The 10 RoadTrailRun Contributors participating in our survey have accumulated thousands of kilometers and miles on trails from the US to Europe running on all kinds of terrain with each reviewing dozens of trail running shoes in 2025.
In their article they share their top 2025 picks in many categories including:
In a year characterized by a shift in all types of run shoes to supercritical foams, higher stack heights, lighter weights and more forgiving and reactive rides there was much to ponder!
Finally to give readers context as to their picks, our contributors share their 2025 run accomplishments and challenges as well as their 2026 goals.
What were your favorite trail shoes of 2025? Please comment at the end of the article!
The majority of shoes were review samples provided at no charge with some personal purchases. Also to note that the number of pairs tested per model varied (both in samples provided and purchases) and with a relatively small survey sample the scoring yet clear trends emerged in the results.
Our index to all reviews, including all shoes covered in this article HERE
| What is your favorite Daily All Around Trail Shoe of 2025 and why? | |
| Peter Stuart California | On Cloudsurfer Trail was really fun. didn't do a ton of trail running this year, but this was one of my favorites. |
| Kurt Biesemans Belgium | On CloudUltra 3: If you’re looking for a single trail shoe that can cover the bulk of your training—whether it’s weekly long runs, moderate pace outings, or even technical terrain—this is it. For 2025, the Cloudultra 3 offers the sweet spot of comfort, traction and versatility I’ve been chasing. |
| Nico Wagner Austria | 1) North Face Altamesa 500 - lots of cushioning, Dream Foam, protective, can go fast 2) Brooks Cascadia 19 - works great as a allrounder, but no wow 3) North Face Vectiv Infinite 3 - great and really underrated shoe, better for technical stuff |
| Nils Scharff Germany | Due to my rather mellow home trails the alrounder trail shoes are kind of the same category as the gravel shoes. Mount To Coast H1 - MTC is a new and upcoming Chinese brand and the H1 is the first model from them that I got to review. It is the brands "gravel shoe" made for any terrain from road to trail and therefore hits the sweetspot for most of my trailrunning. It uses a new feedstock based midsole compound (CIRCLECELL) which actually feels like a legitimate super foam like e.g. PEBA. The upper fits like a glove and thanks to a unique combination of traditional lacing and a quick lace system can be dialed exactly to your needs and adjusted on the fly. The 2.5mm lugs never get in the way, grip very well and seem to be very durable. The MTC H1 is very light and at least for me the perfect shoe for my road-to-trail-running needs! |
| Jen Schmidt California | 1. Brooks Cascadia 19 - Brooks is famous for step-in comfort, and the Cascadia 19 immediately became my go-to shoe for easy trail miles. The cushioning hugs tired feet but isn't excessive, the outsole is adequately grippy for all the trails near me, and the fit locks down enough to handle moderately technical sections. If it were slightly lighter, I'd race ultras in it too, so I'm eagerly anticipating the Cascadia Elite. Review sample 2. TNF Vectiv Enduris 4 - One of the most underrated trail shoes of 2025, in my opinion. A much better fit for my foot than the more-hyped Vectiv Pro 3, and less stiff, making it a better choice for technical trails. All-day comfort but also a performance-oriented shoe in a range of conditions. Review sample 3. Saucony Xodus Ultra 4 - More durable and cushioned than the last version of the Xodus I ran in, this one fits narrow to medium feet incredibly well. I especially appreciate that the base is less wide on this than many high-stack trail shoes, but it doesn't sacrifice stability. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck California | 1. Mount to Coast H1: Fantastically light, versatile, and fun both on and off trail 2. Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4: First time Salomon has put PEBA foam in a trail shoe. Excellent mountain versatility, precise upper and protection, while adding significant energy return. |
| Markus Zinkl Germany | 1. Mount To Coast T1: Amazing shoe for easy terrain and hard packed trails with great fit, a nice ride and awesome grip. |
| Sam Winebaum New Hampshire Utah | 1. Norda 001A- so it says all rounder for the category and the 001A with its new supercritical foam midsole not only performs on any trail but handles road and everyday, even dressed up, life brilliantly, 2. Prodigio Pro this speed focused all around is a joy on easy trails and more than up to the task on more technical terrain 3. Mount to Coast T1 in similar fashion to the other two the T1 combines a state of the art supercritical foam midsole (and bounciest of the three) with stout traction and upper. All my shoes were free review samples with the exception of. the Kjerag 02 which was a personal purchase |
| Jeremy Marie France | 1. Nnormal Kjerag 02: way better than the first. Better tongue, better midsole, better fit, and the slight bump in cushioning is a welcome addition. 2. MTC T1: a slightly sloppy fit but what a first trail shoe. 3. MTC H1: excellent fit, lacing system, tremendous midsole, and perfect dry weather outsole. |
| Marcel Krebs Germany | 1. HOKA Mafate 5: The Mafate 5 is a very versatile option for the trails. It handles almost every terrain and provides an energetic but stable ride. 2. HOKA Mafate X: Complements the Mafate 5 well as a plated longrun option for flowing trails and gravel. |
| Jeff Valliere Colorado | 1.Rossignol Vercors - Agile, well cushioned, secure, great traction, secure precise fit, protective, run ligher than weight (11.1oz US10)] 2. La Sportiva Prodigio Max 3. Saucony Peregrine 15 |
Daily All Around Trail Shoe of the Year The winners here were quite terrain dependent with contributors on mostly non technical terrain giving the nod to the highly sustainable on top of its performance Mount to Coast H1 (RTR Review) with those on more technical terrain the T1 (RTR Review) Newcomer Mount to Coast was the clear winner of the category  | |
What is your Favorite Technical Big Mountains Trails Shoe of 2025 | |
| Kurt Biesemans | Salomon Genesis S/LAB: From its ultra-light build and precision fit to its rugged protection and all-terrain grip, the S/Lab Genesis brings everything I need for serious mountain missions. Loaded with rock-plate protection and a 4.5 mm lugged outsole, it allows me to attack descents with confidence. |
| Nico Wagner | 1. North Face Vectiv Infinite 3 - lots of cushion for technical shoe, sportiva prodigio pro with great foam, salomon genesis - great allround shoe 2. Mount to Coast T1 |
| Jen Schmidt | 1. Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 4 - Cushioned without feeling high and unstable, the S/LAB Pulsar 4 balances agile performance with protection and comfort. It feels lower to the ground than it actually is, and the absence of a plate makes it nimble over technical terrain. Also one of my favorite all-around shoes of the year. Review sample. 2. TNF Vectiv Enduris 4-All-day comfort but also a performance-oriented shoe in a range of conditions. 3. On CloudUltra Pro // VJ Ultra 3 (tie) - The CloudUltra Pro is the first On shoe that has really wowed me. Extremely comfortable and plenty of cushion, but sporting a nylon/fiberglass plate for energy return and efficiency over varied terrain, and a grippy enough outsole to handle more than I expected. Review sample 3.The VJ Ultra 3 shines when you really need a good outsole. It's built to be sturdy but streamlined for long days in rocky terrain, especially for medium to wide feet. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4: A little more stack height offers more protection than previous pulsars, while still having excellent stability and upper precision. 2. Brooks Cascadia 19: Excellent protection, rock plate, and upper, now with an energetic enough foam to feel good on smoother trails too. Stack height is low enough not to feel tippy on rocks and roots. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. X-Bionic Terraskin X01: This one ticks all the boxes for technical big mountain trails. Amazing and secure fit. Solid midsole, which is not to mushy. Finally slapped some Vibram Megagrip on the bottom. Here you go. |
| Sam Winebaum | 1. La Sportiva Prodigo Max- hands down the Max. Moderate stack height, wide platform, dual supercritical foams, great traction and an incredibly secure platform handles both the most technical trail runs, hiking and even gravel brilliantly. 2. Kailas Fuga EX 330- the 330 was a big surprise. It has a similar bouncy forgiving midsole to the MTC T1, a comfortable light and super secure "matryx like upper" and the deepest traction via Vibram. It moves along winning many long distance Euro podiums and clearly favors more technical terrain over smooth and easy but never left me beat up no matter where I took it. 3. ASICS Trabuco 13 nothing fancy and priced right and fair the T13 is not a shoe for speed but for long hours on the toughest terrain at slower paces. |
| Jeremy Marie3. | 1. NNormal Kjerag 02: still same secure foothold as the first, now with just enough cushioning for me. 2. Mount to Coast T1: if you can dial in the upper, this one’s really can do anything in the mountains. La Sportiva Prodigio Max: big protection, big midsole, big outsole. A real big mountain shoe true to the brand’s ethos. Just with a nicer midsole now. |
| Marcel Krebs | --- |
| Jeff Valliere | 1. Norda 001a - quick and light feeling, great traction, foothold, stability, protection. 2nd Arc Teryx Vertex Speed. 3rd Ron Hill Freedom Ultra |
Technical Big Mountains Trails Shoe of the Year  What is your Favorite short and fast speed trail shoe (race or training) of 2025 | |
| Nico Wagner | 1) Still Hoka Tecton x2 - love the cushion, reactivity and also great for a race shoe when it gets technical 2) La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - great overall but not as fast 3) Agravic Speed Ultra - really fast but unstable when on real trails |
| Nils Scharff | Mount to Coast H1 |
| Jen Schmidt | Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 4 TNF Vectiv Summit Sky 2 - While this one is marketed as a skyrunning/short distance shoe, I found it to be much more versatile than those categories and even raced a 50k in it. Lightly cushioned but enough to run 4+ hours in, and the plate adds noticeable pop. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Mount to Coast H1: Responsive, light, fast, great upper, and enough tractions for California trails 2. S/Lab Pulsar 4: For when you're running more serious trails, and need the extra protection and stability over the Mount to Coast H1, a great complementary shoe. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. Puma Deviate Elite Trail: Puma managed to bring their road marathon shoe on the trails and actually make it work there. Super fast shoe. |
| Sam Winebaum | Norda 005- Light, fast, energetic there is nothing quite like it out there, Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4- leans more technical terrain and shorter than the Norda and is all about security and agility. Fuji Lite 6 tied with Terra Kiger 10- not the lightest of the bunch but a great upper joins a reliable agile platform |
| Jeremy Marie | NNormal Kjerag 02: this one shows up in la y category, but it’s not only hype: the Kjerag is a really good, do it all shoe, just limited by its tiny lugs. Nnormal Kjerag Brut: the name says it all. Brutal traction. The fit needs to be tried at the shop though Puma Deviate Elite Nitro Trail: a nice surprise for the first performance trail shoe of the Big Cat. Excellent midsole, cushioned and reactive, nice flexible plate giving loads of propulsion especially uphill, and still secure when bombing down. |
| Marcel Krebs | 1.) HOKA Rocket X Trail. The Rocket X Trail is light, stable and provides an energetic ride, which ticks all the boxes for races on runnable terrain over almost every distance. 2.) ASICS FujiSpeed 4: More stripped down and lighter, it offers a slightly firmer and more direct ride than the Rocket X trail. Perfect for shorter races. 3.) Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4. more comfortable and cushioned than its predecessor, the S/Lab Pulsar 4 remains a great and direct racing option for shorter distances |
| Jeff Valliere | 1st. NNormal Kjerag Brut - Super light, custom feeling secure fit, low slung stability but with very reasonable protection, crazy 6.5mm lug sticky grip, fast and agile. 2nd Norda 005. 3rd Ron Hill Freedom Ultra |
| Short and Fast speed trail shoe In another tight race the H1 gets two first place voited while the S/Lab Pulsar 4 gets a total of 4 nods. The NNormal Kjerag Brut is 3d. | |
What is your Favorite long-distance/ultra training and racing trail shoe of 2025 | |
| Kurt Biesemans | 1) Salomon Genesis S/LAB: Even after long distances, the Genesis continues to shine. The integrated sock liner and gaiter-like ankle wrap secure the foot perfectly, while the breathable upper strikes a fine balance between a roomy fit and a locked-in feel. Combined with excellent lateral support, it’s a shoe built for confidence and comfort on long trail adventures. 2) On CloudUltra 3: When weight and lateral precision aren’t top priorities, the CloudUltra 3 checks all the boxes for long-distance training and ultra races. It delivers more cushioning than the Salomon Genesis, offering a smooth, fatigue-reducing ride over long hours. The fit is spot-on — a roomy toe box combined with a secure midfoot lock-in that keeps your foot stable without feeling restrictive. Add to that its excellent Missiongrip™ traction, and you’ve got a shoe built for confidence and comfort on any terrain. |
| Nico Wagner | 1) Still the Hoka Tecton x2 - love the cushion, reactivity and also great for a race shoe when it gets technical 2) La Sportiva Prodigio Pro - great overall but not as fast 3) Agravic Speed Ultra - really fast but unstable when on real trails |
| Nils Scharff | HOKA Rocket X Trail - The Rocket X Trail is my shoe for any trail run I like a little more bounce and or protection. Its midsole made of 42mm (stack) of state of the art A-TPU foam delivers both. It runs very smooth on trails and roads (better than many road super trainers) and gives you the little extra that you expect from a carbon fiber plate once you dial up the pace. It's not the most stable because of its high platform but it can manage most of the more technical stuff as well. |
| Jen Schmidt | 1. Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 4 2. Saucony Xodus Ultra 3. Hoka Tecton X3 // VJ Ultra 3 (tie) - The Tecton X3 was a favorite early in the year, and I wore it to race Way Too Cool 50k, where the ample cushioning was pleasant and the carbon plate allowed for quick turnover on flatter sections. I find it to be much more versatile and performance-oriented than the Rocket X Trail, the HOKA supershoe released later in the year. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Hoka Rocket X Trail: Phenomenal cushion, some of the best foam I've ever seen in a shoe, while still very lightweight. If your trail is smooth enough and you don't have tons of technical rocks and roots, it's very fast and competent. 2. Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4: Although I tend to prefer more stack height and cushion at longer distances, the Pulsar 4 now has enough cushion to break into the greater than 30k distance for me, especially if I need good stability and traction. 3. Brooks Cascadia 19: if the terrain is too technical or you need more stability, the cascade will protect you very well over longer distances. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. La Sportiva Prodigio Pro: Ticks all the boxes. Fast, Comfortable, Versatile. 2. VJ Ultra 3: For a more technical race where grip is more important, this is the one to go. |
| Sam Winebaum | On Cloudultra Pro- no question the Pro leads this category with a near road shoe like ride and friendly stable cushion boosted by a super upper and decent traction. 2. Brooks Cascadia Elite: coming early 2026 the Brooks is incredibly light for its stack height and platform has the best fitting upper of the 3 and a mellow stable ride that favors many hours on trail over pure speed 3., Kalias Fuga EX 330- the one to lace up if the distance is technical and long. No plate and lots of agile feeling friendly underfoot cushion with the deepest most aggressive traction of the group. |
| Jeremy Marie | 1. On CloudUltra Pro: the best trail « super shoe » on the market, period. 2. On CloudUltra 3: no frills, efficient, and what an improvement over the previous versions. 3. MTC T1: the slightly too relaxed fit comes as an advantage, for me, for long outings. |
| Marcel Krebs | 1.) HOKA Rocket X Trail. The Rocket X Trail is light, stable and provides an energetic ride, which ticks all the boxes for races on runnable terrain over almost every distance. 2.) Salomon S/Lab Ultraglide 1.5. Great option for everyone looking for a nonplated yet energetic and stable ride with plenty of cushion. 3 HOKA Mafate 5: When the terrain is less runnable, its a good alternative because of its deeper lugs. It balances responsiveness with stability and grip. |
| Jeff Valliere | VJ Ultra 3 - exceptionally light especially considering the cushion/protection, grip, comfort, speed/response. 2nd La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. 3rd La Sportiva Prodigio Max |
Long Distance and Ultra Shoe of the Year  The Hoka Rocket X Trail (RTR Review) got 3 first place votes with the On Cloudutlra Pro 2 (RTR Review) getting two voies in the long distance category.  La Sportiva Prodigio Pro (RTR Review) is third with 1 first place vote and two 2nd place votes.  It is notable that the companion On Cloudultra 3 also got two 2nd place votes so there is no question On has finally cracked the trail shoe code in their Ultra series shoes. What is your Favorite Door to Trali and or Gravel shoe of 2025 and why? | |
| Kurt Biesemans | Mount To Coast H1: The Mount to Coast H1 really shines is in its versatility. It transitions seamlessly from city streets to gravel paths and forest roads without ever feeling out of place. The cushioning is balanced — soft enough for long efforts, yet firm enough to keep that connected-to-the-ground sensation I like for hybrid runs. The ride feels energetic thanks to the responsive CircleCELL™ midsole, while the dual-lacing system makes mid-run adjustments effortless. It performs best in door-to-trail runs, gravel loops, and urban adventures — it absolutely nails the brief. |
| Nico Wagner | MTC H1 - really nice overall |
| Nils Scharff | Mount to Coast H1 for shorter runs HOKA Rocket X Trail for longer runs |
| Jen Schmidt | Mount to Coast T1 - Comfortable and built for durability, with no noticeable wear and tear after substantial testing. The outsole isn't beefy enough to make this a great pure trail shoe, in my book, but it's excellent as a door-to-easy-trail shoe. review sample Arctery'x Norvan LD4 - I tested the GoreTex version, which was great in wet conditions. While it's marketed as a long-distance trail shoe, I liked it better for gravel or road to trail. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Mount to Coast H1: This shoe seems perfectly defined for this niche, while being so good it breaks out into other niches. This is the one shoe quiver of 2025. 2.S/Lab Pulsar 4: For a trail shoe, the new PEBA cushion feels much more responsive and better on the road. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. Diadora Nucleo 2 GR: a superb all round shoe, which happens to do also great on the roads. |
| Sam Winebaum | 1. Mount to Coast H1: hands down for its light weight and both trails and roads versatility, 2. Norda 005: leans more trail in feel (outsole) and has the most energetic ride on any surface 3. Rocket X Trail: big shoe, big front rebound! Super light for its massive stack and platform |
| Jeremy Marie | MTC H1: I won’t repeat all the aces this shoes has upon its sleeves. Equally at ease on roads as on trails. ON CloudUltra Pro: goes so well on roads thanks to the geometry and foam combination. |
| Marcel Krebs | 1.) HOKA Rocket X Trail: The Rocket X Trail is light, stable and provides an energetic ride, which ticks all the boxes for races on runnable terrain over almost every distance. 2.) ASICS FujiSpeed 4 More stripped down and lighter, it offers a slightly firmer and more direct ride than the Rocket X trail. Perfect for shorter races. |
| Jeff Valliere | Norda 005 - light, fast, well cushioned and with road friendly lugs, very versatile! |
Door to Trail and Gravel Shoe of the Year The Mount to Coast H1 runs away with this category with 7 first place votes. The Hoka Rocket X Trail is a distant second followed by the Norda 005 (RTR Review). | |
| What was your favorite Easy Cruiser trail shoe of 2025 | |
| Kurt Biesemans | 1) Salomon Genesis S/LAB: Even after long distances, the Genesis continues to shine. The integrated sock liner and gaiter-like ankle wrap secure the foot perfectly, while the breathable upper strikes a fine balance between a roomy fit and a locked-in feel. Combined with excellent lateral support, it’s a shoe built for confidence and comfort on long trail adventures. 2) On CloudUltra 3: When weight and lateral precision aren’t top priorities, the CloudUltra 3 checks all the boxes for long-distance training and ultra races. It delivers more cushioning than the Salomon Genesis, offering a smooth, fatigue-reducing ride over long hours. The fit is spot-on — a roomy toe box combined with a secure midfoot lock-in that keeps your foot stable without feeling restrictive. Add to that its excellent Missiongrip™ traction, and you’ve got a shoe built for confidence and comfort on any terrain. |
| Nico Wagner | 1.Tecton x2, 2. Agravic Speed Ultra, 3.ASICS Metafuji Trail |
| Nils Scharff | HOKA RocketX Trail |
| Jen Schmidt | 1. On Cloudultra Pro - see above 2. Hoka Tecton X3 - see above 3. Puma Velocity Nitro Trail - While the fit doesn't work for everyone, this shoe has a ton of potential - hopefully future updates fix the ankle collar. The rockered ride feels fast and more stable than many trail supershoes, and the fit is much better for narrow to medium feet than many of its competitors in the plated category. Review sample |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Hoka Rocket X Trail, very cushioned and comfortable, even at slower paces 2. Brooks Cascadia 19: Supremely cushioned, very protective, and good grip and stability. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. New Balance Hierro v8: Finally a Hierro, which manages to not feel cluncy on the trail but still provides plenty of cushion and comfort. |
| Sam Winebaum | 1. La Sportiva Prodigio Max: the do it all shoe of 2025 does cruising super well too! 2. Brooks Cascadia Elite: this super light 2026 "elite" shoe makes for a great cruiser due to its soft cushioning. very stable ride and comfortable upper 3.ASICS Fuji Lite 6- great grip, agile ride, cushion and value pricing |
| Jeremy Marie | 1. Nnormal Kjerag 02: goes easy as well as fast. 2. ON CloudUltra 3: comfy fit, finally an approachable midsole. The best shoe « for everybody » wanting to go long and easy. 3. La Sportiva Prodigio Max: a real mountain shoe, but clearly not meant to go fast IMO. |
| Marcel Krebs | HOKA Mafate X. Great plated longrun option for flowing trails and gravel. |
| Jeff Valliere | Hoka Mafate 5 - beefy, rugged, protective, great traction, great cushion and comfort. 2nd Brooks Cascadia 19. 3rd Nike Terra Kiger 10 |
| Easy Cruiser Trail Shoe of the Year No overwhelming winners in the cruiser category although the Hoka Rocket X Trail gets 2 first place votes with the On Cloudultra 3 two 2nd place votes What was your absolute Favorite Trail Shoe of 2025 | |
| Kurt Biesemans | On CloudUltra 3: I was genuinely surprised by the On Cloudultra 3. The foot lockdown is exceptional, with a snug, sock-like feel thanks to the neoprene tongue that wraps perfectly around the midfoot. The cushioning strikes that rare balance — soft enough for long hours on the trail, yet responsive enough to stay agile and connected. On’s quick-drying, Swiss-engineered Leno weave mesh adds both durability and breathability, while the full-length rock plate offers outstanding protection without compromising flexibility. The sticky outsole compound provides confident grip on technical and wet terrain alike. For me, the Cloudultra 3 is a complete trail shoe — versatile, protective, and incredibly comfortable. It truly feels like a shoe that has it all. |
| Nico Wagner | 1. North Face Infinite 3 > 2. Prodigio Pro > 3. Mount to Coast T1 |
| Nils Scharff | You can guess it already. Both, the MTC H1 as well as the HOKA RocketX Trail are really great shoes. They are not the only trail shoes I reviewed, but the two which stood out the most. If you like a little more nimbleness and ground feel the MTC is probably the one to go with a noses out the Hoka for first place. If endless cushion and bounce is your thing, then the HOKA is hard to beat. They make a great 1-2-punch for my mellow home trails and road-to-trail usage! |
| Jen Schmidt | Salomon S/LAB Pulsar 4 TNF Vectiv Summit Sky 2 Brooks Cascadia 19 |
| Adam Glueck | 1. Mount to Coast H1: incredible versatility and so much fun to run in. 2. Hoka Rocket X Trail: A technical tour-de-force, with incredible foam, cushioning for 50km +, and extremely light weight for the stack height. 3. Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4: one of my favorite shoe lines for years, now modernized with a cutting edge foam and extremely versatile stack height, enough cushion for a 50k, enough speed for a VK. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. La Sportiva Prodigio Pro: Does the best in all categories overall and is one of the biggest step ups from La Sportiva. 2. VJ Ultra 3: First VJ I got to run in, and it's just a beast. 3. Puma Deviate Elite Trail: Most surprising plated shoe of 2025 for me. Did not think they manage to transfer their road shoe to the trails. Bit underrated too! |
| Sam Winebaum | 1. Prodigo Max: sheer versatility from road to the most tech trails 2. Mount to Coast H1: speed on smooth trail and road, and with super light weight all around versatility. 3. Kalias Fuga EX 330: the one for the technical trails |
| Jeremy Marie | 1. MTC H1: versatility, fit, midsole. It even tops the Kjerag 02 for me, maybe because my surroundings are more fdoor to tail » than pure trails. 2. NNormal Kjerag 02: the « mountainous sister » to the H1, for me. I was a bit « meh » on the first, but this one rules out many issues I had. 3. On Cloudultra Pro: as I said, the best trail super shoe available. Easy to go with, stable, secure, and goes (really) fast (really) easy. |
| Marcel Krebs | 1.) HOKA Rocket X Trail. The Rocket X Trail is light, stable and provides an energetic ride, which ticks all the boxes for races on runnable terrain over almost every distance. 2.) Salomon S/Lab Ultraglide 1.5. Great option for everyone looking for a nonplated yet energetic and stable ride with plenty of cushion. 3.) ASICS FujiSpeed 4. More stripped down and lighter than the Rocket X Trail, it offers a slightly firmer and more direct ride than the Rocket X trail. Perfect for shorter races. |
| Jeff Valliere | 1st NNormal Kjerag Brut - My go to for my fastest efforts on the most technical terrain. 2nd VJ Ultra 3. 3rd Norda 005 |
The Big Award! RTR Trail Shoe of the Year  Mount to Coast's H1 (RTR Review) edges out the Hoka Rocket X Trail (RTR Review).  Both are state of art and effectively executed to deliver super light rides using high energy foams with a focus on smoother trails, gravel and some roads. | |
| What were your biggest trail run/hike product surprise(s) shoes gear etc..of 2025? | |
| Kurt Biesemans | Mount To Coast H1 |
| Nico Wagner | MTC H1, great shoe for like really everything. I grab my pair for like 60-70 % of all my runs. Also for more rugged trails and long runs I really enjoyed the VJ Ultra 3. Really nice ride, great grip and most of all great durability so far. I have now around 400km (mostly trails) on my pair and the outsole is still looking really really good. Haven´t had this with a shoe for a longer time now. |
| Jen Schmidt | H Drop sensor - loved that sweat testing is becoming portable so we can dial in hydration and electrolytes across a range of environmental conditions and efforts! (not a RTR review sample) |
| Adam Glueck | Mount to Coast H1 (review pair, but I will buy another when they eventually die): first shoe form the brand I've tried, extremely versatile and comfortable, and if I could bring one shoe on a trip, this is the one I'd take. |
| Markus Zinkl | La Sportiva Prodigio Pro. Finally they caught up and surpassed most trail shoes with an energetic midsole and crazy good fit, while still keep their roots of technical mountain trail shoes. |
| Sam Winebaum | Emergence of Chinese/Hong Kong brands with MTC H1 and T1, Kailas Fuga EX 330. In a positive and negative surprise at the same time On was able to deliver among if not the friendliest elite super shoes for trail On Cloudultra Pro and Cloudultra 3 along with Cloudboom Max and Strike yet seem unable to deliver friendly riding regular trainers. |
| Jeremy Marie | N/A |
| Marcel Krebs | KICKR BIKE Shift Bike - excellent option for cross training on an indoor bike with a maximum of connectivity for Swift, TrainingPeaks, etc. |
| Jeff Valliere | Rossignol Vercors (review soon), an amazing all around shoe, I had no idea Rossignol was so good at making shoes. |
| What were your key 2025 run highlights, PR, races etc..? | |
| Kurt Biesemans | UTMB Tenerife Blue Trail (73km), George Fisher Tea round, (50km), UTMB Mallorca (100km) |
| Nico Wagner | Getting in shape for a 100k race in Switzerland this summer, which i dnfd (haha). But great time being a lot of the time outside |
| Jen Schmidt | Way Too Cool 50k win, Silver State 50k win and CR, 5th and first AG at Tamalpa Headlands 50k (USATF national champs), 6th at Black Canyon 50k. Still a few XC and road races to go :)! |
| Adam Glueck | It's been a fun year. Race highlights would be winning the Oakland Hills 35km by 10+ minutes, and racing the US Trail Running Ultra Championships in Marin with my partner. It's also been great to connect more with my local community, and join local clubs for workouts on nearby trails. |
| Markus Zinkl | 1. Marathon PR in Prague this year 2. Dolomite through hike on the Alta Via 2 |
| Sam Winebaum | Lots of trekking and trail running in the Alps and Utah and getting in the zone on our brand new rail trail testing lots of "gravel". Reporting UTMB! |
| Jeremy Marie | One more year focusing on triathlons, but I brought in more fun in the mix’ a 60k trail race early April finishing around 20th - I couldn’t expect more considering the minimal specific trail training. Two Hyrox races in solo, finishing 6th AG in the second, a beautiful mountain triathlon in the Semnoz (Annecy), and a big weekend with a Half distance triathlon on Saturday (6th AG) and an Olympic distance on Sunday where I both won my AG and topped my 10k PR, having ran the 10k leg under 36´….i was quite happy ! |
| Marcel Krebs | For sure going sub-3 at the Hamburg Marathon in spring, which was much earlier than expected! My current marathon personal best is 2:58:32. This time will be challenged in 2026, with the next target being sub-2:55! |
| Jeff Valliere | No one highlight in particular, but sharing high mountain summits with my teenage daughters, wife, an uptick of social runs with friends, logging some of my fastest times on local peaks in years (after fracturing my T5 and T-6 vertabrae in March), A-Basin Cirque Series. |
| What races, routes, run discoveries, training methods, challenges of any kind were most significant in 2025 for you and what are your 2026 goals. | |
| Kurt Biesemans | Goal for 2026 is qualification for UTMB CCC |
| Jen Schmidt | My 2025 was focused on regaining fitness and returning to my favorite 50k distance after an injury took out my 2024 season. I raced four trail 50k's from February to August, then switched over to XC and roads to work on speed. In 2026, I am excited to step up in distance for my first 100k and then potentially take a shot at an OTQ in the marathon! |
| Adam Glueck | 1. I've really enjoyed getting to explore new places by running. I think exploring dragon's back in Hong Kong on foot, the Scottish Highlands, Central Park in NYC, and all around Marin Headlands, has been a joy, and I'm excited to see where I'll be running next. |
| Markus Zinkl | Alta Via 2 trek was most significant. The hardest through hike I've done in a while. 2026 is to PR again at the Copenhagen Marathon. |
| Sam Winebaum | Continue keeping on road and trail staying consistent at around 35 miles per week and being cautious on trail focusing on fast uphills and cautious downhills, as always for me! More shorter faster trail and road intervals. |
| Jeremy Marie | Less high speed intervals, more tempo and threshold, lots of strength work at the gym…adapting to getting older I guess ! In 26, I hope to stay mostly injury free, and finally race an Ironman for which I’ll be happy with my performance, something I’ve yet to achieve mid-june. |
| Marcel Krebs | The most significant race and highlight of 2025 was definitely the Hamburg Marathon, where I successfully achieved my sub-3 goal. It was the perfect race, even though my preparation was far from ideal. Afterward, I faced some unexpected events and injuries. Now, I’m already planning for 2026 and can’t wait to compete again. My biggest lesson was that no matter how hard you train alone, nothing beats training in a motivated group with runners at your level or above. For 2026, my focus will stay on the road, with a few trail highlights at the end of the year. As things return to normal, I’ll also focus more than ever on testing the best shoes and gear for our readers. I’ll pay special attention to plated and non-plated “supershoes,” aiming to log as many miles as possible during my marathon training block.' |
| Jeff Valliere | My #1 challenge this year was breaking my T-5 and T-6 Vertabrae, leading to a cancer scare and also learning that I have severe osteoperosis (-4.8), necessitating daily injections for 2 years and having to take my downhills a bit more cautious. I was also signed up for the Boston Marathon and had to cancel, maybe the biggest letdown of the whole ordeal. Next year, perhaps Boston if I were presented with the opportunity again, definitely more time on the high peaks with my daughters and connecting with friends on the trails. |
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6 comments:
Surprised not to see more wins for Prodigio Pro, I just tried a few this year but I tried a lot of shoes over the years and this one is in my top 3 ;) also surprised not to see norda 005 more but thats great for my wallet ;p
We have the gravel shoes of the year (rocket X and MTC H1) but
what are the trail running shoes of the year? 😅
Those two were clear overall favorites for "Trail" while yes not for all on the most technical trails. See Big Mountain Technical trails category for shoes at the other extreme if you will. It is also clear that "big lugs" do not necessarily define a trail shoe's capabilities on more varied terrain. Agility of the shoe and the rubber itself are also key elements.
I would add it of course all depends on your terrain as well.
I think we need like a minimum technical requirement that these shoes can handle UTMB terrain - And that's considered a low technical race. I can't think of a single trail race I would pick the H1 or Rocket X trail for? These should stay in the gravel category only and shouldn't be eligible to win TRAIL shoe of the year. Anyone can make well-riding shoe for road and gravel, but to also have it handle tech terrain is the real challenge. That's what the Prodigio Pro does so well.
I totally agree, prodigio pro, norda 005 and tnf infinite 3 are clearly superior for TRAIL running
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