Best Road and Trail Running Shoes: Our Current Rotation

Introduction

It has been a busy stretch for new running shoes, with a good mix of road and trail models passing through our test rotation. Miles get logged based on fit, feel, and performance, and the shoes below are the ones we keep reaching for when nothing new is on the test bench. Some handle smooth, dry trails, one is a road workhorse, and two are built for the kind of wet, muddy conditions that make grip the most important spec of all.

Smooth Trail Picks: Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4

For steady runs on dry, compacted trails, footpaths, and the occasional stretch of road, the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 has become one of our go-to options. It is simply easy to run in: lace it up, head out the door, and the shoe asks for no thought at all.

The roomy toe box comes from Topo Athletic’s anatomical foot-shaped design, while the midfoot still locks down securely and the heel holds well. The ZipFoam midsole strikes a comfortable balance of cushioning, protection, and stability on compacted, drier trails, and it stays comfortable when the route crosses onto tarmac.

Another Smooth Trail Option: New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Venom

The New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Venom is a trail shoe that reminds you how much fun running can be. It performs well on drier, more compacted trails and delivers a genuinely lively ride, helped by a lightweight build of just 279g in a UK 9.

The upper works well for a wide range of foot shapes and shares clear design cues with the FuelCell Rebel v5 road shoe. Pair that with the soft, bouncy FuelCell midsole compound and you get a fun, energetic trail shoe. The trade-off: that very soft foam can feel unstable on technical terrain, so it is best saved for well-trodden trails and compacted paths.

Road Choice: Saucony Kinvara Pro

The Saucony Kinvara Pro has been in rotation the longest and was enjoyable straight out of the box. It is not the lightest road shoe, weighing 302g in a UK 9.5, and it launched in the UK at a hefty £200 with a very deep stack of cushioning. Even so, everything about it works well for our foot shape.

The upper is lightweight and highly breathable, with a secure midfoot lockdown and a solid heel hold. The dual-compound midsole puts a top layer of PWRRUN PB performance foam over standard PWRRUN, delivering a blend of comfort, performance, and stability that returns plenty of energy. Add Saucony’s Speedroll rocker geometry for a smooth transition to toe-off, and you have one of the best midsole constructions on any Saucony road shoe, Endorphin models included. If we could only pick one shoe for all road running, this would be it.

Wet and Muddy Trail Picks

When a route looks wet and muddy, grip becomes the priority. Two shoes rotate through this role, both built to keep you upright when conditions turn grim.

Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix

Merrell’s MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix looked too stripped-back at first, especially for anyone who likes cushioning underfoot, but the FloatPro Foam midsole proved surprisingly comfortable on the first run. At 261g in a UK 9.5 it feels nimble and responsive when the pace picks up, and the thinner stack offers excellent ground feel and connection to the trail.

On the bottom, a chunky 5mm-lug Vibram Megagrip rubber outsole delivers consistent traction in very wet and muddy conditions. It is a strong pick for moving quickly over technical terrain at distances up to around 50k.

Second Option for Mud

The second muddy-weather slot goes to the Inov-8 TrailTalon, covered in more detail in the next section, where grip and traction are the headline features.

Grip for Tough Winter Conditions: Inov-8 TrailTalon

The Inov-8 TrailTalon handles tough UK winter conditions remarkably well. The greatly improved G-Grip graphene rubber outsole uses a chunky 6mm lug design that grips hard and delivers great traction. On a long run test along a challenging stretch of coast path, a route that had previously caused a slip and a hamstring injury in another shoe, there was no slipping and sliding in the TrailTalon, and footing felt confident throughout.

At 331g in a UK 10 it is not the lightest trail shoe in the collection, but it is well balanced and does not run heavy. Inov-8’s anatomical foot-shaped design gives plenty of wiggle room up front. If we are honest, the fit of the brand’s Trailfly still feels slightly more secure around the foot, but in muddy, wet conditions the TrailTalon is right in its element.

Overall Buying Advice

Match the shoe to the terrain you actually run. For dry, compacted trails and mixed road sections, the Topo Athletic Ultraventure 4 offers the easiest all-round experience, while the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Venom adds fun and energy on well-trodden paths. Road-focused runners get the most complete package from the Saucony Kinvara Pro, provided the price and deep stack suit their preferences. If wet mud defines your winter, the Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix is the light and nimble choice and the Inov-8 TrailTalon is the confidence-inspiring grip specialist.

Conclusion

A rotation built around terrain types takes the guesswork out of every run. Each of these five shoes earns its place by doing one job very well, whether that is easy miles on smooth trails, efficient road training, or staying upright in the deepest mud of winter.