Marathon running and cross-country running are two completely different experiences. The former has a smoother track and the latter is more challenging; the former environment is relatively simple, while the latter’s environment is full of complexities ; The former tends to travel light, while the latter needs to carry all kinds of equipment. Of course, there are many, many differences between the two. For most people, the most direct difference may be in the choice of running shoes.
Ordinary running shoes
From the perspective of the outsole, the outsole generally covers the entire sole, and the upper It is full of various special lines, and there may be many grooves in the middle. Most of the colors are black, and there are other colors. The thickness is generally 3-5mm. The main function of the outsole is to play a wear-resistant and anti-slip role in the process of direct contact with the ground. The full texture and groove back play this role. The outsole material is generally carbon-containing rubber, which is more wear-resistant, and is also ideal in terms of anti-slip effect and weight.
Trail running shoes
Trail running shoes are specially designed for trail races and training, with a weight between those of ordinary running shoes and hiking shoes. Compared with ordinary running shoes, it pays more attention to protection. For example, the soles are designed for different terrains, such as gravel roads, dirt roads and other roads, so that trail running shoes have stronger grip; the front end of the shoes is also protected, and some use TPU is injected into the toe cap to prevent the toes from being hit by gravel, etc.; the upper is more flexible to prevent being scratched, and some styles even provide a GTX waterproof coating; the laces will use a quick lace system or have a lace storage bag, this is mainly to prevent shoelaces from being hung.
Hiking Shoes
Hiking shoe soles are rigid and resistant to abrasion. For trail running shoes and hiking shoes, hiking shoes are divided into low-top, medium-top, and high-top models, each type has its own advantages. Low-cut models are designed for fast walking, and generally have soft soles and no side support. Light weight and relatively low price, it is very suitable for walking on flat country roads or mountain roads when the load is small; while the upper of the mid-top model wraps the ankle, and the sole design is more wear-resistant and rigid, but can be bent longitudinally to adapt to long walks. The shoe has a protective effect on the ankle, which can reduce the impact on the ankle; and for high-top hiking shoes, it is suitable for steeper and more complicated terrain. It has a supportive effect, and the waterproof performance of the shoe will be much better.
What is the difference between trail shoes, running shoes and hiking shoes
1. Running shoes are only suitable for our daily wear, running, For sports use, if you want to run a marathon for a long time or run with a small load in the wild, we can choose cross-country shoes. If the terrain is complex and rugged, or long-distance weight-bearing walking, it is more suitable to choose hiking shoes.
2. Cross-country running shoes are suitable for walking and running on rough roads on non-concrete ground, while hiking shoes are suitable for complex terrains such as cement ground, mountain roads, and skat landforms;
3. Trail running shoes have good support. Hiking shoes
are less supportive than trail running shoes, especially low-top and mid-top shoes;
4. Trail running shoes are suitable for running with a small load, but hiking shoes cannot do this. Hiking shoes suitable for heavy loads are not suitable for running, otherwise it is easy to cause typhoid fever to the feet, such as foot blisters.
In any case, there are still differences between trail running shoes, hiking shoes and running shoes. In the actual purchase, we need to combine different situations to choose trail running shoes and hiking shoes, and we will get twice the result with half the effort.