If your runs start on the road and end on gravel or fire roads, a light trail shoe does both.
What we look for in a road-to-trail shoe
Shallow lugs. Under 4 mm, so the shoe rolls smoothly on hard ground.
Road-shoe foam. Enough cushion for the pavement between trails.
Some grip. Enough for dry trails and gravel, not for deep mud.
The most cushioned
Hoka
Challenger 8
- Weight
- 275 g
- Stack
- 42 / 35 mm
- Widths
- Regular, Wide (2E)
Lugs of 4 mm. Its heel sits 7 mm higher than its forefoot.
Hoka
Challenger 8 GTX
- Weight
- 255 g
- Stack
- 42 / 34 mm
- Widths
- Regular, Wide (2E)
Lugs of 4 mm. Its heel sits 8 mm higher than its forefoot.
Salomon
Ultra Glide 4
- Weight
- 285 g
- Stack
- 41 / 35 mm
- Widths
- Regular
Lugs of 4 mm. Its heel sits 6 mm higher than its forefoot.
KEEN
Roam Waterproof
- Weight
- 342 g
- Widths
- Regular
Its heel sits 6 mm higher than its forefoot.
KEEN
Roam
- Weight
- 300 g
- Widths
- Regular
Its heel sits 6 mm higher than its forefoot.
The lightest
On
Cloudsurfer Trail
- Weight
- 224 g
- Stack
- 32.5 / 25.5 mm
- Widths
- Regular
At 224 g it's the lightest on this page. Its heel sits 7 mm higher than its forefoot.
Salomon
S/Lab Pulsar 4
- Weight
- 250 g
- Widths
- Regular
Lugs of 3.5 mm. Its heel sits 6 mm higher than its forefoot.
Hoka
Challenger 7
- Weight
- 252 g
- Widths
- Regular
Cheaper ones, $155 or less
New Balance
Tektrel
- Weight
- 283 g
- Widths
- Regular
Atreyu
Base Trail
- Weight
- 272 g (M9)
- Stack
- 31.5 / 25.5 mm
- Widths
- Regular
Lugs of 3.5 mm. Its heel sits 6 mm higher than its forefoot.
New Balance
Minimus Trail
- Widths
- Regular