Craft Xplor 2 review: A comfort-first hybrid for runners who mix road and dirt

There’s a sweet spot between road running and hitting the trails. Most of us dip in and out of both; neighborhood loops that spill onto gravel paths, fire roads that lead to a little adventure.

The Craft Xplor 2 is built for exactly that kind of everyday unpredictability, and sits firmly in the road-to-trail running shoe category. It has the softness and smoothness I want on pavement, while still offering enough traction and confidence for light trails and rolling dirt.

Craft describes it as a “gravel running shoe,” inspired by the way gravel bikes float between surfaces. After plenty of mixed-terrain miles, I’d say the idea tracks: this is a shoe I don’t have to overthink. Lace up, head out, find some dirt.

Here’s how it performs and who I think will get the most out of it.

Key specifications

• Price: $150 at craftsports.us (women's version available here)
• Weight: 11.1 oz / 315 g (US Men’s 9 — my pair)
• Drop: 6 mm (38.5 mm heel / 32.5 mm forefoot)
• Upper: 2-layer engineered mesh (50% recycled), gusseted padded tongue
• Midsole: Px Foam™ that's soft, cushioned (even under the forefoot) with high rebound throughout
• Outsole: Vittoria™ gravel-tire-inspired traction with Sidewall Grip Tech
• Extras: Craft Endurance Fit®, recycled laces and insole foam

Sizing and fit

The fit true-to-size in length and have a medium width.

The Endurance Fit gives a secure midfoot hold but plenty of room in the toe box, which is great for swelling, natural movement, and being able to get proper power from toe splay.

The are best suited to medium or slightly wider feet.

The collars, heel counter and tongue are all well padded, providing a nice comfy step in feel. Breathability of the upper mesh is also very goo

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Performance review

This is where the Xplor 2 becomes more than a versatile and comfortable daily trainer.

I really like the feel under the forefoot, the Px Foam lays down a soft, cushioned, rolling ride that stays enjoyable as the miles pile up.

On pavement, the shoe feels surprisingly quiet and smooth, behaving much more like a road shoe than a trail shoe pretending to be one.

The transition feels natural, so I don’t have to adjust my stride when I switch between asphalt and dirt.

On gravel and light dirt paths, the wide platform adds a nice layer of stability.

There’s enough underfoot support that I can settle into a rhythm and just run without thinking about ensuring stability of each step.

The Vittoria outsole, with its cycling-tire-inspired pattern, handles loose surfaces well and even light mud doesn’t throw it off.

There’s also grip that wraps up onto the edges, which is helpful when running across sloped ground.

But that same width and volume make the shoe less confident when terrain gets technical.

When accuracy starts to matter, rock gardens, fast descents, roots and ruts, I feel my foot shift a little with the wide footprint on the midsole but that's ok, I don't think most runners will be taking these on anything too technical, I just had to do the tests for this review.

Lockdown isn’t as strong on sharper lateral moves or aggressive downhill braking, which knocks confidence.

The high, firm heel collar can occasionally rub if I’m in lower socks too.

The Xplor 2 clearly leans into comfort and versatility, over precision or agility but again, it's a road-to-trail shoe, so technical running is not what it's design for.

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A few practical notes you’ll only notice while running:

• The weight is a little noticeable if you’re coming from lighter road-to-trail options, and plan on running lots of hills in them
• It’s a great choice for flowy terrain
• It’s not designed for technical challenges where foot placement is critical due to the wide base
• The outsole lugs could wear unevenly with lots of road-heavy mileage

Where it shines is as a road to trail hybrid shoe, daily mileage that includes paved bike paths, gravel connectors, park loops, and the occasional bit of dusty adventure.

My verdict

The Craft Xplor 2 delivers comfort, smoothness, and versatility at a fair price, which makes it easy to recommend for runners that need a wide toe box, and who start on the road and end up on the trail more often than planned.

I have enjoyed the ride every time I've head out in them; they are soft underfoot, stable on rolling terrain, and grippy where gravel gets loose.

I just wouldn’t choose them for routes where technical footing demands precision and security.