Trail running continues to pick up some legitimate steam. And many top-flight shoe companies have entered this cross-over segment. But for this test, we stayed with those specialist shoe makers that helped pioneer and build the category into what it is today. We also stayed in the trainer vs. racer category and had a chance to look at three great products from top companies in the business:

La Sportiva Wildcat – Well built and low to the ground, the Wildcats have a lot going for them. The company invented the term mountain running and has an extremely diverse product line. The Wildcats were best for medium width feet and have the best heel hold-down of all the shoes in the test. See full review.

Montrail Badrock – Montrail is the footwear subsidiary of Mountain Hardwear. They have one of the broadest range of stability trail runners on the market, as well as several neutral shoes. Montrail bills the Badrock as a hybrid road/trail shoe and was the best ventilated shoe of the group. It was also the best for wide feet thanks to its open toe box. See full review.

Salomon XT Wings II – A great shoe from one of the great names in winter sports. The XT Wings II represents the top of the line in Salomon’s trail running line up. The version in this test had the best waterproofing – despite not being the Gore-Tex version of the product – and the best insole called OrthoLite by the company. The XT Wings II are also best for narrow feet. See full review.

No one trail runner fits every foot or every situation perfectly. We were impressed by each of the products in this review. So if you’re in the market for a new trail runner, definitely check these out.

Thanks for reading another outdoor gear review from GearGuide. And thanks to La Sportiva, Montrail/Mountain Hardwear and Salomon – along with the folks at Backbone Media and Outside Media – for providing product for these reviews. Written by Matt K.