The post Best Road-to-Trail Shoes of 2025 appeared first on iRunFar.

Out of necessity or preference, many runners will traverse multiple surfaces throughout the course of a single run, and the best road-to-trail shoes will handle this varied terrain with ease. Whether it’s by adeptly transitioning between pavement and trail or providing a comfortable ride on dirt roads, road-to-trail shoes are versatile options that many runners have in their shoe rotation. Not for the first time, they’ve once again exploded in popularity recently, with seemingly a new option on the market every time you check.

Naturally, you might have some questions: What are road-to-trail shoes, and do I need them? Are they different from gravel shoes? Can I just run in my trail shoes on the road or road shoes on the trail?

Our team is here to answer those questions and help you parse through the endless options. While we have longstanding and frequently updated guides on the best road running shoes and the best trail running shoes, this is our first guide on the best road-to-trail shoes. Our product recommendations include shoes that our testing team have been using for years on both roads and trails, and some that are newer to us. In all cases, our testers logged at least 100 miles — and usually much more — in every shoe in this guide before making their recommendations. They ran on a variety of surfaces — roads and trails, of course, but also gravel and packed dirt, from Colorado to California to North Carolina, all in the hope of helping you find the best road-to-trail shoes for your needs.

Our team’s favorite road-to-trail shoe was the Nike Pegasus Trail 5, and our testers loved the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra for fast efforts. They also turned to some classics, like the Brooks Cascadia 19 and Hoka Torrent 4, when runs traversed several surface types.

After reading our product reviews, check out a glossary of common shoe terminology, our buying advice for shoes, a summary of our testing methodology, and answers to some frequently asked questions about the best road-to-trail shoes.

Best Road-to-Trail Shoes

• Best Overall Road-to-Trail Shoe: Nike Pegasus Trail 5
• Best Overall Road-to-Trail Shoe — Runner-Up: Brooks Cascadia 19
• Best Cushioned Road-to-Trail Shoe: Hoka Challenger 8
• Best Road-to-Trail Shoe for Racing: adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra
• Best Road-to-Trail Shoe for Grip: Inov8 Trailfly
• Best Zero-Drop Road-to-Trail Shoe: Altra Mont Blanc Carbon
• Other Great Road-to-Trail Shoes: Hoka Torrent 4, Nike Pegasus 41, Merrell Antora 4

Best Overall Road-to-Trail Shoe: Nike Pegasus Trail 5 ($155)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 10.2 oz (290 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 37/27 mm | Drop: 9.5 mm

Pros:

• Tremendous midsole foam
• Breathable and comfortable upper
• Can handle almost everything

Cons:

• Not the best performer on technical trails

The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 has everything you’d want in a road-to-trail shoe. It’s incredibly comfortable, versatile, and durable, making it our top pick for this guide.

Any discussion of this shoe has to begin with its midsole, which Nike upgraded to its ReactX foam. This is the brand’s high-end foam behind only its premium ZoomX, which comes in most of its more expensive shoes. The foam is lively and provides tremendous cushion, most noticeably when the run approaches double-digit mileage or transitions between roads and trails. After running 150 miles in these shoes, our primary tester experienced no signs of compression in the midsole and said the shoes felt as comfortable as ever.

The upper is also top-notch. It’s a single layer of highly breathable mesh with well-placed overlays to help keep out dirt, sand, and moderate amounts of water. The ankle collar, particularly around the Achilles notch, is also much improved from previous versions, and a gusseted tongue stays in place and protects the top of the foot well.

Nike redesigned the outsole by making it wider and utilizing a proprietary rubber material that improves the grip and makes it less stiff on roads and packed dirt. This is not the shoe to take on highly technical trails, as it struggles with traction in those conditions.

For the roads and less technical trails and runs that feature them both, this shoe is hard to beat, making it one of our top picks in our Best Trail Running Shoes and Best Nike Running Shoes guides.

You can read more about this shoe in our full Nike Pegasus Trail 5 review.

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Best Overall Road-to-Trail Shoe — Runner-Up: Brooks Cascadia 19 ($150)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 10.7 oz (303 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 35/29 mm | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Strong balance between agility and protection
• Can handle technical terrain
• Energetic and well-cushioned ride

Cons:

• High-volume toebox is not for runners with narrow feet

The Cascadia line has been around for more than two decades, and the Brooks Cascadia 19 was our tester’s favorite version thus far. It strikes a near-perfect balance between dynamism and protection, allowing it to be a go-to shoe for your road-to-trail adventures.

While most of the other shoes in this guide are primarily suited for smooth trails, this shoe can handle more rugged terrain. In fact, our tester’s first run in these shoes was an 11-mile adventure through the rocks and rubble of Colorado’s Front Range, and they performed admirably. With 4-millimeter lugs that shed mud easily and a durable, sticky TrailTack Green outsole, they offer ample traction for the trails without being overbearing for the roads. If your road-to-trail runs hit more technical trails, this shoe would be a worthy companion.

Even better, they’re also light and agile enough for smoother surfaces. Brooks dropped the weight of this shoe to 10.7 ounces (U.S. men’s 9) and added its nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3 foam in the midsole, creating a zippy, well-cushioned ride on roads and smooth trails. For a shoe that’s been clunky in the past, this version of the Cascadia is a refreshing change, making it one of our top choices for road-to-trail runs. It also appears in our Best Trail Running Shoes guide.

You can also read more about this shoe in our full Brooks Cascadia 19 review.

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Best Cushioned Road-to-Trail Shoe: Hoka Challenger 8 ($155)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.3 oz (264 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 42/34 mm | Drop: 8 mm

Pros:

• Offers a smooth ride on roads and light trails
• Well-cushioned and comfortable

Cons:

• Does not perform well on technical trails

The Hoka Challenger 8 can sop up miles on pavement, dirt, and non-technical trails along with the best of them. Like many Hoka shoes, it has ample cushion — it’s often described as the trail version of the Hoka Clifton — and this version significantly increased the stack height to 42 millimeters for men and 39 millimeters for women for an even plusher ride. Both of our testers said that even with this extra cushion, the shoes don’t feel mushy, but it still could be too much for runners used to more responsiveness and a close-to-the-ground feeling.

The outsole features moderate 4-millimeter lugs, which offer a smooth ride for roads and trails. Our testers loved this shoe for those surfaces and everyday easy runs, but they noted that it didn’t perform as well on more technical terrain or faster efforts. After splashing through creeks, this shoe drained and dried well, and after 130 miles, it has shown minimal wear.

Overall, it’s a durable, comfortable shoe that we loved for everyday road-to-trail runs.

Keep your eyes open for a full Hoka Challenger 8 review.

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Best Road-to-Trail Shoe for Racing: adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra ($220)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.5 oz (269 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 42/34 mm | Drop: 8 mm

Pros:

• Fast, lively, and versatile
• Great upper
• Stylish

Cons:

• Expensive
• Not for heel strikers or technical trails

The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is the brand’s ultramarathon racing shoe, worn by many runners hunting podium finishes at some of the biggest races in the world. Professional trail runner Ruth Croft won the 2022 Western States 100 in a prototype of this shoe, while Tom Evans followed suit in the 2023 race. Those victories underscore the best features of this shoe: It’s fast, lively, and designed for running on relatively smooth surfaces.

While most super shoes opt for a carbon plate in the midsole, this shoe features four PEBA-composite rods, spread out toward the edges of the forefoot with two more prongs extending to the heel. The result is enhanced stability without the typical rigidity of a carbon plate, making it uniquely suited to running on smooth trails. Combined with two layers of the brand’s Lightstrike Pro Foam, the same foam adidas uses in its road racing shoes, the shoe offers a fast, responsive ride. Our tester appreciated this shoe’s upper as well. “The upper material is quite thin but actually has a lot of structure,” he said. “I found that it became a little more forgiving over time and became more comfortable.”

The most polarizing aspect of this shoe is its rocker. It’s aggressive, it’s extreme, and if it works for your foot, it’s extremely effective. The rocker, plus the midsole features, is what makes this shoe so fast, but it comes at the admittedly significant expense of stability for certain types of runners. The rocker is designed seemingly exclusively for forefoot and midfoot strikers, offering an incredibly fast and fun ride for those runners. But for heel strikers, it’s a different story. Some heel strikers find that the rocker begins so far forward that they simply can’t run in the shoe, so if you know that you land toward the back of your foot when you run, we’d suggest pursuing a different option.

On the outsole, the lugs are only 2.5 millimeters deep, making it a viable option for road-only runs, too. Our primary tester has used it in that capacity plenty of times and found that the lugs don’t drag along the pavement. Because of its 42-millimeter stack height and the aggressive rocker, this shoe doesn’t perform well on technical trails, so we’d recommend another option if your road-to-trail runs involve more technical terrain. But if you’re a midfoot or forefoot striker seeking a fast shoe for smooth roads and trails, this shoe will be a worthy companion on race day.

You can read more about this shoe in our full adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra review.

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Best Road-to-Trail Shoe for Grip: Inov8 Trailfly ($150)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.6 oz (274 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/23 mm | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Excellent grip on dry, hard surfaces
• More natural feel without sacrificing cushion
• Nimble and responsive ride

Cons:

• Run a half-size small
• Not for wet conditions

One of the drawbacks of many road-to-trail shoes is their suitability for technical terrain. Enter the Inov8 Trailfly, a grippy, lower-to-the-ground shoe with excellent traction on dry, hard-packed surfaces from pavement to technical trails. This is the shoe for those runs that feature truly varied terrain.

While Inov8, a brand born in England’s famously rainy Lake District, has carved out a niche for shoes that thrive in the mud, this shoe strikes the opposite note. With relatively low-profile 4-millimeter lugs on its sticky Graphene Grip rubber outsole, it’s designed for running on packed, dry surfaces. Our primary tester found these shoes to be comfortable on forest roads and pavement while still excelling in more technical terrain, making it an excellent choice for those who want more grip on their road-to-trail runs.

Aside from its grip, what sets this shoe apart is its anatomical fit, which Inov8 calls its Natural Fit. Our tester characterized it as the perfect balance between hugging the foot’s natural contours while still providing ample space in the toebox. With a stack height of 29 millimeters at the heel and 23 at the forefoot for a 6-millimeter drop, this shoe offers a more natural, approachable feel than many of the high-drop options that dominate the market without sacrificing cushioning. Its Powerflow Pro foam in the midsole still offers ample cushion for longer efforts, and the removable insole features hundreds of squishy foam beads to boost energy return. The upper is simple, breathable, and comfortable.

It’s important to note that these shoes tend to run small, so it’s best to order a half-size up.

You can read more about this shoe in our full Inov8 Trailfly review.

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Best Zero-Drop Road-to-Trail Shoe: Altra Mont Blanc Carbon ($260)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.4 oz (266 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/29 mm | Drop: 0 mm

Pros:

• Grippy outsole
• Reliable, comfortable midsole
• Race ready

Cons:

• Expensive
• More of a dirt path shoe than a road-to-trail shoe
• Zero-drop shoes aren’t for everyone

The Altra Mont Blanc Carbon is a zero-drop, carbon-plated shoe ready to move fast on moderate singletrack and gravel roads. This is the first time Altra has produced a true race-ready trail shoe.

The Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole of this shoe shines. One of the most respected outsole materials across trail running shoes, the Megagrip lives up to its name, offering ample traction without feeling too burdensome when the surface flattens. Our tester loved this shoe on gravel roads and singletrack but found its performance diminished on pavement, so if your road-to-trail runs involve more road than trail, we’d recommend looking for a different shoe. In this way, this shoe is more of a gravel or moderate trail shoe than a road-to-trail shoe, two categories that are often conflated.

The midsole of this shoe features a full-length carbon plate that offers both propulsion when you’re moving fast and protection when the pace slows — acting as a carbon-rock plate combo. Altra used its Ego Max foam for the rim of the midsole and Ego Pro foam in the core, a combination that, along with the carbon plate, offers a fast, fun ride, making it a strong choice for race day.

Our tester noted that this shoe feels narrower than other Altra shoes she’s worn, but said it still has an ample toebox and an upper that feels breathable and secure. The shoe’s laces are, in the eyes of our tester and other reviewers, too long, a small but strange issue for a shoe, especially one that costs $260.

This shoe also has a sleeker look than many of Altra’s other options. For those who can’t stomach paying $250-plus for a pair of shoes, our tester also liked the Altra Mont Blanc Speed, which lacks a carbon plate but offers many of the same features as this shoe for $75 less.

Finally, it’s important to note that zero-drop shoes aren’t for everyone, especially those who’ve never run in them before. We always recommend doing research, figuring out what works best for you, and easing into zero-drop shoes if you haven’t run in them before.

For even more information about this shoe, you can read our full Altra Mont Blanc Carbon review.

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Other Great Road-to-Trail Shoes

Hoka Torrent 4 ($130)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.0 oz (254 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 33/28 mm | Drop: 5 mm

Pros:

• Versatile
• Performs well on technical trails
• Improved durability and stability
• Approachable price

Cons:

• Not as specialized as other options
• Deeper lugs are less ideal for road running

The Hoka Torrent 4 is an approachable, everyday running shoe with moderate cushion that can handle a mix of surfaces from technical trails to gravel roads. Our primary tester characterized it as “just a nice everything shoe.”

The upper provides a locked-in fit and a wider, roomier feel than previous versions. Underfoot, Hoka added two millimeters of stack height for some extra cushioning, striking a good balance between cushion and responsiveness and making it a worthy choice for everything from workouts to 100 milers. While it doesn’t have a rockplate, it’s much more stable and durable than previous versions of the shoe, which could feel packed out and mushy after just 100 miles. After 140-plus miles, our primary tester experienced no issues with excessive wear and no ankle turns, an issue that had plagued her in previous versions.

With 5-millimeter lugs, this shoe handles technical trails better than most other shoes in this guide, but it is not as adept on pavement. Aside from that, this shoe does basically everything well — and at $130, that value is hard to beat, which is why we also featured it in our Best Trail Running Shoes guide.

For an even deeper look, you can read our full Hoka Torrent 4 review.

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Nike Pegasus 41 ($145)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.9 oz (281 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 37/27 mm | Drop: 10 mm

Pros:

• Tremendous surface and functional versatility
• Excellent outsole
• Great value

Cons:

• Requires a break-in period

The Nike Pegasus 41 is one of our testing team’s most beloved shoes. It has appeared in multiple guides, from Best Running Shoes to Best Half Marathon Running Shoes, and its versatility on a variety of surfaces also lands it in this guide.One of the primary reasons we love this shoe so much is that it does so much so well. While this shoe is technically characterized as a daily trainer, you could use it for workouts and races, too. Nike uses its classic waffle-inspired rubber outsole on this shoe, making it a go-to option for those runs that hit multiple surfaces. Our primary tester ran in these shoes on pavement, gravel, and dirt roads, and trails — sometimes in a single run — and they were the only pair that iRunFar Founding Editor Bryon Powell wore for his course-record win at last year’s Ultra Gobi 400k, a run through the desert that traversed multiple surfaces. This outsole is one of the best we’ve ever tested.

In the midsole, Nike upgraded the cushioning to its ReactX foam, one of its premium foams that offers a smooth, comfortable ride underfoot. The upper is made of a breathable engineered mesh and has a wider fit, making it more inclusive than previous versions. Overall, this shoe is a workhorse that can do basically everything well.

You can read our Nike Pegasus 41 review for a more detailed look.

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Merrell Antora 4 ($140)

Actual Weight (U.S. women’s 10.5/men’s 9): 9.3 oz (263 g) | Stack Height (heel/toe): 29/21 mm | Drop: 8 mm

Pros:

• Lightweight and stylish
• Runs well on pavement, dirt roads, and gravel
• Women-specific fit

Cons:

• Unstable on technical terrain
• Not suited for longer efforts

The Merrell Antora 4 is a women-specific shoe that can run well on a variety of surfaces, including pavement, gravel, smooth dirt roads, and non-technical trails. It’s another shoe that can serve multiple purposes at a lower price than more specialized options, at the expense of not excelling at anything specific.

The upper, made of engineered mesh with TPU overlays, is breathable and provides adequate protection on smooth surfaces, and after more than 100 miles of desert running, it has shown little sign of wear. On mellow terrain, the shoe feels solid, but once you hit more technical trails, you can feel its lack of lateral stability. In the midsole, Merrell uses an EVA foam, which provides decent cushioning on shorter efforts but is probably too firm for longer ones.

While Merrell classifies it as a trail running shoe, we’d put it in a less robust category due to its lack of rockplate and robust cushioning. The outsole features durable 3-millimeter lugs that transition well between surfaces but do not provide enough grip for technical, loose, or muddy trails.

Style is, of course, subjective, but this is one of those shoes that stands out because of the way it looks. Our tester said that it looked “petite” and comes in several appealing colorways, including some floral prints, making it a shoe that wouldn’t look out of place in non-running contexts. You could wear them to the grocery store or coffee shop without, in the words of our primary tester, “your look screaming Trail Runner.”

Overall, this is a solid option for those seeking a women-specific shoe that looks good and performs well on roads, gravel, and light trails. The men’s version of this shoe is the Merrell Nova 4.

For a more in-depth look, you can read our Merrell Antora 4 review.

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Comparing the Best Road-to-Trail Shoes

SHOE	PRICE	WEIGHT	DROP	DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
Nike Pegasus Trail 5	$155	10.2 ounces	9.5 millimeters	Go everywhere versatility
Brooks Cascadia 19	$150	10.7 ounces	6 millimeters	Rugged enough for  technical terrain
Hoka Challenger 8	$155	9.3 ounces	8 millimeters	Plush cushioning
adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra	$220	9.5 ounces	8 millimeters	Speedy shoe for non-heel strikers
Inov8 Trailfly	$150	9.6 ounces	6 millimeters	Grip on dry ground
Altra Mont Blanc Carbon	$260	9.4 ounces	0 millimeters	Speedy shoe for low-drop lovers
Hoka Torrent 4	$130	9.0 ounces	5 millimeters	Affordable go anywhere shoe
Nike Pegasus 41	$145	9.9 ounces	10 millimeters	Truly versatile road shoe
Merrell Antora 4	$140	9.3 ounces	8 millimeters	Women’s specific fit

 

Glossary

• Road-to-Trail Shoe: A shoe that is designed for running on both roads and trails. Depending on their construction, road-to-trail shoes can serve you well on several surfaces, from pavement to trails to packed dirt and gravel roads. Road-to-trail shoes typically feature a blend of features typically associated with road shoes and trail shoes, like ample midsole cushioning, lugs, and rock plates. None of the shoes in this guide are designated as road-to-trail shoes, but all tick the various boxes that make them good on a variety of surfaces.
• Stack Height: The amount of cushion between your foot and the ground, measured in millimeters at the heel and forefoot. Though stack heights can range from 10 millimeters to 40-plus millimeters, they typically fall between 25 and 35 millimeters for most shoes.
• Drop: The difference in stack height between the heel and toe, measured in millimeters. Higher drops indicate more cushion at the heel than at the forefoot, and often mean the shoe is better suited for heel strikers. A lower drop indicates the cushion is more evenly dispersed throughout the shoe and helps create a more responsive ride. Low-drop shoes are typically better for midfoot or forefoot strikers. Drop is also often called “heel-to-toe drop” or “offset.”
• Upper: The top of the shoe, which includes everything above its midsole
• Midsole: The layer(s) of foam between a shoe’s outsole and upper. The midsole is often considered the most important part of a shoe because it provides the cushion.
• Outsole: The bottom of the shoe, usually made of a rubber-like compound, that makes contact with the ground.
• Lugs: The small rubber cleats on the shoe’s outsole that provide traction on trails and other unpaved surfaces. Road-to-trail shoes typically have lugs 2 to 4 millimeters deep.
• Toebox: The front part of the shoe, which surrounds the ball of the foot and toes. Runners with wider feet will want to search for shoes with a wider toebox.

How to Choose Road-to-Trail Shoes

Surface

This is a guide for road-to-trail shoes, so all of our picks perform well on both surfaces, but the relative proportion of your time on each surface and the type of trail you plan to run could influence your choice. Will most of your miles be on pavement with just a little non-technical trail sprinkled in? A true road shoe that can handle light trails, like the Nike Pegasus 41, would be a good pick. Do you plan to run on mostly gravel or dirt roads? The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra or Altra Mont Blanc Carbon both excel in that arena, as does the Merrell Antora 4 for those seeking a women-specific fit. Will you find yourself on technical trails at some point during your road-to-trail run? The Inov8 Trailfly offers excellent grip in these conditions, and the Brooks Cascadia 19 and Hoka Torrent 4 also perform well when the trails get steeper and more technical.

Or maybe you just want one shoe for every surface outside of the most technical trails. In that case, we’d recommend going with our top overall pick, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5.

Use

In addition to maximizing fun, using shoes for their intended purpose is both a good way to extend their lifespan and boost your training. While versatility is one of the top things we look for in most of the shoes we review, the reality is that some shoes are better suited for different purposes.

If you’re looking for a shoe to race on relatively smooth terrain, we’d point you toward the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra or the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon — both are carbon-plated super shoes that will give you some extra juice when you’re hunting a PR. They’re lightweight, bouncy, and, of course, expensive, both costing upward of $200. Most of the other shoes on our list could be used for racing, too, but none of them would offer the same performance as these two.

For an everyday trainer that could double as a workout shoe, we loved the Nike Pegasus 41 and the Hoka Torrent 4. Both are light enough to move relatively quickly while still holding up over hundreds of miles.

Cushion

A shoe’s cushion, typically characterized by its midsole foam and quantified by its stack height, is often considered its most important feature. Accordingly, companies spend a lot of time and money researching and developing the best foams for running shoes. In the era of highly cushioned shoes, we have entire guides devoted to the Best Cushioned Running Shoes and the Best Cushioned Trail Running Shoes, and several shoes with high stack heights and premium foams made it in this guide.

How much cushioning you need is likely dependent on what you’ll primarily be using the shoes for. If you plan on putting in lots of long efforts, a more cushioned shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, which has a stack height of 42 millimeters, could be a good option. The Hoka Challenger 8 is another option with lots of cushion that our testers loved for everyday road-to-trail runs. If you’re seeking a more responsive, low-to-the-ground feel, meanwhile, a shoe like the Inov8 Trailfly or Merrell Antora 4, which each have a stack height of 29 millimeters, might suit your needs better. The Hoka Torrent 4, with 33 millimeters of stack height, strikes a nice balance between cushion and responsiveness.

The type of foam also matters. Our testers love the ReactX foam in the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 and Nike Pegasus 41. It’s one of the company’s premium foams, second only to the foam it uses in its racing super shoes. Our primary tester of the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon enjoyed the foam combo of the brand’s Ego Max and Ego Pro.

Drop

Drop refers to the difference in stack height between the heel and toe, and it can range from more than 10 millimeters to zero. Shoes with higher drop, like the 10 millimeters of the Nike Pegasus 41 or the 8 millimeters of the Hoka Challenger 8, offer more cushioning at the heel and are therefore typically better suited for heel strikers. A more moderate drop, like the 6 millimeters of the Brooks Cascadia 19 or the 5 millimeters of the Hoka Torrent 4, signifies the cushioning is spread more evenly throughout the shoe and can encourage a foot strike that lands near the middle or front of your foot. And then there are zero-drop shoes, like the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon, which has the same amount of cushioning at the heel and forefoot. Running in these shoes typically requires ample build-up before your leg muscles and tendons are ready to handle the majority of your miles in them.

Cost

Cost might be the first thing you consider when buying shoes. While it’s hard to find a quality shoe under $100 these days, the upper end of shoe price points can push $300, so there’s a lot of variation. To that end, we tried to include a range of shoes at a variety of price points in this guide, and we believe that even the lower-priced options are great shoes.

Our least expensive pick, the Hoka Torrent 4 at $130, is also among the most versatile, adept at handling pavement and more technical trails. While there’s nothing super fancy about this shoe, it’s a good, everyday pair that can rack up the miles for half the cost of the most expensive shoe in this guide. The Merrell Antora 4 ($140) is another shoe in this category. In the middle price range, you’ll find shoes like the Inov8 Trailfly ($150) and Brooks Cascadia 19 ($150), which have the traction to handle more technical trails, and the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 ($155), which boasts a stellar foam and outsole. And at the high end, the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra ($220) and Altra Mont Blanc Carbon ($260) are the most specialized, with premium foams and carbon plates that make them race-ready. We’d recommend them for anyone hunting fast times.

Why You Should Trust Us

To make our picks for this guide, we asked our highly experienced team of testers across the country which shoes they turned to for road-to-trail runs. Our testers run in several shoes each year, noting their fit, comfort, cushion, responsiveness, traction, and more. They run in every pair they recommend for at least 100 miles — and usually more — on every surface and in every condition imaginable. The shoes that made it into this guide are their standout choices for mixed-terrain runs. We’ll continue to update this guide based on our continued testing of new shoes that come on the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need road-to-trail shoes?

The running industry often makes you think you need the next big thing, and right now, one of them is a pair of road-to-trail shoes. While they certainly have benefits, you don’t need to buy a pair of shoes specifically for road-to-trail runs, or a pair that the brand specifically markets as “road-to-trail.” A pair you have right now — or a versatile, affordable shoe like the Hoka Torrent 4 — might do the trick.

The best road-to-trail shoes thread the needle between the two surfaces. They offer protection and stability on the trails, they’re not too clunky or luggy for the roads, and they strike a balance between cushion and responsiveness for both surfaces. In the view of our testers, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5 and Hoka Challenger 8 were the shoes that checked all of these boxes the best.

Can I just wear road or trail shoes for road-to-trail runs?

Yes! In fact, none of the shoes we selected for this guide are marketed specifically as road-to-trail shoes. Eight of them, including our top pick, the Nike Pegasus Trail 5, are trail shoes, and one of them — the Nike Pegasus 41 — is classified as a road shoe.

What all of these shoes have in common, of course, is good performance on both surfaces. That means they have some type of traction for the trails — and some of the luggier ones like the Inov8 Trailfly can handle more technical terrain — without being overbearingly sticky on pavement. Lots of road shoes and trail shoes are versatile enough to handle both surfaces. The Brooks Cascadia 19 is another shoe that can transition between the roads and more technical terrain with ease.

All that said, we also want you to get the most out of your shoe for the long haul, which means using it for its intended purpose. Our picks for road-to-trail shoes are purposefully versatile, but several aren’t meant for technical trails, and others aren’t meant for long efforts on the road.

How should I choose a road-to-trail shoe?

You should first ask yourself what you plan to use the shoe for: mostly road running, mostly trail running, mostly gravel or dirt running, everyday miles, workouts and races, or some combination of all of these. A shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra or the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon would be an excellent choice for fast efforts on smooth terrain, whereas the Brooks Cascadia 19 would be better suited for runs that feature both roads and trails with rocks and roots.

Once you’ve determined your primary purpose for them, consider how the shoe fits and feels when you try it on for the first time. As a basic rule of thumb, you want a shoe to be comfortable out of the box and to get more comfortable as you break it in. You want a pair that’s secure enough to offer a comfortable ride on multiple surfaces without being constricting. Next, you want to determine your preference for cushioning. Are you seeking something with a more traditional low-to-the-ground trail feel, like the Inov8 Trailfly, or a more cushioned option like the Hoka Challenger 8? Overall, you want a shoe that’s comfortable and performs well on the surfaces you run.

What’s the best road-to-trail shoe?

The best road-to-trail shoe is the one that meets your needs and budget. For some people, that means going for a super shoe like the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, while others just need the everyday simplicity of a shoe like the Merrell Antora 4.

Because of its versatility and comfort, our top pick for road-to-trail shoes was the Nike Pegasus Trail 5. It checks almost all the boxes we were looking for in a true road-to-trail shoe.

What’s a “gravel shoe”? Should I also be buying a pair of those?

No! “Gravel shoe” is just the latest branding trend that companies like to use to make their products seem new and different. Over the years, shoes that can handle pavement, dirt and gravel road, and mildly technical trails have been labeled hybrid shoes, road-to-trail shoes, door-to-trail shoes, all-terrain shoes, crossover running shoes, and, most recently, gravel shoes. There’ll be a new name for the same type of shoe in a few years, unless companies recycle an old one! Regardless of the label, all of the road-to-trail shoes we chose for this guide will serve you very well on gravel.

Call for Comments

• What’s your go-to shoe for multiple surfaces?
• What do you look for in a road-to-trail shoe?

Back to Our Best Road-to-Trail Running Shoe Picks

Best Road-to-Trail Shoes of 2025 by Robbie Harms.

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The post Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoes of 2025 appeared first on iRunFar.

When finding the best lightweight trail running shoes, you want one that strikes a balance between being nimble, durable, and cushioned enough to be comfortable but light enough to let you fly. This guide shares the best lightweight trail shoes with an aim to keep the weight for a U.S. men’s 9 under 9 ounces, although two pairs snuck in just over that weight. Because the shoes here are very light, generally narrow, and with low-volume midsoles, many — but not all(!) — are not well suited for ultramarathon distances but are perfect for zooming up, down, and across everything from buttery singletrack to buttressed mountains.

We tested the shoes across various conditions and distances to determine which were best when speed was of the essence.

You can also learn more about finding the right lightweight trail shoes by jumping to our how-to-choose section.

Check out our best trail running shoes guide for more generalist trail shoes.

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoes

• Best Overall Lightweight Trail Running Shoe: The North Face Vectiv Sky 2
• Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Short Distance: Brooks Catamount Agil
• Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Technical Terrain: VJ Lightspeed
• Most Comfortable Lightweight Trail Running Shoe: Norda 005
• Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Up to 50k Distances: La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
• Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Smooth Singletrack: Hoka Tecton X 3

Best Overall Lightweight Trail Running Shoe: The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 ($200)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 8.4 oz (238 g) | Stack Height: 28/22 mm heel/toe | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Soft but poppy midsole
• “Just enough” lug pattern provides great ground feel while descending

Cons:

• Midfoot lockdown could be improved
• Ridiculously long laces

Though it launched with less fanfare than the hyper-stacked, super-shoe counterpart Vectiv Pro 3 ($250), The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 ($200) is arguably the stronger all-around trail racing shoe between the brand’s two premium options at the moment. That’s a bit ironic, considering the Pro line has historically been the more enjoyable option, while the original Sky fell short of expectations.

With the Sky 2, The North Face made two major changes to the upper. The tongue system has been improved and replaced with a thinner, more traditional gusseted tongue, resulting in a more secure and comfortable fit. The midsole also feels faster and more forgiving, elevating the ride quality compared to the first version.

The Sky 2’s midsole is constructed entirely from Dream foam, a nitrogen-infused TPU that delivers a smooth, propulsive sensation underfoot. It softens the ride noticeably while also reducing weight compared to the original. The shoe also features a forked Vectiv 3.0 carbon plate with three prongs that run independently along the left, center, and right through the forefoot. These prongs merge at the midfoot and extend as a single plate through the heel. The left and right arms even wrap slightly upward, forming stabilizing “wings” along the medial and lateral sides.

With a 6-millimeter drop (28 millimeter heel/22 millimeter forefoot stack height), the Sky 2 avoids the stability issues that plague higher-stacked models like the Vectiv Pro 3, which sits on a 40 millimeter heel. Despite being lighter than the original, the Sky 2 actually gained traction with deeper outsole lugs — now 5 millimeters, up from 3.5 millimeters — and a redesigned Surface Control rubber compound.

This shoe stands out from the pack for one simple reason — it’s fun, extremely fast, and highly effective to run in.

The midsole foam delivers an energetic ride, while the overall weight remains impressively competitive. Add in a remarkably capable outsole, and you’ve got a combination that makes this model hard to beat. A U.S. men’s 9 in the The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 has an actual weight of just 8.4 ounces (238 gram).

Watch out for our forthcoming full review of The North Face Vectic Sky 2.

Shop the The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 – Unisex

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Short Distance: Brooks Catamount Agil ($180)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 8.0 oz (226 g) | Stack Height: 16/10 mm heel/toe | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Great close-to-ground feeling while descending
• Substantial lugs for a low-profile shoe

Cons:

• Forefoot too narrow for some runners
• Midsole unforgiving for distances over a half marathon

According to its maker, the Brooks Catamount Agil is its “fastest trail shoe, ever,” and after testing it on short, technical courses with steep climbs and descents, we couldn’t agree more. This isn’t a Caldera built for 100-mile ultras — it simply doesn’t have the weight or cushioning to protect your legs for that kind of pounding. But for shorter, punchy trail races where speed and agility matter most, it’s one of the best options out there.

What sets the Catamount Agil apart right away is how low it sits to the ground. With a stack height of just 16 millimeters in the heel and 10 millimeters in the forefoot — making for a 6 millimeter drop — it offers exceptional trail feel.

Instead of the familiar SkyVault carbon plate found in the Catamount 3, Brooks opted for a Pebax SpeedVault Trail Plate paired with their nitrogen-infused DNA FLASH v2 foam. This combination delivers a lively, propulsive ride with a surprising level of forgiveness for a plated shoe. Pebax, a polymer derived from castor beans, is lighter and more supportive than carbon, offering a smoother, more comfortable experience without sacrificing responsiveness.

Brooks also made a bold choice with the outsole. The Catamount Agil features 4.5-millimeter deep lugs — deeper than many lightweight trail shoes. While you might feel a slight rocking sensation standing still, once you’re moving downhill, those lugs provide exceptional grip and confidence. This outsole design gives it a major advantage over rivals like the Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 2, which skimps on traction in the name of weight savings.

Another reason the Catamount Agil excels in short-distance racing is its agility. Unlike many rigid-plated shoes that feel locked in one direction, the Agil naturally flexes and bends with quick side-to-side movements, perfect for technical trails with tight switchbacks or root-filled sections.

Fit-wise, the Agil strikes a great balance. The one-piece mesh upper wraps the foot precisely without being restrictive, and the lacing system locks in securely. For wide feet, the upper accommodates without feeling tight, though I’d recommend sizing up if you’re between sizes, as the overall fit leans narrow. Unfortunately, Brooks doesn’t offer this shoe in the half size between 12 and 13. Still, if in doubt, size up.

We have raced the Catamount Agil in trail races up to 12 kilometers, and it truly shines when the course is shorter but elevation gain and technical challenge are high — think vertical kilometers or fast trail half marathons. We often joke about low-stack, low-weight trail racing shoes that are like track spikes with lugs (remember the original Arc’teryx Norvan SL?). Well, in this guide, the Catamount Agil is that shoe. It would take an extremely nimble runner to use these comfortably on anything longer than 20- to 30-kilometer races.

Shop Brooks Catamount Agil – Unisex

Most Comfortable Lightweight Trail Running Shoe: Norda 005 ($325)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9.5): 8.1 o (230 g) | Stack Height: 28.5/21.5 mm heel/toe | Drop: 7 mm

Pros:

• Midsole might be the most comfortable of any current trail shoe, lightweight or not!
• Vibram Megagrip Elite, currently exclusive to this shoe, is great on dirt roads

Cons:

• So damn expensive
• Less nimble descender than some other shoes in this guide

The Norda 005 ($325) is a standout in the lightweight trail racing category because it blends comfort, durability, and speed like few others. Unlike most super shoes, the 005 skips the carbon plate and opts for innovative materials that deliver a smooth, cushy ride without sacrificing responsiveness.

The key to its comfort is the midsole’s Arnitel TPEE foam, which offers great energy return while staying softer and more forgiving than typical trail super shoe foams. This creates a plush yet lively platform that cushions your feet on technical terrain and long efforts without feeling harsh or dead underfoot.

The shoe’s stack height is moderate — 28 millimeters in the heel and 21 millimeters in the forefoot for a 7-millimeter drop — which strikes the right balance between protection and ground feel. Unlike many bulky trail super shoes that feel unstable on descents, the Norda 005 stays nimble and confident on rocky, rooty downhills.

Up top, the Dyneema bio-based upper is both ultralight and incredibly durable. It’s breathable, sheds water well, and offers a glove-like fit that keeps your foot secure but comfortable. This combination of a protective upper and plush midsole makes the 005 a shoe you can wear all day, whether racing or training.

Outsole traction is another highlight. Vibram’s Megagrip Elite rubber, with a Tetris-like lug pattern, provides sticky, reliable grip across varied terrain, from fast fire roads to technical singletrack. The lugs are deep enough to bite but not so aggressive that they punish your calves on longer runs.

For runners who prioritize comfort without sacrificing weight or performance, the Norda 005 is an exceptional choice. It’s durable, supportive, and cushioned enough to tackle tough terrain with confidence, all while weighing less than many traditional trail shoes. The step-in feel is unlike any shoe in this guide, the perfect plushness with efficiency.

Watch or read our full Norda 005 review.

Shop the Men’s Norda 005Shop the Women’s Norda 005

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Technical Terrain: VJ Lightspeed ($200)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 8.4 oz (238 g) | Stack Height: 29/23 mm heel/toe | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Perfect midsole mix of foam and plate makes for a very propulsive ride
• Excellent lockdown

Cons:

• Requires more skill to descend confidently (even with great grip)
• Narrow upper for some runners

The VJ Lightspeed ($200) is one of the lightest trail shoes available for runners who like very technical terrain. The underfoot sensations are light, bouncy, and fast — and at just 8.4 ounces (238 grams) for a U.S. men’s size 9, the weight backs up that feeling. But like most of the shoes in this guide, the Lightspeed demands keen proprioceptive awareness and strong ankle and foot control to maximize the experience. It is a very narrow shoe designed for mid-to-forefoot runners who aim for quick and minimal ground contact time.

What really sets the Lightspeed apart on technical trails is its exceptional outsole traction. VJ’s proprietary butyl-rubber outsole delivers some of the stickiest grip you’ll find on any trail shoe, holding firm on wet rocks, loose gravel, and roots. The 3.5-millimeter square lugs are a smart balance — not overly aggressive but enough to bite into loose and uneven surfaces without packing mud. Narrow outsole slits provide natural flexibility, allowing the shoe to adapt to quick directional changes and maintain contact with the trail.

Underfoot, the shoe combines a nitrogen-infused SuperFOAMance midsole with a Y-shaped Pebax propulsion plate. This setup offers a springy ride with the right mix of cushioning and stability. The plate adds torsional support, helping your foot stay steady and responsive. Together, they promote the fast and agile footwork needed for fast running on technical terrain.

The fit is another critical factor. The snug upper is made of a thick Kevlar-based material that wraps the foot very securely. The FitLock midsole wrap enhances midfoot lockdown, preventing unwanted foot movement during sharp turns or sudden balance shifts.

In races, we’ve noticed the shoe’s superior grip and responsive support allow you to attack technical descents confidently. For experienced trail runners seeking a lightweight, precise racer that thrives on technical terrain, the VJ Lightspeed is hard to beat. Overall, the Lightspeed offers an exceptional blend of speed and control for runners with the foot strength and skill to maximize its technical running potential.

Read our full VJ Lightspeed review.

Shop VJ Lightspeed – Unisex

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Up to 50k Distances: La Sportiva Prodigio Pro ($225)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9.5): 9.4 oz (267 g) | Stack Height: 34/28 mm heel/toe | Drop: 6 mm

Pros:

• Similar but more stable ride than carbon-plated shoes
• Great rockered design

Cons:

• Bulkier and heavier than other shoes in this guide

Longtime La Sportiva acolytes were caught off guard with the launch of the original Prodigio and even more so by the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. Never before has La Sportiva offered such a soft midsole foam, an exaggerated rocker, and its signature sticky rubber in the same package. And on top of all that, the fit was even a bit forgiving, offering non-narrow-footed folks a chance to slip into its glove-like upper without consternation.

This shoe really hits a sweet spot between cushioning, responsiveness, and durability — while still feeling light enough to keep you quick and agile on technical terrain.

Alongside the Hoka Tecton X 3, the Prodigio Pro is about as “maximal” as things get in this guide. With a 34-millimeter stack height under the heel and 28 millimeters at the toe for a 6-millimeter drop, it’s got more stack and a burlier build than most of the svelte racers out there, which makes it all the more surprising that it tips the scales at just 9.4 ounces actual weight for a U.S. men’s 9.5 (equivalent in size to our standard U.S. men’s 9). You wouldn’t immediately peg it as a lightweight option, but it absolutely belongs in that conversation. While it can hang on steep, technical courses, the Prodigio Pro really comes alive on smooth, rolling trails where the rocker geometry lets you flow. And thanks to the FriXion XF 2.0 outsole, you still get that signature La Sportiva bite over pretty much any surface.

The midsole is where things get really interesting. At the heart of the Prodigio Pro is La Sportiva’s XFlow Speed, which ditches the usual carbon plate in favor of a nitrogen-infused TPU core wrapped in an EVA+NITRO cage. The result is a ride that feels springy and propulsive but without the stiffness or instability you sometimes get in plated shoes. It’s responsive enough to race fast, yet forgiving enough to keep your legs intact deep into a 50k.

Up top, the Power Wire knit-looking upper locks your foot down securely, while the knit collar adds both ankle comfort and debris protection. The fit stays snug and supportive, but — rare for La Sportiva — the toebox gives you room to splay out and swell a bit on longer days.

The Prodigio Pro has been described as feeling like a “super shoe” without the plate. It delivers real energy return and protection without beating you up. True to La Sportiva form, durability is a strength: This is a shoe built to last through many racing seasons.

Read our full La Sportiva Prodigio Pro review.

Shop the Men’s La Sportiva Prodigio ProShop the Women’s La Sportiva Prodigio Pro

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoe for Smooth Singletrack: Hoka Tecton X 3 ($275)

Actual Weight (U.S. men’s 9): 9.3 oz (265 g) | Stack Height: 40/35 mm heel/toe | Drop: 5 mm

Pros:

• Enjoyable midsole bounce at speed
• Deep Vibram lugs provide great grip over many conditions

Cons:

• Built-in gaiter can be a deal breaker for many runners
• Midsole provides the tippiest ride of any shoe in the guide

The Hoka Tecton X 3 is built for speed on smooth, flowing singletrack, offering the rare combination of light weight, plush cushioning, and reliable protection. Now in its third version, the shoe benefits from refinements shaped by elite athlete feedback, and it feels more polished and versatile than ever.

With an actual weight of 9.3 ounces for a U.S. men’s 9, the Tecton X 3 balances a 5-millimeter drop and generous 40-millimeter heel stack height and 35-millimeter forefoot stack with surprising agility. The PEBA midsole layers provide a cushioned, energetic feel, while two parallel carbon plates add a snappy, propulsive response. Unlike many plated shoes that can feel overly stiff or unstable, the plates here flex independently, giving the shoe both drive and stability when the trails get uneven. It feels powerful without being demanding, and smooth without being dull — a rare balance in the plated trail category.

The biggest update is the Matryx upper, which now includes a knit gaiter that wraps around the ankle and tongue. This detail keeps grit and pebbles out, a small but meaningful improvement for anyone who’s had to stop mid-run to shake out debris, although any integrated gaiter is a drawback for some users. The upper offers a snug and secure fit through the midfoot while leaving enough room for comfort on longer days. Some testers found it a touch less precise on highly technical terrain, but on its intended surface — smooth, rolling singletrack — it hits the mark.

Traction comes from a Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole with redesigned 4-millimeter lugs. The pattern provides confident grip on both wet and dry trails, with better braking on descents compared to earlier versions, yet never feels overly aggressive on firm ground.

Over the long term, the Tecton X 3 feels fast, springy, and stable — an ideal combination for runners who want to push the pace without sacrificing comfort over long distances. It’s equally at home in race scenarios and long training runs, offering the durability to handle heavy mileage while still feeling like a true performance shoe. For smooth singletrack where speed is the goal, this is Hoka at its best.

Our full review of the Hoka Tecton X 3 is on its way.

Shop the Men’s Hoka Tecton X 3Shop the Women’s Hoka Tecton X 3

Comparing the Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoes

SHOE	PRICE	WEIGHT	DROP
The North Face Vectiv Sky 2	$200	8.4 ounces	6 millimeters
Brooks Catamount Agil	$180	8.0 ounces	6 millimeters
Norda 005	$325	8.1 ounces	7 millimeters
VJ Lightspeed	$200	8.4 ounces	6 millimeters
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro	$225	9.4 ounces	6 millimeters
Hoka Tecton X 3	$275	9.3 ounces	5 millimeters

 

Why and How to Choose a Lightweight Trail Racing Shoe

The shoes in this guide are best for shorter trail runs and races, such as vertical kilometers, half marathons, marathons, 50-kilometer races, and most skyrunning-style races where speed is more important than comfort. Stack height and heel-to-toe drop in lightweight shoes tend to be lower since ground feel is very important for moving fast over technical trails. The innovations that have poured over into trail running shoes from its cousins on the road — like super foams and carbon plates — can work in lightweight trail racing shoes, but there are fairly limited standouts to date.

For some of these shoes, their relative lack of comfort and cushion limits them to particular course lengths and types of terrain. Know your shoe’s characteristics and the race course terrain, and choose accordingly. A shoe like the Brooks Catamount Agil would provide quite a beating if worn for distances longer than a marathon or 50k.

Also, remember that these lightweight trail shoes aren’t just for races! For those of us whose daily run doesn’t often exceed 10 miles, you could log many or even most of your runs in these shoes. Even if you are not looking for the best trail racing shoes, consider the shoes in this guide perfect for daily training runs when you prefer faster-feeling shoes with a more streamlined design. For example, you would be hard pressed to find a more fun and faster shoe for virtually any run than the Norda 005, though its extremely high cost may have you from saving it just for race day. Testers found the Hoka Tecton X 3 comfortable enough for day-to-day running.

If you’re looking for more information on trail running shoes that provide more comfort and are better suited to everyday running, check out our Best Trail Running Shoes guide. If you’re looking for even more comfort, take a look at our Best Cushioned Trail Running Shoes guide for shoes that will put plenty of bounce in your step.

Weight

How low should you go when choosing the best lightweight trail running shoes for your feet? All the shoes in this guide are 9.5 ounces or less, but their degrees of lightness vary greatly. If the average ultrarunning shoe is around 10 ounces, then the eight-ounce Brooks Catamount Agil will feel like an entirely different shoe class.

While all the shoes in this guide are very light, they have different enough characteristics to make them feel significantly different. You might opt for a slightly heavier shoe, such as the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro, because of preferences for the midsole or the more aggressive outsole, or you might opt for the very lightest option because that’s what’s important to you.

A weight limit is a good benchmark when selecting a lightweight trail racing shoe, but there are many more elements to consider, and we chose a good cross-section of shoes with multiple features besides being light.

Some of the shoes in this guide are almost 50% lighter than normal trail running shoes. Does that make the best lightweight trail shoes minimalist? Not at all. These lightweight trail running shoes are indeed light, but that’s where the minimalist comparisons end. Many of these shoes are cushioned, grippy, durable, and robust. In fact, the Hoka Tecton X 3 and La Sportiva Prodigio Pro are fully maximal shoes at fairly minimal weights.

Comfort

Are any of these shoes actually comfortable? Unfortunately, many of this guide’s best lightweight trail running shoes will not win a “most comfortable” competition if you compare them to shoes made for going super long, whether in ultramarathons or all-day adventure runs.

Most of these shoes are narrow and wide-footed runners, or those with bunions, may question which is least uncomfortable rather than choosing something particularly enjoyable to wear. The shoes here aren’t minimalist in the vein of barefoot trail running shoes, and many are actually very neutral in gait, but all are generally narrow and tough on runners with wide feet and feet prone to swelling during a long run. This is more of an issue regarding the upper and shape of these shoes rather than the midsole feel, the latter of which is fairly outstanding in all the shoes in this guide.

All that being said, The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 is a reasonably comfortable shoe, especially for a lightweight one, and the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro has a wider and more comfortable fit than many other shoes from the brand.

Durability

While durability for short trail races and quick training isn’t as important as for a 100-mile race, it is still something to consider. All the shoes tested proved nearly as durable as their heavier counterparts.

The real innovation here is that so many brands can merge cushy midsoles into lightweight shoes. To our delight, the shoes in this guide maintained the midsole ride as much as heavier shoes we’ve tested.

In general, upper durability is not as important as the midsole and outsole when choosing the best lightweight trail running shoes, but it is still a factor. The uppers of these shoes are excellent, and we didn’t find any to wear excessively quickly. Still, because they are lightweight shoes, most of the uppers will wear out more quickly than your normal running shoes, save for the Dyneema upper on the Norda 005, as Dyneema is purportedly one of the most durable modern textiles for the weight. The updated upper of the Hoka Tecton X 3 is made of Matryx mesh and held up well on trails, and the VJ Lightspeed, even with its propensity for technical trail running and the inevitable damage that brings, has proven to be highly abrasion-resistant in rough terrain.

Outsole and Midsole Characteristics

The type of trail race you’re running or the terrain you train on will likely influence the type of outsole and midsole you want.

The outsole on the Hoka Tecton X 3 is fairly low profile, but the midsole stack height is too extreme to move with reliable stability over technical terrain. The North Face Vectiv Sky 2 has an aggressive lug pattern and is excellent for descending on all terrain, but the low stack and midsole may leave you hurting after a 1,000-foot descent.

The solution is to choose a shoe with outsole and midsole characteristics that match the course you’re running. When selecting a shoe, pay attention to the midsole density, midsole stack height, lug pattern, and the type of outsole rubber compound.

Why You Should Trust Us

Don’t worry; despite creating this guide for the best lightweight trail running shoes that are more appropriate for sub-ultramarathon-distance racing, we haven’t changed our name to iRunShort! Even if we are named iRunFar, we have years of experience on trails and in races of every distance.

Many runners can and will push these shoes beyond a marathon or 50-kilometer distance, but we wanted to test shoes that would be most inviting for short and steep trail running and mountain running. This is like wearing a pair of road shoes versus spikes at a track workout — different tools for different running.

We zeroed in on lightweight shoes that are more well-rounded for all kinds of trail running, instead of some shoes made traditionally just for running in mud or fell running. We left these out mainly because they are a category unto themselves.

To create this guide, we researched hundreds of shoes in the trail running space, narrowed our potential shoes to those weighing 9.5 ounces or less, and took a couple of dozen shoes into the field. We tested these shoes across the U.S.’s mountain west, primarily in Boulder and Silverton, Colorado, and Bend, Oregon.

Please note that product models are routinely discontinued in the running world, while new ones frequently come to market. At the same time, we here at iRunFar often keep using our top picks in our daily running they’re our top picks, after all! Sometimes, that continued use results in uncovering product failures. With all this — product discontinuations, product introductions, and product failures — in mind, we routinely update our buyer’s guides based on past and ongoing testing and research by our authors and editorial team. While these updates can appear to be us pushing the newest product, it’s anything but that. Most products will likely remain the same when we update any buyer’s guide. That matches our goal: to get you in the best gear you’ll use for a long time.

Call for Comments

• What are your favorite lightweight trail shoes?
• When do you pull out your lightweight trail shoes?

Back to Our Top Lightweight Trail Running Shoes Picks

Best Lightweight Trail Running Shoes of 2025 by Craig Randall.

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