We spend the most time on all the fun road shoes, but 2022 was an absolute hurricane of fantastic trail shoes that have reshaped the genre. This year's best trail shoes come with everything from double plates to super foams to new super stacked trainers built to mimic some of the fun that road has taken up in recent years. These are our favorite trail shoes of 2022.
HOW WE CHOSE
In this year's Best Of, we decided
to NOT have consensus picks as we couldn't come to terms with just
picking one shoe as the best daily trainer, or stability shoe, or
trail shoe of 2022. With so many variances and specifications for
runners, we decided to leave it a bit broader due to the differences in
many of the picks and let the shoes do the talking. For our Best Trail Shoe feature, our contributors identified the trail shoes that best supported their running offroad in 2022. With
many of us falling
into different situations, we hope our picks capture a wide scope of
runners with varying needs.
WRITER'S PICKS
CONTRIBUTOR ANDREA MYERS
I have had so much fun trail running in the Endorphin Edge this year. My number one reason for choosing this shoe as trail shoe of the year is that I find the asymmetrical carbon plate in combination with the stability of the upper helps reduce my tendency to roll my ankles when trail running. I have complete confidence in my landings in this shoe, which is something I have struggled with ever since having a severe ankle sprain in a trail race several years ago. The shoe strikes the right balance between cushion and responsiveness thanks to the high stack PWRRUN PB and the Carbitex plate. Unlike many trail shoes, the Endorphin Edge is also comfortable if you find yourself running on pavement, which is a feature I appreciate when connecting trailheads.
CONTENT MANAGER BACH PHAM
For me, my access to trails and off-road is just a short run away. I'm often looking for road-to-trail shoes that let me do a variety of terrain running in my urban setting. An option like the Craft CTM Ultra 2 is a dream, offering an excellent high stacked experience on both road and trail. Whether I want to tackle a long urban run or do a mix of both terrains, the Ultra 2 does an excellent job of handling both thanks to it's unique design. I took this shoe on many road long runs this year along with a mix of hybrid terrain runs which was a joy. The platform itself is also very wide and stable, and the upper is unusual in that it is quite wide for those looking for a lot of width in the toebox.
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR DAVID SALAS
This shoe is fun to run in. The PWRRUN PB midsole is noticeable and the plate mechanics have been integrated well into the trail offering. The upper still has a little bit of stretch to it, but still locks down well enough for me to look the other way. The traction underfoot has worked well for me in both runnable and more technical footing. For me, this is probably the first “super shoe” of trail running shoes. In a lot of ways it feels like an Endorphin Pro 1/2/Pro+ for the trails with just a little more balance for those longer distances and slower paces.
Honorable mention: Topo Pursuit
Honorable mention: Topo Pursuit
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR NATHAN BROWN
I got to try a lot more trail shoes this year than I have in the past, and I oscillate on the type of trail shoe I was going to select for our end of year awards. One realm is the trail shoe I can use for hikes…but also run in it. The other is the one I’d pick that is best for running the trails in my area. For the former, I’d go with the TOPO Ultraventure 3. I love the wider toe box and comfort underfoot for walking, hiking and standing. It also runs fine, but I do find it a bit firm. However, my favorite running experience was in the Tecton X. It has a softer topsole, parallel plates, and HOKA’s typical rocker shaping. I really appreciated the groundedness and stability that this shoe gave, and the lug depth allowed it to perform well on the dirt trails and rocky trials I go on. I also appreciate that the plate is not too rigid so it would flex to the surfaces when more uneven, but also respond well when picking up the pace. It does have a more narrow fit, but that works well for my foot type.
Honorable Mention: Altra Lone Peak 6
Honorable Mention: Altra Lone Peak 6
CHIEF EDITOR MATT KLEIN
As much as I enjoyed the Saucony Endorphin Edge, the Xodus Ultra takes my trail shoe of the year award. Featuring a somewhat similar set up to the Tempus, the midsole features a PWRRUN PB core with surrounding PWRRN. This creates a centrally guided ride that is not aggressive. However, the lugs are extremely aggressive and have handled every type of terrain I have thrown at them (even a little road). The grip is fantastic, able to take on loose dirt, snow, ice and mud fairly easily. The massive weight drop from the older Xodus series allows this shoe to handle pace pickups, but feels best cranking through miles. The RUNSHIELD version is an excellent choice for those in colder climates and was fantastic for exploring the icy/snowy trails around Mt. Hood. Those looking to experience a superfoam in a trail shoe that can handle ultra efforts on aggressive terrain should definitely take a look at the Xodus Ultra.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Edge
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for our next Best of Feature on Racing Shoes, coming soon.
Read our Past Best of Features from 2022:
The Best Daily Trainers of 2022
The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
The Best Max Cushion Shoes of 2022
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
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Read our Past Best of Features from 2022:
The Best Daily Trainers of 2022
The Best Performance Trainers of 2022
The Best Max Cushion Shoes of 2022
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
FOLLOW DOCTORS OF RUNNING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: Doctors of Running
Youtube Channel: Doctors of Running
Instagram: @doctorsofrunningYoutube Channel: Doctors of Running
Strava: Doctors of Running
Podcast: Virtual Roundtable
Pinterest: Doctors of Running