Off-road, on track

No traffic. Cleaner air. Beautiful views. Rejuvenation for body and soul. Trail running is like a mini-vacation -- a sweaty, heart-thumping one that gets you in super shape, strengthens your ankles and gives your knees a dirt-cushioned break from pavement. Any old running shoes will do the trick, but not as well as dedicated trail runners, which generally have tougher exteriors, grippier soles, stiffer, rock-repelling shanks -- and less padding, so your feet can get a better feel for the trail’s uneven terrain.

Roy M. Wallack

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Plenty of toe room

New Balance 873: Light, protective, comfortable all-rounder.

Likes: Great combination of comfort and ground feel. Wide toe box (available in 2E) lets toes spread out on the climbs and doesn’t jam them on the descents. Foot is nested low, providing good ground contact. Fairly light at 13 ounces, but feels almost weightless due to a comfy, minimalist upper. Burly toe rand for rock protection. Weird, undulating laces (they get alternately fatter and thinner) simply don’t come undone. A plastic midsole plate fends off sharp objects. Dark color hides dirt well. Unique lace-loop web wraps around the heel, gluing the shoes to your feet. Fine for running from street to trail. (Note: The 873 replaces the similar 872 model in early April.)

Dislikes: No fabric loop on the heel, which is useful for pulling on the shoe and hanging it up to dry after a muddy run.

Price: $90. (800) 253-7463; www.newbalance.com.

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How about a dance?

Inov8 Mudroc 280: Minimalist off-road racer from Britain.

Likes: Light and fast at 11 ounces (in size 9.5). Low-profile design with sparse cushioning has great ground feel. Cool-looking black/florescent lime design ideal for post-race disco dancing.

Dislikes: Pointy and narrow forefoot cramped my little toes in general and all toes on downhills. Coated canvas toe shield offers minimal rock protection. No loop on heel.

Price: $90. (877) 88-inov8; www.inov-8.com.

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Careful, it’s got claws

GoLite Trail Fly: Designed for rugged terrain with giant, funky “claws” on the sole.

Likes: Comfy and well cushioned. Wide toe box. Tiny studs on the leading edge of the shoe grip well on steep uphills. Eight massive, cartoony, five-eighths-inch-tall lugs in the fore- and midfoot -- designed like independent paws for gripping rough surfaces -- actually provide good cushioning on hard-pack dirt or pavement. Surprisingly, this is a good street running shoe too. Includes a heel loop.

Dislikes: The claws elevate the shoe too high. When I wasn’t on my toes, my feet lost some of the “ground feel” I liked with the New Balance and Inov8. At 15 ounces, it’s heavy for a shoe named GoLite. On normal trails (not super-rough, high-elevation ones for which this is designed), the claws seem overbuilt and gimmicky.

Price: $110. (888) 5-GoLite; www.golite.com.

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Dial up your laces

North Face Arnuva 50 Boa: Do-it-all trail and street runner with unique dial lacing system.

Likes: Innovative Boa lacing system lets you “tie” the shoes with a twist of a dial on the heel. No laces to come undone -- a huge benefit. Good cushioning and grippy sole make it a decent trail runner and very good street shoe. Light at 12.5 ounces. Cushioned shoe, with good -- not great -- ground feel, a la Inov8 or New Balance. Heel loop included.

Dislikes: The price.

Price: $125. (866) 715-3223; www.thenorthface.com.

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Irvine-based Roy M. Wallack writes about health and fitness and is the co-author of “Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100.”