NorthernRunner.com Blog

Brooks have taken the fit and comfort from their popular road running shoe, the Brooks Ghost—now in its 17th iteration—added a few lugs to the outsole, and tweaked the ride slightly to produce a road-to-trail running shoe. It’s ideal for runners who like to mix road and trail sections during their runs. It’s always a challenge to make a shoe that feels smooth on tarmac but still provides the traction and flexibility needed for uneven terrain. The Brooks Ghost Trail uses the same last as the Ghost 17, offering the... Read More

The 361 Kairos 3 is designed for everyday road running at easy to moderate paces, ideal for runners who need some pronation support. Alongside its support features, the Kairos 3 delivers a cushioned and smooth ride. When your foot touches the ground, it should spread to absorb shock and reshape quickly enough for you to push off from the end of your big toe. This allows the ankle, knee, and hip to function in alignment. If your foot doesn’t reshape quickly enough, you’ll push off from the inside of the... Read More

The 361 Centauri 3 is a well-cushioned, everyday neutral road running shoe designed for easy to steady-paced runs. Compared with previous versions, the Centauri 3 offers a roomier toe box and a softer, smoother ride. I’ve been using the Centauri 3 for my easy road runs over the past four weeks, covering more than 100 miles on a mix of tarmac and well-surfaced disused railway lines. As with any daily trainer designed for recovery or relaxed efforts, comfort is key. The 361 Centauri 3 delivers this with a softly padded... Read More

The Hoka Mach X 3 is a road running shoe designed to provide propulsion for a faster, more efficient gait. It shares some of the benefits of a carbon-plated racing shoe but is intended for up-tempo runs, fartlek sessions, intervals, and steady runs. As a performance trainer, it can be worn more regularly than a dedicated racing shoe. Hoka has made several updates in version three of the Mach X, starting with the upper construction. The Mach X 2 had a very open mesh upper with minimal structure and a... Read More

The La Sportiva Prodigio Max is a trail running shoe designed to offer a high level of cushioning and underfoot protection. It is ideal for long ultra races and long days out on hard-packed terrain through to mildly technical trails. The addition of the Prodigio Max to La Sportiva’s Prodigio range brings the line-up to three shoes, each designed for slightly different uses. The Prodigio is an everyday trail running shoe. The Prodigio Pro is the race-ready ultra-trail shoe, while the Prodigio Max is the shoe designed for the long... Read More

The Saucony Xodus Ultra 4 is a well-cushioned trail running shoe designed for long distances on hard-packed tracks and trails. The original Saucony Xodus was a relatively flexible trail shoe, which made it feel good at quicker paces. Its midsole curved to the shape of the ground, giving a smooth ride on less-than-flat terrain. In many ways, the first Xodus was an all-round, everyday trail shoe rather than one specifically built for ultra-distance running. Shoes designed for ultras usually feature a slightly stiffer midsole. This helps keep you running as... Read More

The Topo Vista is a trail running shoe designed to go the distance. It offers a high degree of comfort for runners who want to stay on their feet all day. Topo designs shoes to work with the body, allowing the feet to function naturally inside the shoes. Some models allow for more foot function than others: more flexible shoes with a thinner midsole allow greater freedom of movement, while models with a thicker midsole and a stiffer ride provide increased underfoot protection. Whichever level of cushioning and protection you... Read More

The Altra Experience Wild 2 is an everyday trail running shoe designed for door-to-trail runs and mainly hard-packed trails. They are lightweight, nimble, and deliver a very natural ride. Altra shoes were created to allow the feet to function naturally inside the shoe. The benefit of this approach is that it spreads the load across the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back, reducing wear and tear so that no single joint is likely to get overloaded. This also allows the foot’s natural spring to contribute to forward propulsion, reducing... Read More

The Saucony Triumph 23 is a well-cushioned, neutral everyday running shoe. Its soft heel strike and smooth transition are designed to provide a plush ride on easy miles. Compared to the previous version, it is considerably lighter and feels less bulky. The Triumph 23 has more of a traditional running shoe design. In recent years, many shoes have moved towards lower heel-to-forefoot drops, higher stack heights, and rocker-shaped midsoles. These encourage a midfoot landing, quicker cadence, and a more upright posture. In contrast, the Triumph 23 has a higher heel-to-forefoot... Read More

The Inov-8 TrailFly Max is a well-cushioned, neutral trail running shoe designed for use on hard-packed tracks and trails. It is versatile enough to serve as a road-to-trail shoe while providing enough grip for softer trail sections. Like all of Inov-8’s latest models, the TrailFly Max features a broad, rounded toe box that allows your feet the space to function naturally inside the shoe. This design encourages additional cushioning, stability, and spring from your feet, ankles, and lower legs, complementing the cushioning, grip, and stability the TrailFly Max itself provides.... Read More