Hit the Dirt: 8 Great Trail Running Shoes for Summer 2025
Here are 8 of the best new trail running shoes for summer.
Summer is upon us, and it’s time to escape to the trails and hit the dirt. No matter if you’re already a regular trail runner or just dabbling in off-road running, it’s important to find a shoe that works for the type of trail running you do most often.
As always, I recommend seeking a shoe that best matches the types of terrain of your favorite local trails. That means a shoe with the appropriate amount of cushioning and protection, the correct outsole tread, and the requisite stability and agility for your running style. There’s no perfect match for everything — and yes, many trails have a wide range of surfaces and features — but honing in on a model that has the characteristics that you prefer can help avoid wearing a shoe that doesn’t perform how you need it to.
The following report offers a range of shoes to consider, but you should visit your local running store to try shoes on to make sure you can get a good understanding of how each model fits and feels on your feet.
Specs
Price: $170
Approximate Weights: 8.2 oz. (women’s size 8), 10.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 32mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild, Moderate, and Technical Trails
Pro: Soft, connective tongue
Con: Midsole isn’t very responsive
Arc’Teryx isn’t new to trail running shoes, but it’s gone all-in on the category this year with several new stunning models. The Norvan LD 4 is a great all-arounder that has the chops to run as well on rocky, technical surfaces as it does on smooth dirt terrain. The combination of a durable, smooth-fitting upper — highlighted by a stretchy, socklike fully gusseted tongue that really cinches down your feet to the midsole — a durable, stable and marginally responsive dual-density compression-molded EVA midsole, and highly effective, low-profile Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole lugs make this an exceptional shoe.
The ride is smooth but not bouncy, but the slightly lower-to-the-ground geometry offers great feel for the trail and allows the shoe to be stable, secure, and agile on more technical terrain. While looks don’t matter (or do they?), based on the unusual number of compliments I’ve received while wearing these shoes, ArcTeryx must have done something right with the smart colorways and two-tone color-blocking aesthetics. That has nothing to do with the do-everything versatility and performance of this shoe, so I’ll rack those up as bonus points.
Specs
Price: $225
Approximate Weights: 10.4 oz. (women’s size 8), 11.9 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 8mm; 49mm (heel), 41mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild and Moderate Trails
Pro: Enhanced with a carbon-fiber plate
Con: A bit heavier than most trail shoes
The Mafate X is a fun, energetic shoe that’s ideal for cruising on mild to moderate trail surfaces, fire roads, and gravel roads. It has a good mix of comfort and control and more underfoot and sidewall protection than a road shoe can offer against sharp, jagged rocks. But its road shoe cushiness feels safe, comfy, and familiar, and the reliable outsole and appropriate amount of protection is reassuring to make running on slightly rugged terrain entirely worry-free.
On dirt trails and gravel roads, the carbon-plated midsole of the Mafate X serves up a smooth, supportive, and springy ride. It feels like a cushy road running shoe on mild terrain, but it also feels surprisingly stable (although not optimally nimble) on more rugged terrain. It’s not super light, but the energetic ride mostly masks the additional weight. You can feel the burst of energy provided by the foam and plate, but the forked design of the plate helps keep the shoe secure as you roll from heel-strike to toe-off.
Specs
Price: $180
Approximate Weights: 10.1 oz. (women’s size 8), 12.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 29mm (heel), 25mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild and Moderate Trails
Pro: High percentage of sustainable materials
Con: Midsole feels a bit dense; lacks agility
Ice Bug is a Swedish brand of running shoes that’s made its mark by developing shoes with an array of metal studs that allow for secure footing on icy and snow-packed trails and roads during the winter. But the company has also made traditional, all-season trail running shoes, and the Järv RB9X is one of the surprise outliers among 2025 models. Made from a high percentage of recycled and bio-based materials, it’s a versatile and durable everyday trail training shoe that excels on gravel roads, mild to moderate trails, and rugged alpine fire roads. Although this shoe is a bit heavier than some of its peers and lacks agility, it earns positive marks for comfort, durability, and sustainable materials.
The secret sauce of the shoe is the grippy array of directional outsole lugs partially made from natural rubber and recycled rubber that provides exceptional traction and protection on smooth rock faces, gravel, mud, and dirt. The bio-based expanded TPU midsole foam is dense and a tad on the heavy side, but it’s the foundation of a responsive, stable, and durable platform. The woven engineered upper is durable and breathable and well integrated with the super-critical insole, the thin, gussetted tongue, and padded, flared heel collar that all combine to help secure your feet to the chassis.
Specs
Price: $180
Approximate Weights: 7.7 oz. (women’s size 8), 9.0 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 36mm (heel), 32mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild, and Moderate Trails
Pro: Innovative, dual-adjustable upper
Con: High-volume interior can feel too loose for narrow-footed runners
Mount to Coast is a new brand to the trail running shoe market, and just as it did with the launch of its road running shoes in 2024, it unveiled its first trail model with high-end materials, innovative features, and a focus on comfort and performance. Like its road shoes, the T1 utilizes the TunedFit Dual Lacing System that allows for semi-custom fit based on cinch cord adjustments at the forefoot and midfoot of the shoe — a key feature that can be a big help when feet swell during long runs or slight adjustments need to be made on different types of terrain.
The PEBA-blend, nitrogen-infused foam midsole offers a moderate amonut of energy return, while the wide toe box allows your toes to splay, flex, and power through your stride. The upper is made from a durable and breathable high-performance woven Kevlar fabric that’s reinforced with aramid fibers, and a fast-drying, anti-siphon knit tongue that repels water. The Vibram Megagrip Litebase rubber outsole is light, durable, and aggressive with micro-traction features that the brand claims can provide up to 25 percent more grip.
Specs
Price: $155
Approximate Weights: 8.3 oz. (women’s size 8), 10.3 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 42mm (heel), 38mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild Trails
Pro: Soft and bouncy vibe like a road running shoe
Con: Can be unstable on technical trails
Like a soft and responsive road running shoe with a trail-oriented outsole tread, the maximally cushioned Hiero continues to be a very good crossover shoe most suited to running on mild trail terrain. It has the softest and bounciest midsole of any trail shoe I’ve run in this year — the same Fresh Foam X material found in many New Balance high-mileage road shoes — and I’ve enjoyed that for long runs on a mix of gravel roads, smooth dirt trails, and paved or concrete paths. (It can handle moderately technical trails with more roots and rocks, but I found it to be more unstable the more I pushed it on that type of terrain. The reinforced toe box helps alleviate stubbed toes, but there isn’t much sidewall protection.)
The Hiero v9 is a comfy trail cruiser with all-encompassing fit with a well-cushioned, bootie-like interior and a stretchy breathable upper that feels a lot like a road shoe. The Vibram Megagrip outsole provides solid traction, but the wide outsole and stiff-flexing characteristic prohibit nimble running.
Specs
Price: $325
Approximate Weights: 6.2 oz. (women’s size 8), 7.9 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 7mm; 28.5mm (heel), 21.5mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild, Moderate, and Technical Trails
Pro: Exceptional traction
Con: Extremely pricey
The Norda 005 does almost everything well on a wide variety of terrain surfaces. I give it high marks for cushion, comfort, traction, propulsion, and protection – on both smooth dirt routes and rocky trails, as well as just about everything in between. The soft and resilient Arnitel TPEE midsole foam makes every stride in the 005 an absolute pleasure. Not only is it extremely shock-absorbing on impact with the ground, but it’s also very accommodating as your foot rolls through the gait cycle and then impressively energetic as you lift off and begin a new stride. It’s not bouncy like some super shoes made for the roads, but instead it’s smooth, it’s stable, and sprightly. And the subtle security of the new Vibram sticky rubber outsole is the glue that ties it all together.
The Vibram Megagrip Elite outsole rubber is said to be 15 percent tackier than standard Megagrip outsoles and is also considerably lighter. The 4mm lugs on the 005 are sleek enough to feel good on smooth terrain, but stout enough to really grip on jagged, angular rocks, boulders, roots, and wooden stair steps.
Specs
Price: $220
Approximate Weights: 7.3 oz. (women’s size 8), 8.8 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 34mm (heel), 28mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild, Moderate, and Technical Trails
Pro: Great feel for the ground
Con: One-pull lacing is more complicated than it needs to be
The Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 4 is a lightweight and durable shoe with a low-to-the-ground design that gives it exceptional feel for the trail and agility on variable terrain surfaces. If you’re looking to run moderately fast or at an up-tempo pace for shorter distances on technical terrain — rocky and rolling trails with a lot of twists and turns — this snug-fitting, low-volume shoe is a good one to consider.
The low-profile outsole lugs and responsive, dual-density EVA/olefin midsole (which extends up the lateral and medial sidewalls for stability) serves up an optimal balance of shock absorption, energy return, comfort, and agility without getting in the way or creating any instability in your stride. The perforated, reinforced upper uniquely provides protection and breathability, while the fully gusseted tongue and the one-pull lacing system (which I have always found takes some fine-tuning to get right) can create a high-performance fit, albeit without much wiggle room in the toe box.
Specs
Price: $140
Approximate Weights: 8.6 oz. (women’s size 8), 9.8 oz. (men’s size 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 28mm (heel), 24mm (forefoot)
Best For: Gravel Roads, Mild, Moderate, and Technical Trails
Pro: A great versatile option at a good price
Con: Narrow toe box
The ride of this edition of the Saucony Peregrine is as soft, comfortable and reliable as any Peregrine has ever been. While the shoe remains fairly light and agile, there’s noticeably more softness and responsiveness in every stride – especially when you’re running on smooth trails at a consistent pace. On technical rocky terrain, that added softness adds some comfort and protection against the debris under your feet, but it also contributes to the shoe’s improved agility. Its sweet spot is running over mildly rugged trails (dirt, mud, pebbles, small rocks), but it also runs well on gravel roads and has enough grip, balance, and protection (including a flexible rock guard plate under the forefoot) to handle jagged boulders and edgy, off-cambre rocks. You can feel the ground as you run (which is very important!) without getting beat up by it.
Senior editor Brian Metzler has wear-tested more than 2,500 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado.