Is there any difference in trail running shoes versus typical running shoes? Especially for inexperienced runners (and VERY inexperienced trail runners) would I be better off springing for another pair of shoes?
No. Save your money.
i think so, but they dont make a huge difference. for me, the most noticeable difference is not traction, but protection. my trail runners (montrail hard rock) provide more protection from rocks and such than my running shoes (asics nimbus). i also have replaced my hiking boots with trail runners. i found im mre comfortable in a lighter faster shoe when hiking.
After trying several trail shoes that seemed to be too heavy for my joints, I continued to wear road shoes on the trails and worked my way up to a 100 mile trail ultra with road shoes. Finally I have found some lighter trail shoes that are working very well for me right now. If you try enough shoes and keep looking, you will eventually find what you need for a particular trail. There are many options out there, and what will work on a rocky technical trail might not be right for a flat muddy trail.
My view is that they do make a difference.
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trail running shoes have 2 main advantages: a toe bumper to keep you from losing your toe nails ( for a little while) and better traction/ deeper lugs than some street soles. I only find them worth it on really rocky or steep muddy trails where you need better traction. I found the adidas and montrail shoes the best. the nike trail runnners are light but have no traction on wet rock. that said, for 99% of the time I would just get another pair of street shoes with a small waffle type print.
The best thing about trail running shoes is that they are typically not white so they don’t look like crap after one run through the dirt. Other than that…?
My trail running shoes have gotten a lot of use lately because it has been raining so much. They are gore-tex shoes. My feet are happy, warm and dry when I finish.
Some of those same trails, I will be running in my regular (non-trail) shoes when the rain stops.
I use regular running shoes unless the trail is very rocky and rough or there is snow. Even then I still usually wear normal running shoes.
Thanks to everyone who has replied to far. What’s the experience/skill level in running that you all have? Would trail shoes only help a super-fast runner get that extra advantage, or a slower runner close the gap between better runners? Im more the latter.
Its not about speed or talent but about the terrain. You are posting on a forum where people live in all different kinds of envirement, so trail running can mean different definitions for different people. I live in Montana. If I run trails in the local parks, or on the local non pavement roads, running shoes are fine. If I go to Red Lodge (base of the Beartooth Pass, going into Yellowstone park) and run those trails I wear trail shoes. Vasque for me because I get them free. More stability,better lugs and protection of stones bruising the bottom of the foot. Now I am sure their are some top runners who get by with road shoes but I cannot. I would never do the Bridger ridge run in road shoes. (20 miles with 9000ft climbing and 10000 of descent.) Hope this helps Kennney.
That’s exactly what Im looking for. I run “trails”, being flat smooth dirt roads, quite a bit. Its serious trails, like something Id prefer to hike around (rocks, deep mud, very uneven terrain) that Im worried about.