Multi Purpose Trail Runners

I have the peregrine 4 & the sole has held up quite well but thats mainly on trail. I think the nike terra kiger 3 would be a good road/trail/work shoe as well. I've only gone through a pair of the first edition (rubber wore fairly quickly), but the new sole material is supoose to be a lot more robust.

I bought a pair of New Balance Leadville 1210 earlier this year and like them quite a bit for everyday use as well as trail running. Least year's model came in gray. When I need something more grippy, I wear Saucony Xodus.

The Nike kiger 3 pressed down on my big toe quite a bit. Really liked them minus that hot spot. The REI guy wasn't sure that it would ever go away.

James I think you're going to need to make a decision about which way to go with the tread because you say you'll be wearing these on flat, slick operating room floors + uneven trails + padded gym floors. For a trail shoe that's very comfortable for long hours due to excellent cushioning and good forefoot room and low drop (4mm), and also very durable, I'd try the Saucony Xodus 6.0. It's a super durable shoe – I put over 2400 miles hiking and trail running on a Saucony 3.0 and there was still some tread left (and I'm 175 lbs not including pack) and some cushion left until I finally wrecked what was left moving heavy furniture and boxes. If you go with the Xodus, I'd size up 1 to 1.5 sizes above your actual foot size. However any trail shoe with deeper lugs may not grip as well on a slick flat surface like an operating floor – and perhaps you'll feel lugs over time. I think the Xodus 6.0 is perfectly comfortable on flat floors, but a flatter shoe will give you even contact for more friction. Also the 6.0 should be plenty durable for the gym – but if you're regularly lifting heavy weights you'll compress the cushioning faster, and might the lugs catch on padded gym surfaces? One flat shoe that's extremely light, cushioned and excellent for walking and running on road surfaces is the Mizuno Wave Hitogami. I got a free pair months ago and love it. But don't expect it to offer the same durability or grip on trails.

I've been trying to convert from boots to trail runner for 2 years and finally found the shoe that works for me: Merrell All Out Peak. Great fit, sturdy, supportive and amazingly cushy. They come in black, but with a very prominent reflective stripe. You might consider giving them a look/test fit.

I'm a non uniform wearing public servant and wear the La Sportiva wildcats for anything and everything ranging from defensive tactics instructor course (read getting my butt kicked and military style smoke sessions in a mat room for a couple weeks), on duty, to the gym, and on the trail. My foot is narrow but I like that it's snug on my foot but has a roomy toe box. I tried the La Sportiva Raptors and found that while they appear to be built a bit more rugged, I did't care for them as much. I can spend hours in the Wildcats in the garage or other hard surfaces without feeling foot fatigue. Traction meets/beats my expectations on the trail. I buy new ones every six months (on pair #11 now?) not because I wear out the sole, but because the way I pronate, I lose some squishiness on the outside of the heal that results in back pain for me. I've no way to calculate the mileage I put on them but the 500-700 reported by through hikers seems about right.