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The engine's answer

Best running shoe for getting faster on gravel and forest paths, under €280

Hoka Tecton X 2

81% match

Carbon fibre, but make it mountains

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Live search for the Hoka Tecton X 2 at retailers that carry it.

Why it wins here

The Hoka Tecton X 2 wins this question with a 81% match against all 78 shoes in the catalogue. It costs €250, weighs 246 g and stands on a 33 mm heel stack with a 5 mm drop; its cushioning scores 72/100, its grip 85/100 and its energy return 88/100. The tightest constraint is the terrain: only 19 of the 78 shoes count as trail capability, and 19 clear both the price and the terrain filter. Its biggest edge over that field is on terrain — Trail shoe, grip 85 /100, stability 58 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability. The nearest runner-up, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed, finished 5 points behind.

The dimensions where it beats the rest of the field by the most, for this question specifically — with the numbers behind each one.

  • TerrainTrail shoe, grip 85 /100, stability 58 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability
  • Goalenergy return 88 /100, weight 246 g
  • Budget€250, €30 under the €280 ceiling — 77 of 78 shoes qualify

What's good

  • Parallel plates flex with uneven ground
  • Proven at the sharp end of ultras

What to watch

  • Expensive for how fast trail shoes wear
  • Wasted on casual trail jogs

What the runners-up gave up

The next three in the ranking, and the measure each one lost on against the Hoka Tecton X 2.

Questions this answer raises

Is the Hoka Tecton X 2 within a €280 budget?
Yes. At €250 it sits €30 under the ceiling, and 77 of the 78 shoes in the catalogue come in at €280 or less.
Does the Hoka Tecton X 2 suit gravel and forest paths?
It is a trail shoe with grip 85 /100 and stability 58 /100. The question filtered for trail capability, which 19 of the 78 shoes are; for getting faster the ranking also weighed energy return 88 /100, weight 246 g.
What does the engine pick with a smaller budget?
With a €140 ceiling the same question goes to the Hoka Torrent 3 at €130. Best gravel running shoes for speed under €140 →

Change an assumption

This page answers one runner's question. Yours is not that question — adjust the surface, the goal or the budget and watch the whole field re-rank.

Answer for your own running