Ultra Advice: Choosing a Trail Shoe

If you are running an ultra, you are most likely going to be hitting trails.  While there are plenty of ultras out there that use roads, the majority take you off-road and onto uneven surfaces.  Choosing a trail shoe is a little different than choosing your regular trainer.  It's not difficult, but there are a few things to be aware of.

You've already (hopefully) been fitted for running shoes, so you know if you wear a neutral or stability shoe.  However, you may notice that a lot of trail shoes don't have a medial post to correct over-pronation.  This is due to the theory that in trail running, your foot rarely hits the ground the same way.  This eliminates a lot of the repetitive motion/stress that causes many of the common running injuries.  Also, the softer surface helps lessen the stress and impact on the body.  You will find some trail shoes with medial posts like some of the Salomon shoes.  So you are probably now wondering, "Do I need stability in my trail shoes or not?"  Unfortunately, the only way to know is to test it out.

Don't be fooled by "trail" shoes like the Adrenaline ASR, Trail Pegasus, and Adidas Response Trail.  These aren't really true trail shoes.  Essentially a company will take a shoe they already manufacture and slap a little extra rubber on the bottom, rearrange the tread pattern, change the color, and call it a trail shoe.  What you really jus bought is a heavier version of the original shoe.  Sure there are some marginal benefits of increased traction, but overall they aren't much better on trails than their lighter counterpart.

The type of surface you run on or plan to run on plays a big role in what type of trail shoe you run in.  A lot of people's idea of a trail doesn't require a technical shoe.  There are many crushed granite, smooth dirt, rails to trails, and similar surfaces out there that people all trails.  While there's nothing wrong with these types of trail, a mostly smooth surface doesn't really require a trail shoe.  If you run on this type of trail and have no desire to get into some nasty single-track, then just wear your normal trainer.  You'll get them a little dirty, but they'll perform wonderfully.

If your race and/or training will cause you to encounter rocky surfaces, you'll want to find a shoe with a rock plate (or shield) to protect the bottom of your feet.  Shoes like the Brooks Cascadia and the NB MT101, while very different shoes, both have a nice rock plate built into the outsole.  You'll notice a significant difference with a rock plate or shield on a very rocky trail. Without the added protection, its not uncommon to see bruising on the bottom of the feet.

Another factor to to take into account is whether or not your race have any water crossings.  If so, you'll want a shoe that will drain water easily.  You'll want to find a shoe that drains water quickly, not a shoe that keeps water out.  Gor-tex shoes are built to keep moisture out of your shoe, which initially sounds good but has a couple drawbacks.  One is that the shoes won't breathe, so you're feet will sweat a lot more.  The bigger issue is that if you are doing a race with water more than ankle deep, water is getting in your shoe.  Once the water is in, Gor-tex won't allow it to drain very quickly.  Water in your shoes can cause blisters and adds weight to the shoe.

Here are a few other considerations to look for in a trail shoe.  I personally like the shoe to have some sort of reinforced toe.  The toe guard really helps when you eventually stub your toe on a rock or root.  It happens, especially when you are fatigued.  I also like a shoe that has some lateral protection.  You don't typically encounter into sticks/rocks poking the side of your foot too often, but it does happen.  When it does, having a little extra protection pays off.  Lastly, you'll need to figure out what balance you seek in the design of the upper of the shoe.  A nice breathable mesh goes a long way to keeping your feet cool and comfortable during a race, but that same open mesh will allow a lot more dirt and sand into the shoe.

While I mentioned a few trail shoes in this post, this point was not to recommend any shoe to you.  I was merely pointing out features and things to be aware of while shopping for a trail shoe.  You'll need to read up on shoes to see what matches the type of trail/ultra running you'll be doing, and then go to a running store to start trying on shoes.