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Solomon

Aero Blaze 3 GRVL GORE-TEX

If you’re looking for a mid-weight, versatile work tool for mixed terrain, the Aero Blaze 3 GRVL offers all of these capabilities at an affordable price. A more robust version of the excellent Blaze 3 ($160)the gravel edition sticks to the same hybrid PEBA and EVA midsole with a curved rocker softening transitions, but adds extra grip in the form of a 2.5mm lug outsole. There is also additional reinforcement around the toe.

The midsole is not the softest. If you want more cushion and pile, the Aero Glide 4 GRVL is the way to go. But it compresses well underfoot to mitigate the advantage on firmer terrain, and its lower weight adds welcome agility when you want to move quickly and lightly. I tested the Blaze 3 GRVL on a wide range of surfaces, from wet asphalt to hard, packed mud trails, stony park trails and even some dry meadows. I felt a great ease of driving which made me want to cover more kilometers. As one of the least expensive gravel shoes, this shoe is bang for your buck.

A relatively new brand, Mount to Coast’s running shoe range currently includes the T1 ($180)which is a complete trail shoe, and the H1, a versatile road-trail shoe with lower lugs that fits the gravel shoe mold perfectly. The supercritical midsole, a material made by pumping gas into the foam as it forms, is made from 100% renewable materials. Sometimes “durable” midsoles perform worse than their petrochemical-based rivals, but this PEBA-like foam provides good energy and a snappy, fun ride that progresses seamlessly from road to light trails.

It’s not as cushioned as the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL, but you get consistently cushioned daily training energy with grip that makes the transition from road miles to off-road terrain easy. The 2mm lugs grip well on wet roads, dry hard dirt and gravel, but they won’t handle mud, steep and slippery or very soft terrain as well as your traditional trail running shoes with deeper lugs.

The H1 is also brilliantly lightweight, something trail and gravel shoes sometimes struggle with and makes road performance even better. Finally, the H1 features a unique dual-lacing configuration that combines regular lacing and speed lacing to help you adjust lockdown separately in the forefoot and midfoot. In theory this is a good thing if your feet swell during ultras and you need more room as the race goes on, but I found it a bit complicated and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

The most stacked successor of The underrated road-trail shoe Morphlite from Merrellthe Promorph contains more nitrogen-injected supercritical FloatPro+ foam underfoot. But it’s still one of the firmest gravel shoes I’ve tested. If you like feeling connected to the trail, the Promorph won’t disappoint.

The Promorph has a heavily curved midsole, which means you’ll also have to like shoes with a lot of rocker. You can almost feel the fulcrum where you rock forward in your stride, and it won’t feel natural to everyone. The outsole deploys lots of small 2.2mm lugs, meaning it’s great for switching between dry trails and tarmac and running in good conditions, but it struggles when things get tougher on mud, technical slippery rocky terrain, or wet grass. The upper is soft, flexible and airy, but there isn’t much toe protection.

All this adds up to a ride that tends to be stable and responsive, rather than soft and springy. It looks more like a traditional trail shoe. If you’re looking for a touch of softness, this isn’t the shoe for you.

The sister trail of On the Cloudsurfer Road Runner ($160)this trail adaptation translates the smooth, comfortable and easy cruising feel of the On road shoe onto the trail with great results and a dose of everyday style. Comfort of access is excellent. From the start it feels easy, natural and simple on the foot. I used them fresh out of the box for two hours with no problems.

The ride is soft and cushioned, providing easy comfort, ideal for low and slow adventures on less technical terrain, groomed trails and road sections. The cushioning takes away some of the ground feel, but it’s more responsive than some of the chunkier gravel shoes and gives you some protection for long-distance runs. I also like that it’s narrow and compact enough to let you navigate your way through rocks and more crowded routes with precision.

Overall, this is a relatively light and agile shoe with balanced cushioning and impact protection that is suitable for lighter trails and less technical terrain, hilly or flat. It also doesn’t look out of place at the store when you’re waiting in line for coffee after the race.

Eagle-eyed people will notice that the Inov8 Traifly V2 has deeper lugs than you’d typically find on a gravel shoe, but this lower sole shoe is designed for running on rocky ground. Inov8 shoes do some things very well. The first is excellent grip and traction, thanks to graphene-infused rubber lugs that give you the grip you need to move confidently over dirt, roots, mud and mixed trails. This deeper lug configuration isn’t as smooth on the road as the shallower lug shoes on this list, but the midsoles held up for hundreds of miles.

The second thing Inov8 does well is the wide, foot-shaped toe box (reminiscent of another WIRED favorite, the Altra Solitary Peaks) which follows the sweep of your forefoot for a looser fit. Fans of headroom up front will approve. The toe caps also get added protection thanks to the welcome upper overlays. The Trailfly V2s are definitely aimed at runners who tend to prefer a firmer, more responsive feel underfoot, rather than a high level of plush cushion. When you leave the road, this lower midsole provides great ground feel, allowing for a faster foot roll rather than intense work.

Rugged hiking shoe specialist Keen has recently set its sights on trail runners. Its latest running shoe, the Roam, is an adaptive, hiking-inspired trail shoe designed for everything, including gravel, dirt, and pavement. In terms of performance, the Roam is closer to a sedan than a sports car. It offers plenty of plush comfort details, like a heavily padded collar and heel tab, as well as a wider toe box and thick midsole that cushions well and moves consistently over a variety of terrains.

It lacks the bounce and spring of Salomon’s GRVL shoes, and there isn’t as much ground feel as the Inov8 or Merrell. But it is well balanced, not too soft, responsive and reliable and stable. I found it better for doing slower miles, running with my head held high enjoying the scenery rather than trying to set records. The slightly deeper 3mm multi-directional lugs provided good, reliable grip on the most docile trails and even coped with short bursts on wet cobbles and a bit of mud on the surface of the River Thames here in London.

The Roam is also built to last, with a sturdy upper and a midsole that looks like it could go 500+ miles and be hungry for more. We have a more detailed discussion on whether you should wear boots or trail runners for hiking here.

HOKA’s maximum stack Rocket X Trail combines the energy of a road running shoe with enhanced grip gr thanks to a 3mm lug outsole. If you’re looking for a fast shoe to go on the attack, this is it. It’s also fantastic for total comfort. During testing, I strapped on the Rocket It gave me efficiency and energy, whether I was moving at marathon pace or with heavier, tired, erratic steps over the last few miles.

The rocker, supercritical midsole uses HOKA’s most lively foam, similar to those found in its race-ready road shoes, as well as a carbon plate. This combines for a really fun, smooth, springy, fast and really consistent ride. It’s also very cushioned, so you’ll sacrifice a lot of ground feel for that great springy softness. It is also less stable on very uneven terrain. But on open, flat and passable mixed terrain, it is excellent.

The lightweight upper feels like it’s ready for a running shoe and after running through ankle-deep flooded sections, they lose water very quickly. This is an expensive road-trail shoe, it is versatile and also offers a lot of winter road potential.

Nike

Pegasus Trail 5 Gore-Tex

The Nike Pegasus has been available since 1983, and if you squint, the Trail 5 Gore-Tex shares much of the same original DNA. History aside, this do-it-all runner really impressed me, mainly because it looks like a classic running shoe with the benefit of big cleats and waterproofing.

That road running feel is thanks to the 9.5mm drop, which is closer to traditional road running geometry than a trail or hiking shoe. Combine that with the ReactX foam and you have a super comfortable runner that feels great on most surfaces. The lugs feel a little big underfoot on the pavement, but it’s not uncomfortable and the benefit is felt when you’re escaping the asphalt.

These are extremely comfortable shoes, and the high sock style ankle liner is the best “no sock” design I’ve tried. On the trails, they are soft, cushioned and pleasant. Not particularly fast, but that’s not a problem for me, and I appreciate the Gore-Tex on the short p dam, although the liner will make your feet sweat. If conditions are dirty and you’re running, I prefer to have wet feet, but for everyday mixed terrain running, having dry feet is a bonus. —Chris Haslam

Taking inspiration from Salomon’s Aero Glide road shoes, the Glide 4 GRVL is the benchmark for gravel shoes. A combination of energetic and protective cushion, enhanced grip and multi-terrain comfort. While traversing compacted surfaces and sidewalks. I found it soft and springy enough to rival some of the best daily training road shoes. When tackling light and uneven off-road terrain, it still provides control and the Contagrip herringbone outsole steps in for sure-footed traction.

It feels much softer underfoot than a traditional trail shoe. Fans of heavy terrain feel may not appreciate the softness of the larger stack, but the excellent energy made it ideal for my longer runs of 2+ hours on easier mixed terrain. It’s great fun on passable dirt and great on asphalt in wet or wintry conditions.

I’m not a big fan of the speed lacing setup. It’s a struggle to get the midfoot loose enough to contend with my wider feet and high instep. However, once I won that battle, the laces locked easily and securely and overall provided good comfort over long distances. It’s heavier than the Aero Blaze GRVL 3 (my previous favorite gravel shoe), but you get a little more protection thanks to the larger midsole, which was very welcome for races lasting more than two hours.

The Adidas EVO SL was one of the remarkable road running shoes of the last 12 months. And the new All Terrain Running (ATR) model takes the core DNA of this cutting-edge daily trainer – a large stack of high-energy Lightstrike Pro foam and a lightweight mesh upper – and gives it greater versatility all year round and on all terrains. The EVO SL ATR sticks to the same dynamic midsole configuration, providing a smooth and cushioned ride, with good energy returning from the midsole. You still get a shoe that moves well over a wide range of gaits. But it now adds a water-repellent ripstop woven mesh upper and Continental rubber outsole with 1.5mm lugs for better off-road and winter credentials.

I tested it on a mix of road, packed gravel, muddy trails, grass and forest floor. The shallower lugs grip well on wet roads and park trails, but struggle if you get lost on muddier paths or steep, slippery terrain. Of all the gravel shoes, this is probably the most like a road shoe designed for off-road use.

But on off-road roads, the EVO SL ATR walks a good line between energy and response and maintaining control and stability over rough terrain. The extra water repellency was helpful in keeping my feet dry on grassy sections, but you don’t get the added protection of a full helmet. Waterproof GORE-TEX shoe. This is a good mixed terrain shoe for runners who want a more durable, grippier alternative to the standard EVO SL, or a daily trainer that doesn’t need to be put away when winter arrives.