After putting 96 pairs through a full year of testing, Outside Online's crew has settled on eight trail running shoes they keep reaching for — and half of them cost $150 or less. The October 2026 update crowns a new overall winner: the Mount to Coast M1.
The M1 takes Best All-Around thanks to a new midsole foam called JETCELL, an ATPU compound derived from polymers used in automotive paint-protection films. Testers describe the ride as lively and smooth, with a full-coverage Vibram Megagrip outsole that held firm on loose Colorado dirt and steep rock slabs. A dual-lacing system lets you tension the forefoot and midfoot separately, though the wide forefoot means feet can shift a little on very technical ground.
The Saucony Peregrine 16 keeps the Best Value title at $150, and testers call it possibly their favourite version since the model launched in 2011. It's light (8.4 oz in women's), grippy on rock and soft ground, and the fit reportedly feels custom across a range of foot shapes. The Salomon Genesis 2 wins Best Technical Terrain — its Kevlar-reinforced Matryx upper and Contagrip lugs earned it 'mountain goat' status on scrambles, though the firm midsole won't suit everyone.
Elsewhere in the lineup: the Kiprun Kipsummit Max takes Best Max Cushioned with a high-stack foam platform that stays stable on rugged singletrack, again at a wallet-friendly $150. The Brooks Cascadia Elite is the racing pick — a genuine super shoe with a PEBA midsole, carbon-infused plate and built-in gaiter that testers found nearly effortless on flowy California singletrack. The Salomon Aeroblaze 4 GRVL handles gravel roads with a trampoline-like pop and a one-pull quicklace system, and the Nike ACG Trail Pegasus succeeds the long-running Trail Pegasus as the road-to-trail all-rounder, comfortable on pavement and dirt alike. The Altra Experience Wild 3+ rounds out the list for runners who want a natural, low-interference ride.
Why does a gear roundup belong on a travel site? Because the right pair of shoes is the difference between a holiday run being a highlight and a blistered write-off. If you're packing one shoe for a trip that mixes city walking, park paths and dirt trails, the Nike ACG Pegasus or Peregrine 16 cover the most ground. Heading somewhere mountainous — the Dolomites, the Alps, Scotland — the Genesis 2 is built for exactly that kind of scrambling. And at $150, the value picks leave budget over for the trip itself.
