Welcome to the Altra show, also known as the best trail running shoes for women, 2018 edition. Just like track racing is part of the Nike tradition and fashion design is in Adidas’s DNA, Altra designs trail shoes even when it’s not trying to. When runners choose their favorite shoes for running trails, fully half of the top ten models are from Altra, including shoes not specifically designed for trail running. With the Paradigm 4.0, Altra only thought it was creating its most cushioned zero-drop trainer for road running. But 31 mm of cushion from heel to toe also do a fantastic job of protecting your feet from hazards underfoot so that you can run to the trailhead, and then keep going in your Paradigms.