Nimble As a Mountain Goat – The Best Trail Running Shoes for 2022

This week’s editor’s pick is the Lowa Men’s Innox Pro GTX shoe. The Innox Pro GTX provides you with some of the best ankle support on this list which is great for when you encounter sidehills you must run up and can also help with the odd rock or bump you might step on while running. The Innox Pro’s are also waterproof and breathable and feature a standard lacing system so they aren’t too far off from your normal shoes. In fact, many reviews state that users often wear these as normal casualwear shoes both on and off the trail. The Innox Pro’s also come in a boot format too if you’re looking for even more ankle support.

Slightly more affordable than the hardcore Innox Pro’s are the Salomon Sense Ride 4 GTX Invisible fit shoes. What drew me to these shoes initially was their thoughtful outsole design which features larger bits around the heel and outside of the sole and what this does is capture small loose gravel and force it into the interior of the sole for a solid grip on loose terrain. Other than that the shoes are also waterproof and weatherproof and feature just enough cushioning to make them comfortable but not so much as to make them not responsive enough for sudden changes in direction or minor slips.

The Ecco Men’s Biom C Trail Runner Shoe is a trail shoe for moving fast. Step into the woods and move through the trail, perhaps even up over the treeline and atop the mountain. Wherever the trail takes you, the rugged outsole helps provide surefooted traction on a variety of terrain. Breathable for keeping hot feet comfortable with BIOM X-TENSA Technology to keep the fit secure. The shoes are made from the soft and lightweight Ecco Phorene midsole which reduces overall weight and fatigue on the user while also giving you great responsiveness across a wide variety of terrain without being so harsh as to cause further shock to your probably already sore muscles and bones.

The La Sportiva Men’s Bushido II Shoe is a stable shoe for mountain trail running. The sock-like fit is secured by traditional laces, with a padded tongue for comfort. The upper has AirMesh with thermal adhesive microfiber, high frequency welded ripstop and a TPU toe cap for breathability with abrasion resistance. A 4mm midsole stabilizes and cushions and the FriXion® XT 2.0 V-Groove2™ outsole is sticky for grip on wet and dry surfaces. These shoes are really great at absorbing impacts making them perfect for the mountains of Montana or when you know your trail will have sections of paved or decked surfaces to run across.

The Brooks Divide 2 trail running shoes offer the familiar comfort of a running shoe, with tight traction and a lightweight protective insert against uneven terrain that provides grip and protection. These shoes are insanely affordable and offer a reasonable amount of cushioning and good stability with moderate terrain.