3 Best Saucony Trail Running Shoes in 2025

In our off-road adventures with Saucony’s trail line-up, we discovered that Xodus Ultra 3 offers the best overall experience. It made brutal miles feel like a walk in the park. No arguing between trail and feet, it has a ground-muting cushion with an added energy boost. It’s a comfy place to be in all day as our lab test proves its refreshing upper.

The midsole stands above average at 35.1/29.2 mm, perfect for endurance runs. The bulk of the midsole consists of a plush and propulsive foam. Testing for shock absorption, both the heel and forefoot offer better impact protection than average, with their 125/113 SA scores. In terms of energy return, it continues to impress with a solid rebound at 62.6% in the heel and a whopping 76.4% in the forefoot!

To counter the shoe’s height, it widens its midsole to 116.4/94.6 mm for surefooted strides. Additionally, its 4.3 mm lugs on the PWRTRAC outsole display solid traction on most terrains.

The XU3’s breathable upper adds a feeling of lightness to our strides. In our smoke test, we observed unobstructed airflow, so we awarded it an impressive 4/5 rating.

We highly encourage wearing reflective elements when running in the dark because XU3 has none.

Saucony Endorphin Edge is always race-ready with its fast and light nature, delightful cushion, and secured ride. It gives the speed and confidence every runner needs, making it our ultimate trail racer among Saucony shoes.

This off-road racer doesn’t drag us down with its feathery 9.5 oz (269g). It’s as light as the average road running shoe and has the benefits of a trail shoe. It’s hard to slow down with this pair because of its snappy carbon plate and rocker structure. Our flex test in the lab confirms the pop of energy we experience, as it’s 76.9% more resilient than average. Every step down launches back with greater energy return.

Endorphin Edge excels in any race distance with its pillow-like cushion that prevents our feet from strain. Our durometer validates that its velvet foam is 27.7% softer than the average trail shoe.

The outsole can withstand any terrain with its 3.4-mm lugs that bite through puddles and loose dirt. We can easily maneuver without any slips because of its grip and without any lateral wobbles because of its wide enough base.

The heel fit may feel loose to some runners, causing heel slippage. We recommend checking other options for a more snug fit in this area.

After multiple wear tests and intensive lab tests, we endorse the Endorphin Rift as the best lightweight shoe among Saucony’s trail lineup. It’s everything speed-oriented—snappy, responsive, feathery, and agile—with a robust and grippy outsole to boost our confidence on diverse terrains.

The Endorphin Rift's lightweight design, akin to road-running shoes, is evident in its weight of just 9.0 oz (255g), compared to the 10.4 oz (294g) average trail shoe. Surprisingly, despite minimalists sacrificing cushioning, it retains a generous amount of light and bouncy PWRRUN PB cushioning, delivering leg-saving support with its 33.0/25.1 mm stack. Our durometer readings confirm it to be 26.2% softer than average.

Additionally, Saucony's Speedroll technology and rocker geometry promote responsive toe-offs, enhancing the overall running experience.Moving laterally and bending our feet feels relatively easy as the midsole doesn’t resist our natural movements. Our lab tests reaffirm its fluid ride by showing a torsional rigidity of 3/5 and a result that’s 9.9% more bendable than average.

To ensure our surefootedness and stability, Endorphin Rift heightens its traction through 4.5 mm deep, sticky, and multi-directional lugs. On top of this, the PWRTRAC compound exhibits mind-blowing resistance against our Dremel by showing 77.8% less damage than average.However, while the deep lugs are a plus in muddy conditions, we believe less depth would have resulted in less bulk and a more responsive ride.