This is the most exciting new trend in running shoes
5/8/2026
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Pictures: Siri Schubert
Gravel shoes are lighter and less robust than trail shoes, but offer more grip than road shoes. They’re perfect for anyone who loves running in city parks and on flowing trails. Win-win, if you ask me!
Road shoes or trail shoes? I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve pondered which to put on, especially on my usual route around Lake Hallwil. Do you face the same dilemma on your favourite running route?
If you like covering varied terrain over roads, forest tracks and narrow paths – sometimes asphalt, sometimes gravel or slippery ground – you’ll know exactly what I mean. Go for trail running shoes, and they’re often too robust and heavily treaded. They slow you down and feel heavy. Opt for road running shoes, and it ends in annoyance as you slip and slide on damp forest paths.
Running shoes for your after-work loop or Sunday run
Shoe manufacturers have started responding to this dilemma with so-called gravel shoes. Like gravel bikes, they’re made for training off the beaten path – think an after-work loop through the woods, Sunday run at the base of a mountain or the increasingly popular Parkruns.
Gravel shoes combine good cushioning and a lightweight construction with lightly treaded soles. Of course, they don’t offer enough grip for demanding, technical trails. But they’re versatile enough to wear on many outdoor paths.
Hybrid shoes are garnering attention
These hybrid shoes were a real crowd magnet at the European Outdoor Week in Riva del Garda. Not all of them are explicitly labelled as gravel shoes, but the concept of a shoe that bridges the gap between road and technical terrain is becoming increasingly popular among manufacturers.
The range of hybrid, road-to-trail or gravel shoes will expand even further next year – some interesting 2027 models were already on show in Riva del Garda.
My favourite is Craft’s gravel shoe, which won’t be available until next year. At first glance, its light weight and structured sole seems to strike the perfect balance between trail and road running shoe. I haven’t had the opportunity to test it yet, but I’ll do so as soon as it’s available.
The sole was developed in collaboration with the gravel bike tyre manufacturer Vittoria. So, it's no coincidence that there are similarities between the tyre tread and shoe's sole pattern.
If you don’t want to wait, we already have a selection of Craft gravel shoes in our range.
Of course, Craft isn’t the only brand offering gravel shoes. The H1 hybrid from Mount to Coast is also very interesting, though unfortunately we don’t have it in our range yet. Mount to Coast is a newcomer to the ultrarunning scene. So far, both the brand’s trail and road shoes have impressed me, so I’m really looking forward to its gravel shoe.
Salomon is right up there in the gravel game, being one of the first brands to offer hybrid shoes, such as the Flow-Gravel, the Aero Glide 4 GVL and the Aero Blaze GRVL, with a new model to follow next year. However, the Salomon representatives weren’t willing to divulge how it differs from its predecessors ahead of the official launch.
None of these are quite right for you? We also carry the Scott Pursuit Gravel in both women’s and men’s versions.
And Merrell has the Morphlite, and – for anyone who prefers more cushioning – the Promorph.
I, for one, can easily imagine running more in gravel shoes in the future, both in races and during training. With their cushioning, they might even be suitable for my next Backyard Ultra. As far as I’m concerned, this is the most exciting shoe trend to have emerged in a while.
Header image: Siri Schubert
Siri Schubert
Senior Editor
Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.chResearch diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
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