Earlier this fall, the running industry converged in Austin, Texas, for its annual pilgrimage to The Running Event. This trade show gives journalists, retailers, influencers, and more a peek at the future of footwear — and gear!
It’s also a chance to speak directly with the designers, managers, and CEOs of the companies that continue to push the sport forward.
Could we have gathered the same information from 20 or 30 individual Zoom meetings with shoe company reps? Probably. But it’s hard to deny the kinetic energy that happens when a few thousand people converge around a single topic rooted in a shared passion: running!
Here’s a glimpse at both the next generation of footwear, and the trends the industry expects to see in running for 2025.
Looking for the best of the best? Check out our Best in Show roundup from The Running Event 2024.
Top Running Trends to Watch For in 2025
‘Road to Trail’ Is Now ‘Gravel’
As with many car commercials, alpine scenes in trail running marketing rarely have anything to do with reality. Very few of us live in places with access to mountains and trails near where we live.
Dirt roads and paths are more common, so a shoe’s outsole profile can be pared down and less aggressive. This led the industry to adopt the “road to trail” moniker as a way to market shoes to runners who may never step foot on the types of mountain runs seen in Kilian Jornet’s Instagram feed.
But in the last 10-15 years, the bike industry adopted “gravel” as vertical, and its success appears to have had an influence on running. Several brands at The Running Event described shoes as “gravel” or as a solution for that transitional terrain where the “road” ends. I heard the phrase, “This is the gravel bike of shoes,” multiple times.
Personally, I found this blatant mimicry of the bike industry’s success a little cringy, but I also understand the logic.
Clothing Companies Become Shoe Companies
I met with three brands — CEP, X-Bionic, and Tracksmith — which began as clothing brands but have now become footwear companies (in some cases with just a single shoe to offer).
There were others — Satisfy and rabbit — that I didn’t meet with but that are taking the same approach.
Establishing footwear is a difficult and expensive endeavor, especially when it isn’t a core competency. So I will be interested to see where this trend goes and, more importantly, whether the shoes perform.
‘Barefoot’ Barely Hangs On
We are living in the most cushioned era of running shoes in history. Born to Run author Chris McDougall is probably hunkered down somewhere in the Copper Canyon, clutching his sandals and screaming at the sky, “Whyyyyyyy?!”
In the mid-2000s, the shoe and medical industries promoted “natural” running as a cure for everything from knee pain to obesity — everything up to (and maybe including) enlightenment. But Hoka’s maximalism won over the industry and has gone from novelty to the norm.
But human anatomy obviously hasn’t evolved in the 15 years since barefoot-style running emerged, so I find the switch in consumer behavior curious. Still, I met with some companies with “five-finger” designs and the emphasis on ground-feel persists. Perhaps the most visible example is the brand Peluva, which GearJunkie reviewed in a writeup of the Lightweight Trainer.
The Cost of Speed Accelerates
The success of so-called “super shoes” is undeniable. Eliud Kipchoge famously wore controversial Nikes that helped break the 2-hour marathon barrier. Similar super shoes have since upended virtually every historical road and track record from high schoolers to masters in just a few years.
And the price for these ultra-high-performance shoes kept pace. Plus, with just a couple of midsole foam developers supplying most of the industry’s fastest shoes, costs have been passed on to the customer. And that cost continues to rise.
It was not atypical during my 48 hours at The Running Event to see a $280 (and up) racing shoe from companies. But super trainers that use a “super foam” — like PEBA, Pebax, or other nitrogen-injected material — combined with more affordable EVA are also seeing price increases.
To get a fast shoe, whether for racing or training, expect to pay in excess of $200.
Top Running Shoes Coming in 2025
Big Updates for Franchise Mainstays
Stalwarts of the scene like Hoka, Altra, and Brooks have created some of the most beloved road and trail shoes that have remained in line year after year. These models have struck a chord in the community.
While they haven’t reached Nike Pegasus status (41 iterations deep!), there are two updates to the beloved and classic Altra Lone Peak and Hoka Bondi styles.
Altra Lone Peak 9
Altra co-founder Brian Beckstead told me that major changes are coming to Altra going forward, most specifically around the influence of women.
The company is now led by Jen McLaren, its first woman president, and confirmed its shoes will be designed around a woman’s last (foot shape) first.
In terms of franchise shoes, it doesn’t get more historic for Altra than the Lone Peak. Beckstead noted that the Lone Peak is Altra’s most popular and bestselling shoe of all time, and that 50% of the thru-hiking community uses it. The Lone Peak 9 comes out in January 2025 and will be lighter than its predecessor. But its key upgrade (what Altra fans have yearned for) is durability.
The redesigned ripstop mesh upper has no-sew overlays, which should invigorate trail runners and thru-hikers who love Altra but have been dismayed by the longevity of the materials.
The January launch comes with Altra’s proprietary MaxTrac outsole, but a Vibram version will launch for $15 more in the spring.
Specs
- Launch date: January 2025
- Weight: 11.15 ounces (M10.5), 8.5 ounces (W8.5)
- Drop: 0 mm
- Price: $140
Hoka Bondi 9
The Bondi put Hoka on the map as a cushioned training shoe, rocking the industry and helping Hoka become one of the biggest players in footwear.
Though it has been embraced by walkers, nurses, and, through collaborations, streetwear influencers, the fact remains that the Bondi remains a delightful running shoe at its core.
Its ninth edition receives all-over updates to help justify its fairly high price tag ($175). The midsole gets a shot of modernity with a new super-critical foam paired to its huge 42mm (women’s) and 43mm (men’s) stack height.
The shoe’s universality means any type of striker can wear it but, through experience, those strike zones get massive wear issues compared to the other aspects of the outsole.
Knowing a majority of users are heel strikers, Hoka has introduced a rear-foot-focused “Active Foot Frame” to preserve the foam’s integrity in that zone. Outsole wear issues should improve with the Bondi 9’s new Durabrason rubber.
Specs
- Launch date: January 2025
- Weight: 10.5 ounces (M10), 9.3 ounces (W8)
- Drop: 5 mm
- Price: $170
Trail Shoes: Prototype to Production
To see what’s coming in trail shoe development, sneakerheads need only spy on the photos and videos from two races: Hardrock 100 and UTMB.
Though quite different from a hype standpoint, both events guarantee appearances from the sport’s biggest names. And because they happen in mid- and end-of-summer, respectively, there is enough time for brand product teams to give their athletes fully baked prototypes or samples to race in.
The four most anticipated 2025 trail racing shoes at The Running Event came from brands that athletes race in UTMB and Hardrock.
On Cloudultra Pro
On’s booth at The Running Event was packed with show-stopping shoes like its LightSpray model, the shoe made with robotics and liquid thermoplastics. On the other side of the two-story booth was a glass display showing four prototypes of the new On Cloudultra Pro in varying degrees of dirt and development.
On’s primary athlete-developer for the shoe was Jeff Colt, and by his own admission, a partnership with this company on the trail side was a bit of a waiting game. Without a world-class trail racing option, the athlete was told to be patient while the Cloudultra Pro was developed over 3 years.
Prototypes had been spotted at this year’s UTMB, and the model will be officially launched on June 19, 2025.
The Cloudultra Pro has a dual-density midsole; a softer Helion HF on the top and a firmer Helion HF on the bottom. A nylon mix-material plate, forked on one side like an X runs beneath the midsole foam to encourage propulsion. This combination aims to provide a balance of rebound and stability.
High-stack trail super shoes are wonderful in a straight line over even terrain but suffer in terms of control and balance in technical conditions. To address this, On designed a “cup” in the heel to improve stability. It looks a lot like On’s Cloudboom Echo road super shoe, but with a little more stack and, obviously, a lugged outsole with On’s Mission Grip rubber.
Specs
- Launch date: June 19, 2025
- Weight: 9.7 ounces (M), 8.2 ounces (W)
- Drop: 6 mm
- Price: $260
The North Face Vectiv Pro 3
Like On and, frankly, any brand’s trail super shoe, stability is a huge issue. It’s too bad because these shoes are so fun and so fast on smooth trails.
Despite some stability issues, The North Face’s Vectiv Pro 2 was my favorite trail shoe in 2024, and the Vectiv Pro 3 should be even better.
The Pro 2 used a single carbon plate system for propulsion, but the Vectiv Pro 3 will employ a “stacked” plate system, each with a different design, shape, and intention. Meanwhile, a 10mm “Dream” foam drop-in midsole sits sandwiched between plates for cushion and rebound.
Outsole wear was an issue for me in the Vectiv Pro 2, so the Vectiv Pro 3 has been redesigned with The North Face’s “Surface Ctrl” rubber. The brand claims this is an environmentally friendly material, made with 20% rubber from smallholder farmers who are committed to agroforestry principles and regenerative agricultural practices.
Since 2021, The North Face has charged back into trail running. And like all its different sport categories, the brand relies heavily on athletes for testing and input. Just like On’s Cloudultra Pro, the Vectiv Pro 3 was heavily prototyped and raced at the UTMB events in 2024, taking the decisive win with Katie Schide’s record-breaking victory in Chamonix.
Specs
- Launch date: February 2025
- Weight: 10.3 ounces (M, W, unisex)
- Drop: 6 mm
- Price: $250
Norda 005
The 005 is another heavily prototyped and anticipated trail shoe from boutique Canadian brand Norda. Jason Schlarb blew the lid off of this shoe’s secrecy this summer when he raced it to third place at the incredibly hard-to-get-into (but popular-to-follow) Hardrock 100.
In the aftermath, shoeheads all over the world examined photos and filled Reddit threads with thoughts about what Schlarb’s mysterious shoe was. Behold, the 005.
Norda co-founder Nick Martire showed me the outsole material the brand chose for this shoe. The Norda 005 gained exclusive first usage for Vibram’s latest rubber, “Megagrip Elite.” This rubber purportedly delivers Vibram’s best-ever durability, traction, and grip on both wet and dry surfaces.
Norda shoes are not cheap. Beyond the expensive Vibram rubber, the 005 uses two other very pricey materials: bio-based Dyneema in the upper, and Arnitel, a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer (TPC) in the midsole. The idea is to spare no expense to create the highest-performing, yet longest-lasting trail shoes on the market.
Martire told me he wants people to know that though the shoes’ cost may be high, thanks to their supremely durable materials, customers shouldn’t have to replace them as often.
Norda entering the trail super shoe landscape is a big step forward for the company that, until now, had been less race-focused and more long-distance, FKT-minded.
Specs
- Launch date: Spring 2025
- Weight: 7.4 ounces (M8.5), 6.24 ounces (W8)
- Stack height or drop: Unknown
- Price: $325
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
When La Sportiva’s Prodigio arrived this year, it signaled to (mainly American) runners that the Italian brand was finally making a shoe for our ultra-distance-oriented trail community.
Its nitrogen-infused foam and slightly wider forefoot shape (La Sportiva is a notoriously narrow brand) meant that it could go longer, more comfortably and efficiently.
But for me, it was a big nothing burger.
The promise didn’t match reality. This is why I was so excited to learn about the new Prodigio Pro at The Running Event. I received a pair to test and went straight to Austin’s Town Lake Trail to test them out. I was so happy to experience what I felt the original Prodigio was supposed to be: a light and snappy ride, with the softest and cushiest foam I’ve ever experienced in a La Sportiva shoe.
The XFlow Speed midsole is softer because the design is strobel-less; it increases the amount of cushioning without increasing the stack. Even with its soft foam, the Prodigio Pro should still prove a competitive trail shoe on technical terrain.
Though it’s billed as a super shoe, it doesn’t use a carbon or nylon plate. So automatically, its stability is better than its plated counterparts. Big 4mm lugs line the outsole with an overall wider platform than the Prodigio.
At under $200, it will be an easier investment without sacrificing performance compared to other shoes in its class. Blindfolded, I bet you’d be hard-pressed to discern the Prodigio Pro from the Hoka Tecton X 3, its closest competitor in my experience.
Specs
- Launch date: Spring 2025
- Weight: 9 ounces (M10.5)
- Drop: 6 mm
- Price: $195
New Marathon Shoes
At The Running Event last year, it was clear that super shoe technology was bleeding into every corner of the industry. But the top performers were still the ones you’d probably expect: Nike, adidas, New Balance.
Now, smaller and less lauded brands are getting in on the trend, putting unique spins on midsole compounds, and using wild and futuristic shapes. Their goal is to try and eke out a few small percentage points more race performance while standing out from the giant brands.
Craft Kype Pro
Craft is a Swedish brand that has been on a charm offensive in the U.S. market for several years.
Between employing two beloved trail athletes — Tim Tollefson and David Lainey — as employee-advocates and sponsoring big events, the brand has made itself more visible. The trouble has been with the product.
To many runners, Craft’s trail shoes have been half-baked. Great ideas and materials, but only so-so execution.
Perhaps Craft now hopes to replicate the visibility it earned on the trail side with a viable road racing product. Enter the futuristic, very rockered Kype Pro. The one-piece upper is made with Craft’s minimal Aeromesh material.
The outsole has a massive cutout that reveals a propulsive Arris carbon plate. And, the large split through the heel is not just a visual trick; it also provides a wider platform to address the instability issues of high-stack racing shoes.
The midsole is made with the superfoam Pebax, and Craft reps told me the shoe in men’s sample size 9 will weigh just 6.9 ounces.
Specs
- Launch date: Spring 2025
- Weight: 6.9 ounces (M9)
- Drop: 8 mm
- Price: $300
Skechers Aero Tempo
Similar to brands like Under Armour, Skechers has for the last two product cycles — as long as I’ve been a shoe reviewer — splashed onto the scene with some fantastic shoes before going dark and losing all of its momentum.
The Skechers Go Run Razor Trail 2 was one of the most unusual and satisfying shoes I tested all year in 2022, utilizing Skechers’ dreamy “Hyperburst” midsole material.
At The Running Event, the Skechers booth indicated the brand was again riding a tailwind of enthusiasm. It showcased a bunch of new and fast road shoes, though my beloved Razor Trail 2 (and trail shoes in general) are on pause, according to Ben Stewart, Skechers senior director of technical performance.
The shoe that most stood out was the Aero Tempo, part of a new “Aero” series. According to Skechers, it is a hybrid — trainer and race-day shoe — that keeps the Goodyear rubber outsole that has been a staple of Skechers shoes for years.
With a bright pink color scheme and a futuristic swooping design, the Aero Tempo uses a single-density Hyperburst foam with 4mm of drop (38mm in the rear, 34 mm in the forefoot) and a full-length carbon-infused plate.
Skechers is always refreshingly affordable, and this race-capable shoe will retail for $160.
Specs
- Launch date: May 1, 2025
- Weight: 8.5 ounces (M), 7.5 ounces (W)
- Drop: 4 mm
- Price: $160
CEP Omnispeed
Based in Germany, CEP was founded by the premier medical supply company in the country, Medi. As such, the learnings from its medical background inform what CEP manufactures. To date, CEP has made a line of compression clothing and socks.
In 2025, the company will zig with its Omnispeed super trainer, the first shoe from CEP in its history.
“Bowtech” is the striking kinetic technology in the midsole that CEP says works with the runner’s foot biomechanics to increase energy return. The dual-foam setup uses a firmer EVA foam in the rear and the softer N+ foam in the forefoot for bounce and spring.
CEP says its medical testing revealed that the 37-to-30mm drop is the ideal stack for most runners’ biomechanics. The brand was quick to reveal that the Omnispeed is the only shoe in development at the moment, and it will take a cautious and methodical approach to this category in the future.
Specs
- Launch date: March 2025
- Weight: 10.1 ounces (US9)
- Drop: 7 mm
- Price: $220
