Trail Running Shoes worth it?

I'm wanting to do some trail running (on hiking trails) and I know that there are specialized trail running shoes out there. Are these significantly different from running shoes? Worth the investment?

i'd say its not necessary but the pair of sportiva running shoes do excell if it gets super muddy or loose rock... the benefit of having them is you can keep your regular running shoes free of mud/dirt/etc. My pair of trail running shoes also have a beefy toe guard for when i misjudge things and kick rocks/roots or just trip cause im tired

Vertical K Sportiva.

I like Vivibarefoot or Inov-8. Zero drop or low drop shoes make it less likely, in my opinion, to turn an ankle. I'm running on the Vivibarefoot now. I love them. I like minimalist shoes... I find vibrams equal stubbed toes running on technical trails though.
My 2 cents.

Thanks for the beta, guys. So basically they are kind of "up-armored" running shoes to deal with rocks and mud?

I think maybe about 5 years ago, maybe longer, there would be more of a difference in trail running shoes and road running shoes. Road running used to mean big cushy soles. Trail runners would sit closer to the ground, more stability/less ankle roll. With the advent of the barefoot or minimalist type shoes, the big cushy shoes are not the only road shoes any more.

I think, IMHO, that the fit and feel of many road shoes vs. trail shoes are pretty similar.

That being said, there are some trail shoes that get more extreme with grip patterns on the soles that
look almost like cleats. Also, as mentioned, most will probably have some extra rubber or fabric to help prevent wear in areas that road shoes don't.

Go to the store and try some on, do some zig zag steps and see what you think. I have some shoes that I use for trails and like them very much.

try out the brooks Cascadia. they are billed as a trail shoe but not quite as specialized as some of the others. I run everything in them. on my third pair and wouldn't have anything else.

In the end, you really only need dedicated trail shoes if you are running on "true" trails. By "true" trails I mean those with very steep ascents/descents, rocky/rooty terrain, muddy, etc. If it is basically a nice, even, gravel path or hard dirt path, I wouldn't worry about dedicated trail shoes. Here where I am, the trails tend to be pretty rough and quite variable and I like having the sticky rubber on the bottom that helps with rock scrambling while running and like others have said the toe bumper has save me many a bruised toe. Many trail runners also have some more shielding on the bottom for when you do step right on sharp rocks or roots.

Similar to climbing shoes, if you have a dedicated running store, go in there and discuss what you are looking to get out of your shoes and the types of trails you want to run on and then try many on. They are usually pretty knowledgeable and able to give you some advice.

Also, if you've never been running with zero drop shoes, don't start out with them, or start out very slowly and with only short distances. Otherwise you're asking for Achilles and foot injuries.

CraigS. wrote:Also, if you've never been running with zero drop shoes, don't start out with them, or start out very slowly and with only short distances. Otherwise you're asking for Achilles and foot injuries.

To echo the above, if you are running on a "trail" like a flat dirt/gravel path, road runners are probably fine.

If you are running "real trails" especially where you might crossing rock slabs or whatever, then yeah, trail runners are totally worth it.

I have a pair of la Sportiva wildcats that also double as approach shoes / scrambling shoes. They don't climb quite as well as say guide tennies but they do alright and are more comfortable for long approaches.

I love trail running shoes. I have a “quiver” of them to chose from, depending on what I’m doing (trail condition, length of run, temperature, and whether I’m training, or racing). Also, rotating between pairs is good for your feet, and makes the shoes last longer (two pairs in rotation last more than twice as long as a single pair).
I don’t find them any more expensive than road running shoes (huge range of prices in either type of shoe). Trails are tough on shoes, and the trail runners are generally more durable than road shoes, so you might actually save some $ due to that factor, if you are going to do significant trail mileages. On the other hand, wearing a trail shoe for significant mileages on pavement will wear the sole out more quickly than a typical road shoe.
Lately, I’ve been seeing the Saucony Grid Ridge in the discount sports stores (Big 5, Sports Authority, etc.) for really low prices. It is sort of a “typical” trail running shoe, with no special gimmicks. Not too heavy, but fairly supportive/protective. Mine haven’t fallen apart, and I like them. You might want to check out a pair of those as an inexpensive experiment. I’ve had a few pairs of Cascadia’s (mentioned above) which are one of the most popular trail shoes. I like them, but they haven’t lasted as long as some others (the midsole packed down and lost its springiness).

If you're budget, you will be fine for now running well-traveled trails in your road shoes.
If you have some coin but not a lot, there are some shoes that can handle both - Hoka Bondi B is my current crossover fave.
For running that takes you off-trail or onto the rock (class 3-4), get something with sticky rubber and a good aggresive tread pattern, which will conserve energy on looser ground. La Sportiva Raptors have been my fave, and they work great as an approach shoe too, though not as good as a five tennie for actual 5.EZ.

Looking forward to getting out on my Patagonia Rovers, but ditto what everyone else has said about being careful with the minimal shoes. Dial down the mileage, take it easy at first.

I expected way more MP carnage after I saw the title of this thread! So I gather that if you are on MP and are a trail runner you tend to be way more civil. Yep. The main difference would be more aggressively lugged soles, rock plates in some cases, uhhhh, and everything everyone else already said.

Find the best shoe for you, if you are giant and have poor biomechanics, maybe stay away from minimal shoes (and check out the Hokas/equivalent). If you are damn light on your feet and barely touch the ground go minimal, just ease into it to avoid injury. Somewhere in between? Cool, find something in between...

+1 for Brooks Cascadia, but they are freaking tanks and a little heavy, but all that support can help for hiking/running in the burliness. I've actually been running in the Nike Kiger and Wildhorse for the last year, and hate to say it but they are awesome. Kiger is better IMO (Kiger has air bags front and rear, Wildhorse only in the rear). Ran multiple 50k's so far and the only problems I've had can be attributed to my body and not the shoes.

The 'build' of a shoe (i.e. minimal or otherwise) and what works for you also has to do with how you run; do you pronate like a madman? That would affect your shoe choice, or should, granted there's research that says completely opposite things about having a supportive shoe vs. not, see what works for you.

1. Figure out your needs, how many miles a week do you want to run, will you use this for 5k or 50k runs?
2. Try several models on (it is unfortuante that you can't truly test drive shoes on trails) mostly paying attention to fit and feel.
3. Pick the ones with the brightest (or tamest) colorway; the shoes that just speak to you and demand you purchase them.

I used to run trail and concrete but now I'm almost able to run exclusively on trails. I find trail runners typically to be a little more sturdy and like some others have posted, shed mud and water better. La Sportiva shoes are nice, but usually a little expensive. I've had just as good of luck finding trail running shoes on the sales rack, Last years model or an ugly color that didn't sell well for 20-40% off is nice. You don't desperately need them, but if you're asking if they're worth it, I think so.
The other thing is that my wife is a big runner. ( She's not big, she just runs a lot.) I used to make fun of her for going to running specialty shops. Then I was complaining of knee pain and she finally convinced me to go have someone look at my gait and tell me what kind of shoe I needed at one of these shops. I hate to say it but I haven't had knee pain since and that was 3 years ago. I found that to be worth it as well.

If you like a lighter shoe and don't need extra support I would recommend the Brooks Pure Grit. I love their fit and feel, they only fall down on traction. They don't use very sticky rubber. I also have friends that swear by their light weight Salomons. The speed cross 3 seems to be really good.

Thanks for all the replies, folks!

I'd actually been going to go with Option A, which was just to run in the regular road shoes I have. This seemed pretty good until I got onto a rougher trail, when it became clear that the somewhat sloppy fit in the forefoot was a pretty major issue, and I got some big blisters on the bottom of my toes. So then I figured since my shoes weren't fitting (even with some insole tweaking to try to soak up some of the slop) it was legit to get some trail runners.

I ended up with the La Sportiva Bushido which is seeming pretty good (only done one trail run in them so far), although noticing that the line between too loose and too tight is very, very narrow when it comes to trail shoes. Either way, they're insanely light and pretty good on slabs (markedly better than the road runners they replaced) and trails, so I think I may use them for a shoe I carry on a route with a big descent instead of an approach shoe.

I'll update this after I get to know the shoe a little better.

Thanks again!

Sounds like everyone has about nailed it. Salomon and La Sportiva are the kings here but worth a mention is the New Balance Leadville 1210.

Optimistic wrote:Thanks for all the replies, folks! I'd actually been going to go with Option A, which was just to run in the regular road shoes I have. This seemed pretty good until I got onto a rougher trail, when it became clear that the somewhat sloppy fit in the forefoot was a pretty major issue, and I got some big blisters on the bottom of my toes. So then I figured since my shoes weren't fitting (even with some insole tweaking to try to soak up some of the slop) it was legit to get some trail runners. I ended up with the La Sportiva Bushido which is seeming pretty good (only done one trail run in them so far), although noticing that the line between too loose and too tight is very, very narrow when it comes to trail shoes. Either way, they're insanely light and pretty good on slabs (markedly better than the road runners they replaced) and trails, so I think I may use them for a shoe I carry on a route with a big descent instead of an approach shoe. I'll update this after I get to know the shoe a little better. Thanks again!