I too prefer trail runners to boots. They can sometimes get beat up when going offtrail, and if there's a lot of underbrush you end up emptying out leaves & twigs once in a while, but the hiking experience is better with trail shoes than with boots in my opinion. Like the name says, they're especially good for trail use. Hiking boots do have better ankle support, though, which might matter with heavier loads.

Cruzenbye, you might look into a common brand that makes trail runners like New Balance. At the very least you'll have more choices to try.