In production · trail · Trail / Long run / Daily · $250
Trail Eliot: supercritical foam, nylon plate, merino bootie, Vibram outsole.
Built for trail, long run, daily, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on trail.
Tracksmith tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 33 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as snappy at 4/5 responsiveness.
A nylon (or PEBA-blend) plate adds structure without the harsh stiffness of carbon. You get a firmer, more propulsive toe-off that still flexes at slower paces, which is why nylon-plated shoes double as workout and long-run shoes rather than race-day-only tools.
A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is moderate — enough curve to smooth the roll-through without dictating your footstrike. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.56 per mile at $250.
For the foams and plates Tracksmith uses across its line, read the Tracksmith brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
285 g / 10.1 oz
10 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
33 mm
3 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$250
90 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Tracksmith line it is heavier than the brand's median (269 g / 9.5 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (35 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Puma Fast-Trac Nitro 4
272 g / 9.6 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $140
Low-slung technical trail trainer with deep lugs and Nitro bounce.
On Cloudsurfer Trail 2
287 g / 10.1 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $170
Cushioned, road-friendly trail shoe for mixed terrain.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 4
265 g / 9.3 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · Rock · $200
Precision-fit ultra racer built around Kilian's mountain requirements.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra
293 g / 10.3 oz · 40 mm · 8 mm drop · Nylon · $35
Salomon S/Lab Ultra: 40 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 290 g — specs from independent lab testing.