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The engine's answer

Best running shoe with a low, close-to-ground ride for getting started on gravel and forest paths, under €280

La Sportiva Bushido III

77% match

A mountain goat you lace onto your feet

Check the price

Live search for the La Sportiva Bushido III at retailers that carry it.

Why it wins here

The La Sportiva Bushido III wins this question with a 77% match against all 78 shoes in the catalogue. It costs €150, weighs 298 g and stands on a 26 mm heel stack with a 6 mm drop; its cushioning scores 55/100, its grip 94/100 and its energy return 50/100. 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 94 /100, stability 80 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability. The nearest runner-up, the Salomon Speedcross 6, finished 1 point 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 94 /100, stability 80 /100; 19 of 78 shoes count as trail capability
  • Cushionstack height 26 mm, weight 298 g
  • Budget€150, €130 under the €280 ceiling — 77 of 78 shoes qualify

What's good

  • Unshakeable on scree, ridge and rock
  • Climbing-brand rubber and armour

What to watch

  • Punishing on anything smooth
  • Precise alpine fit runs narrow

What the runners-up gave up

The next three in the ranking, and the measure each one lost on against the La Sportiva Bushido III.

Questions this answer raises

Is the La Sportiva Bushido III within a €280 budget?
Yes. At €150 it sits €130 under the ceiling, and 77 of the 78 shoes in the catalogue come in at €280 or less.
Does the La Sportiva Bushido III suit gravel and forest paths?
It is a trail shoe with grip 94 /100 and stability 80 /100. The question filtered for trail capability, which 19 of the 78 shoes are; for getting started the ranking also weighed cushioning 55 /100, stability 80 /100, price €150.
How much shoe is under foot in the La Sportiva Bushido III?
A 26 mm heel stack with a 6 mm drop, a cushioning score of 55/100 and no plate — at 298 g on the scale.

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