The Hoka Zinal has been a longtime favorite at Runner’s World for its responsiveness on and off the trail. The trail runners are more than $30 off right now, and they just might help you PR. They’re built for fast-paced runs on lighter trails so you can burst your short distance times.
While the lugs help you dig in on dirt, the relatively shorter, less obtrusive design mixed with the overall lighter shoe design allows for easy movement on pavement.
Test editor Amanda Furrer described the shoes by saying, “Though the Zinal wouldn’t be our top pick for technical trails (i.e., fallen trees, gnarly roots, and creek crossings), it’s a speedster on softer surfaces.”
