more performance oriented by dint of its lighter, more breathable upper and marginally more aggressive outsole. While the Terroc feels like a trail trainer, the Flyroc seems more suited to longer off-road racing and better equipped to deal

not veer off-road and explore the trails.Buy them now from the Runner's World store.

What to look for in a trail shoeThere are a lot of similarities between your normal training shoes and a model designed for off-road use, but don't confuse the two. On a firm, well-groomed trail, your road shoes should survive. Add mud, moisture

Weight 334gEvaluation While Inov8’s Mudroc models are among the best examples of extreme off-road shoes – where grip is the most important consideration – they aren’t exactly ideal for long, lazy runs in the trails. Having realised this, Inov8 has

. Although the outsole has big, deep lugs, which worked well on off-road tracks and rocky routes, it clogged up easily in muddy conditions. The most eye-catching part of the shoe, however, is the upper. Ignore the fancy colours, and it’s a surprisingly

ADIDAS SWOOP £59.99One of Adidas’s very best off-road shoes, the three-year-old Equipment Davos (see below), gets a new name and a slightly more reinforced upper. At a swift 307g, it’s built a good reputation as a more comfortable – and only

- although a more flexible forefoot does ensure a smoother, more responsive ride than before. The upper and midsole point to a tough off-road shoe, but the Crested Butte has never really convinced on the trails, and this version's outsole seems mainly road

MIZUNOMizuno House, 612 Reading Road, Winnersh, Berks RG11 5HR;0118-936 2100; www.mizunoeurope.com2005 MODELSCUSHIONEDWave Creation 6 Wave Rider 8 STABILITYWave Inspire Wave Exodus 2004 MODELSCUSHIONEDWave Creation Wave Rider STABILITYWave

This model may still be available on clearance. But we've reviewed a newer version since we published this.Weight 368gEvaluation When shoe companies originally decided that off-road models had to be built like tanks, New Balance was one of the prime

trail shoe. But you can’t leave the spikes in for hard surfaces, which means that it’s no good for runs which combine the two. Still, if you can divide your off-road runs into those that need a normal trail shoe (ie the Extrano with its spikes removed