Best Trail Running Shoes of 2024: Top Picks and Near Misses

Introduction

Trail running has been our home base for years, so picking a favorite category of shoe each year always feels like the real season finale. After a road-focused roundup earlier in the year, it is time for the trail picks of 2024, drawn from a season spent running mountain routes, ultra distances, and everything in between.

This year was genuinely hard. Previous years had obvious standouts, but 2024’s field was tight, with many shoes performing at a similar level and no single model running away with the crown.

How This Year’s List Came Together

In total, 23 different trail running shoes were tested from brands including Salomon, Nike, Adidas, Hoka, and La Sportiva, plus a new trail model from the British brand Ron Hill. That volume alone made narrowing things down a challenge, and the final ranking ended up closer than in any recent year.

The criteria were simple: how a shoe felt on first run, how it held up over real mileage, whether it caused any foot issues, and how it performed across varied terrain. With that in mind, here are the top three, followed by a few shoes that just missed the cut.

Number Three: Saucony Exodus Ultra 3

This pick might surprise you, because honestly, it surprised us too. The original Exodus Ultra was a long-time favorite, and the second version was still a pleasure to run in. So when the Ultra 3 arrived with a wider midsole profile, the first run felt flat and slabby, without the bounce or energy return expected from that dual-compound midsole setup.

Then something changed. After more than 200 miles, the midsole softened up nicely and became more flexible, and the shoe grew into a genuinely dependable companion. It performed well on mountain trails while preparing for a CCC buildup, and handled a tough 50k mountain race in Switzerland without complaint.

The upper design has also been a strong point. Over those 200 miles there were zero hotspots and zero blisters, which has been a consistent story with the Exodus line and its fit for this foot shape. It is not as exciting as the original, but it is consistent on most terrain types and trustworthy at any distance, and that earns it the number three spot.

Number Two: La Sportiva Prodigio

La Sportiva has historically been a tricky brand for some runners, with shoes that felt stiff through the midfoot and a bit heavy and clunky on the run. The Prodigio changed that impression completely. From the first outing it felt lighter, more nimble, and more responsive, with a comfortable midsole that was genuinely fun to run in.

Coming in under 300 grams in a UK 8, it felt nicely balanced on the trails, and the Xflow midsole returned impressive levels of energy, something no previous La Sportiva trail shoe had managed. The upper works well too, with good lockdown around the midfoot and a secure hold in the heel.

The ultimate test came on race day at the South Downs Way 100, a notoriously tough 100-mile course for your feet. The Prodigio handled the full distance and finished with feet still in good shape, passing with flying colors on one of the most foot-punishing courses around. Following that success, La Sportiva is launching a max-cushioned version and a Pro version of the Prodigio next year, and both look very promising.

Number One: Inov-8 Trailfly

If someone had predicted at the start of the year that an Inov-8 shoe would take the top spot, it would have sounded unlikely. But after the brand reworked its trail lineup for the year, the new Trailfly earned the number one position on real-world merit.

The new anatomical fit works well, with good lockdown around the midfoot, a secure heel hold, and comfortable wiggle room in a nicely wide toe box. The upper design is a clear step forward, with padding in all the right places, and it delivered zero foot issues even on long runs where some older Inov-8 models had caused irritation.

Underfoot, the combination of Powerflow Pro foam in the midsole and the Boomerang footbeds delivers a comfortable ride while keeping you connected to the ground. A flexible meta-shank rock plate and flex grooves worked into the midsole keep the Trailfly impressively bendy, a rare trait in an era of ever-deeper midsoles, and that flexibility makes the shoe feel responsive and nimble on technical trails.

The upgraded outsole is the other standout. The new graphene rubber compound is a massive improvement over earlier versions and gives strong grip on wet rocky trails, inspiring real confidence in footing on mud-slick coastal paths.

Honorable Mentions Worth a Look

Three more shoes nearly made the top three. The Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix is a great luggy, grippy, lightweight trail shoe for shorter, more technical runs, and it was a genuinely enjoyable shoe to spend time in.

Also worth a mention is Hoka’s new carbon-plated trail racer, the Tecton X3. The first run was very promising, though mileage in the shoe was limited before this roundup. Even so, it is probably one of the better carbon-plated trail shoes tested so far, and it is one to watch as more miles accumulate.

Buying Advice

If you want one dependable all-rounder that will bed in nicely and stay comfortable over hundreds of miles and any distance, the Exodus Ultra 3 is the trustworthy choice. If speed, low weight, and a fun ride matter most, and you want proven durability at ultra distances, the Prodigio is hard to beat. And if you value flexibility, a roomy fit, and wet-ground grip on technical terrain, the Trailfly is this year’s best overall pick. Match the shoe to the terrain you actually run, and any of the three will serve you well.

Conclusion

It was a strange year for trail shoes: lots of very good options, but no single shoe standing head and shoulders above the rest. The Saucony Exodus Ultra 3, La Sportiva Prodigio, and Inov-8 Trailfly earned the top spots on consistency, race-day performance, and all-round trail ability respectively, with the Merrell and Hoka models close behind. Fingers crossed the coming season brings a clearer standout.