Running cross country challenges your body to push up steep hills and navigate uneven terrain. Sweeping views and quiet surroundings reward your efforts. To get the most out of your trail run, you need to be outfitted with the right gear. Trail running shoes provide greater traction and better toe protection compared to road shoes. Finding the right fit ensures you benefit from a trail shoe's features.
Step 1
Have your foot length measured at a reputable shoe retailer. This will give you a starting point for trail running shoe size. Be sure to have both feet measured, as it's not uncommon for one foot to be bigger than the other. This should not be a big deal if your feet are only slightly different in length, but you may need to look into buying two different sizes to accommodate your feet if they measure at different sizes.
Step 2
Measure the width of your foot. The tool that measures your foot length will also measure foot width. While most trail running shoes do not come in different widths, knowing if you have a wide or narrow foot will help you narrow your choices to specific brands. Some brands make a wider shoe, while other shoes are narrower.
Step 3
Test the room in the toebox of the shoe. Standing up with the shoe on, you should have a finger's width of space between your big toe and the end of the shoe. Trail runners give you more space in the toebox compared to street shoes to help protect your toes from trail debris and to give your foot more space to slide forward as you run down steep trails.
Step 4
Make sure the shoe is wide enough to reduce pressure on bunions if you have them. Bunions are a common running injury. You may put extra pressure on your big toe joint as you push off uneven, hard surfaces or run on the balls of your feet up steep trails. If you have bunions, your trail shoe should be wide enough on the side so that it does not press against your bunion.
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