Many years ago, I heard rumors of people hunting with trail running shoes and it piqued my interest. I had always been fighting blisters when I was hunting in the backcountry and was looking for something better to keep my feet happy. So I decided to give trail running shoes a try and immediately I found that trail running shoes, hands down, are better for hiking. Whether hunting or backpacking, I can't emphasize how much better trail running shoes are.
When backpacking, my preference is to take a spare pair of trail running shoes. If I need to wade across a stream, I wear my shoes and then switch them out. This goes for anytime I get my feet wet. Having an extra pair of size 13 shoes adds up to a pound and a quarter to my pack, but overall, the two pairs of shoes are lighter than the nearly three pounds of ankle-height leather boots. I end up getting two pairs of shoes for less weight than one pair of boots.
Most of the time, I wear trail gaiters with my trail running shoes to keep debris from falling in around my ankles.
I now dread having to wear hiking boots when the conditions are just too wet. Often I prefer to hike in the rain with my trail running shoes over putting on boots. The trail running shoes dry out fast when the sun comes out.
On our 2024 Golden Trout Wind River Backpacking Fishing Trip, I used a pair of Under Armour Men's Charged Maven Trail Running Shoes as my primary hiking footwear with Kahtoola RENAgaiter Low Gaiters to avoid getting debris into my shoes.
Pros for Trail Running Shoes
- Much lighter, keeping your legs going longer without fatigue
- Better cushion keeps your feet, legs and body going longer
- Breathable, say goodbye to blisters. I never get blisters no matter how long I am out hiking
- They can be less expensive than hiking boots
- Overall, my feet are just so much more comfortable
Cons for Trail Running Shoes
- Watch out for cactus
- Your feet are more likely to get wet in rain, snow and wet terrain
- They will wear out faster than heavy leather boots. I usually only use mine for one year.
- No insulation if you are in cold conditions
- Your feet get dirtier in dusty conditions
- You can get debris in your shoes more easily. This is why I wear trail gaiters with my trail running shoes
What brands do I like?
I have used several brands and versions of trail runners. My preference is for any major brands with extra-thick foam soles, like the Brooks Divide 5 and the Merrell Men's Morphlite Trail Sneakers. Soloman makes some great trail runners and had a pair of them one year and loved them as well, they have been a little pricier than others, but great shoes for hiking.
Regardless of what footwear you use I have found that the quality of the sock you are using makes a big difference in the comfort of your feet. I'm hooked on the Darn Tough Vermont Men's Hiker Midweight Micro Crew Socks. They are a little pricey but well worth it.
Low gaiters like the Kahtoola RENAgaiter Low Gaiters have been a plus at keeping debris from getting into the top of our trail running shoes.
Cooking up some brook trout for dinner in the Wind Rivers in 2025. You can see my footwear combo: Brooks trail running shoes, Kahtoola RENAgaiter Low Gaiters and Darn Tough Vermont Men's Hiker Midweight Micro Crew Socks.
Here are some Brooks Divide 5 Trail Running Shoes on our 2025 Golden Trout Wind River Backpacking Trip. I really liked these Brooks shoes.
I used these shoes in all of my 2025 adventures. I put a lot of miles on these shoes and they are still holding up well going into 2026. Mind you, I am 240 lbs and my pack was 60 pounds on our 2025 Wind River trip. These shoes held up great all year!
The glued-on tread held up great on my Brooks Divide 5 trail running shoes after 6 days in the backcountry... mostly off-trail hiking. These shoes after this trip made it through all of my hunting trips through the fall including nine days of some rough hiking on my Henry Mountains 2025 muzzleloader deer hunt.