With Spring upon us and summer right around the corner, it's time to refresh your footwear for the season ahead. Whether you're hitting the pavement, exploring trails, or upgrading from everyday style, the 2025 Spring Shoe Guide has you covered. This year brings a perfect blend of innovation, comfort, and style, with top brands rolling out shoes that cater to runners, casual walkers, and lifestyle enthusiasts alike. Expect cutting-edge materials, eco-conscious designs, and bold aesthetics that will keep you ahead of the game. Get ready to step confidently into the new season with shoes tailored to your needs and preferences.
We gathered testers from all over the country, including veteran runners at ACTIVE, to extensively test the shoes in this guide. Our testers put their shoes through at least 20 running miles (some way more than 20 miles) while paying attention to comfort, fit, weight, breathability, flexibility, and ride.
From updates of old favorites that had our feet singing to new releases that will ensure you'll find something to motivate your miles well into summer, you're guaranteed to find a shoe you'll love. We know money might be tight, but if you can, treat yourself! You deserve it.
Spring Shoe Guides
AHNU | Asics | Brooks | Craft | Diadora | HOKA | KURU | La Sportiva | Merrell | New Balance | Nike | The North Face | Reebok | Rossignol | Salomon | Saucony | Scarpa | Skechers | Speedland | Under Armour
Why Trust Us?
ACTIVE.com's editorial team relies on the knowledge and experience of fitness and wellness experts, including competitive athletes, coaches, physical therapists, nutritionists, and certified trainers. This helps us ensure the products we feature are of the highest standard. Collectively, the team has spent countless hours researching equipment, gear, and recovery tools in order to create the most accurate, authentic content for our readers. Customer satisfaction is also a key part of our review process, which is why we only feature products that are highly rated.
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
La Sportiva Prodigio
La Sportiva Bushido III
La Sportiva Prodigio Pro
About: Engineered to push boundaries, the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro combines cutting-edge design with unparalleled performance for trail and mountain enthusiasts. This high-performance shoe is crafted for those who crave speed and technical precision on rugged terrains. With advanced stability features and a responsive sole, it’s perfect for tackling demanding trails and steep ascents. Whether conquering alpine paths or navigating uneven trails, the Prodigio Pro ensures peak grip, comfort, and protection to keep you moving confidently on any adventure.
Tight at first, but they wear so well after you start running, you forget all about them.
Things We Liked:
"Great cushion and tread to make trail runs easy. "
Areas for Improvement:
"Add a pull tab in the back as getting this sock-like fit on is a little challenging."
Final Thoughts
La Sportiva should be at the top of the list for a great trail shoe with the Prodigio Pros. The cushion is plentiful, but they are still very playful on the rocky trails. The upper sock feels like you aren't wearing shoes at all. While deep and aggressive, the lugs aren't hard and painful when running on flat or even roads. While the shoes run small, users are encouraged to order a half size up. They are comfortable for long runs and navigating technical terrain. While running a half size small, the toe box does not squeeze the toes like some shoes, and there is still a feeling of toe splay without slipping around the shoe.
These shoes offer peak performance on all terrains and are very responsive over and around rocks, roots, and dirt. If you've never owned a pair of La Sportivas, these would be the ones to go with if you run technical rocky terrain.
The sock upper can be challenging to put on at first, and without a pull tag on the back, you might end up with it folded over into the shoe. However, it's very flexible and can be easily pulled back. The laces do a good job, but there isn't anywhere to stash the ends, as other shoes might contain a capture area to prevent them from bouncing. A quick double knot should suffice, and the length of the laces is perfect.
Specs:
- Drop: 6 mm
- Weight: 8.9 oz
- Price: $195
- Category: Cushion
- Type: Running - Trail
- Fit: 1/2 Size Up When Buying
- Ideal for: Long Distance, Race, Trail
Buy:
Women's | Men's
La Sportiva Prodigio
About: Bridging the gap between performance and versatility, the La Sportiva Prodigio is a trail runner’s dream. Designed for multi-functional use, the Prodigio prioritizes comfort and adaptability without compromising durability. Its lightweight build and cushioned midsole offer a smooth ride, ideal for long trail runs or hikes. With La Sportiva’s signature grip technology, it performs equally well on technical paths or forest trails. The Prodigio seamlessly balances style, function, and durability, making it an excellent choice for adventurers seeking a reliable, all-terrain shoe.
For the right runner, these are a very versatile (and durable) trail shoe that can go from daily runs to ultra races.
Things We Liked:
"Super light and responsive!"
"I loved the ease of putting these shoes on! With some shoes it's a struggle, but the construction of the upper and wide toe box made them almost as easy as slippers to put on."
Areas for Improvement:
"It’s a very uncomfortable shoe for my foot. "
"Unfortunately, for me, there was something about the stiffness of the ankle collar that made them difficult to get just right. They either felt too loose to feel stable, or so tight when laced down that it was painful and constricting."
Final Thoughts
TLa Sportiva is a proven leader in trail shoes, known for durability, functionality, and superior traction, particularly on technical terrain. The Prodigio, billed as a shoe "built for demanding trails," as well as for its cushioning and responsiveness, comes close to those aspirations in many ways, and for some runners, perhaps all. The construction is excellent and durable. The upper is a great blend of breathability and protection, and the midsole provides sufficient cushioning while maintaining some stiffness for protection and responsiveness. The responsiveness and cushioning may also be significantly improved with more miles.
Unfortunately, despite its many excellent attributes, the stiff, thin ankle collar may be problematic for some runners. It may be wise to experiment with different socks and a bit of trial and error to get the lacing dialed in. Additionally, while the generous toe box is a welcome feature, especially during longer runs, the sizing is not quite true. While it is recommended to size up, if a runner already sizes up, it may be too much and can lead to a sloppy feel. All in all, it is a very well-made and versatile trail shoe that can be used as both a trainer and, if it fits the runner right (and that is the critical point), a solid, if not excellent, trail racing shoe.
Specs:
- Drop: 6 mm
- Weight: 9.5 oz
- Price: $155
- Category: Cushion/Stability
- Type: Running - Trail
- Fit: 1/2 Size Up When Buying
- Ideal for: Long Distance, Race, Trail
Buy:
Women's | Men's
La Sportiva Bushido III
About: Blaze through technical trails with the La Sportiva Bushido III, an iconic shoe built for trail runners who demand enhanced stability and traction. Known for its precision fit and aggressive outsole, the Bushido III is designed to excel on rocky paths and tricky descents. Its improved cushioning provides added comfort for longer distances, while the breathable upper ensures a snug but airy fit. Offering an ideal blend of protection and performance, the Bushido III is a go-to choice for both competitive runners and outdoor enthusiasts.
These are no-frills and rugged trail shoes that give both new and experienced trail runners confidence when tackling technical terrain.
Things We Liked:
"It's refreshing to have a solid, rugged pair of trail shoes that aren't overpromised and gimmick-marketed. "
Areas for Improvement:
"Given the shoe's explicity utilitarian function, my only 'complaint' would be that the shoe's aesthetic design doesn't appeal to me, but I'm not trying to fashion showboating when I'm running trails."
Final Thoughts
In the contemporary running shoe landscape that's strife with bells, whistles, corny marketing, and models designed for one or two races at a price tag that's triple what running shoe's were before the latest boom, it's refreshing to hold and wear a pair of shoes that feel like they're going to last through lots of the good and the bad.
The La Sportiva Bushido III is a solidly constructed and rugged trail shoe designed to endure through technical, long-distance trails. They're a shoe that, upon tying off the knots, gives the athlete a genuine sense of confidence to traverse whatever the trails throw at them. The outsoles and bottoms of the upper could take on ice, snow, mud, gravel, rocks, nails, fire, and brimstone. It's nice to see a utilitarian trail running shoe that has been thoughtfully constructed, built to withstand the toughest terrain, outlast its contemporaries, and at a price point that makes you scratch your head and wonder where the true value lies in other brands' trail running shoe models.
Specs:
- Drop: 6 mm
- Weight: 10.2 oz
- Price: $145
- Category: Stability
- Type: Running - Trail
- Fit: True To Size
- Ideal for: Trail
Buy:
Women's | Men's