We’re lucky at Trail Run Magazine to test out many great trail running shoes. Here we have compiled five great trail running shoes that you should try this year.
Best trail running shoes to try in 2024
- Tarkine Trail Devils
- Brooks Cascadia 18s
- La Sportiva Prodigio
- Nnormal Kjerag
- Vivobarefoot Primus Trail III
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Tarkine Trail Devils
With a huge stack height of 33mm (forefoot) and 39mm (heel), the Tarkine Trail Devils are an incredible fit and are definitely true-to-size. I love not having to go into a shop physically and trying on shoes to see if they fit well and the Tarkines are a brand you can purchase easily online, knowing they’ll be exactly what you’re looking for.
Cushioning is premium thanks to a padded heel counter, the ZenFoam midsole provided me with bounce and softness while at the same time reducing foot fatigue, and with a wide toebox my little piggies had a great amount of breathing space as they began to settle into a splay. These shoes screamed comfortability the moment I put them on – I was ready for any technical trail.
Brooks Cascadia 18
In terms of how soft and adaptable the shoes are, the Brooks Cascadia 18 are oh-so-divinely comfortable. The second I put them on, I didn’t want to take them off. The Trail Adapt plate was quite dominant, I could feel myself being propelled forward within the first few steps – definitely a speed trail shoe that is responsive to pace. And what is this Trail Adapt I speak of? It’s unique to Brooks, utilising an integrated midsole (8mm drop), rock shield and zonal outsole pods for enhanced control and stability on the trails. This tech is 100% for premium mountain trail running, but don’t worry if you’re not a pro. It’s also for novice and mid-tier runners who are keen to get more technical on the trails and are looking for a boost in confidence. This shoe will certainly provide you with the assurance, becoming the best partner out there on the terrain.
READ: How to get started with trail running
Together with the Trail Adapt, the Brooks Cascadia 18 have a DNA Loft (v2) that provides soft cushioning, and the TrailTrack Green outsole rubber gives enhanced traction on wet and dry surfaces (it also features 25% recycled materials). The durable and brightly coloured lugs are positively insane; they provided me with very reliable grip and control across various terrains, especially on the downhills on wet pea gravel – brilliant for someone who usually lands on her bum to slide down (so that’s always fun). Having big lugs of 4.5mm surely made for a confident and fun run on local trails because I didn’t have to think about slipping or sliding on wet terrain.
La Sportiva Prodigio Trail Running Shoes
Excelling on hard trails but also on easy single tracks, the La Sportiva Prodigio is a propulsive model for those looking to put in the long kilometres. The shoe has a new nitrogen-infused EVA midsole called XFLOW foam to ensure maximum cushioning and energy return, with a large toe box and breathable upper featuring an HT lightweight knit and wraparound foot cage. Foot rolling and stability are facilitated thanks to the Progressive Rocker and wide footbed, whilst its Wrapping System construction snugly encases and secures the foot, preventing it from moving around inside the shoe.
READ: Trail running A to Z glossary
You want big lugs? Large 4mm lugs allow for greater surface coverage and, of course, confidence when hitting unbalanced and slippery tracks and paths. The La Sportiva Prodigio offers a stable ride to support your full lower body, so you can be rest assured the journey traversing through your favourite trail will be comfortable.
The forefoot is fitted due to its relaxed upper, so is much more suited for narrow feet, however holds snugly and securely with a thin gusseted tongue, internal support and external overlays – with an upper that won’t stretch.
La Sportiva is a brand known to live and breathe the great outdoors and to create great trail running shoes, so if you are yet to try their shoes, best be onto it! They have a fantastic high standard when it comes to quality of materials, and the La Sportiva Prodigio is no exception.
Nnormal Kjerag
The Nnormal Kjerag features a 6mm heel to toe drop, stack height of 23.5mm at the heel and Vibram Litebase MegaGrip outsole with extended heel to toe protection. The upper is made from MATRYX® Jacquard, a new performance-sports fabric weaved from individually coated polyamide and Kevlar yarns designed to be breathable, flexible and extremely comfortable.
Because of the symmetry of the sole and the shape of the midsole, not much more enforcement is needed because the Kevlar keeps protection at a premium.
In line with keeping things simple, the tongue is thin and wraps around the upper foot comfortably, and the mid sole is made from low-density foam, providing extra protection and shock absorption.
I gave the Kjerag shoes their first tryout at Mundy parkrun, Western Australia’s gnarliest with over 200m of rolling gravel and rocky trails. I was only a week out from completing a 100 mile trail race, with my legs and feet not necessarily in the best shape for a tough run.
At the start, I felt like I was wearing racing shoes, and was quickly off and climbing the first hill, toeing my way up the gravel slope. There was certainly plenty of grip on offer from the Vibram outsoles (which feature those insane 3.5mm lugs) yet I could feel each lump and bump. Despite the outsoles being stiff, they provided a lot of feedback.
Vivobarefoot Primus Trail III
(Vivo)barefoot. A new, yet more tellingly, ancient principle of wearing shoes that imitate being barefoot. These guys make wide, thin and flexible shoes that are designed to feel as close to barefoot as possible. They’re also a Certified B-Corp, use recycled materials, and have an impressive recycling program.
Raised an eyebrow or two? Good. I’m here to explain how Vivobarefoot’s Primus Trail III hold up on the trail, and why it could be worth integrating some form of barefoot movement into our daily lives.
Straight out of the box and onto my feet, the Primus Trail III’s feel almost concerningly lightweight and flexy. Shoeless some might say, and with a stack height of 2.5mm on top of its 4mm lugs, it’s easy to see why. The toe box is one of the widest available on the market, yet the lockdown and foot protection punches well above its weight, at 250g per cleat. Durability is also solid. I’ve thrashed my pair over the past five months and there are very minimal signs of wear and tear.
The Primus II’s get a big thumbs up from me. They are thin, highly flexible, and durable shoes that carry a vast array of benefits.
