This post is in collaboration with Helly Hansen, all opinions are my own.

Want to start trail running but need a pair of trail shoes to get you started? Helly Hansen’s Featherswift Trail Running Shoes are exactly what you need. A lightweight, well priced entry level trail shoe they are the perfect shoes if you’re heading out to explore the trails for the very first time.

First Impressions

With a lower profile than some other trail running shoes and a sleek design (especially in the black colour-way, which I have) these shoes look really great. Like so great I’ve been wearing them out and about as my every day shoes! Sometimes I don’t find trail shoes all that comfortable when I’m walking on pavements, but these shoes are actually really comfy irrespective of the surface and they’re definitely shoes I can wear all day every day without any problems.

How They Feel On The Run

The Featherswift Trail Shoe is the perfect mix of light and flexible while still offering the support and stability you need to navigate trails. thanks to a HH Power Stride performance EVA compound. I wore them on a particularly muddy day and the rugged sole kept me from slipping and sliding all over the place and ending up arse over tit…which wouldn’t have been funny a couple of weeks out from London Marathon! Constructed from a combination of an HH Max-Grip and Tough-Wear rubber component the sole doesn’t just offer exceptional traction on any surface, it’s also really durable so your shoes should last through whatever you throw at them as you explore the trails.

The Flowknit upper offers a really supportive and flexible fit which moves with your foot as you navigate the trails and the HH Lite-Frame upper delivers stability without adding to weight (these shoes are all of 500g), while a waterproof and breathable upper has been carefully engineered to keep your feet comfortable and protected from the elements. A good pair of trail shoes will also protect your toes from any nasty knocks, and a HH Pro-Guard toe cap delivers this protection without compromising agility, so you’ll be ready for anything!

As trail runners I think we do have a responsibility to be stewards of the environment, and the Helly Hansen Featherswift Trail Running shoes are constructed from a variety of recycled components including the laces, webbing, toe box, heel reinforcement and lining, which are all 100% recycled.

Price Point

One of the big reasons I wanted to try out these shoes was because of their price point. Retailing at under £100 while they’re not cheap cheap they are more accessibly priced than a lot of running shoes I’ve tried recently, and if you fancy trying trail running for the first time you’re not necessarily going to want to spend an arm and a leg on your shoes.

The Bottom Line

A great all round trail shoe at a really fantastic price point.

The Helly Hansen Featherswift Trail Running Shoe is available here.

I was gifted these shoes and my outfit by Helly Hansen, all opinions are my own