I love trails, but the impact in my current shoes bothers my feet and hips. FWIW, I'm hindered by impact on the track and roads as well. My sports doctor recommended a carbon plate shoe to lessen the impact on my hip for my track workouts and it made a huge difference, but I don't think I need to spend $250 to get comfortable, cushioned shoe for easy trail runs.
I need a shoe with good cushion in the forefoot and heel. It doesn't need to be a trail shoe with a rock plate or with huge lugs. My favorite trail is very hilly with lots of roots and uneven footing.
A road shoe would probably be okay. I'm currently running in the Skechers Razor Trail. I'd prefer a little more cushion in the heel for the downhills.
My road shoes are the NB Beacon and the Pegasus 38. The Beacon isn't stable enough on the uneven terrain and the Peg 38 feels heavy and clunky.
I'm thinking maybe one of the Hoka road shoes might work, but I haven't worn Hokas in a couple of years. What shoes would you recommend? Or what other brand? It's critical that I finish my trail runs injury and pain free because the next day will be a hard track workout.