Picking the right trail shoe is probably the most important gear decision you’ll need to make for a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. In this post, I’m going to break down what to look for in a trail ready shoe, and then provide you with my top ten picks!
The Altra Lone Peak 4.0 is a well cushioned zero-drop trail shoe that’s well suited for long days on the trail. For v4 of the Lone Peak, Altra has really secured the fit of the heel and midfoot. The toebox keeps the wide anatomical fit of all Altra shoes. The Lone Peak 4.0 also has a newly designed outsole with a stickier and more durable MaxTrac compound.Â
See the new shoes hitting the market in 2019 from Adidas Outdoor, Merrell, Vasque, Danner, and Five Ten. From technical trail runners to burly hiking shoes, there is a lot to be excited about for next year.
Salomon, La Sportiva, Altra, and Mammut are all releasing exciting new trail shoes for 2019. The well known and loved Speedcross, Bushido, and Superior are getting updates, and a few brand new models will be making their debut.
Hoka One One is probably the fastest growing company in the light hiking and trail running world at the moment. Hoka started a few years ago with max cushioned shoes and took the industry by storm. For those already familiar with Hoka’s trail lineup, you’ll be excited to see refinements to the Speedgoat, Mafate Evo, and Challenger lineup. New for 2019, will be the burly and rugged Arkali.
The Topo Athletic Runventure 2 is a lightweight 0-drop trail shoe that’s currently the most comfortable shoe I own. Built for all-day wear, the upper is airy and breathable with a seamless socklike neoprene heel collar. The responsive midsole has a 15mm stack height that provides just enough cushioning for longer days on the trail. For the outsole, Topo uses a low profile lug design that’s best suited for hard pack and less technical outings.
Today I’m reviewing the Horizon BPF, the newest trail shoe from Under Armour. The BPF is a sub 12oz shoe with a 7mm drop that has a much more comfortable fit than it’s cage looking upper would suggest. ‘BPF’ stands for Bullet Proof Feather, which seems like a very fitting name after putting this shoe to the test over the past few months. I’ve taken the BPF on trails all over California, and will share my experience in this review.Â
The Arc’teryx Norvan LD is a ‘long distance’ trail shoe built for all day comfort while still providing top-notch technical performance. I’ve been wearing the Norvan LD for hiking, backpacking, and trail running over the past few months and will share my experience in this review.Â
The Scarpa Spin is a lightweight, low-profile trail shoe with a sock-like fit and an aggressive Vibram Megagrip outsole. The responsive midsole is built on a nimble 4mm drop platform that keeps the feet protected with a high density EVA rock shield. I’ve been wearing the Scarpa Spin for the past few months, and will share my experience in this review.
The Vivobarefoot Ultra 3 is a lightweight anatomically shaped shoe that gives you a nice barefoot feel. The Ultra 3 provides impressive underfoot protection via a puncture resistant outsole. My favorite part of the shoe is the EVA upper with hexagon cutouts, that allows my feet to breathe in hot weather, drain and dry after getting wet, and still feel protected when kicking around a campsite.