Best snow trail running shoes under 100 EUR. GoreTex based, waterproof, suitable from autumn to spring.
So, the day came when my running shoes started falling apart. Like thousand times up to now. 🙂 Yes, I run quite a lot, even though it’s not my primary sport or whatever – but to keep the condition level up, wind out my head and body, and spend time in the nature without hassle, this is one of the best sports to practice wherever you are. You don’t need any special equipment to start out, just a pair of shoes. And for me, this is amazing. I run in most places I live when moving around the world – no other sport can fit in life so easily and with such flexibility.
Anyway, for the next few months, I will be situated on the Northen hemisphere, in Europe, where there will be winter. With snow and rain. I know a couple of good trails around the town – all pretty easy, but when it gets snowy and wet, well then it’s good to have something better than a pair of the cheapest shoes for street running – if you don’t like wet and cold feet, of course.
So I went on my journey to find the new, GoreTex running shoes for trail running, to use in the late autumn, winter, and early spring. I already have a pair of waterproof snow running gaiters which help keep the snow and the mud out of the shoes. These are absolutely essential for running in the snow and keeping dry, provided that you have the GoreTex (or some other membrane) in your trail running shoes. I really recommend them, because finally they’re cheap, they last, and they make a huge difference.
Things to consider when buying snow trail running shoes
Now let’s go to the shoes. I tried a big number of running shoes up to now, ranging from soft street running shoes that I used for both street and easy trails, all the way to Salomon Xa Pro 3D Gtx
What am I looking for at the snow trail running shoes:
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Durability
Rugged front of the shoe is essential, because trail running shoes will tend to tear on the downhills otherwise. It’s surprising to me how little attention is paid to that by most of the shoe makers, with Salomon
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Stability
Sole for stability. The sole and the EVA padding is constructed in a way that it provides stability of the shoe. Even if you step on something that is not flat, you’re not going to twist or hurt any parts of your valuable body 🙂
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Grip
Sole with grip – this is what most running shoe makers “get”. Usually a softer rubber with a more rough profile is used, and majority of the trail running shoes have that.
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Flexibility
Flexible sole – there is a big difference between shoes which have a monolithic rubber on the sole, and those which have multiple pieces of rubber, with lines for sole flex, among them. I strongly prefer the latter, because they are considerably more flexible. Anyway, there may be also be shoes with monolithic rubber on the bottom, which are well flexible.
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Membrane
Membrane to prevent water entry. Even though always marketed as breathable, let’s face the reality – it’s not. The shoes with membranes, GoreTex being the most famous, probably one of the highest-quality ones, are usually not really comfortable to wear in warm weather. If you’re a sweaty type when running (as I am), use that stuff when temperatures drop below 10, or even better when they drop below 8 or something like that.
Suggestions for snow trail running shoes
I was looking for 3 things when buying snow trail running shoes:
- GoreTex trail running shoe with good durability to last me 2 winters or so
- the highest possibe quality
- the lowest possible price
After doing some research about what’s available locally I hit the shops. I checked out 3 value-priced options for snow trail running shoes:
1.)Â Adidas Kanadia 7Â TR GTX
That was the cheapest one, because there was the highest reduction in price. Basic price was comparable to Asics, described next. The shoe had a relatively rigid sole (bit too rigid for my opinion), and looked to be moderately rugged. The suspension of the shoe was worse than the Asics model.
Adidas Men’s Kanadia 7 TR GTX Fitness Shoes
2.)Â Asics Gel Fujitrabuco 5 GTX
Even though basically priced like Adidas, this one felt more suspended, the sole was more flexible and it generally felt like having a higher quality shoe on foot. On the other hand, the way the shoe is structured is a bit les durable, especially on the front part. Even though I finally opted for this shoe, I hope I won’t have a tear in the front due to downhill running. If you have hills and a lot of downhill on your trails (which isn’t good for your ankles, though), I recommend you look for Salomon
Asics Gel Fujitrabuco 5 GTX, Men’s Trail Running Shoes
3.)Â Salomon Speedcross 4 GTX
This shoe had it all, but also had a higher price, yet comparable to the other two. Even though slightly heavier, it has a durable front, flexible high quality sole, and a very solid quality. I finally didn’t decide for it because of the fact that I couldn’t get my number for a comparable price point, and as the title of this thing says, I was looking for the best deal possible. Anyway, YOU can get ones here
Salomon Men’s Speedcross 4 GTX Trail Running Shoes
That’s my take on the snow trail running shoes. What are YOU looking for?
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Featured image: Photo by Marc Rafanell López
Author: Matic
Matic is tech startup guy who loves to spend time outside. In his free time he is an true outdoor freak – he tends to surf, run and ride a mountain bike, and in the winter time just loves powder skiing and snowboarding. Matic also loves to travel, often has to because of work, and even more often because he wants to 🙂
