Road Running Shoes V’s Trail Running Shoes for runners

Podiatrists can give great expert shoe advice for their patient. For our keen runners we like to know our shoes, so we can give you the best recommendation for your feet. Its important that your running journey is as injury free and smooth as possible. This goes for whether you are striding out on the trails or on the road. There is a huge choice now in the running shoe world so we are here to give you some advice on when and why you would choose a road shoe over a trail shoe or vice versa!

Road Running Shoes

Comfort and endurance are two essentials considered in the design of a road runner. This is because a runner is running on a harder surface. To reduce friction on the tarmac a blown rubber is used on the bottom of the outsole.  Midsoles of shoes are designed to absorb shock and reduce vibration of the foot. This helps the muscles and joints to fatigue less and recover faster after a run. The midsole is often a little thicker than the trail shoes as one is running on a hard surface like bitumen or concrete. They also have very lightweight uppers for comfort and breathability.

Trail Running Shoes

Trail running shoes have sticky, high traction, deep lugs on the sole of the shoe. This provides for better traction which aids in reducing slips on uneven ground. There is nothing worse than sliding down an incline of  loose gravel or mud in a shoe without grip. Also, the shoe has a stiffer mid sole for support through uneven surfaces. The soles often have flex grooves. This feature in a running shoe is a groove running longways so the shoe can adapt to the uneven ground. This reduces the risk of ankle sprains.

Trail shoes are are often have a protective plate at the toe box to protect the foot from items such as rocks. A runner doesn’t want to get their feet wet  and muddy so consideration is given towards the design of the upper. The upper is made of thicker material for durability and to reduce the unwanted debris from coming into the shoe.