Trail Running Gear
New to trail running and looking for the best trail running gear? Need to know what trail shoes to buy, what running watch is best or how to stop yourself from losing a toenail? From the essential running gear to those items you don’t you need yet, we are here to offer our advice. From the best shoes to suit the terrain to the detailed kit lists you need for ultra marathons, we help you make sense of it all. Check out the various pages of our website for inspiration and advice and find yourself some great trail gear.
Amended April 2026
Trail Shoes for Every Eventuality
Possibly the most important purchase for runners is the running shoe. What you need for off road running is different to what you would wear for a road run on a firmer surface. When running off road, you need a shoe that will deal with different types of terrain, that is comfortable, provides sufficient grip and that will withstand the long miles. While you may be wondering what the difference is in one pair of running trainers to another and how they differentiate for different types of running, there are significant differences, especially when it comes to road and trail trainers. You only have to turn them over and look at the bottom. Off-road shoes are also a lot lower to the ground as well allowing you to get a better contact between your foot and the ground without all the cushioning and bounce of a road shoe.
Then there are significant differences between the different types and brands of trail running trainers. All shoes are designed to fulfil a specific requirement, and what works for one person may not necessarily be suitable for the next. It depends on a number of factors, including size, width of feet, how you land your feet, over pronation, under pronation, the shape of your feet etc. While you may have a hankering for the latest Nike shoes to the market, they aren’t necessarily going to be the right choice for you. Our site aims to give you specific information about choosing the right trail shoes for the terrain and type of running. From the best men’s trail shoes for mud to an unisex all-rounder and the best wide fit trail shoes, in the content of our pages, there is something for everyone. We aim to provide the latest information about shoes for him, shoes for her, unisex shoes, trail shoes for specific terrain as well as sharing some of our favourites, and those of our running companions.
Trail Running Watches
Want to know which is the best trail running watch for your goals? We compare the best trail and ultra running models in the Garmin range to see which is the best fit for your type of trail running.
Head Torches
You may not be a regular night runner but at some point, you may find yourself out on the trails after dark. Perhaps you end up out longer than anticipated or you are taking part in an ultra that goes through the night. A head torch can cost less than £20, with more expensive models being upwards of £100. We take a look at a selection of our favourites and those that are well-reviewed, and share what you need to know about selecting the best head torch for the job.
Running Gloves
A decent pair of running gloves is perfect for those cold, early starts and winter runs. Climbing over stiles and fences means that you can avoid splinters too. A pair of gloves can protect you from those brambles and stingers that inevitably at some point you will need to brush aside. Just a point to note here from our experience – stingers hurt all year round and brambles really sting when you’ve got cold legs!
The Stuff No-One Talks About
Anti-chafing aids, silicone toe caps, blister plasters, runderwear… these are all considerations of the avid off-road runner. Perhaps not so widely discussed but things that we’ve experienced ourselves. we share some of our favourite extras to put on before your run or to take with you. We like to call these items the trail gear that you don’t know you need yet.
The Additional Extras
Like to listen to music on your run? It’s a personal choice. Personally, we aren’t great fans of running with music. It stops you being able to hear traffic noise (less of this off-road) but also the sounds of nature. However, we appreciate that some of you like to escape to the hills with a pair of headphones on so we also look at electronics and other gadgets.
Please note – while we ourselves have used a lot of the trail running gear featured on these pages, these are just our opinions to help you make a more informed decision.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links which may provide a small commission to me at no cost to you. The products we recommend are either those that we’ve used or that our fellow runners have used.