Trail Shoe of the Year 2024
Running isn’t all about pounding pavement. Sometimes we head into the wilderness and get lost in the woods. For these occasions, slick-soled lightweight efforts won’t cut the mustard. It is in these instances we reach for something more rugged. We might want to break records or just bathe in the glory of nature. In this article, our trail team give their picks for their trail shoe of the year 2024.
To pick the shoes of the year, there were no set criteria outside of the genre of shoe. You won’t find an Alphafly in this section as you won’t find a Brooks Caldera in the road racing shoe of the year. Outside of that, people were free to choose whatever floated their boat. Be sure to tell us anything we missed or where we went wrong in the comments below!
Esther’s Pick – Salomon Genesis
Esther: My trail shoe of the year 2024 has got to be the Salomon Genesis.
The Genesis is that highly versatile shoe that does great on grass, rocks, scree, roots – you name it. But they are also comfortable enough on short road sections or when you need to commute to the trail. When I didn’t know where I was headed on my trail runs, I would grab the Genesis. When I did know where I was going…you guessed it, I often reached for the Genesis too.
Comfort and ground feel are hard to find in one single shoe, but I am finding that those two attributes are exactly what I keep looking for in a trail shoe. I don’t want my legs barking but yet I want precision fit. I want to know where I am placing my foot.
The Endofit wrap around your foot helps with that precision part because your feet sit snug in the shoe. And there is no overbuilt platform to trip over. They fit like a glove. I loved that feel so much I didn’t want to take them off.
Beyond its secure fit, a dynamic midsole and trustworthy grip on nearly any terrain, these shoes are holding up remarkably well. No snags in that bulletproof Matrix upper and no lugs wearing down after around 200km. The Genesis was so great that I bought a matching pair for my husband. True story.
Theo’s Pick – HOKA Tecton X3
Theo: I can’t fault Esther’s choice at all. The S/LAB Genesis was for months and months my go to trail shoe. Its versatility made it a must have for all trail runners. From short to long distance and all types of terrain it excelled.Furthermore, the durability made it incredible. That said, if I had to pick one shoe for this year, it would be the HOKA Tecton X3.
The reasons this is my trail shoe of the year 2024 are manyfold. Firstly, the upper fits perfectly. Moreover, for a race-focussed shoe, HOKA have made it with comfort at the forefront. The only exception to the excellence in the upper is the minimal toe protection. Other than that, the mesh marries itself perfectly to the foot. Another key point is the elasticated ankle which holds the foot firmly in place.
Unlike the X2, the new midsole offers far more cushion and the responsiveness is the best on the market. It is an absolute delight to run long distances in. What’s more, the foam gives a great energy saving over hours on the trail.
Finally, HOKA rebuilt the outsole from scratch. The previous version was less than optimal on wet ground. However, this time, the grip is wonderful on any surface in any condition. This is definitely the best trail shoe on the market. Although I do have some worries about the durability of the Tecton X3 but, if money is no issue, this will be a great purchase!
