361 Futura 2 Review
The 361 Futura 2 is a softly cushioned trail running shoe designed to provide excellent traction on both wet and dry terrain while maintaining high comfort levels. The cushioning makes it a great choice as a road-to-trail option, positioning the Futura 2 within the everyday trail running shoe category.
A common complaint from Northern Runners customers is that trail shoes designed for the global market often have insufficiently long lugs to offer good traction on wet, muddy trails. It sometimes feels like no one else experiences as much rain as the UK. However, there are exceptions, and the 361 Futura 2 is one of them. The 6mm lugs bite into soft ground, offering great traction on soft trails, yet they are large enough to maintain a solid surface contact, providing good grip on firmer terrain. The outsole is made from Vibram’s MegaGrip, delivering impressive traction on both wet and dry surfaces. While you might hear the sound of football boots on tarmac, you can’t feel the lugs through the midsole, ensuring a smooth ride. On the road, the Futura 2 feels just as cushioned as a well-cushioned road running shoe.
The midsole is made from 361’s Engage foam, which is environmentally friendly, as it’s made from recycled CO2 gas. The foam is soft and highly responsive, giving the Futura 2 a nice bouncy feel. The stack height is 36mm in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot for the men’s shoes, and 30/24mm for the women’s. While this soft midsole reduces ground feel, it allows you to easily navigate broken terrain. This approach is similar to the one used by brands like Hoka, working well on most trails but struggling in extreme conditions where fell shoes would be a better choice. The benefit of this design is that the Futura 2 feels as soft and comfortable as a road running shoe and is versatile enough for most terrains.
The compression in the midsole as it hits the ground helps keep the lugs in contact with the surface, ensuring continued traction. The 6mm heel-to-forefoot drop helps the runner land midfoot, keeping the foot closer to its center of gravity, which contributes to stability, even with the soft midsole’s noticeable compression upon landing.
The upper is soft and well-padded, similar to a road running shoe. Rather than stripping it back to reduce water retention, 361 has focused on maintaining high step-in comfort. The engineered mesh upper is 50% recycled. The laces securely pull the upper around the foot, providing a snug fit. However, the fit is more akin to a comfortable trainer than a hardcore fell shoe, meaning that on a camber, I felt my foot moving slightly inside the shoe. This minor issue is unlikely to affect most trail runners, as most run on flat or moderate terrain. The upper isn’t durable enough for abrasion from rocks and grit, which may be a concern on rougher trails.
The fit is comfortable, with enough room in the toe box to allow my toes to wiggle. The 361 Futura 2 is available in two width options for both men and women, offering a customizable fit.
An extra lace hole at the top allows for a snugger heel fit or the option to butterfly lace the shoes. The laces thread through a tongue stay twice to secure the tongue in place during runs. There is also an elastic strap across the tongue to tuck the laces underneath, preventing them from getting caught or untied in undergrowth. The gusseted tongue helps keep dirt and grit out, and a D-ring at the base of the laces, along with a Velcro tab on the heel, allows for gaiters to be attached, further preventing debris from entering the shoes.
A men’s UK 8 weighs 252 grams, and a women’s UK 5 weighs 245 grams—light for trail shoes designed for everyday use.
361 running shoes are similar in length to those from Brooks, Saucony, Topo, and Altra. If you use Hoka, New Balance, Inov-8, La Sportiva, or Karhu, we recommend trying half a UK size smaller in 361 to achieve a similar fit (e.g., a UK 11.5 in Hoka is comparable to a UK 11 in 361).
I have used the 361 Futura 2 mainly for easy morning runs of about an hour on various terrains. The grip and comfort were sufficient to forget about the shoes and enjoy the run. Despite the soft midsole, they performed well during fartlek sessions through the woods. However, they aren’t nimble enough for fast cornering and feel too soft for quick running. On long runs up to two hours, I found them very comfortable. I was concerned about feeling the lugs through the shoes due to the soft midsole, but this wasn’t an issue, and the midsole has not noticeably softened after 100 miles of running. The Futura 2 remains just as soft and bouncy as when they were new.
In summary, the 361 Futura 2 is a softly cushioned, everyday trail running shoe that offers great grip on both soft and hard ground, wet or dry. It’s suitable for road-to-trail use, making it a great option for mixed trail routes.
Other Considerations
New Balance Hierro v8: The Hierro is a very similar shoe to the Futura in that it is a road shoe in disguise. The Futura cushioning is softer and the traction on soft ground and wet surfaces is better. However, if your trails are more bridleway and disused railway lines then it’s your preference on the fit and the ride that will differentiate the two. The Hierro is available in three width Men’s and two width Women’s.
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-hierro-v8-review-fresh-foam-x/
Topo Ultraventure 4: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet the room to spread and function inside the shoes. The midsole is well cushioned with a slightly firmer feel. The lugs aren’t as deep and so they aren’t as grippy on soft ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-ultraventure-4-review/
Hoka Torrent 4: A stiffer shoe with a rocker or curve to the midsole. These are firmer and more responsive the grip is good on soft surfaces but, slippery on wet tarmac. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-torrent-4-review/
NNormal Tomir 2: The lugs offer equal traction. The midsole is much more bouncy and this takes away from the ride making them less smooth on firm surfaces. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/nnormal-tomir-2-review/
Inov-8 TrailFly: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet more room to spread on impact. There is more underfoot feel. The Trailfly is more of a nimble lightweight trail shoe. The traction isn’t quite as good on softer ground but, good for a 4mm length lug. The Inov-8 Trailtalon has a 6mm long lug but, isn’t as smooth on firmer tracks and trails. Both are available in standard and wide fit.
https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailfly-review/ or https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-trailtalon-review/
Altra Experience Wild: A broad rounded toe box gives the feet the space to function in the shoes. 4mm heel to forefoot drop with a rocker makes it easy to land midfoot and get some propulsion. The lugs are long enough to grip on softer ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-experience-wild-review/
Scarpa GoldenGate 2: A similar level of traction but, a much stiffer midsole combined with a rocker makes these not quite as good on the more broken ground. Similar roomy toe box. Firmer more responsive ride. Smooth on hard packed ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scarpa-golden-gate-atr-2-review/
Scott Kinabalu 3: A much stiffer shoe with a higher stack. Smooth on hard packed trails but, not versatile enough for much else. Traction is good on wet and dry surfaces. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/scott-kinabalu-3-review/
La Sportiva Prodigio: Shorter lugs that are more rounded makes them less able to bite into soft surfaces. The rubber is grippy on wet and dry surfaces. The midsole has a firm and responsive feel. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/la-sportiva-prodigio-review/
VJ MaXx 2: A classic nimble trail shoe with a bit more cushioning and a rounded toe box. If you like the nimble feel of your cross country shoes or fell shoes but, need a bit more cushioned for the trails then these would be worth considering. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/vj-sport-maxx2-review/
Altra Timp 5: A broad rounded toe box and good level of cushioning. Firmer ride than the soft Futura 2 but, still well cushioned. The zero drop promotes a more midfoot landing and together with the rounded toe box allows for good foot function and good posture. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-timp-5-review/
Brooks Caldera 7: Arguably the best of the current crop of Brooks trail running shoes. A nitrogen infused midsole gives the Caldera a bit of rebound without taking away too much ground feel. The traction is good on soft ground but smooth on tarmac. The foot print is a bit wide so single track and the shoes a bit too stiff for broken ground. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-caldera-7-review/
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