Tracksmith, the New England apparel brand known for premium designs and a recent move into road footwear, is now making a serious entry into trail running.
The new Overland apparel collection includes the brand’s first trail running shoe, the Tracksmith Eliot Range ($240), a unisex hydration vest, and women’s- and men’s-specific base layers, tops, and shorts.
The Tracksmith Eliot Range trail shoe. Photo: iRunFar/Craig Randall
This isn’t Tracksmith’s first dabble with trail running gear; the brand has released several mini-capsules of a collection called Offroads over the last five years. Their Offroads Jacket from 2021 is still a mainstay in my fall and winter rotation and the merino wool, Tencel blend Harrier Long Sleeve, part of the 2024 Offroads collection, is practically the only shirt I use for winter running. These pieces have come and gone with limited availability so Overland, as a repeatable collection, is Tracksmith’s most meaningful trail effort to date.
As Tracksmith CEO Slate Olson explained at a recent presentation in Boulder, Colorado, trail running inside the company has long been “a recreational opportunity — a capsule — not a core category.” Now, with more of their athletes and customers taking up trail races and training, Tracksmith has committed to building a permanent, more technical line.
The Tracksmith Overland collection. Photo courtesy of brand.
The name Overland nods to the Vermont Overland Trail Race, where two years ago Tracksmith staff and athletes showed up without their own trail shoe or specific apparel. The timing and that gap in their line sparked the idea for a full trail collection. Prototyping the Eliot Range began shortly thereafter.
On the footwear side, Tracksmith has until now released two road models: the Eliot Runner and the Eliot Racer. The Eliot Runner, their debut, was a straightforward daily trainer that didn’t stand out much. The Eliot Racer, released this spring, is a beautiful and fun super-trainer that combines performance and style — I’ve run over 100 miles in it — and gave the brand a better midsole template for its forthcoming trail shoe.
Like Tracksmith’s apparel, the Eliot Range emphasizes natural fibers. Built on the same last as the Eliot Runner, it features a ripstop woven upper for durability and breathability, along with a merino wool liner. Reinforcements on the upper provide structure and support, while the lacing system integrates with a cord running the length of the upper for lockdown.
A top view of the Tracksmith Eliot Range. Photo: iRunFar/Craig Randall
The midsole uses a split construction just like the Eliot Racer: a thick, drop-in PEBAX insole delivers energy return and sits above a strobel board with an injected carbon fiber plate for stiffness, propulsion, and underfoot protection.
That full-length plate forms a firm barrier against rocks, gravel, and all the sharp-edged stuff you hit on the trail — offering a balance of snap and security. With a 9-millimeter drop (34.5 millimeters in the heel, 25.5 millimeters in the toe), the ride is protective but lively, positioned between everyday trail use and faster efforts over smooth trails or dirt roads. The Eliot Range uses Vibram’s XS Trek Evo outsole, a formulation more durable if slightly less sticky than Megagrip. The shoe weighs in at a claimed 9.9 ounces (281 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9.
On the Eliot Range, Olson added, “We’re not trying to win UTMB. We wanted to export the New England trail running experience in a shoe that kept our unique aesthetic.”
The Tracksmith Eliot Range and Overland collections in action. Photo courtesy of brand.
Call for Comments
- Have you run in Tracksmith’s road shoes thus far? What are your thoughts?
- Have you had an early look at its first trail shoe in the Eliot Range? Leave your feedback in the comments!
