{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{"target":{"sys":{"id":"1FQDMKjCjj45KT3I3tfd1T","type":"Link","linkType":"Entry"}}},"content":[],"nodeType":"embedded-entry-block"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Recently moving from New York City to North Carolina somewhat accidentally landed me in a runner’s dream scenario: Within a mile of my house I have access to miles upon miles of gorgeous forested running trails. On that one mile of road to and from the trail, though? The clunky feeling of running on a hard surface in my hard trail shoe almost made me want to just drive to the trailhead. But since both my carbon emissions guilt and lingering New Yorker habits won’t allow me to do that, I’ve opted for another, better alternative: Testing out some shoes in the growing category of hybrid shoes for both the road and trail (sometimes also called all-terrain or door-to-trail) shoes. Scroll on to explore some of the best road-to-trail running shoes that I and the W+G team have tried firsthand.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Experts in This Article","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-3"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Lee Firestone podiatrist specializing in sports medicine and certified running coach","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Nick Krouse director of footwear at Fleet Feet","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"What to look for in a road-to-trail shoe","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-2"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Up until now, I’ve mostly been a road runner, with an addiction to soft, super-cushioned running shoes. The few trail shoes I owned weren’t that—they’re usually quite hard because of their deep lugs—which didn’t bother me as long as I was running on forgiving dirt trails. So, I asked the pros what exactly I should look for in a road-to-trail shoe. Here's what they said:","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"A durable outsole with mid-size lugs","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-3"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"One of the biggest differences between a road shoe and a trail shoe is the outsole, since trails require both more durability and better grip. The bottom of a road shoe, for instance, is usually somewhat flat, with grooves that provide just enough grip for concrete or asphalt surfaces. A trail shoe, however, typically has a rubber outsole with lugs—sometimes quite large ones, up to around five mm—that look like knobs on a tire.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"While lugs are key for avoiding slips on uneven, muddy terrain, they are also what can make landings on the road feel so hard, says ","nodeType":"text"},{"data":{"uri":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkrouse/"},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Nick Krouse","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"hyperlink"},{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":", who manages footwear at ","nodeType":"text"},{"data":{"uri":"https://www.fleetfeet.com/"},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Fleet Feet","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"hyperlink"},{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":". “You’ll actually hear each of those teeth as they come into contact with the road—the shoes can be really loud,” he says.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"For a happy medium that provides sufficient grip without feeling you’re clunking down the street, look for the smaller lugs typically found in all-terrain shoes. You may also want to avoid trail shoes with rock plates, which are sometimes added for protection but can make the shoes extra heavy and hard, says ","nodeType":"text"},{"data":{"uri":"https://footandankle-usa.com/provider/dr-lee-firestone/"},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Lee Firestone, DPM,","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"hyperlink"},{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":" a podiatrist and certified running coach.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"“If you’re going to be running to the trail, you don’t want it to be too hard, and you don’t want the lugs to be too deep,” Dr. Firestone says. “It can set you up for things like stress fractures, and it’s just not going to be a comfortable ride getting to the trail.”","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"A more-protective upper","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-3"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Look at a road shoe’s upper, and you’ll often see small holes intended to improve breathability. But if you’re going to be on the trails, those holes could welcome debris and dirt, says Krouse, so you’ll want to opt for a shoe with an upper that offers more coverage and protection.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Another protective element to look for: A bumper-like guard at the front of the shoe, which provides a layer of defense should you get snagged on a root, or hit a rock toe-first. “It stiffens up the front of the shoe just in case you happen to snag it on something, it won’t rip away your toenail,” Krouse says.\n\nCushioning and support","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Dr. Firestone suggests looking for a shoe with a more ","nodeType":"text"},{"data":{"uri":"https://www.wellandgood.com/shopping/best-insoles-for-running"},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"cushioned midsole","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"hyperlink"},{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":" to make any miles you’re doing on the road feel less like you’re literally pounding pavement. “The other thing is, many of the trail shoes don’t have a lot of medial and lateral support to control pronation,” he says. “So if you’re somebody who is a pronator or has a really flat foot, you have to be careful.” Running on the road in a shoe without that support could lead to tendon injuries, he says, because unlike trails, “roads tend to be repetitive motion,” he says. “So repetitive motion and a shoe that doesn’t give you enough intrinsic support could set you up for some problems.” Shoes built for both the roads and the trails should have some of that medial and lateral support, he says.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"I tested out several of these door-to-trail sneakers on all kinds of terrain, and also got input from both Dr. Firestone and Krouse based on each of their expertise. These picks rose to the top as the best options out there.","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"The best road-to-trail running shoes","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-2"},{"data":{"target":{"sys":{"id":"bdNHYnaHuuJDOkObWOfUs","type":"Link","linkType":"Entry"}}},"content":[],"nodeType":"embedded-entry-block"},{"data":{"target":{"sys":{"id":"7kvuSp8ZOPE3nSz20lie9B","type":"Link","linkType":"Entry"}}},"content":[],"nodeType":"embedded-entry-block"},{"data":{"target":{"sys":{"id":"6pixuxO94vchQ8ob3cxQ32","type":"Link","linkType":"Entry"}}},"content":[],"nodeType":"embedded-entry-block"},{"data":{"target":{"sys":{"id":"4KoLO8eKyydtng20tr0cUa","type":"Link","linkType":"Entry"}}},"content":[],"nodeType":"embedded-entry-block"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Things to consider before buying","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"heading-2"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Though there’s an expanding number of road-to-trail options, Krouse says you may not find many at your local running store. “It’s a category that’s often overlooked,” he says. They also aren’t always clearly labeled or marketed as road-to-trail or all-terrain shoes, so do your research and ask an expert to help you find what you’re looking for. (And don’t buy anything without at least testing it on the roads, says Dr. Firestone—once you get them dirty on the trails, you may not be able to return them.)","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"},{"data":{},"content":[{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"Other factors to consider when buying all-terrain shoes: What kind of trails you’ll be running on (gravel? packed dirt? technical?) and how much of your hybrid runs will be on the road versus the trails (for instance, I might go with one of the more durable shoes on this list, since I’ll only be running those two miles on the road—someone who does half of their run on the road might make a different choice). And keep in mind, says Dr. Firestone, that the more you wear these shoes on the hard road, the quicker they’ll wear out.","nodeType":"text"},{"data":{},"marks":[],"value":"\n","nodeType":"text"}],"nodeType":"paragraph"}],"nodeType":"document"}