Ditch those boots, instead use trail runners for hiking
If you’re researching which are the best trail runners for hiking, then you’ve come to the right place! This guide is informed by decades of experience ultralight backpacking in trail runners. We’ve worn them as hiking shoes on trails all around the world, and even off-trail through tundra in Alaska’s Brook Range, canyoneering in Grand Staircase-Escalante, and over class III terrain on the Sierra High Route. By now, we’re very confident that trail running shoes are superior to boots for an overwhelming majority of people on an overwhelming majority of hikes.
This buyer’s guide to the best trail running shoes for hiking is for just that – hiking and backpacking, on or off-trail! While every single trail runner we’ve included is renowned for its actual trail running prowess, we analyze each of them exclusively from the perspective of how they are built and how they perform while walking with a backpack, used as hiking shoes. For more info about why hiking in trail runners is superior to boots, jump ahead to the pro tips section after the reviews.
And while you’re here, why not gear up with our guides to running socks, alpaca socks, ultralight sandals, trekking poles, daypacks, and backpacks. Or dive deep into our guide comparing HOKA Speedgoat vs Challenger.
Cover photo: Altra Lone Peaks in Alaska
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Defining Characteristics of The Best Trail Runners For Hiking
- Editor’s Choice, Highest Cushion, Moderate Traction: HOKA Challenger 8
- Editor’s Choice, High Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box: Altra Experience Wild 3+
- High Cushion, Bouncy Foam, Moderate Traction, Lightweight: Mount to Coast H1
- High Cushion, Moderate Traction, Wide Toe Box: Topo Ultraventure 4
- High Cushion, High Traction, Locked-in Fit: HOKA Speedgoat 7
- High Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box: Keen Seek
- Moderate Cushion, High Traction, Zero Drop, Wide Toe Box: Altra Lone Peak 9+
- Moderate Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box: Topo Terraventure 5
Top: HOKA Speedgoat 7 Bottom: HOKA Challenger 8
Trail Runners for Hiking Comparison Table
*Rotate mobile device for full width table view
**Below measurements based on men’s size 10
| Model | Price ($) | Weight (oz) (m’s M) | Heel Stack (mm) | Drop (mm) | Cushion | Traction |
| HOKA Challenger 8 | 155 | 10.2 | 42 | 8 | Highest | Moderate |
| Topo Ultraventure 4 | 150 | 10.4 | 35 | 5 | High | Moderate |
| Mount to Coast H1 | 160 | 8.5 | 35 | 6 | High | Moderate |
| HOKA Speedgoat 7 | 165 | 9.7 | 37 | 5 | High | Max |
| Altra Exp Wild 3+ | 165 | 11.4 | 32 | 4 | High | High |
| Keen Seek 1 | 185 | 10.8 | 39 | 6 | Highest | High |
| Topo Terraventure 5 | 145 | 10.3 | 25 | 3 | Moderate | High |
| Altra Lone Peak 9+ | 155 | 11.6 | 25 | 0 | Moderate | High |
Editor’s Choice, Max Cushion, Moderate Traction
Reminder: Maximum traction isn’t always best or necessary
HOKA Challenger 8
HOKA Challenger 8s are our favorite trail runners for hiking because they’re the comfiest in our quiver with a 42mm stack height maximalist cushion, highly breathable mesh uppers, and all-surface traction that is surprisingly grippy. On top of that, you get lots of great features like the structured heel tab for easy on/off, rubberized toe bumper, and a padded tongue. I wore this shoe on a 300 mile section hike in 2025, brand new out of the box, and got zero blisters. One limitation (but not a drawback) is that its tread is designed for versatility, not maximum traction; good enough for the PCT, but we wouldn’t choose it for technical cross country terrain. Its biggest downside is that the lugs can come unglued from the outsole after the first 100 miles (mine lasted for 300 miles with only minor peeling).
Fit is comfortably average and true to size; also available in wide width.
Read more in our comprehensive HOKA Challenger 8 review.
- Price: $155
- M’s Weight: 10.1 oz | W’s Weight: 8.1 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: M’s 42-34-8 | W’s 39-32-7
- Lugs: 4 mm | Rockplate: No
- Width: Average | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: yes
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/No/Yes
- Pros: Exceptionally comfortable out of the box. Max cushion. Great mesh breathability. Structured heel tab. Outsole is great on nearly all surfaces. Laces never come undone.
- Cons: Potential glue issue on outsole lugs. Lost ground feel sense. Hybrid outsole (intentionally) reduces traction. Traditional-not-low drop height.
Editor’s Choice, High Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box
Altra Experience Wild 3+
Altra Experience Wild 3+ stands out from its brand siblings because it isn’t zero drop. But you still get the wide toe box, breathable mesh, and excellent traction, all of which combine to make an incredibly comfortable, high performance trail runner for hiking long days in the mountains. This shoe is like if Altra Lone Peak and HOKA Speedgoat had a baby. Updates for 2026 include a much needed boost to heel structure, tongue gusseting, more toe bumper, and the addition of a “+” version that gets you best-in-class Vibram rubber outsoles. We do recommend that over saving $15 with the base model. Drawbacks are that the combination of tongue gusseting and toe capping add additional layers of material which decrease breathability. Read more in our Altra Experience Wild 3+ review.
Fit is true to size in length, trending wide throughout with a generous toe box.
- Price: $165
- M’s Weight: 10.4 oz | W’s Weight: 8.8 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 32-28-4
- Lugs: ~5 mm | Rockplate: No
- Width: Average trending wide | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: no
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/Yes/No
- Pros: Extremely comfortable out of the box. Wide toe box. Moderate drop. Great traction. Breathable mesh. Well-cushioned midsole. Cushy tongue.
- Cons: No wide fit option. Wide toe box creates sloshing effect when traversing perpendicular to slope angle.
High Cushion, Moderate Traction, Bouncy Foam, Lightweight
Reminder: Maximum traction isn’t always best or necessary
Mount to Coast H1
The Mount to Coast H1s are a gravel-trail-pavement hybrid designed for versatility across all surfaces, and my current favorite shoe for hiking and running on cruisy routes. They are the lightest weight model in this buyer’s guide, and have the comfiest, bounciest, and most sustainable foam we’ve ever used. The H1s were immediately comfortable out of the box with no break in period required, and no pain points or pressure spots. The jacquard mesh upper is highly durable and highly breathable. Dial in your perfect fit with the independent upper half laces and lower half cinches. Theoretically, this allows wearers to loosen the lower half as their feet swell after so many miles, but in practice, the system may not get a ton of use and adds a bit of fussiness. While the 2mm M-shaped rubber lugs offer better than expected traction and are adequate for most hikers and trail runners most of the time, they lack sufficient bite for ultra steep, muddy, or technical terrain. Add 2mm of depth to those lugs and they might just be my favorite trail runners of all time.
Fit is wide at forefoot, true to size throughout the rest, and true to size in length
- Price: $160
- Weight: 8.5 oz (men’s 9)
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 35-29-6
- Lugs: 2 mm | Rockplate: No
- Width: avg in heel and mid, slightly wide in toe box | Overall Fit: order your normal size, but note that they run a bit longer than avg
- Wide Sizes Available: no
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/No/Yes
- Pros: Extremely comfortable right out of the box. Very lightweight. Bounciest foam. Sustainable. Highly breathable upper. Durable upper. Customizable upper/lower cinching.
- Cons: Traction not adequate for technical terrain. Double lace system adds fussiness.
High Cushion, Moderate Traction, Wide Toe Box
Reminder: Maximum traction isn’t always best or necessary
Topo Ultraventure 4
Choose Topo Ultraventure 4s because they offer the rare combination of a wide toe box, non-zero drop, high cushion, and all-surface traction. The upper is quite breathable and protected by a rubberized toe bumper. Ultraventure 4’s outsole features relatively non-aggressive 3mm lugs, and this trail runner is best suited for moderate terrain, manmade surfaces, and maintained trails (for which it more effective than higher traction alternatives). Look elsewhere for shoes to use on slippery surfaces, or treacherously technical terrain.
Fit is wide at heel and forefoot, true to size in length
- Price: $150
- M’s Weight: 10.4 oz | W’s Weight: 8.4 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: M’s 35-30-5 | W’s 35-30-5
- Lugs: ~3 mm | Rockplate: No
- Width: Average + wide toe box | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: no
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/No/Yes
- Pros: Extremely comfortable right out of the box. Cushion and wide toe box combine to reduce fatigue and pressure points after a long day and with swollen feet.
- Cons: Moderate traction is not ideal for technical hiking and loose terrain.
High Cushion, High Traction
HOKA Speedgoat 7
For thick, bouncy midsoles, best-in-class traction, and a secure locked in fit, choose HOKA Speedgoat 7; our preferred trail runner for steep, slippery, or otherwise technical terrain. With Vibram Megagrip rubber outsoles and extremely aggressive 5mm lugs, these shoes can practically grip anything. The durable woven mesh is highly abrasion resistant, lightly water resistant, and won’t stretch out; thus ensuring your desired fit for the lifespan of the shoe. What few drawbacks exist are a direct result of design choices rather than oversights. The tightly woven mesh upper is not particularly breathable, and the narrower forefoot is not the most comfortable. But both of those are to be expected given the intended use case. Lastly, we’ll note that this shoe is a big improvement over the SG6, adding supercritical EVA foam midsoles, and fixing known issues like the short tongue and loose uppers.
Fit is true to size in length, trending narrow in the forefoot; also available in wide width.
Read more in our HOKA Speedgoat 7 Review.
- Price: $165
- M’s Weight: 9.7 oz | W’s Weight: 8.3 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 37.3-33.3-4
- Lugs: ~5 mm | Rockplate: No
- Width: Average trending narrow | Length: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: Yes
- On Trail/Off Trail/Pavement? Yes/Yes/No
- Pros: Excellent traction. Locked-in fit for technical terrain. Thick midsoles, good foam. Relatively lightweight. Durable, water resistant, non-stretchy upper. Resolved issues from last version.
- Cons: Less comfy in forefoot. Low breathability upper. Lost sense of trail feel.
Highset Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box
Keen Seek
Keen Seek are the comfiest trail runners you’ve never heard of, and exhibit nearly all of our favorite characteristics in an unexpectedly good shoe, given it’s a first gen model from a non-traditional running brand. Seek is most similar to the aforementioned Altra Wild in the sense that it has high cushion, high traction (rated for 925 miles until bald), mid-drop, highly breathable mesh uppers, and a wide toe box. But the knit upper specifically is the differentiator. This material creates a slightly stretchy glove-like fit reminiscent of Allbirds sneakers. That’s great for the first few hundred miles, but will stretch out over time and degrade the fit. It has a continuous collar to block debris with padding under the knot zone; however this configuration reduces breathability and ventilation around the ankle. It’s also quite expensive, and has potential to chafe the lower Achilles skin with ankle high socks.
Fit is true to size throughout
- Price: $185
- M’s Weight: 10.8 oz | W’s Weight: 8.6
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 39-33-6
- Lugs: 4mm | Rockplate: No
- Wide Sizes Available: No
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/Yes/No
- Pros: Wide toe box. Highly breathable mesh. Comfy out of the boxTread rated for longevity. Collar helps block debris. Padding under laces. Universal mid-drop. Cushy. Secure heel.
- Cons: Expensive. Minimal forefoot protection. Knit will stretch over time. Aggressive collar has chafe potential, reduces ventilation.
Moderate Cushion, High Traction, Zero Drop, Wide Toe Box
Altra Lone Peak 9+
Altra Lone Peaks are the most popular shoe of the 2010s, and still effective and comfortable today. While moderate cushion and zero drop may have fallen somewhat out of favor, the Lone Peak 9+ are still a great choice, now with better traction than ever thanks to Vibram rubber (as indicated by its namesake +). The wide toe box is desirable after long days and with swollen feet. Biggest drawbacks are how the lack of cushioning can create discomfort on rough terrain, despite the rockplate, and under-built heels that easily crush and collapse. The woven upper could also use a breathability boost.
Fit is true to size length-wise, trending wide throughout, especially forefoot.
- Price: $140
- M’ Weight: 11.2 oz | W’s Weight: 9.5 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 25-25-0 mm
- Lugs: ~4 mm | Rockplate: Yes
- Width: Standard with wide toe box | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: yes
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/Yes/No
- Pros: Wide toe box is very comfy on long hiking days trail as feet swell. Zero drop (if that’s what you’re into). Thru-hiker favorite.
- Cons: Wide toe box is sloppy for traversing across angled slopes. Wider heel cup may not provide secure fit for narrower heels. Moderate cushion. Heel caves in with slip in use.
Moderate Cushion, High Traction, Wide Toe Box
Topo Terraventure 5
Topo Terraventure was designed to be an Altra Lone Peak alternative with low-instead-of-zero drop, and thus a better choice for many people. As such, it shares the same lovely wide toe box for comfort on long days, but boasts a meshier and even more breathable top-half of the upper. It even has the same moderate 25mm stack height, and sticky Vibram rubber outsole with aggressive lugs. With it, you will be lower to the ground and enjoy excellent balance, grip, and trail feel, but may experience achy feet if traveling on rough terrain for 10+ miles, despite having a rock plate. It’s also worth calling out what seems like thoughtful durability. Unlike the breathable top half of the mesh upper, the lower half is focused on abrasion and water resistance, protected by the combination of a rubber bumper and tightly woven nylon ripstop for a full 360 rand effect. Lastly, this shoe, with the default insert, gives serious arch support. Before you buy, make sure that’s what you want! See more in our full length Topo Terraventure 5 Review.
Fit is wide in the heel and forefoot, true to size in length.
- Price: $145
- M’ Weight: 10.3 oz | W’s Weight: 8.4 oz
- Heel-Forefoot-Drop: 25-22-0 mm
- Lugs: ~4 mm | Rockplate: Yes
- Width: Standard with wide toe box | Overall Fit: True to size
- Wide Sizes Available: no
- On Trail/Off trail/Pavement? Yes/Yes/No
- Pros: Wide toe box significantly increases comfort. Low-not-zero drop. Great traction. Good balance, trail feel. Highly breathable mesh. Good value.
- Cons: Wide toe box is sloppy for traversing across angled slopes. Wide heel with poor heel lock. Moderate cushion may lead to sore feet. Arch support might be too aggressive. Long laces. Boring colorways.
Pro Tips for buying trail runners for hiking
Why trail runners for hiking better than boots?
Trail running shoes for hiking are better than boots for the following reasons:
- They are significantly lighter weight, which makes each stride less taxing, allowing the wearer to hike faster and more efficiently.
- Trail runners have grippier outsoles and lugs for better traction.
- They are comfier, more breathable, and far less likely to cause blisters.
- Used as hiking shoes, trail runners are less rigid and give better surface feedback, which increases the accuracy, mobility, stability, and balance of your footfalls, which reduces likelihood of sprain.
- Over time, wearing low top trail running shoes helps to increase the strength of your ankles, eliminating the need for high tops and reducing the likelihood of a future sprain.
- Lastly, they also provide everything you need to start trail running, if you so choose! It’s great training for hiking season!
Why do we prefer trail runners that are not waterproof?
In almost all hiking scenarios, even most wet, rainy, and cold ones, we prefer hiking in traditional mesh trail runners, rather than boots, waterproof hiking shoes, or even waterproof trail running shoes. This is because waterproof shoes are much warmer, and significantly less breathable than mesh, which causes heat build up and foot sweat.
This in turn leads to an increased likelihood to blister, especially in conditions that should be dry and pleasant.
Over the course of a backpacking trip, we would rather get wet and dry off, then stay damp the whole time. It is a marketing ploy from hiking shoe brands to convince people they need waterproof shoes to hike. There are some situations, usually involving snow where we will wear waterproof shoes, but they are few and far between.
Why do we like trail runners with wide toe boxes?
Over the course of a long day of hiking, through repeated footfall impacts, the forefoot will start to swell and the toes will expand and spread apart slightly. For this, it is immensely helpful and significantly more comfortable to have trail running shoes with a wide toe box, because it prevents discomfort at the end of the day when you need it most.
However, wide to boxes aren’t license for a sloppy midfoot or heal cup, so it’s important that you find a trail runner that fits and enhances in this way, and is not just a wide loose shoe.
What is heel/forefoot stack height and what does drop mean?
Let’s go over some of the basic stats for hiking shoes, which may be foreign to readers. Heel-to-toe drop and stack height, both of which are measured in millimeters. Heel-to-toe drop, or drop, refers to the difference between the height of your heel and the height of your toe.
Basically, a zero or low drop shoe encourages the use of more calf and Achilles engagement, taking pressure away from your knees.
On the other hand, higher drop hiking shoes encourage a rearfoot strike, which may alleviate any Achilles pain or strain. A trail running shoe’s stack height refers to the number of millimeters it elevates your feet from the ground.
Higher stack heights will provide more plush and comfort, while lower stack heights will help the user feel more secure and close to the ground. The other stats we’ve provided, such as comfort, off-trail use, traction, and more are all self-explanatory.
Should you wear gaiters with your trail runners for hiking?
Nobody on the Adventure Alan staff are super keen on gaiters. We tend to hike in pants, and find that based on decades of backpacking experience, debris rarely enters our shoes, and when it does, it’s trivially easy to get rid of it. For 95% of hiking we don’t wear gaiters.
But for some conditions, like snow, sand, or loose gravelly off-trial terrain (as scene in the cover photo), they can come in very handy. Shop gaiters for trail running shoes at REI.
More Reading on trail runners for hiking
How to Choose the Right Hiking Shoes | Everything You Need to Know Which covers, the Myth of Ankle Support, Wide vs Narrow Footbox, Zero Drop Shoes, High vs Low Stack…
Best Trail Runners for Hiking Conclusion
Stepping into the right shoe drastically changes life on the trail, whether you struggle with blisters, foot pain, or general fatigue. Here at Adventure Alan we are huge fans of efficient and lightweight shoes that still provide adequate comfort and traction for longer trips. However, we hope with this range of options you find the fit that best suits your needs.
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