See the fall splendor one step at a time

0 Comments | USA TODAY, September, 2006 | by Sal Ruibal

The changing colors of the fall season will soon be upon us, but this year consider a new approach to leaf-peeping. Instead of driving on auto-clogged roads, park the car and lace up a pair of trail running shoes. Your local park is a good place to start your runs, then work your way up to some mountain jaunts when your ankles and quads are up for the challenge.

We tested several brands of trail running shoes and picked three that represent different approaches to the sport. Unlike regular road running shoes, trail shoes place a premium on stability and durability over light weight. On the stable end of the range, we liked the Adidas Tangent XCR ($124). The Tangent features a tough Traxion sole and Gore-Tex for the uppers, but without a lot of bulk. We found it offered great...