seem to have a much more durable outsole since I have done about 600km in those on similar terrain and those are barely worn at all.

The rubber on the Pulsar Trails is noticeably softer and tackier (probably initially good for grip) and I think that’s why it has worn so quickly. I was disappointed in this since it will reduce the time I can use them as my all-round training shoes.

Currently there is basically no “snappyness” left that was so exciting for the first 80km but they are still very comfortable and protective. To sum up, for me they were a really exciting shoe for the first 100km and I would use them for all kinds of runs but as time has gone on they have become my shoes for non-technical, longer, slower runs.

If the outsole holds up to 500-600km, I would buy them again. If it doesn’t then I would probably go for Sense Rides again which for me have been more durable and capable of more varied terrain (though not as fast or as fun as the Pulsars in that first 100km).

I had high hopes for this shoe. Love the SLAB Pulsar and to a lesser extent the Ultra Glide. Both those shoes the Energy Surge midsole feels great. So I was hoping these would feel similar, out of the box I liked the fit right away.

It fits much more like a classic Salomon than the Ultra Glide (which is really my only gripe with that shoe) so I was happy about that. Getting out onto the trails with them though I was disappointed to find that they didn’t feel as soft and ride more harsh than either the SLAB Pulsar or the Ultra Glide.

Basically, they are a lot more firm than I expected or the description would have you think. Not sure if its just because of the Energy Blade plate or they changed the density of the midsole foam to make it more durable perhaps? Once difference in the midsole between the Ultra Glide in these I notice is the firmer piece is on the bottom instead of on top, between that and the plate they do have some decent protection over sharp rocks.

The rocker does make for fairly smooth transitions and so the ride is enhanced from that. But overall the midsole just feels muted and more like standard EVA foam than the original Energy Surge we see in the SLAB Pulsar or Ultra Glide.

As for the fit, go for your normal size and some may even need to size up if you need room in the toes. Length is about the same or slightly less than the Ultra Glide but more pointed and less volume.

Plenty of midfoot volume, I end up cranking the laces down for my narrow low volume foot and have a very long string to tuck into the lave garage. Looks like I will be stocking up on the original Pulsar.

It may be that I need to take these on some faster runs, but I didnt feel any real benefit from the plate and mostly it makes the shoe not as comfortable more than anything. With the rest of the new Pulsar line sharing the Energy Blade design, not sure this new line of shoes is for me.

For reference I run 50-70mpw on mostly runnable trail with a 50k PR of 3:41.

I was excited to unpack my size 12 Pulsar Trails (red) and test them out. They looked very Solomon (which I like) and they appeared quite cushiony, immediately, and I am more of a “trail feel” hiker/runner so I wasn’t sure how it would translate (with the energy plate or bar or whatever you call it) To qualify, I reside in Cave Creek, AZ, and most of the terrain is rocky, densely rocky and sometimes a mix of rocks and gravel to sandy desert gravel.

What is consistent throughout the summer here, is it’s HOTTTT like a furnace. (I’ll come back to this) So, because alot of the urban-ish trails, ones accessible to the city are mountainous, meaning they are one long ascent followed by a equally technical descent, I chose a path that was a bit more mixed.

On the way up, I noticed I liked the fit, powered up a few moderate inclines, and liked the grip. Because of the significant climb angle, I would have to wait to see the engery (whatchamacalit) in action, but so far so good.

There were a few hundred relatively flat yards ahead and bang. I took off. Needless to say I was NOT disappointed. Wheeeeee!!!!!!!!! I have nothing to compare the spring to, I am not a cushiony, springy trail guy, but this was FUN!!!! I kept pushing because it was giving me back my extra – even if it was psychological, what do I care.

Downhill time. I don’t like to overdo downhills in new shoes until I build a relationship of trust. I trust this brand, but falls out here, particularly on Cave Creeks Black Mountain, for example (volcanic) can be terribly unforgiving, so I exercise a bit of caution.

Anyway, since I was on a slighly softer jaunt, I dug in a litte and boy did they respond. The first descent was the most fun I have had on this trail in awhile. Good stuff. I am liking the energy insert thingamajig.

Is it cheating? Maybe, but my legs are giving it its opportunity, so i don’t feel too bad. Yes, more uphill, more downhills, no slips in the shake. Good control. A little more cushiony than my regular trail feel get ups, but definitely enough that I my foot positioning remained solid and predictable throughout.

Loved the ride. Yes. I buy again. And yes, to me a solid 4. 5-5 for a first edition. Suggestions: In Arizona, particularly the summer, color is everything. You guys need to always make a light hued, high voltage Southwest Version for any of your mixed and rocky trail runner releases.

Light blues, bright yellows, that reflect the sun. Those are appreciated. The red is certainly doable. But as a Steelers fan, the only other color being Baltimore Ravens-esque is a no-go. Looks great on the shoe, but football is religion.

So brighten these up so we have some options up here (seriously, for AZ die hards, colors and breathability are major considerations for 3-4 months, the “cooler” we dress, bright, reflective colors, the cooler we feel.

It makes a difference. Suggestion two. because of how the lace system falls on the abbreviate (not too short) tongue, there was a scenario where the lacing system garage entry was obstructed by the tightened laces.

I haven’t had that happen on other models (ie. speedcross, etc. ) Perhaps a top entry option for the lace garage would be helpful? Other than that. Keep making these, please. What a treat! Light colors, increased lace garage access.

we good.

I’ve put about 30 miles of trail running on these shoes so far. My local trail conditions are generally lots of small hills, tons of exposed roots and small rocks, a mixture of muddy areas, sandy areas, hardpack, slippery boardwalks over wetland sections, and, since the weather has been cold, some icy and frozen mud areas.

Here are my impressions thus far: I’m new to Salomon shoes, so I wasn’t used to the speed lace system. It’s been a mixed bag for me. I was surprised to see how quickly and evenly it tightens the shoe.

But, tucking the little plastic end in at the top can be tricky since the top section of lacing tightens against the little pocket in the tongue. On the flip side, once it’s tucked in it isn’t coming out by itself.

The lacing system slowly loosens up a bit for me, though, and I have to stop mid-way through my run to tighten it back up a little. The outsole is grippy and has thus far handled the mixed terrain and conditions very well.

The shoe is overall comfortable for my foot (normal width) and fits true-to-size for me. My biggest issue with the Sense Ride 4 is the stack height. It just feels a bit squirrely on more technical sections of trail.

On flatter sections and on pavement it’s great. But when faced with small rocks and exposed roots, the high stack means I have less sensitivity. On those sections, I often feel like an ankle roll is just a moment’s loss of concentration away.

If your running is on mixed pavement and non-technical trails, then I think the Sense Rides are great. For me though, I just don’t love the instability they give me on sections where the trail has lots of roots and rocks.

I’ve run over 30 miles in these shoes since receiving them a week ago and feel comfortable enough to share my experience. These shoes have a lot of positive features but there is a downside that some folks need to be aware of.

For those looking to run on rugged terrain/trails, you’ll want to look at other shoe options. If you’re looking to run on light trails (i. e. gravel, dirt) and/or roads, these could be one of the best options out there.

I run on trails where some trails contain a lot of exposed rocks and roots so I was looking for a shoe that had decent structure and cushion to handle the rugged terrain. With these shoes, you feel EVERYTHING.

There is very little cushioning. There is also very little lateral/ankle support so making a lot of lateral movements is challenging. In fact, I rolled an ankle on mile 3 with these shoes. To be honest, I prefer to wear my asics gel nimbus on the more rugged trails and stick to these shoes on lighter trails and/or trails with drastic elevation change.

I want to make it clear that these shoes are very good on light trails. They’re definitely one of the best out there in a light trail / road environment. If I were to score these shoes more thoroughly, here’s what I would give them (out of 5; 5 being optimal): Quality – 4 Durability – TBD (so far no apparent issues) Immediate comfort – 4 Running comfort – 2 (disclaimer: I use these on light and rugged trails; On light trails only, I would give this a 4) Support (lateral) – 1 Weight – 4 (pretty light) Cushion – 1 Traction – 4.

I don’t usually post reviews on anything, but I felt compelled to balance all of the negative reviews. In short, these shoes are the best I have ever owned, of any category, including dress shoes. I’m a former AT through hiker and Mountaineer.

I spent almost 10 years in some of the highest places on earth. I walked thousands of miles and went through a lot of shoes during training. All of that finally took it’s toll, not to mention the fact I finally turned 50.

I’ve had four knee surgeries in two years and pretty much had to stop doing everything. As a result of the surgeries and Covid, I got lazy and gained almost 100 pounds. Over the last six months I have been buying and returning shoe after shoe trying to find “the one.

” I have always liked the Salomon brand and the Ultra mid boot I bought five years ago is still my go to for backpacking. For the first time in many months, my knees are feeling better and it’s time to get my butt back in shape.

I read all of the reviews on all of the trail hikers and chose to ignore the negativity of the Sense Ride 4. I realize that shoe fit and comfort are very subjective and no one has the same feet, but these are literally designed for me.

The balance is perfect, the weight is perfect, I have not experienced any clicking or tearing as described by others, and I bought a half size bigger so I have plenty of room in the toe box. In the two months since I got my first pair, I have put well over 100 miles on different terrain.

They are absolutely the most comfortable and forgiving shoe I have ever owned. No foot fatigue, no blisters, no funny twisting, just pure bliss when I walk. I’m actually motivated to walk again. Since I received my first pair, I have purchased two more colors, and change them out so they all wear evenly.

I have even managed to lose 20 pounds in two months. I’m not saying a shoe will make you lose weight, but a great shoe will make you less hesitant to get outside. Well done Salomon.

I think these are definitely a nice looking shoe and was attracted to them for that reason. Very comfortable out of the box. After several runs I determined the sole is a bit too flexible and not substantive enough for me.

They were fine when the terrain was flat packed dirt/small pebbles but not for larger and more varied terrain. Also, my pair sometimes squeak when wet. If you like a lightweight and highly flexible sole these could be good for you.

I now use them as casual, walking around shoes and really like them for that.

When I bought these I didn’t realize they’re the shoes my neighbor has been walking in for years. When I complimented hers she said, “But they’re sort of ugly!” Yet she loves them. I thought the Sandstone color was going to be more of a rust; it unfortunately isn’t, but they’re just about the best walking show I’ve ever worn.

Took no time to break in; I walked for miles my first 2 days in them. I don’t find them super attractive, and they have this weird ‘cloven hoof’ sole. but there’s something fun about them. Like, they’re so ugly they’re cute? I do wish they came in better colors, like a dark navy or something.

(Not sure why women’s athletic shoes are so often in pastels or tan. ) Regardless, I have bunions and special snowflake feet that give me trouble in all kinds of ways – but these shoes keep my feet (and back) happy.

For the record I like a wide-ish toe box and a narrow-ish heel, and am a size 9. I bought a 9. 5, which I usually do in athletic shoes, and they fit perfectly, with just enough room. Love em!.

I don’t know what the two negative reviews are about. They’re saying they’re not cushioned enough. They’re trail shoes designed for running off-road which is already soft. SMH. I’ve had knee and calf problems in the past and after trying Brooks, Asics, Altras and others (about 2 miles in each shoe) these are by far the best.

These shoes are really grippy, great on trails, and even good enough to run on the road despite the fact their trail shoes. So if your run consists of both paved and trails, they’re perfect for it. I’ve put about 20 miles on them so far and no knee or calf pain that I get with other shoes (even when carrying sandbag uphill).

They seem to fit a little tight when your first put them on, but after about 30 seconds you get used to it. This is due to the liner which fits like a sock and is excellent at keeping debris, mulch and pebbles out of your shoe when running off-road.

The adjustable thingy on the laces is fantastic if your feet swell on long runs. It loosens your laces without untying your shoe. I cannot recommend these shoes enough. Fantastic trail shoes that can take a punishment on and off-road.

I decided to try this shoe out after wearing down the pair I’d been running in all of quarantine. These seemed really neat and cool on the rack and the REI salesperson who helped me said they were good for narrow feet, similar to the shoes I’d been running in previously.

I’ve never worn a pair of On shoes before and I was excited to try these out, but unfortunately I came up mildly disappointed. The big negative for me was that these shoes have little to no traction on wet concrete (sidewalks, roads, etc).

I found myself slipping and almost falling during my first walk in these on some slightly wet sidewalk, which seemed odd since I expected these to have good traction. I understand that these shoes are trail-running specific, and I run in trail running shoes purposefully because I prefer trails to roads.

But my usual routes require running on road or sidewalk in order to get to the trails, unless I wanted to drive which kinda ruins the run. I purchased these shoes in the summer and found that during the warm, dry summer months, that on the few runs I did with these that I had no traction issues on dry concrete or any of the trails.

I think these shoes probably have great traction on trails in any condition, but it was disappointing to have traction issues on wet concrete of all things. With summer coming to a close, I decided to not risk getting an injury and return them before the wet, fall weather arrived and get another pair of La Sportiva Bushido II’s since I had been running in those previously and knew they had great traction.

On the positive side, I did really enjoy the feel of these shoes. The toe-heel drop was a little higher than what I was running in previously but didn’t run into any issues. I found that these shoes provided a lot of bounce in my step and for the most part they were a fun shoe to run in.

The main issue was that most of the time I spent wearing them I was thinking about how bad the traction was and not focusing on my run. I think the ability to loosen or tighten the laces is a really cool feature and I utilized that on most of the runs I did with these.

Overall, this shoe is good, but I can’t get past the traction issues, especially since I live in an area that receives a lot of rain.

I like the On shoes, in some point, I had 3 pairs of their footwear – road, trail runners and casual pair. They fit my feet well and I believe it is the main criterion when you choose runners or any other shoes for yourself.

It is a great quality brand but has specific fitting. I have high-arched and narrow feet with slim heels. The On Cloudultra Trail Running Shoes is not my favourite model, but it has cushioning and breathability suitable for long runs and marathons.

Nice grip and durability of the outsole. And again works for my feet. The sizing is really odd for this model, I went a full size up compared to my other Ons. It took time to stretch the sock-fit fabric to make it actually comfortable.

On shoes look cool but please never go for the look, go for comfort!.