Each spring, a primal urge stirs within every runner’s soul: the yearning to ditch the treadmill and asphalt grid and immerse themselves in nature’s rugged, dirt-carved cathedral. From the sprawling alpine gardens to those butter-smooth ribbons of singletrack weaving through shadowy forests, the trails are calling—and you’d better be prepared to answer the summons with some proper off-road artillery strapped to your feet.
While basic entry-level trainers can handle well-groomed towpaths, only a burly pair of trail runners packs the grit to conquer rowdier terrain. We’re talking aggressive, multi-directional rubber grippy fangs for clawing up muddy chutes and braking on scree slopes. Reinforced toe caps to shield your toes from stomach-churning rock strikes. And rugged, abrasion-shrugging uppers that laugh at overgrown bushwhacks. Lace ’em up and stay tied no matter how wild the miles get, and no matter what type of trail you’re on.
The trail world offers a bloated bevy of shoe philosophies, spanning barely-there ground scorchers for runners chasing that intimate terra firma connection, to plush, maximal cruisers engineered to tackle ultra long distances in pillowy comfort. Trailblazing OGs like Salomon have been crafting capable dirt devourers for decades. But a new crop of startups like Xero (featured on Shark Tank) and La Sportiva are turning heads by amplifying old-school principles or pioneering innovative cushioning theories.
No matter your speed, when the wild comes calling, you’d better be strapped into a pair of kicks that will carry you from rugged trailhead to jaw-dropping summit in uncompromising style and comfort. Preparing for the church of trails has never looked (or felt) so spiritually good. Below, our favorite men’s trail running shoes to try now.
Paul Jebara
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