What is Gravel Running and What are Gravel Running Shoes?

Move over road running, gravel running is the latest trend to excite runners in the USA and Europe – and with the type of trails we have around the SouthernLakes we expect it to take off in a really bigway in New Zealand too. Not least because gravel running shoes are so versatile and so well suited to local conditions. 

So what is a gravel running shoe? Basically it’s all about the running surface. Gravel running shoes are shoes that can go off-road, but not very far off road, and are ideal on any relatively smooth gravel, dirt, or paved surface. 

Another way of looking at it is anywhere you’d ride a gravel bike is where you would use gravel running shoes. 

Like a gravel bike the frame of a gravel running shoe is very like that of a dedicated road shoe, but with enhancements to make it better to run in on variable surfaces.

Like road shoes, the chassis of gravel shoes is more rigid thantrail shoes for springy energy return. The fabrics and materials used in the shoe upper are very similar to road shoes - so not nearly as burly and rock resistant as you see in trail or mountain running shoes. You still want your gravel shoe to be light.

Likewise stability is also not so much of an issue as it is for off-road shoes, because gravel is still fundamentally a firm, flat, and relatively consistent surface.

In the image below you'll see that the soles feature a grippy tread pattern that’s very much like gravel bike tyre tread, withsmaller, tightly spaced diamond shaped lugs in the centre of the sole for a smooth, powerful roll-onover firm surfaces.

Shallow lugs on the outside of the sole are on standby to deliver sure footed traction when you need it in deep gravel or light mud.  

Like they did with trail running Salomon is leading the way in gravel running. The new Salomon DRX Defy GRVL gravel running shoes are available at Outside Sports in unisex styling in both men’s and women’s fit and sizes.