Trail running shoes

[Highway Star]

In order to supplement my swimming training, I've recently started running once or twice a week. In my youth I was a tidy cross country and middle distance runner on the track, never really enjoyed running on the roads, but loved cross country. Now I live just a short distance from fields, I can be out running over them within two minutes of leaving the house. I've worked out a couple of nice circuits of 3 or 4 miles, mainly off road across muddy fields and hills, down muddy towpaths and with maybe 3/4 mile of road running.

I'm currently using some old running shoes I've had for over ten years, they are pretty knackered and with an almost complete lack of grip on the bottoms means I'm slipping like Bambi on anything muddy.

I've seen trail running shoes for sale - has anyone used these? Any recommendations as far as shoes go for muddy trails; are trail running shoes markedly better than normal running shoes? Was looking at a pair of Adidas Kanadias for about 50 quid. Ideally, I'd buy a pair of x-country spikes and whack in a set of long spikes, but given the short distance of running on road I do, that would be pretty uncomfortable.

[ewenm]

Answered in the running thread but:

• Nike Pegasus Trail are my choice for mixed surfaces
• Inov8 (various shoes) for full off-road and fell running
• Spikes for XC races

[andy_s]

The Inov8s are brilliant, different ones for different uses.

[Animal]

Brooks Adrenaline - can't fault 'em!

[FamilyGuy]

Highway Star said:

I'm currently using some old running shoes I've had for over ten years

I thought that 300-500 miles was tops for a pair of shoes after which the cushioning and support elements start to give up the ghost? Having said that I did see someone in a race, presumably an under-pronator, who seemed to be running along quite happily on the outer side of his shoes which were misshapen wrecks.

[freedee]

I have a couple of pairs of Inov-8's as well and they are very good

[Zip106]

I've used Saucony for years - very comfy off road (and on).
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/reviews/shoes/off-ro...

[alfa phil]

I find you cant beat Asics , never realy got on with inov8 but thats just a personal view.