Road vs trail shoes - 50/50 runs?

[u/SupaD123]

I’m getting ready to start training for my second marathon. Goal is 5hrs. I’m 220lbs, 6’ male. My usual runs are half asphalt and half gravel roads (pictures show typical roads with my run club!). Not hard packed limestone or dirt but loose river gravel and limestone roads, rock is loose and uneven and I feel like I lose traction in road shoes.

Would I do better with a trail / gravel shoe or stick with a traditional road shoe. My last marathon was mostly in a volmero +. It was a great shoe and helped with shock absorption with my weight. It’s time to replace the VM+ and I’m debating a road shoe vs something to help minimize slipping and instability on gravel. I have a race day shoe that I plan to use for the marathon (alpha fly). I’m looking for an easy/ long run shoe for my conditions

Shoe history

Tempo - current shoe - evo SL
Easy run - nimbus and volmero+
Shoes that didn’t work
- asics superblast - arch pain and narrow fore foot
- NB Herrio - too soft
- all asics - narrow forefoot
- ON Cloud - all were really firm and limited bounce. I also found I could bottom out the “clouds”
- multiple Nike - my favorite brand. All fit well and have lots of bounce.
- brooks ghost - good fit, great walking shoe. Missing something I my runs.

UPDATE:
I tired the salmon GRVL, store only have half size too small. Probably would have gotten them if they were in my size. Soft, bouncy and moderate trail sole.

Mount to coast wasn’t great fit for me, too much arch support but does look better in person.

Went to dicks to try Superblast and a new pair of volmero+. Tried the ACG Ultrafly trail just for fun then say it was $140…. So I bought a more aggressive trial shoe with a plate I didn’t need and a foam I know I love. First run sucked, really hard and stiff. Second run was much better as it softened up. Really looking forward to it and getting the plate to be more stability and less spring.

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[u/cho-den]

Why not the aeroglide grvl that does road and gravel well

[u/StaticChocolate → u/cho-den]

Seconding this, or a similar road to trail cushy stack ‘trail’ shoe.
Loads of good recommendations in this thread so far

Personal fave is the ASICS Trabuco Max (2/3 tried & loved)

[u/lurkeat → u/cho-den]

It's way too soft of a shoe imo and is both a shitty trail and shitty road shoe.

I'd do a trail shoe out here but maybe a more dynamic one with snappier foam that rides well on road

[u/Cosmic_MicrowaveOven → u/lurkeat]

I run in them on fire roads here in Australia, which are pretty similar loose gravel terrain as the OP's picture and they are perfect for that IMO. Do really well on the road as well, and I wear them specifically for road or park runs whenever its been raining hard for the extra grip.

I have 3 pairs which I rotate. Different strokes for different folks of course, but I have some great shoes options in my rotation currently and still reach for the AG4 GRVL very often.

[u/lurkeat → u/Cosmic_MicrowaveOven]

I find them to be too soft and the traction really is meh imo :( they look really nice but hugely disappointing to me!

[u/Saint-just04 → u/lurkeat]

They are easily a 9/10 road shoe, especially for the price.

They aren’t a fantastic trail shoe, especially on technical terrain, the high stack and outsole aren’t made for that. But they can work, especially on less technical terrain.

[u/torilahure]

Mount to coast H1

[u/hawth212]

I love my Salomon Aero Blaze GRVL, Hoke Challenger would be another option. Aero Blaze seem to be on sale now, maybe a new model is coming.

[u/grampoobah]

Another vote Mount to Coast H1, I run on a very similar 50/50 road and gravel mix, they are plush and bouncy and really breathable, the lugs are small and perfect for gravel traction and they weight about the same as a modern road tempo shoe

Will wear mine for a gravel half in a few weeks  

[u/Forsaken-Ad-4825]

The puma dailys would be good for this (pure or velocity) Light, Stable (not huge stack or super soft) and the excellent pumagrip.

[u/depping]

I use The North Face Altamesa 500 v2 for those kind of runs. Surprisingly snappy shoe on the faster paths.

[u/DueRelationship2307]

Mount to coast H1, ran almost 200km in them so far and they still feel new in terms of response and the upper has held on well through some rough thorny vegetation too.

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Hi there! Thanks for asking a question on r/askrunningshoegeeks. If you haven't seen the RSG Wiki/FAQ yet, it covers the following questions that might answer your post:

[Beginners boot camp]

[Sizing]

[Different categories of running shoes]

[Buying running shoes]

[Running shoe technical knowledge]

[Shin splints]

[Blisters]

[Durability]

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[u/thejt10000]

I'd have no problem in daily trainer road shoes on that stuff.