RoadTrailRun's Top TRAIL Running Shoes of 2022 Awards: Multiple Categories, Most Smiles, Biggest Surprises, Innovations & Top Brand- 16 Contributors more than 11,000 Test Miles!

 Article by RTR Team

2022 was a great year for running as we emerged from the pandemic. We eagerly took to the roads and races while running brands made valiant efforts to deal with many logistics issues at the same time unleashing a torrent of innovations in a highly competitive market. And not only the bigger well known brands but we saw the emergence of truly top notch trail shoes from very small brands such as Naked, Norda, and NNormal.  Needless to say RoadTrailRun was at it in 2022 and we bring you our Test Team Best of 2022 for road running  here. 

Trends emerged as supercritical foams (Saucony, Inov-8, Hoka) for their weight and ride feel characteristics which trended softer and new approaches and we saw more plates came to trail shoes with Scarpa Kima's flexible carbon, Saucony and Hoka carbon, Brooks Catamount 2  and Salomon Pulsar with plastic propulsion and protection plates than go beyond rock protection.

RTR’s Best of 2022 Trail Running Shoes Survey

16 RTR contributors ran more than 10,900 trail miles / 18,000  km and in some cases in dozens of trail shoes each. 

Collectively the entire RTR team wrote over 250 road and trail shoe reviews as well as dozens of apparel, accessories and electronics articles in multiple languages including English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Polish. 

We surveyed the team for their Best of Trail Running Shoes 2022 via an online form where the respondents could not see others’ answers. 

Many contributors set PR’s in 2022, helped by their training and of course also shoes!. Also coming soon contributors personal year in review article.

Not every contributor ran in every shoe, and for some models below we had more brand provided samples than for others and in particular Saucony, while some shoes were personal purchases. We include 2023 shoes if we have tested and they are not restricted from review by manufacturers.

RoadTrailRun and its contributors were not compensated by any company to review shoes and RoadTrailRun did not do any “sponsored content” or was paid by any brand to do events to promote brands or shoes.

If a clear preference emerges we will call a winner for each category. The categories in the survey included:

• Technical Trails or Big Mountains Shoe

• Easy Days and Trails Cruising Shoe

• Short and Fast Training and Racing Shoe

• Long Distances Training and Racing Shoe

• Door to Trailsl Shoe

• Absolute Favorite Trail Shoe

• Most Smiles Shoe of 2022

• Biggest Surprises of 2022

• Top brand of the year.

• Most mentions across all categories

So which shoes came out on top in each of several categories, what was the top trail shoe overall, top brands, and what were the big surprises of 2022? Please read on to find out.

As there are so many varied preferences and the lines between training shoes and racing shoes are becoming increasingly blurred especially on trail we also tabulated the Top 10  “most mentioned” shoes as either top or honorable mention across all categories including shoe of the year and most Smiles. The list below reflects the team’s most mentioned shoes across all categories. 

1. Saucony Endorphin Edge (RTR Review) 10 mentions, especially Smiles!

2. Saucony Xodus Ultra (RTR Review) 9 mentions

3. Nike Pegasus Trail 4 (RTR Review) 8 mentions

4. Topo Ultraventure 3  (RTR Review) 7 mentions

5. Saucony Ride 15 TR (RTR Review) 7 mentions

6. Brooks Catamount 2  (RTR Initial Review) 6 mentions (2023 shoe)

7. Hoka Tecton X (RTR Review) 5 mentions

8. Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G 280  (RTR Review) 5 mentions

9. Hoka Speedgoat 5  (RTR Review) 5 mentions

10. Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG (RTR Review) 5 mentions

Find all RoadTrailRun reviews at our index page HERE or just Google "roadtrailrun Shoe Name" and you can be quite sure to find just about any run shoe over the last 10 years!

All the details as to where they shined brightest in contributor by contributor, category by category are below.

	What is your Favorite Technical Trails or Big Mountain Shoe of 2022 and why?
Jeff Beck (Colorado) 350 miles	Saucony Endorphin Edge. Fantastic cushion, fit, and traction, with a near Altra-width toebox.
Jacob Brady (Maine) 789 miles	VJ Ultra 2: Living in the Northeast USA where trails are typically rugged and wet, the extremely performant VJ Ultra 2 is a great asset. Most notably, the traction is amazing (especially remarkable in wet conditions), the fit is locked-in and secure, and the protection
Markus Zinkl (Germany)  770 km	Saucony Peregrine 12, the best combination of cushioning, protection and ground feel, I tried this year.
Alex Tisley (Washington DC)	La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II. Great grip and protection for the really rocky, mountainous terrain.
Renee Krusemark (Nebraska)	The Saucony Peregrine 12 lost a good amount of weight from version 11. I don't run mountain trails, but the Peregrine 12 has great ground feel and runs well on woodland technical or moderate trails (and fields!). I used it for 20 miler runs and it has enough cushion for distance/shorter ultras.
Jeff Valliere (Colorado) 1771 miles.. 636K feet / 194K meters vertical	La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX for traction, protection, security, relatively low weight, and built in gaiter.
John Tribbia (Colorado) 1500 miles	Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT: Although at first glance you might think the shoe looks clunky and designed for hiking, it performs much better when you put it on and take it to the trails in real life! I could see this shoe working well for fast mountain attempts, fast packing, and trail to scramble adventures.
Shannon Payne (California)	Saucony Xodus Ultra. What a positively fantastic shoe. I felt this shoe took the aggressive outsole of the classic Xodus, and combined it with the more flexible and forgiving feel of the Peregrine. Fits like a glove, with a surprisingly soft, pliable midsole and grippy, protective outsole, there was no going wrong with this one.
Jeremy Marie (France) 1332 km trail / 900 hours total training	Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT. Despite its almost hiking-shoe looks, it runs much nimbler than one would think. It's sturdy, efficient, especially going uphill, stable, the outsole has tremendous traction, and despite all these, it still runs well on flatter terrain thanks to its clever geometry, plate and PEBAX insert.
Marcel Krebs (Germany)  1080 km trail	VJ XTRM2 – very precise performance fit combined with a sticky outsole make it an awesome choice for very technical terrain. Honorable mention: inov-8 TrailFly G-270 (even though it’s a 2020 model) as it is still a great combination of a sticky and a durable outsole combined with a softer and bouncier midsole and an accommodating but secure fit (at least for a broader forefoot like mine).
Sam Winebaum 450 miles trail	Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT: The Kima is a stand out for its superb geometry with a multi density midsole and a flexible carbon plate that provides a clear uphill and flats propulsive effect. Relatively firm with a stout upper and superb traction  it is not light but is both highly protective and fast on trail even more moderate trails as I experienced in a 25K trail race.
Mike Postasaki  3060 trail miles 100M wins at Standhope (26:33) and IMTUF (23:18)	VJ XTRM 2 - Superior grip and locked in fit is great for the most technical trails, and definitely my top pick for off-trail.
Adam Glueck	Puma Fast-Trac NITRO:  this was a surprising shoe for me, I appreciated its stability, outsole grip, and solid upper while keeping a low weight.  This shoe is great for short-medium distance rock hopping with enough protection and precision for technical terrain

The Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT (RTR Review) takes the technical big mountain shoe category with 3 votes just ahead of the Saucony Peregrine 12 (RTR Review) and VJ Shoes XTRM 2 (RTR Review) both with 2 votes.

	What is your favorite easy days & cruising trail shoe of 2022 and why?
Peter Stuart	Hoka Speedgoat 5. Super comfortable over long miles in dirt and rocks.
Jeff Beck	Altra Olympus 5. The ultimate trail cruiser makes comfort the number one priority. Traction isn't the best, but for easy days, traction isn't a concern.
Jacob Brady	Hoka Evo Speedgoat: Although a few years old, I ran the Evo Speedgoat a lot this year and really liked the relatively lightweight design coupled with great stability, traction, protection, and foothold.
Matt Kolat	Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT. Amazing grip and that’s normally my number one factor for choosing trail shoes
Markus Zinkl	Altra Mont Blanc. Really nailed the EGO Max midsole. All the cushion you need and a really fun ride. Unfortunately, the lack of heel lockdown makes it impossible to use for even the slightest of technical trails.
Alex Tisley	Topo Ultraventure 3. So much cush, plus the Topo fit, which I always love.
Renee Krusemark	For easy trails, the Saucony Ride 15 TR. The midsole is a bit too bouncy and soft for technical terrain or dramatic declines/inclines, but on moderate terrain it's fun and offers all-day cushion.
Jeff Valliere	Brooks Caldera 6 for bottomless cushion, comfort, relative low weight and response.
Shannon Payne	Saucony Ride 15 TR. They kept it simple with this one and it works. The outsole is just aggressive enough for slightly questionable terrain, but tame enough to wear on the roads for a few miles en route to your favorite trail. The drop is just low enough to allow for a stable, sure-footed ride on the trails, and there is just enough underfoot to inspire confidence when the terrain gets a little dicey. Love this new addition to Saucony's trail line-up, and they really rocked that category this year.
Jeremy Marie	Altra Timp 4. So smooth, comfortable yet it solves some usual Altra issues with foothold. Altra Ego midsole really works well for easy day /trails.
Marcel Krebs	Hoka Mafate Speed 4 – very comfortable & bouncy with a very grippy outsole; it offers plenty of cushioning and is therefore very well suited for long ultra-distances.  Honorable mention: inov-8 TrailFly G-280 - great outsole (sticky & durable), good fit (for wider forefoots) and a reactive nitrogen-infused midsole.
Sam Winebaum	Inov 8 TrailFly G280: It’s friendly super critical foam midsole, comfortable unique knit upper and great grip had me most frequently reaching for them for longer slower runs and hikes this summer in Utah. Honorable mention: Topo Ultraventure 3
Mike Postasaki	Topo Ultraventure 3 - Massive upgrade in cushioning for the new version, great comfortable fit, stable ride - perfect for just cruising.
Beto Hughes	New Balance More Trail v2. Love the shoe for easy days where you just want to protect the legs and get some miles on the trails.
Adam Glueck	Saucony Ride 15 TR:  this shoe runs like a road shoe for smoother and faster terrain with a light feel and excellent cushion and dampening.  I appreciate how it handles at a variety of paces, while being stable and predictable.

Saucony Ride 15 TR (RTR Review) takes the win with 3 top nods with Topo Ultraventure 3  (RTR Review)  getting 2 votes

	What is your Favorite short and fast trail shoe of 2022 (racing and training) ?
Peter Stuart	Nike Pegasus Trail 4
Jeff Beck	Saucony Endorphin Edge. That midsole comes alive at speeds I can only maintain for a short time.
Jacob Brady	Hoka Tecton X: It's the first and only plated trail racer I have run and is a really fun shoe for cruising around on the local trails and going for Strava segments. The plate has a noticeable propulsive effect but is stable and connected to the trails.
Matt Kolat	Kima again. I liked it also because of the plate.
Markus Zinkl	Naked T/r. I was really skeptical about the lockdown of this laceless trail shoe, but Naked nailed it for me. And even more impressive it is their first shoe! Combined with the carbon fiber plate and excellent Vibram outsole, it is my favorite fast trail shoe this year.
Renee Krusemark	Another vote for the Saucony Peregrine 12. The rock plate works well even on soft terrain and the low weight and ground-feel make it fast and fun on shorter efforts.
Jeff Valliere	VJ Ultra 2 - for weight to cushion/protection ratio, security, response, traction
John Tribbia	Saucony Peregrine 12: if you are someone who enjoys a light and responsive trail shoe who is looking for a do-everything-on-the-mountain shoe to take on recovery runs or PR attempts, the Peregrine 12 is an ideal go-to option. Light, responsive, protective, and with outstanding traction.
Shannon Payne	Nike Terra Kiger 8. I have been a fan of many previous versions of the Terra Kiger, and have yet to be disappointed in any version. This is a quick and nimble shoe that you can take out for a longer run, but you can throw it on for a trail race with great results.
Jeremy Marie	Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro. Performance fit yet roomy toebox, good grip, and the Energy Blade/Energy Surge foam combination works wonders on any terrain.
Marcel Krebs	Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG – incredibly  light, bouncy (non-plated) and good traction.
Sam Winebaum	Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG: nothing lighter or more capable taken fast (and short for me) on most any  terrain. It was clearly the top pick for the pros at Golden Trail for the 25K stages in slippery conditions.  Honorable mentions: Naked Trail Race T/r & Brooks Catamount 2
Mike Postasaki	Naked T/r - Surprisingly good fit, as well as surprisingly stable in technical terrain. Great ground feel when going fast, and the plate adds another element of speed.
Beto Hughes	Topo Pursuit this 0mm drop shoe works amazing for me on fast trails, fast turn over and well protected.
Adam Glueck	Saucony Endorphin Edge:  this big  shoe doesn’t have  a weight penalty for having extra cushion and responsive foam, it’s fast, propulsive, and especially for short distances the carbon plate provides additional propulsion with minimal harshness.

A four way tie with 2 votes each for Saucony Endorphin Edge (RTR Review) Naked Trail Race T/r (RTR Review), Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG (RTR Review) and Saucony Peregrine 12 (RTR Review)

	What is your Favorite Long-Distance trail shoe (racing and training) of 2022
Peter Stuart	Hoka Speedgoat 5.
Jeff Beck	Saucony Xodus Ultra. Blends protection, cushion, and traction in ways few can. If it weren't for the existence of it's sister shoe Endorphin Edge, the XU would win a lot of categories  for me.
Jacob Brady	Saucony Xodus Ultra: for training, the Xodus Ultra was my pick for many long runs this year because it is comfortable with a wide toebox, accommodating fit, and cushioned, bouncy ride. It is light in weight given the protection. It runs well on a variety of terrain and always feels pretty casual, just generally a nice shoe to wear, while also providing solid energy return when I pick up the pace. Two of the ultras I ran this year were on smooth enough trail that I wore road shoes, so I don't have a clear pick for long racing.
Markus Zinkl	Saucony Xodus Ultra. They somehow managed to put in all the cushion you would need, without sacrificing stability or the ability to pick up the pace a bit. Only the outsole durability and lacing system needs improvement.
Alex Tisley	Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G280. Cushioned without losing ground feel, flexible while still supportive, accommodating while maintaining a secure foothold.
Renee Krusemark	The Saucony Endorphin Edge has great cushion in a very lightweight shoe, and the Carbinex plate helps with speed without greatly affecting the stability. That said, it might not be best for super technical terrain because of the loose upper (I raced a 50k with the Edge on wet rock and fell numerous times).
Jeff Valliere	Hoka Speedgoat 5 - lighter with more responsive cushioning, more responsive, amazing traction.
John Tribbia	Brooks Catamount 2:  It is light, fast, responsive, well cushioned, comfortable, forgiving, protective under foot, has good traction, and is versatile. I wouldn't take it on long-distance technical days, but this is the shoe if you need something that can endure long rolling trail running courses.
Shannon Payne	The Craft CTM Ultra. Is it a trail shoe? Is it a road shoe? Worked fantastic as both for me but really excelled at longer miles on the hard packed dirt/gravel trails of NorCal.
Jeremy Marie	Norda 001 & Satisfy. All day comfort, any terrain grip, easy, smooth rolling ride. Astounding quality. Can easily pick up the pace despite the weight and stack.
Marcel Krebs	Hoka Tecton-X (racing in dry conditions). Hoka Mafate Speed 4 (Training & Racing in wet/muddy conditions).
Sam Winebaum	Norda 001 & Satisfy  is the ultimate in balancing overall comfort, cushion, traction and carefully assembled tech with a smooth any trail (even some road) ride and durability. Right behind, and at far lower costs, the  Xodus Ultra and Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G280 which share similar friendly smooth flowing protective rides
Mike Postasaki	Hoka Tecton X - I won two 100 milers this year in them - lots of cushioning without being overly soft or mushy. Parallel carbon plates add efficiency but the shoe remains very stable, even on tired legs.
Beto Hughes	Topo Ultraventure 3. Well cushioned for those long distance trails, very secure upper, and very grippy on any terrain. For me this shoe is a tie with the Topo MTN Racer 2

The Saucony Xodus Ultra (RTR Review) sneaks over the line 1st with 3 votes with Hoka’s Tecton X (RTR Review) and Speedgoat 5 (RTR Review) along with Satisfy x Norda 001 (RTR Review) getting 2 votes each. 

	What is your Favorite Door to Trail trail shoe of 2022 and why?
Peter Stuart	Nike Pegasus 4 Trail. Great on dirt, roads and rocks.
Jeff Beck	Saucony Ride 15 TR. Versatility is king here with traction and cushioning still solid.
Jacob Brady	Saucony Xodus Ultra: it is a well-rounded shoe. It is bouncy, flexible, forgiving, has a wide toebox, and is comfortable. It has a lightly propulsive spring and even with significant chevron lugs is smooth and not sluggish on the road due to high cushion and relative light weight.
Matt Kolat	Only tried one this year -Puma Fast-Trac Nitro
Markus Zinkl	Puma Fast-Trac Nitro, just because it is the only Door To Trail shoe I tested this year. And I really liked it. It is basically a little bit firmer and beefier Velocity Nitro 2, which is my favorite daily trainer on the roads this year.
Alex Tisley	Topo Ultraventure 3. You don't even notice it's a trail shoe when on the roads!
Renee Krusemark	The Nike Pegasus Trail 4 (GTX and non-GTX) is a great shoe, even for someone like me who does not like high drop shoes. The high drop is less noticeable on single trail thanks to the light weight and ground feel.
Jeff Valliere	Nike Pegasus Trail 4 / GTX version - both are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn, soft cushioning, amazing fit, good overall performance on both road and trail, adept on all but the most technical trails.
John Tribbia	Brooks Catamount 2: The new Catamount 2 is a frontrunner in the uptempo trail trainer/racer category and also a very good multi purpose door to trail shoe that works incredibly well on roads.
Shannon Payne	Saucony Ride 15 TR
Jeremy Marie	NIke Pegasus Trail 4 GTX. What a surprise. A GTX upper that's not too hot, a Nike trail shoe that finally has decent grip...Transitions from road to trails to roads is almost transparent.
Marcel Krebs	ASICS Fuji Lite Trail 2 - it offers a bouncy ride, a very well gripping outsole and a roadshoe-like fit; performs very well on the road and also on most trails as long as it does not get too muddy or technical. Honorable mention: Salomon Pulsar Trail - ContraGrip outsole performs well on rolling trails as well as on concrete. The upper ideal for the colder time of the year. Energy Surge midsole foam and Energy Blades (nylon plate) provide decent pop and stability.
Sam Winebaum	Nike Pegasus Trail 4 is Nike’s best trail and I would even say road trainer as well. It has a softer React foam than the usual, a great upper and superb versatility for all but tonger runs as the forefoot is on the thinner side   The Nike Zegama Trail is more cushioned, lower drop and with more firmly reactive ZoomX foam and is not far behind as is Topo Ultraventure 3 with a mellow broad platform and superb upper. Hiker, door to trail runner, kick around shoe Ultraventure 3 is tops for comfort and friendliness in my book if not quite as high performing as the two Nike..
Mike Postasaki	Saucony Ride 15 TR - Great combination of road shoe weight, with a bit of trail upper and traction. Oh, and ample cushioning for mixing it up on long, easy door to trail runs.
Beto Hughes	On Cloudvista. Huge update with the helion foam, very energetic on the road and still responsive on the trails.
Adam Glueck	Saucony Ride 15 TR:  This shoe is awesome, since it’s essentially a road shoe, keeping all the light weight, breathable upper, and adding a frilly outsole, with just firm enough of a foam to have excellent stability.  I particularly enjoyed it for runs that were a mix of road and trail, and this shoe doesn’t feel harsh in pavement or unstable/unprotected on rocky terrain.

The Nike Pegasus Trail 4 (RTR Review) takes the category with 5 votes closely followed by Saucony Ride 15 TR (RTR Review) with 4 votes.

	What is your Absolute Favorite trail shoe of 2022 and why?
Peter Stuart	Hoka Speedgoat 5
Jeff Beck	Saucony Endorphin Edge. Great fast but still very, very good at my slow pace, the closest thing I can criticize is the super pink colorway, but there's other options there if pink isn't your thing. And if you can't find 'em? It's that good, I don't care how little you like pink, this shoe is incredible.
Jacob Brady	Saucony Switchback 2: note that I use the Switchback 2 not specifically; however, it is my clear answer to "absolute favorite trail shoe". I do a lot of walking on mixed terrain and transportation biking and unless it was wet or cold I wore the Switchback 2 every day for everything outdoors except running or bikes with clipless pedals. The upper with BOA closure is comfortable, accommodating, and convenient and the collapsible heel makes it easy to slip on and off for just going out to the yard briefly. Traction despite small lugs is great—I have hiked in it several times—and it runs well on trails at slower paces (though can be a bit harsh on road or when running fast).
Matt Kolat	Scarpa Golden Gate Kima RT
Markus Zinkl	Saucony Xodus Ultra took the spot, due to the same reasons it made my favorite long-distance trail shoe. If Saucony fixes the outsole durability and tweaks the lacing system a little bit, it would make my favorite trail shoe of all time.
Alex Tisley	Inov-8 Trailfly Ultra G280. I do a lot of different things on/off trails (orienteering, trail running, adventure racing, backpacking) and the G280 is one of my top choices for all of them. I love the Adapter Flex that allows your foot to move and bend -- particularly important off trail -- and the Flyspeed midsole, which is soft and responsive.
Renee Krusemark	I don't have one! The entire Saucony Trail line up for 2022 was great. Between the Peregrine, Edge, Xodus Ultra, and the Ride 15 TR, Saucony has a good shoe for any type of trail run.
Jeff Valliere	VJ Ultra 2 - for weight to cushion/protection ratio, security, response, traction
John Tribbia	Brooks Catamount 2: I've been waiting for the release of the new Catamount (February 2023) and this shoe has not disappointed. I'm a huge fan of the improved upper, bouncy and energetic ride, and cushioned heel.
Shannon Payne	Saucony Xodus Ultra. They knocked it out of the park with this one.
Jeremy Marie	Norda 001 x Satisfy. Durable, beautiful, works everywhere. The price is a big con but the shoe is really a work of art.
Marcel Krebs	HOKA Tecton-X - an awesome racer also for longer distances (dry conditions) with a well integrated twofold carbon plate (propulsion and stability nicely balanced) Honorable mentions:  Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG - incredible light, bouncy (non-plated) and good traction; very good choice for shorter races HOKA Mafate Speed 4 – incredible traction, bouncy & comfortable with a good foothold; it offers plenty of cushioning and is therefore very well suited for long ultra-distances.
Sam Winebaum	Saucony Xodus Ultra RunShield (RTR Review): Yet better than the regular due to its more secure upper that was fine in quite hot and humid weather, the Xodus Ultra while not the “fastest” most agile shoe was for me the most all around capable trail shoe with a friendly, well protected, energetic and smooth ride that works everywhere including road.. Honorable Mentions:  The Norda 001 would be an easy overall winner but its price is daunting while its quality, upper and ride are amazing. Brooks Catamount 2. A do it all shoe focused on faster and shorter than the Ultra above with strong propulsion from its plate, trail appropriate stable and reactive supercritical foam, and a great upper.
Mike Postasaki	Hoka Tecton X - See above. Also super light for its feature set, and highly versatile. I could easily use them for practically any type of run, if I didn't reserve them for (long) race days.
Beto Hughes	Topo Ultraventure 3. For this year this shoe has just the right amount of cushion that my beloved MTN Racer 2 needs.
Adam Glueck	Saucony Endorphin Edge:  It’s a road super shoe for the trails, I’ve been wishing for one of them for years, and it’s a blast to run in.

The Saucony Xodus Ultra (RTR Review) with 3 votes is the favorite with the Hoka Tecton X  (RTR Review) and Saucony Endorphin Edge (RTR Review) hot on its tail with 2 votes each

	What was your Biggest Smiles trail shoe of 2022?  May be different than favorite of the year
Peter Stuart	Speedgoat 5.
Jeff Beck	Saucony Endorphin Edge. It reminds me of the first time I wore the Vaporfly 4% - only it's a trail shoe.
Jacob Brady	Hoka Evo Speedgoat: I didn't run a lot of new trail shoes this year, but I did "rediscover" the Evo Speedgoat. I ran it a lot, mostly when I was doing an "any pace", 3-8 mile, terrain variety trail run from home.
Matt Kolat	Puma Fast-Trac Nitro. They are extremely comfortable for a budget shoe
Markus Zinkl	Naked Trail Racer T/r, because it surprised me the most and that the even different experience to pull  them on still puts a smile on my face.
Alex Tisley	Topo Ultraventure 3. It just feels so good! I want to run more gravel roads just for more excuses to wear this shoe.
Renee Krusemark	The Nike Pegasus Trail 4 GTX is probably Nike's best shoe trail shoe to date (I do have high hopes for 2023's UltraFly Trail), and ranks up there with the best road shoes from Nike as well. I wish it was a lower drop, but it's hard not to give kudos to Nike for this shoe.
Jeff Valliere	Saucony Endorphin Edge - fast, fun and they are pink!
John Tribbia	La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX: The Cyklon Cross GTX comes at a steep price of $235 and it is worth every dollar for what you get in this shoe. I have finally found the one shoe I will go to if the weather turns cold, nasty and conditions are anything but predictable. Snow-covered mountains? No problem. A quick scramble up technical terrain? Easy. A snow packed adventure around the neighborhood? Why, of course why not too!  With best-in-class traction, a comfortable and adjustable fit, and a well protected waterproof + warm upper, this is a shoe for running in the extremes. Yet I also found it to be comfortable and responsive enough to enjoy on the more casual cruises around the neighborhood after a huge snow storm. The BOA fit system is easy to use and provides an incredibly secure fit.
Shannon Payne	Altra Lone Peak 7: This was the first Altra that I found that I could put more mileage in than any preceding version. I have always wanted to love Altra due to their extremely comfortable and accommodating toe-box, but I had never put a significant number of miles on a pair as I just couldn't seem to quite get used to the ride. Maybe by this point I've become accustomed to more lower drop shoes, who knows? But I thoroughly enjoyed this model and never had any trepidation on any surface with it.
Jeremy Marie	Nike Pegasus Trail 4 GTX. This shoe is "easy", works everywhere...and I simply had fun running it.
Marcel Krebs	Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG for the same reasons which make it an incredible racer for shorter races: The Pulsar SG is incredibly light, bouncy (non-plated) and has good traction.
Sam Winebaum	Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG: so much fast fun  shoe at so little weight and for any surface including even road. The ultimate in go fast and shorter trail running for me with a precision fit and narrow platform that is not for everyone or every foot or every distance. Head over to the Kjerg from NNormal for a bit wider platform top and bottom.
Mike Postasaki	Saucony Endorphin Edge - Explosive pop and responsiveness like no other shoe - in the right terrain and conditions they definitely put a smile on your face!
Beto Hughes	Altra Timp 4 I love the feel,  very soft on the run and a bit energetic, also flexible which is something I enjoy on my natural running shoes 0mm drop, the upper has the perfect amount of toe box and lock down. This is a shoe that I enjoyed a lot, especially from road to trails.
Adam Glueck	Saucony Endorphin Edge:  Light, fast, hot pink, and equally versatile, the endorphin edge sticks PEBA foam and a carbon plate in a trail shoe and the combination has the propulsion and protection of a top end road shoe with the stability and grip of a trail shoe.

Fast, explosive, fun and pink the Saucony Endorphin Edge (RTR Review) runs away with the category with 4 votes with chasing the Salomon S/Lab Pulsar SG (RTR Review) and Nike Pegasus Trail 4 (RTR Review) getting 2 votes each.

	What is your Top Run Brand of 2022 and why?
Peter Stuart	New Balance and Hoka. Both just creating great shoes for runners of all abilities.
Jeff Beck	Saucony. Both their road and trail departments are firing on all cylinders.
Markus Zinkl	Saucony
Alex Tisley	I think it has to be Topo. I have always loved their fit, and every shoe I try is a little better than the last. Love that they're continuing to evolve and try new things, and I am excited to see what they come out with in 2023.
Renee Krusemark	Saucony had a great 2022 trail line up.
Jeff Valliere	Saucony, with so many cutting edge models, the new Xodus Ultra, Endorphin Edge, Peregrine 12, Peregrine Ice+ 3, Ride 15 trail.  But, Brooks is a very close runner up and probably my most recommended.
John Tribbia	Saucony
Marcel Krebs	Saucony, as they successfully continue to improve their already very fine product line for road and trail, especially their Endorphin lineup and significantly updated classics like the Xodus Ultra, the Ride and the Guide.
Sam Winebaum	Saucony for overall superb execution trail (and road where they are tops for me as well and were for the road test team).
Mike Postasaki	Saucony Trail - Hands down, top brand. Each shoe they put out was excellent and hit the mark for its respective target.  All top picks - Peregrine 12, Xodus Ultra, Endorphin Edge, Ride 15 TR.
Adam Glueck	Saucony maintains the excellent quality of their Endorphin lineup while expanding with new and high quality shoes.

As for the road, Saucony totally dominates the trail in 2022 for RTR contributors, an  incredible performance!  

	What were your biggest trail run shoe and gear surprise(s) of 2022 and why? One winner and honorable mentions if you wish
Markus Zinkl	Naked Trail Race T/r: For me the biggest and best executed innovation. Honorable mention: Adidas Takumi Sen 8. They brought back the focus on short distance "super" shoes.
Alex Tisley	Karhu Ikoni Trail. I had never heard of Karhu and the Ikoni Trail was a pleasant surprise for hikes and easy trail runs.
Jeff Valliere	Garmin Epix 2 for bright readable amoled screen and battery life where you feel like you are getting away with something (for an amoled screen).  Runner up: Saucony Endorphin Edge for being a carbon plated trail shoe that actually works on the trail.
John Tribbia	Brooks Catamount 2: It feels like Brooks read our review of the 1 and heeded the feedback by improving the upper fit and security. While it is still a shoe that is best fit for rolling terrain, it now brings improved security for those times where a jaunt to the off-beaten path is required, making this shoe more multi-dimensional.
Mike Postasaki	Naked T/r - I thought there was no possible way that a trail shoe could work without laces, and I was proven wrong. It actually has amazing security and its a super fast and fun shoe in the right conditions.
Sam Winebaum	Flexible plates (carbon and otherwise) and supercritical foam come to trail and are effective (mostly). I was delighted with the seemingly clunky looking but so agile Scarpa Kima RT, the laceless plated Naked T/r, the well blended Xodus Ultra, and the super fast Pulsar SG with its hardened foam plate.

	Anything else that really has been fine (or tough)  for you in 2022 you wish to share: races, travel, work, life events etc...This can also be sort of summary for any year end article you wish to write and be linked to the Awards article
Jeff Beck	2022 has been one of those years where it seems like almost everything went well - except for my running. Work is going great, family is great, we bought a house, we started playing pickleball, I started a weight lifting program, and those are all great things (especially the pickleball! :P ), but my diminished lung capacity from Covid a year ago has really put a damper on my running. Fingers crossed more time and putting some muscle on helps the lungs out in 2023!
Matt Kolat	They year is not over yet so I hope I’m not jinxing it but I stayed injury free all year. And to me that’s the most important matter, to stay healthy and injury free 😇
Markus Zinkl	Was able to link together a lot of short and spontaneous adventures this year: Mallorca Crossing, Madeira Crossing, Tour of Matterhorn and TMB.
Alex Tisley	I spent the year battling peroneal tendonitis, which makes testing running shoes a challenge! I'm hoping the worst is over and looking forward to getting the mileage and the fitness back in 2023.
Jeff Valliere	2022 has been a great year for running, family time and trips, career and overall health.  High points have been spending time in the outdoors with my wife and daughters, many mountain summits, California Redwoods, Coast of Northern California, a week in the San Juans with my wife while the kids were at camp, getting to see my mom, teaching my daughters to nordic ski and climb.  Low points were the Marshall Fire that burnt ~1,100 home in my community and a bad trail running fall I took in October that was more like a bad bike crash (that I am still recovering from).
John Tribbia	I'm really looking forward to continuing to expand reviews into the new in 2022 RoadTrailRide category as well!
Shannon Payne	This was a year of new race experiences as I got my feet wet in DEKAfit, an off-shoot of Spartan racing that seems to be gaining great popularity since its inception in 2020. I was initially drawn to it due to the number of runners who seemed to be gravitating towards it. I got to travel a fair amount and ultimately raced 4 of them, including in their World Championship last month.  I also made a trip to Southern California in October to compete at the Elliptigo World Championships, an 11-ish mile and 4,000+ foot climb up Mt. Palomar, and took second to former US Marathoner Tera Moody.  Running itself has continued to gradually improve after the last few years of lots of injury struggles. Those things seem to slowly but surely be sorting themselves out, and more variety in terms of activity has certainly aided the process. It's my goal to make it back to the starting lines of some of my favorite races in 2023.
Jeremy Marie	I've happily finally race a trail this year, the Nice UTMB 60k, and despite horrendous conditions with 8h of rain and mud, it was so good to be back on the trails for a race. I wish I would have been able to write about my first IM scheduled past June, but the big C decided differently.  I had some great fun on the bike also, with two 250kms rides and more importantly l'Etape du Tour, a 170km/4500m+ ending at the top of l'Alpe d'Huez, which was a big challenge. The truth is:  I'm always getting lots of fun training, racing (even if not that much), and more generally speaking just doing sports and moving...and that's by far the most important thing for me this year!
Marcel Krebs	Awesome experience attending the UTMB in Chamonix! Hopefully going to race there myself in 2023!
Sam Winebaum	In my 50th year of running I did more road than trail but did race two 25K trail races in Utah.  Largely injury free, I managed some Park City and New Hampshire Strava segment PR’s in the many great 2022 trail shoes such as the Naked T/r and S/Lab Pulsar SG while the many cruiser shoes of 2022 such as the Zegama Trail, Ultraventure 3, Inov 8 G280, and Xodus Ultra had me moving along lively on easier Park City Trails. A key “trail” highlight was reporting from the Golden Trail Final on Madeira where the action was fast and furious and the scenery and company fantastic!
Adam Glueck	I’ve finished grad school and moved from the east coast to the Bay Area for work.   It’s been a blast, but a totally different outdoor landscape for outdoors recreation, there are a ton of trails I’m still exploring, and the smoother, less rocky and rooted western trails Healy let smoother, faster trail shoes excel.  I’m excited to explore a new side of the country and test some shoes and gear in from Santa Cruz Mountains to Tahoe and Yosemite.

Find all RoadTrailRun reviews at our index page HERE or just Google "roadtrailrun Shoe Name" and you can be quite sure to find just about any run shoe over the last 10 years!

RoadTrailRun's Top ROAD Running Shoes of 2022 Awards: Multiple Categories, Most Smiles, Biggest Surprises, Innovations & Top Brand- 24 Contributors more than 46,000 Test Miles! Article

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