Best Trail Running Shoes 2023 | Ft HOKA, inov8, Brooks, Altra

[@ciaranokelly8918]

Love the Brooks Cascadia 16's, they have carried me through all conditions over all distances, from dust and gravel road 5ks to boggy 100 milers. Truly fantastic all rounders. Very excited to get the 17's as i'm due to retire my current pair

[@MartinCloon]

Huge fan of Brooks. Have just ordered the Cascadia 16. Should be here (Ireland) in a day or two. Hopefully they will properly compliment my multiple pairs of Ghosts?

[@CaptainBrash]

Would love a winter running shoes video. The UK is bloody horrible in the winter, it's never icy enough for spikes or any crampon type things so you have to just go out in trail shoes and hope you don't die on a stupid little patch of black ice in the dark. xD Though my lone peaks did a brilliant job last winter not sure what I'll go for this winter

[@RossBarton2905]

Mafete Speed 4 is definitely the best. I used these for my Blackall 50K race in October 23 and they were brilliant.

[@etienneoneill5288]

Hoka Tecton x 2s all the way. Best upper of any running shoe I've owned, trail or road, and feel great underfoot.

[@cicigarry]

Wore the Evadict MT Cushion 2 for the RTTK 50k Day1 two days ago. Loved the cushioning on the rocks and also the roads, excellent grip downhill, and breathable. Plus, I think they look cool!

[@Namoraslife]

I love my Altra Lone Peaks, I have the last year's model, but other than colour I can't quite see where they differ. Thank you so much for this very insightful comparison!

[@scriptosaurusrex]

New rubber. New lug pattern. As upgrades go, this is a big one.

[@brassteeth3355]

I've been coming to terms with the fact that I can't run. I still get out just a bit slower. Im looking forward to getting new shoes. This video is immensely informative. Thanks and greetings from central Texas.

[@jonl2938]

I needed something to survive winter Parkruns in Northern Ontario (Canada). My Nike Wildhorses are awesome on anything but glare ice. Warm, water proof and very grippy. They’re not a fast shoe, but running in 15cm of fresh snow on top of a few feet of packed snow in -20 weather isn’t about speed… it’s about survival 😁

[@lazzaboyman8003]

Currently in a pair on Inov8 TRAILFLY G 270 as my mid/transition trail shoe and they have been amazing. I wear Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 for pure road running.

[@jsh2479]

Yep, Hoka Speedgoat fan here too!

[@jorgecastillo8289]

lol 😂😂 I love the reaction to the sneakers being thrown at you like a fast ball and I love Sarah but I can’t stop thinking what would happen if James didn’t catch that sneakers going straight to Sarah’s face ouch 🤕🩼😢😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@tiger_katten7043]

Really reccommend the Brand VJ for trail running shoes! VJ irock is my favourite as i like technical terrain and offroad.

[@ijszenga]

Altra Mont Blanc is definitly the best looking of these three!

[@Dan-nn4jg]

Love inov8 roclite 275's as a nice light all-rounder and decathlon xt for summer/light trail.

[@MsElyzee]

Little bit late for this, but first of all, thank you so much for this review, nice to see few of my favorite shoes! :) But where is The best grip on the planet shoe --> VJ? :) would be very nice to have TRC thoughts of that brand :) Love this channel alot! Hi from Finland :)

[@Manuel_712]

Like from Spain. My vote goes to: >40 km- Brooks cascadia 16.

[@pauljennings2425]

Saucony Xodus my new favourite trail shoes. 60 mile hilly, boggy ultra in them and no issues at all

[@vanessamartinez4917]

I love your running shoe videos. I appreciate the categories, but I would have loved to see a best trail shoe for wide feet. 😀👟

[@terrysaunders01]

Altra Lone Peak, and inov-8 Trailfly both have wide toeboxes. inov-8 website on each of the shoes tells you the width fitting - 5 is wide, 1 is narrow; it's really helpful.

[@martharunstheworld]

I LOVE Altras! They're the only running shoes I wear. But I do prefer Timps trail running shoes over Lone Peaks, they have a bit more cushion which I prefer over the rock plate of the LPs. Zero Drop is the only way to go! The Mont Blanc is def the best looking shoe, as far as best shoe of all you picked......I'll go off script and say the Timp! :)

[@andydt82]

Value for money is a funny category - I’ll just get the previous year’s version of a premium shoe for 40% off!

[@accidentalactivist9633]

Currently own Altra Lone Peaks and Inov8 Trailfly G270 V2. Ran up Ben MacDui in the Inov8's and they performed amazingly and have run in the snow with the Lone Peaks that are super comfy. Doing the Thames Path Ultra in September but will probably end up wearing something more road orientated for that.

[@Rustyfox46]

I'm a super fan on Salomon Ultra Glides. But it's each to their own...... 👊🏻

[@B_r_u_c_e]

Thank you. More coverage of wide toe box shoes would be appreciated, especially by us with 2E+ widths.

[@toddboucher3302]

Well, my number one pic that I use for everything is the inov-8 trail fly g270 version two expensive but they last and some people compared it to Hoka I mean to ultras loan peak. Every loan I have has never lasted these things last a good 500 miles Probably 700 km

[@gabebarreiro]

Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 is my best all arounder!

[@GetUpAndRunPodcast]

Dynafit,La Sportiva,North Face and Adidas Terrex Missing? Prominent on the trails and mountains. Can you do it again please 😊

[@jesuismanu]

No Saucony Exodus Ultra? Such amazing traction and great cushion on longer runs!

[@tyrac58]

I’m also curious about the endorphin rifts!

[@bikerdude6119]

I love xodus ultras, no heat spots , no blisters ,when i take my socks off my feet arent red . Awesome shoe for the toe box runner

[@stuart1346]

Inov8’s are best for me no competition. I’m doing a 100k ultra on Saturday in the ultra trail G 280’s and they’ve been great in training.

[@runningchannel]

Good luck for the ultra! How are you feeling about it?

[@stuart1346]

@@runningchannel thanks. I’ve never run more than a marathon before even in the training and it’s in the Cotswolds and quite hilly so the second half is gonna be very hard 😂

[@alexkhan2000]

Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 is the best all-rounder for me with the first version a close second. Then it's the Hoka Mafate Speed 4 and the Saucony Peregrine 13. I also have the inov-8 G 300 Ultra Max and Talon X-260 v2 for certain kinds of weather conditions and terrains but don't use them much. I like the inov-8 G 280 for road-to-trail. Also have the Tecton X, Speedgoat 5, Pulsar Trail Pro, and the Speedland SL:HSV but I don't like them as much as the Xodus Ultra (1 & 2), Mafate Speed 4, and Peregrine 13.

[@bikerdude6119]

I love the xodus ultras!! Thats the only trail shoe i buy

[@alexkhan2000]

@@bikerdude6119 I love them too (both 1 & the new 2), but I recently got the new NB FuelCell SC Trail and it's amazing. Just awesome. It's great for road running as well but is still clearly a trail shoe. Very light and nimble (full ounce lighter the Xodus Ultra 1 & 2 and half-ounce lighter than the Peregrine 13) and has great grip/traction for such a light outsole with low lugs. Handles the technical trails just fine. Worth checking out.

[@ricardobligatoire]

I have HOKA Speedgoat 5 and Brooks Cascadia 15 and love them both! My next pair to try is definitely the HOKA Mafate Speed 4...seems like an upgrade from Speedboat 5's...

[@Shevock]

The best road to trail shoe I've used by far is the Hoka Challenger.

[@DP-no1ny]

Definitely.

[@Luke.B2184]

My go to shoes are the Nike zegama, and lone peak 6 for just tossing on a shoe and cruising, or doing workouts in them, hoka tacton X for races, and fast mountain tempos, and speed intervals.

[@SebastianSonntag]

I recently got the North Face Summit Vectiv Sky (the slightly lighter, lower stack height version compared to the "Pro" model), and did about 400 km of mountain trails over the course of 3 weeks in the Austrian Alps in them. Absolutely phenomenal shoes, especially on fast downhill runs, as long as it's dry, marginal on snow and ice, completely useless in the mud.

[@runningchannel]

Glad you enjoyed them! Why do you say they're bad in mud?

[@SebastianSonntag]

@@runningchannel I'd say it's mostly a combination of the rather shallow 3.5mm lug depth, which makes me slide sideways a lot, and the very open (mesh) upper, allowing mud to get into the shoe almost immediately. Also, I feel like the advantages provided by the carbon plate/rocker combination disappear on softer surfaces.

[@WestNottsRunner]

Very useful video and had this have been 2 months ago would have saved me so much time researching! I decided on the New Balance Hierro v7 as I was after something to get me the couple kms to the light trails and so far so good. Having said that though I need all this sun to go away so I can try them out properly 😂 I got them in green as they remind me of a dinosaur though 😂

[@CaptainBrash]

I've been running in Altras for a couple of years now but definitely considering some inov8. Lone Peaks make a great road to trail shoe though, got like 700 miles in mine of mostly road/winter miles and the soles are worn but still useable on trail.

[@jeretso]

Which one has the most support for overpronation? I have a lot of paved mixed trails. Even the gravel trails are crushed flat.

[@timeonfeet]

Big fan of the North Face Vectiv Enduris 2. Only discovered it this year but super comfortable and reliable and such good value with the reductions there's been on them recently

[@N3wt199]

love my growing collection of Altras!

[@severiner7168]

I was about to comment that my favourite was not on but it got there in the end: love my speedgoat 5. I use them road to trail and trail. When it's super muddy I go for saucony peregrine ST.

[@siiimonz]

Mont Blanc with BOA is best looking!

[@defeqel6537]

I really love Altra shoes, hardly found one that I didn't like. I never want my toes squished again.

[@Estertje93]

I wore my puma's ONCE and the cramping was the worst. I still love my five-fingers the most, but the Altras (I have the superior 5's) are a nice middle ground when my feet are tired (Edit: doesn't mean puma are bad, they are my old shoes and I used to like them... Until I started doing more barefoot running and now I hate them)

[@defeqel6537]

@@Estertje93 I have a few different Altras, but putting on Escalantes is for my feet like putting chocolate in my mouth

[@Estertje93]

@@defeqel6537 I have a feeling I am going to be trying a few different models 😅 at least they're pretty affordable

[@nickpocock8081]

No room for the Saucony Xodus Ultra. A brilliant shoe, so comfortable and great for summer ultra

[@shamharoth]

I've never had any issue with the Salomon Speedcross coming loose and I've had about 4-5 pairs now. Providing you roll the lace around the toggle at the top and then tuck them into the pocket on the tongue of the shoe they seem solid to me. Probably a stupid question, but I'm assuming the reviewer did this?

[@SammyMakepeace]

Lone Peak up for grip is insane

[@DannyWallisRuns]

Shame to see no Saucony mentioned. Xodus Ultra is primo 🔥

[@bikerdude6119]

Thats my go to. I had 2 pairs of the xodus 1 and looking forward to trying out the latest model

[@simonspeckert8503]

loved the nike pegasus trail 3 gtx, the 4th generation just doesn't have the same lugdepth and grip in the mud....

[@adambrown7548]

I’ve been using the Altra lone peak 6 I love them so much grip

[@jollyroger1009]

Ok, that's what I wanted to know: Trabuco vs Peregrine and Cascadia. Thank you!

[@mjowsey]

I was about to comment "what about Brooks and Hoka?" You also had Decathlon I love the look of the HOKA Speedgoat!

[@cgazlan]

Best looking surely the More Trail 3 in WHITE... yeayyy

[@nataliamartinkova]

Can you do a video with a guide of how and when to use what shoe? E.g. do you wear a road or a trail shoe on dried out dirt roads? How much pavement do you tolerate on your route when you have trail shoes on?

[@runningchannel]

We can definitely look into doing that kind of video!

[@DaedalusLabyrinth]

Rick looks a bit different today

[@runningchannel]

hahaha Rick is in some of our other videos

[@korufantasy6892]

wait what i thought he was Rick albeit more chill sounding. having trail trainers for commute sounds like something Rick would do too😅

[@johnnydeefan8807]

Hey there, I'm an army veteran and I'm currently looking to re-enlist. I need a pair of shoes that I can run trails with but also occasionally on paved roads which will be solely used as my rucking shoes, that means I need support to carry loads of up to 40kg whilst running. Which shoes could you recommend? Thanks in advance for any help:)

[@guilletjean-jacques5107]

j ai esayé beaucoup de ces chaussures , et la derniere en date que je viens d acheter est la Nike Wildhorse 8 , j ai toute la gamme nike trail , et je cours en Terra kiger depuis quelques année , je n avais jamais acheté les wioldhorse depuis la version 3 ou 4 , mais cette wildhorse 8 est absolument geniale , vous devriez tester , une chaussure ultra stable , j ai une confiance absolue dans cette chaussure , la mousse react est pour moi la meilleure mousse du marché , ultra confortable , assez dynamique , elle ne perd pas de sa fonctionnalitée , meme apres de nombreux km , le maintien de la chaussure est tres tres bon , associé a la languette rembourrée c est juste hyper comfortable , la place a l avant pied fait que le fan de Altra que j etais (je ne supportes pas le drop zero , j ai pourtant essayé sur plusieurs année sans succes) apprecie grandement cela , et que dire de leur nouvelle gomme sur la semelle exterieur , elle avale absolument tout ce que vous lui mettez , c est juste incroyable l enorme progres que nike a fait a ce niveau , je l ais tellement souhaité au file de toutes ces année , qu ils ont du finir par m entendre !!! enfin une semelle qui accroche sur roche humide , et qui accroche au niveau d une semelle vibram , excusez du peu , c est dire ........enfin vous l aurez compris , cette chaussure a reussi a detroner toutes les chaussures que j ai pu essayer avant ........evidement jusque la ma chaussure de trail prefferréed etait la speedgoat de chez Hoka , j ai fais toutes mes courses ultra dans cette chaussure , meme si je faisais la majeur partie de l entrainement en Nike terra kiger ......alors je ne peus que vous conseiller d aller essayer la Nike wildhorse 8 , et faites nous une video de retour s il vous plait , pour moi une chaussure qui coure dans la meme categorie que la G300 , la cascadia , la catamount2 , la saucony ultra 2 , speedgoat asics trabucco etc.......

[@njpf123]

No endorphin edge for the speed category ?

[@albertogarcien6752]

I am surprised to not see any adidas agravic line here? Were they considered?

[@lorim2000]

PS white shoes are not hard to clean even after a long day in water and mud! I wear a lot of white, I spray them down with cleaner or Dawn detergent, give ‘em a scrub and good to go. Sometimes they need a stain treatment and to be tossed in the wash.

[@JasonFeinstein]

I would love to see a comparison of shoes for runners with wide feet.

[@anna.the.runner]

I have to get wide fit ones for my wide feet 👍

[@JasonFeinstein]

@@anna.the.runner I've been almost exclusively Altra for the past few years because of my wide feet. Even wide Hoka Rincon 3s rub my little toes too much 😭

[@anna.the.runner]

@@JasonFeinstein oh! I’ve gone up a half size in Hoka and gone wide fit, which seems to be the sweet spot. That and some creative re-lacing 👍

[@TheUnicornPacer]

Same as ne infact a 6 to a 7 for hokas and wide lv hokas!

[@Jaigarful]

I'm in the same boat. My feet are right on the edge of wide and I get rubbing of my foot around my pinky toe on top of the shoe. Over the last half year I've transitioned to wider shoes and my old Speedgoats really don't fit that well anymore. Trying to find a good solution.

[@bcm-n7244]

I'm between buying the TRABUCO MAX 2/3 or the New Balance Fresh Foam More Trail V3 ... i am heavy, i have flat feet & for the moment i enjoy my HOKA SPEEDGOAT 5 but i feel that i need more cushioning so which one should i use ???... i run usually in the forest on trails and hill side trails. I aspect some suggestions ... thank you in advance !

[@JeffreyOchoa8]

Been running in the Cascadias since the 9 (so 8 years now!), they are my bread and butter.

[@runningchannel]

Great choice! What do you like about them?

[@JeffreyOchoa8]

@@runningchannel At this point it’s mostly just the familiarity of them. They just feel like home. I’m the same way with Brooks Ghosts on the road. I haven’t branched out much at all and seen what else there is in a long time, but many of the shoes on this video definitely have me interested!

[@ischju]

Issue with the foot box :/ otherwise the shoes is awesome!!!

[@MrMatthieuC]

What about the NB Garoé, have you had a chance to try those?

[@runningscents2532]

i dont care that they did not come out this year! speedgoat should be on every list!

[@lorim2000]

I had a pair of the Salomon Speedcross 5 almost identical or the 6s. I will say coming from Hoka, I didn’t like the Speedcross at all because there’s zero cushion. Going from the trail to the road, not a good idea for me anyway. I know people who love them but for just walking. I liked the type of lace system but it did slip a little as you go.

[@yannlegris2677]

speed ---> Salomon s/lab pulsar 2 sg ?????

[@julieburton7393]

I love the Salomon but sadly you can’t swap out the laces as there isn’t enough room to get traditional laces through. I really don’t like the existing laces and wish they would get rid!

[@willhogarth9945]

I'm a massive fan of the G300 - a great shoe

[@Maochan81]

I love the Lone Peaks so much, i with there was a higher stack version i could use for longer runs. My feet get a bit beat up. But for hike and everyday wear they're super comfy. Currently testing the Olympus for trail runs, but i'm not sure...they feel clunky and slow. So thanks for the video, i'll definitely try some of the shoes in the future.

[@defeqel6537]

Mont Blanc or Timp might be thicker options to consider (edit: IIRC Olympus isn't a running shoe)

[@martharunstheworld]

Timps are good that way

[@gwilymeades]

inov-8 TRAILFLY ULTRA G 300 MAX for me!

[@purple_nhaze]

Best looking shoe is Cascadia 17 (I've wear the 15 version for 2 years of Canadian Winter)

[@hamishrichardson896]

Would love to see your thoughts on some of NNormal shoes, I’ve heard they are awesome

[@runningchannel]

It's coming don't worry!

[@bobsandbug]

Altra were the best looking

[@mehdibenslimane8912]

Thanks for this video! We need feedbacks on used shoes like you did ❤

[@runningchannel]

Really glad you enjoyed it!

[@WeThePeople018]

Could have also done a water resistant category

[@sbr3225]

The speedgoat 5 also comes in a waterresistent gortex version. I love that one when the soil is really wet or muddy. It doesn't prevent water getting in from your ankles, but they do keep your socks dry when you step into a mud pond.

[@craigorourke7519]

I love my Nike Zegamas but they don't seem to get much love from anyone!! Which of these are closest?

[@iggalan]

A shoe can be great but not fit your running style or feet and you won't know unless you try. I'd rather prefer going to a specialized shop telling them what I want to do and let them do their thing and try a few shoes. And even then you sometimes get a pair that doesn't quite work for you. So reviews don't help me that much. Incidentally I love the Speedgoat 5 (been using previous versions for some years), but be aware that they are narrower than other brands, so you may need half a size more. Also the drop is only 4 mm so don't jump from your typical 8-10 mm drop shoe to this and expect to be fine right away. Details, there are so many to consider!

[@lennyjames1200]

Why are there no Nike Pegasus Shoes?

[@FPL_Bantam]

The Speedgoat 5 is the correct answer. Well done viewers

[@joey.chavez333]

@therunningchannel How do you guys feel about the Asics Trabuco Max 2?

[@Dad_K]

Wild people still enjoy running in narrow shoes.

[@nik9401]

Hello, thx! Looking for a more stable and cushioned Trailrunning shoe than my Torrent 2. Was thinking about the Asics gel Trabuco 11, or the Brooks Cascadia 17 any suggestions?

[@jamesdunn9462]

LOVE IT 🎉

[@notmyrealname6272]

Best on grass..? What do you think?

[@84derbycounty]

Would love to see one of these videos done for the best carbon plated racing shoe of 2023

[@NateCrail]

Best looking trail shoe is the Norda 001

[@youngrevival9715]

No xodus ultra 2?

[@paullambert3257]

Inov8 make great shoes

[@asifaasyasif7719]

Looking good

[@revobikes7714]

Topo. Beats the lot of them

[@nicolasadie8551]

I have the New Balance Hierros (v6) which I wore for a recent trail half marathon. Despite having run nearly 400km in them, I don't understand what the flap at the back is for! During the trail run, the backs of my legs got much muddier than my running pal's, because the flaps were flapping mud up my legs! Can anyone tell me what these bits of rubber are for?

[@dyvel]

I'm surprised when puma shoes show up in tests as they are so ridiculously pointy that you need to size up two to three sizes to be able to fit your toes comfortably.

[@chaserowe6439]

Thoughts on the speedland shoes? They have 3 trail shoes that are supposed to be premium. Great reviews saving for reference

[@runningchannel]

Can't say we have much experience with that brand of shoe, do you wear them?

[@chaserowe6439]

@@runningchannel I got to try a pair of the speedland hsvs on a trail half and I think they beat my speed goat 4s

[@ChoirFan1]

No Mizunos?

[@BianchiLuke87]

The Peregrine 13s murdered my feet and got ditched for Asics fuji lite 3

[@robynroamsoutdoors]

I'm planning on getting a pair of the Merrell's for trail running soon. They should do great at my training trails and I can't wait to try them out.

[@runningchannel]

Brilliant! Let us know what you think of them!

[@spencergill848]

You forgot Vivobarefoot Primus Trail II 👌

[@Matto_Harvo]

Vibram five fingers for really rocky trails. Otherwise by far, the best trail runner is the one you leave in the shop. Some of those runners have really pointy toes in the centre of your foot. Mmmmmm, perfect for pushing your big toe in. Don’t look at your feet, please, because your big toe will be pointing in from the bunion. Having nice looking, expensive runners are well worth turned in toes though.

[@madman8932]

No Nike Wildhorse 8? :(

[@iguessitsmanny]

Have you tried out any Arc’teryx shoes?

[@runningchannel]

A couple of out team have used Arc'teryx and love them, are they your preferred brand?

[@iguessitsmanny]

@@runningchannel not really, I love the Salomon speed cross 6 and XT-4 models. Just curious if anyone has any experience with them

[@timtoolman6437]

No speedgoat?? C’mon guys!

[@PaytonGuthrie]

I've basically come to realize that I may be making a mistake in running in Nike Pegasus Trail......

[@WyattGalinski]

The peg trail 4's are an awesome and comfy trail shoe. I'm about 175 pounds and have ran almost 200 miles in them now- 150 trail miles and about 50 road miles since I bought them in April. Shoe is holding up well and the solid react foam is still resilient. I find them good for longer distance trail running without a need for a rock plate. I recently ran a trail half marathon in them and my body was feeling good enough that I ran 10 miles the next day.

[@PaytonGuthrie]

@@WyattGalinski I love them. Same for the regular peg. They are my go to shoes, but all of my running buddies think I'm insane.

[@tddawson]

fwiw, I've had mine for a couple of months and really like them! They may not be top in all trail conditions, but I feel confident on both trails and roads. Recently felt great after a half marathon that was part trail and part road. Hope you end up enjoying yours too!