Your Road Running Gear Will Fail You on the Trail. Here’s What to Replace First.
However you found running—a doctor’s warning, a divorce, a friend dragged you to your first race—odds are you started on the roads: you joined a local run club on a paved park route, toured town streets in a 5K with friends, or headed out the door on your neighborhood loop.
But running can be so much more than pounding the pavement—as many are finding out. The 2026 Running Report from the Outdoor Industry Association found that trail running was one of the fastest-growing segments—not only in running, but in the entire outdoor industry. It grew 6.6% to 17.2 million participants and is up 57% since 2019.
While road and trail running may seem like the same activity, they’re quite different when it comes to equipment. The best trail running gear makes the trails safer and more enjoyable. As a runner who has identified as a road runner most of my life, here’s the gear that made my transition to the trails more enjoyable.
The post Your Road Running Gear Will Fail You on the Trail. Here’s What to Replace First. appeared first on Outside Online.
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