Spring 2020 Trail Runner Survey Results

Each spring, the American Trail Running Association conducts a survey to measure trail running trends from our national audience. This year we had over 2700 respondents. Complete survey results are made available to corporate members at the Switchback, Steep & Rocky and All-terrain levels.

The following selected outtakes are from our most recent trail running survey conducted in April/May of this year with data comparisons to our 2019 spring surveys. The following are selected survey highlights.

Trail Runner Participant Profile:

Gender of survey participants. [2020] 56% male; 42% female vs. [2019] 58% male, 42% female.
Age range of survey participants. [2020] 24% ages 20-39; 57% ages 40-59 vs. [2019] 27% ages 20-39, 56% ages 40-59.
How long have you been running on the trails? [2020] 47% more than 10 years vs. [2019] 44% more than 10 years.
How many days per week do you run on trails? [2020] 44% run 3-5 days per week vs. [2019] 43% run 3-5 days per week.
How many miles do you run per week? [2020] 48% run 6-20 miles, 5% run more than 50 miles vs. [2019] 50% run 6-20 miles, 5% run more than 50 miles.
What type of trail surface to you typically run on? [2020] 55% mix it up, some days preferring gnarly, some days gentle vs. [2019] 57% mix it up, some days preferring gnarly, some days gentle trail.
What is your favorite type of trail? [2020] 44% list single track as favorite type of trail vs. [2019] 46% list single-track as favorite type of trail.
What kind of trail running do you prefer? For [2020] and [2019], 83% prefer a mix of ascending and descending.
How many races will you run this year? [2020] 73% will run 1-5 races vs. [2019] 66% will run 1-5 races.
How many races will you run this year? [2020] 4% will run more than 10 races this year vs. [2019] 8% will run more than 10 races this year.
What is your favorite trail race distance? [2020] 28% prefer racing 26 miles or more, 35% prefer between 6-14 miles vs. [2019] 40% prefer racing 50K or longer, 10% prefer racing 10K or shorter, 4% don’t race.
Do you run on trails with a dog? [2020] 32% responded “yes” vs. [2019] 34% responded “yes.”

Use of Activity Trackers and Training Logs:

Do you run with a GPS watch? [2020] 73% run with a GPS watch vs. [2019] 55% run with GPS watch.
Do you run with a GPS watch or smartphone app? [2020] 12% don’t use a GPS watch or smartphone app vs. [2019] 14% don’t use a GPS watch or smartphone app.
Do you record you running mileage in a journal or calendar? [2020] 13% responded “yes.”

Running Shoe, Sock, and Hydration Preferences:

What length socks do you wear while trail running? [2020] 50% typically wear ankle-length socks vs. [2019] 61% typically wear ankle-length socks.
What thickness of sock do you wear trail running? In [2020] and [2019] 64% of respondents said they wear light-cushioned socks.
Do you wear trail specific shoes while running on trails? [2020] 80% of respondents answered “yes” vs. [2019] 83% of respondents answered “yes.”
Do you wear a hydration vest while running on trails? [2020] 64% of respondents answered “yes” vs. [2019] 71% of respondents answered “yes.”
If you don’t wear a hydration vest, do you only hydrate before and after your run? [2020] 11% of respondents answered “yes” vs. [2019] 8% of respondents answered “yes.”
What is your favorite brand of hydration vest? 38% of respondents choose Nathan vs. 31% Ultimate Direction vs. 26% CamelBak and 20% Salomon.