ASICS - GEL-TRABUCO 13 GTX

Damn, I am in the same boat - It is hard finding US16/17 sized shoes. At the moment I am stuck with only two options: \- Altra Lone Peak 9 \- Asics Gel-Trabuco 13 G-TX And out of the two options above, the Asics is really the only one, as I find that the Altra needs more cushioning for the longer races (I am 6'5/230lb). Wish there were more options for people with large feet.

Hi. I live in Japan and I have big feet so my options are limited. My first ever shoes were the asics Fujilite. I bought them because they fitted the best for the limited options I could get (I fully agree with everyone’s opinion that the best shoes for you are the ones that fit the best). They worked well but after a while I started running further and I felt that I needed more cushioning so I went with the ASICS Gel Trabuco 12 and I loved them, good cushioning for long runs. A few weeks ago I bought the Trabuco 13 for this race but after 2 runs a small hole was appearing and the outsole in the toe area was coming of so I didn’t have any confidence in them for my race so I kept with my Trabuco 12. All I can say is that I used the Trabuco 12 and love them and they held up very well in almost 10 hours of non stop running.

The gel-Trabuco 13 only came out a month or two ago so I assume the salesperson was wrong. I have two things to add. 1, gore-tex shoes are crap! You don’t want to lock moisture in your shoes. The top of your socks will get wet and the dampness will seep down into the bottom of your socks and the gtx will keep the water in. You’d be better with normal quick drying shoes. If you really want waterproof, go with waterproof socks. 2, I have the Trabuco 12 and love them. I’ve used them for over 600km. I’ve used them in 50k races no problem. I bought the 13s and after two runs totalling 30k a hole was starting to appear on the side and the front toe area where the outsole meets the upper, it started peeling. I sent them back for a refund.

I think Asics makes some good all terrain options. I have a few trails I run that are a mix between rocks, hardpack and pavement and mine have done well in rain, slop, and cold snow. [https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/gore-tex/c/aa90000015/](https://www.asics.com/us/en-us/gore-tex/c/aa90000015/)

Grosse déception . désormais c'est une chaussure de route avec une semelle trail. Rigides et instables. Je les ai revendu et ai racheté des trabuco 12.

My personal thoughts about the three. I am far from being an expert and these are just my impressions :-) - Fuji Lite 4: my favourite when it comes to shorter runs. Snappy, light and fun shoe, with great feeling on the foot. I think their limit is probably (for me) around 15/20k runs. - Trabuco 12: It's the shoes that "convinced" me to move from Hoka to Asics. Light, very well-rounded shoe, with the right amount of cushioning. However, it lacked in my opinion a bit of stability (especially on the arches) and is quite "flat". Often I ended up hoping it would give me some more energy in return. I absolutely loved the sole. The drop, in my opinion, is right on point. - Trabuco 13: Honestly, it feels like a brand new shoe rather than an evolution of the 12. I feel the whole geometry of the shoe has changed, while keeping the same drop. It is a glove, with a more comfortable toe box, great feeling on the foot overall and tremendous improvement on the two things that I felt the 12 missed the most, stability and energy return. All this while keeping a great cushioning. They also changed the geometry of the sole, making it slightly more flat at the center. Very impressed with them. Overall, I am very satisfied of all three and they are in my rotation. As someone said in the comments, I am absolutely impressed by the durability overall: coming from Hokas, where the sole was gone super quickly (disappointingly), it is a huge improvement. I ran the entire summer of 2024 in the Trabuco 12 and the lugs are still in great conditions. I am a fan of Vibram soles, and probably the Asics' is the only proprietary sole at the same level but (at least in my experience) with a much much better durability. I also tried the Trabuco Max 2 and hated them to the guts (😅) but I am planning to try the new Trabuco Max 4 at some point. However, I think the Trabuco 13 are the sweet spot between comfort and performance.

Reluctantly looking for alternatives to Trabucos with similar features. I did 1,500km in my Trabuco 9s and absolutely adored them. I’ve gone half as far in my Trabuco 10s and they still have plenty life left in them. However, I don’t like the way the line is going, towards more cushioning – and weird, blocky soles on the 13s! Ideal features: - Wide toebox - Rugged sole - Rockplate - Seemingly suited to all terrains, even UK mud! - Can stash away the laces - Great heel lock Is there anything else that meets that brief? I’m open to exploring a summer shoe and winter shoe rotation. Admittedly the Trabucos are great for not slipping on mud, but they do pick it up a lot. I’m assuming smaller lugs or alpine shoes might make for better mud shoes. Thank you in advance for your help!

Had 9s, got 10s, might get 11s but I really don’t like where they’ve taken these ☹️

I did 1500km in the 9s by the way, solid shoe

Personally I'm a big fan of the ASICS Trabuco 13. I have done many long road/trail runs and they cope with both well. Well cushioned, comfy and a nice blend of stable, soft for a trail shoe and energy return. Great bang for your buck

I've been using them regularly because I genuinely enjoy running in them—but now I'm already on my third pair. Unfortunately, the upper mesh consistently fails after around 250 km. I bought the first pair in February, and both shoes tore in the same spot: the lower inner part. At first, I assumed it might have been due to rough terrain. But the second pair had the exact same issue, again around the 250 km mark, and now the third pair has failed in the same way. From February to the end of June, I've gone through three pairs—each showing the same wear pattern in the same location on both shoes. This clearly suggests a systemic flaw in the design or material.

Asics gel trabuco 13 have been perfect for me

Well I guess that depends on what we call technical and individual adaptation to that technical terrain. I prefer Asics trabucos for this type of terrain, closer to the ground, more grip o wet rock and not soft. I live inside the Zegama course, for this type of terrain AP5 works great for nearly all the course. But if going more rocky high altitude terrain I prefer the Asics. Haven't tried any of the shoes you mention to compare, sorry. All in all, they are a nice shoe for putting km on.

I use Asics trabuco. As gripy as vibrams megagrip if not more, quite close to the ground and not too soft. It also works well for long outings. I guess anything that fits well and is similar would work for me.

Mafate speed 4 is actually 7mm in runrepeat test. I have a pair, and they don't feel as other 4mm drop shoes I use. OP, you could try Asics trabucos. They are 8mm, go for 12th versión, 13th upper is trash

Asics trabucos work for me in highly technical terrain. Enough cushion but still quite stiff, not very high and wide fit. Trabuco 13s upper is not good, it breaks really easy, I'm in my second pair and I won't get more than 400km from any of them (second one is a replacement sent by Asics). 11 and 12 work better for this kind of skyrunning. I was getting around 700/800km put of them.

Asics trabucos work for me in highly technical terrain. Enough cushion but still quite stiff, not very high and wide fit. Trabuco 13s upper is not good, it breaks really easy, I'm in my second pair and I won't get more than 400km from any of them (second one is a replacement sent by Asics). 11 and 12 work better for this kind of skyrunning. I was getting around 700/800km put of them.

Asics trabuco is quite wide. Topo MTN racer 3 is too narrow for me too, mostly due to the midfoot

I do a lot of technical terrain, I have the zegama 2s in my rotation. Don't take them for that purpose. They are bouncy and nice running, but they are too soft for technical terrain and scrambling for me. I use them as recovery and easy trail shoes. I like Asics trabucos for that kind of high mountain activities, but 13s upper can't handle rough terrain. Maybe you could find the 12s on sale, or just go with the 13s and be ok with getting 400km more or less from the upper. Asicsgrip is in my opinion on par or better than megagrip. I have just raced 10 hours and a half on them in high altitude with 3.600m + and 4.000m -, lots of scrambling and some running parts. Ending with "fresh legs" and no pain. Mafate speed 4s are in my opinion better than speedgoats for technical terrain. Great traction in every surface and stiff enough while still confortable for long efforts. I was a long user of hierro V5 and v6, the V8 was a "road shoe", the v9 is made very narrow now for my shoe but it looks nice. Tomir 2.0 could be another option and also prodigio pros, but I haven't try myself this ones.

Asics trabucos are wide and roomy. The speedgoats 2E are actually very narrow and low volume. Even the mafate speed 4 in normal width are roomier. I tried topo MTN racer 3. They are wide in the forefoot, but narrow in the arch/midfoot. Can't wear them Agility peak 5 is also wide and high volume.

Trabuco 13s upper is problematic. I have a replacement pair from Asics just 100km in my first pair. The upper just can't handle minimally technical terrain without breaking. Despite this, it is a shoe I like for technical and long activities. I'm 69kg, with your weight I would go for the trabuco max. Mafate speed 4 could work I think. Fast but confortable shoe with big lugs. Agility 5 is a nice shoe, but I don't like it for really technical terrain. Hierro 9s looks great, but too narrow for me. I would take this one over agilitys with your weight. Zegama 2 is a nice shoe, but for easy terrain. Too soft for nothing technical. I use it for easy days and like it, really bouncy.

Have a look at Asics line up. Trabuco and trabuco max. They are plenty wide. I tried speedgoats 2E, they are not any wide. Mafate 4s are actually wider, but still not enough for me if I'm going long.

I run in Brooks Glycerine on Road and Asics gel Trabuco on trails. Love the asics

ASICS Gel Trabuco. I love ‘em

I’ve got 11s and absolutely love them.  Got gifted a pair of 13s in the same size and they felt tighter - narrower. 

Se a qualcuno interessa, qui ho fatto una piccola recensione delle 13: [https://youtu.be/rKLTvtubp6k](https://youtu.be/rKLTvtubp6k) secondo me sono molto valide, ideali per le mezze distanze perché per le lunghe non sono poi cosi morbide.

I have had the Trabuco 9, 10, 12 and now the 13. Interestingly enough in the same colour ways as the photo. Except for the 9, on all others I did min. 800 km of trailrunning. The grip is just superb. I do not have enough km on the 13 yet only 175km. They seem a little wider at the forefoot. Certainly for taller/bigger person's (I am 1.87 and 80kg) this imo is a really great shoe for all terrain. I have been running mountains trails upto 60km in Scotland, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland . So yes they are really my Goto trailrunning shoes, I am a recreational runner though. If there is one thing I would like is that I could easily buy replacement asics inner soles just to replace them after 400km during the life of the shoe. But that might be my 80kg Other shoes I have used are Salomon, Inov8 and Adidas Terrex Ultra.

I used my trabuco 11 for about 600km of running, mostly forest trails not gonna lie so nothing heavy I bought trabuco 13 for a trail run race this year and am super happy with them. I’ve also used them for some hikes and really like how they feel (I also have la sportiva tx4 for hiking when I don’t need tall boots). The trabuco are much softer than the tx4

I tried the most popular ones from couple brands and were the worst ones for me. Personally like Altra LP for technical terrain - short/mid runs, Olympus 5 fits me really well but the weight is little bit annoying, some small parts like altra sign, inside peeled off after 400k.. it's comfortable, ran 50k+ and my feet felt really well but not buying again. Asics Trabuco fits me really well, but new 13 got reduced toebox width so it's not for me anymore... so many differences across brands / models. Visit [https://runrepeat.com/](https://runrepeat.com/)

Hey fellow heavy runner. I’m about 120kg, 204cm and have had trouble finding a trail shoe for my 14/15 size foot. I’ve run in the Trabuco 13s, Trabuco Max 4s, Ultraventure 4s, Lone Peaks 9s, Caldera 7s, Zegama 2s, Saucony Xodus ultra 4s, and right now the Caldera 19s. I’ve learned that I need max cushion, and something a little more supportive. The Calderas weren’t great for me and the Trabuco 13s weren’t cushioned enough. What did you like/dislike about the Calderas?

Out of the shoes I’ve tried, my favorite have been the Xodus Ultra 4 and the Cascadia 19. They both fit true to size. If you try out the Trabuco Max 4, they seemed to fit small, and smaller than the same size Trabuco 13. And I actually really liked the Trabuco 13, but just found they didn’t quite have enough cushion. Black toenails is pretty normal in this hobby.

My suggestions are Asics Trabuco 13, Brooks Cascadia 19, or Saucony Peregrine 15. None of these are stability shoes but they have mid-stack cushion and work pretty well with different kinds of stability-type mechanisms in them.

I loved mine - however, I returned them because I hated the heels :( it twas a sad day Glad you like them!

Salomon ultra glide 2! I kind of just wanted to branch out and try something new. I use ASICS while road running which is why I wanted to give them a try in the first place. I’ve never had blister problems but they rubbed my heels bad. However, I want to reiterate that I thought they were amazing shoes, I love ASICS. The trabucos just didn’t fit my feet well.

When I tried the speedgoat I had the same experience as you, it was way too tight over the middle of my foot. Afterwards I tried the Asics Trabuco 13 and it fit like a dream. I am also on the heavier side (93kg-ish) and the Trabucos are super comfy for me, so I would suggest you give them a try!

Just finished my first run in the gel trabuco 13s. They were great! Very grippy, felt secure on rocky descents. They did well in a muddy section too. I prefer a firmer shoe and the cushioning level was perfect for me. No hot spots or rubbing. They fit similar to my old trabucos. Sized up a half size from my street shoe size, they fit perfectly. The only negative is that the toe box isn't particularly wide. My foot is on the narrow size, so it's fine for me, but if you like a roomier toe box, they might disappoint. I also have a pair of the new Brooks cascadia, but I think I'm going to return them because my toes were rubbing on the top of the shoe.

My last trabuco was the trabuco 9, which felt really comfortable. I've just bought the trabuco 13 and wtf, for me the worst running shoe I ever ran in. The shoe feels extremely stiff, the foam feels very firm, blocky feeling.

I have had them for almost 2 months and I want to get rid of them. In the front right corner of the left shoe (and vice versa with the right one) they have a strange sharp strengthening that cuts against my toe. It doesn't really hurt the first few kilometers, but if I run over 8 km, especially in the descents they destroy my toe to a point it really hurts a lot and I can't wear the shoes for another 2 days. I wonder if anyone else had the same issue. I have wide feet.

The shoes are good, ride well over stoney flat terrain. Very stiff and stable when they hit the ground, comfortable with good shock absorption. Not too good in the wet and very fragile when they come into contact with any rocks or roots. I wore mine for a mountain marathon last Saturday . The ground was wet and they slipped a lot. When I finished they were full of holes. For 160 euros I'll be lucky if they last the month. If the trails were dry and obstacle free, they would be ideal. Not to be used on rough or wet terrain.

I bought Saucony Peregrine 15, Trabuco 13, Hoka Challenger 7, and Brooks Cascade 18. Least fav was hoka followed by cascade. Peregrine and Trabuco were nearly identical in how I liked them but peregrine was a little too squishy for what I want in a trail shoe so I went with the Trabuco. I ran in each pair about a block and also ran with a different shoe on my feet to compare. I’d recommend doing something similar if you have a place you can buy online and return in person.

Just finished a 30km run with 1400m vert with them today, and have something like 250km this season with them. They’re pretty good! I go back and forth honestly, and have other more in vogue shoes on rotation, but facts is that I get good stability and no pain over long distances, and I return to them always. They don’t throw you into the next step, they’re not the fastest around, but in overall happy: they’re an all round workhorse. A few things: the stock laces are horrrible. Get a decent pair of long laces and ankle lock. The outer layer of material tears really easily. Had little holes in the fabric after 100-120k. It’s purely cosmetic, doesn’t affect anything but it’s ugly. I got them for 215$ CAD, and at that price you really can’t complain.

Massive fan of my ASICS gel trabuco 13's. I've done around 100km on these now after moving away from some Nike Zegama 2's that gave me shin splints and hip pain.

If your trails aren't too technical, have a look at the Trabuco max 4 or the NB hiero v9. I also love my Trabuco 13s, they're not quite as squishy as the Max 4's, but give a little more ground feel for more technical trails.

I have 250km in mine, have used them mostly for running in forests and dirt roads, as well as easy hikes. It’s a good shoe but I wouldn’t buy it again, as with the original soles I’m getting weird / unpleasant sensation after about 5km. It’s more of an issue with my anatomy than the shoe, overall it’s a solid product!

For me it’s a cramped sensation in the extensor of the big toe. Custom insoles fix that, thankfully I haven’t had any problems with my ankles so far. Sorry to hear about your issue!

I just got the asics trabuco 13s and I really like them. Roomy and some cushion but don’t feel super bulky.

Awesome shoes, but my oh my, not durable at ALL! South African terrain is gnarly - zero upper protection or toe box rubber. Translates into a comfortable and brilliant shoe with holes that are a little too breathable.

Had the 10s all the way up to and including these. Incredibly comfortable, fit well and a good sole. But my oh my - upper almost disintegrated after 300km. Holes everywhere! No rubber toe guard means bushes and rocks rip it up. ASICS did replace em though. Happily running in a new pair - probs for another 300km though. Solid shoe for ultra and over 30km. Recommend minus the durability issues.

58km trail run with 2500m elevation gain. Dry day so can’t speak to grip or mud clearance. No issues. They have approx 500km in them now and still look great. I got them because my daily’s are the Novablast and these were the closest in fit. For more tech trails I wear Speedgoats.

I bought a pair years ago thinking they felt great in the store. Popped them on, stepped outside onto my wet tile stoop, and immediately slipped in a way I’ve never slipped before. It felt like I was on wet ice. Idk what was going on with Aisics sole rubber back then, but I hope it’s fixed now.

I have the 13 and love it more as my Speedgoat 5

13 are the first pair of trail running shoes that don’t give me any ankle or knee pain after a 20k trail run. I need stability shoes so these are perfect for me. Yesterday I did a 21k with 1400m hight difference in about 3h and the only problem I had was a blister under my left big toe, probably because I didn’t tighten them enough. The grip was phenomenal and so far, after around 140km there is no wear on them.

I have a pair of the 12s and 13s. 300km on each...so far so good!

Did you manage to find a set of shoes, OP? I'd like to add my opinion. I have had the Trabuco 11, 12 and now the 13. I would say that out of them all, the 13 is by the best in terms of comfort. So, 11's were great and comfortable but were a size too small which meant my toes kept hitting the ends of the shoe so I ended up selling them. The 12's were good but a little stiff. The grip on them was incredible however. Now to the 13's - actually won these in a competition literally a week after buying the 12's so I was able to do a side by side comparison with basically two new sets of shoes (Trabuco 12 vs 13). The 13's are by far the best in comfort out of all of them. The toe box is wider than the 12 (which was a bit narrow for my feet). The 13's sole is cushioned and flexible which made hitting the trails a breeze. They didn't need any break in period whatsoever. The first few runs the grip wasn't as good as the 12's but now they feel a lot better. Not sure why though. Honestly, if these die then I'd purchase another set of the 13's immediately.

Asics Gel Trabuco 13. Feel very stable for me and have a rock protection layer as well.

I overpronate and got into trail running too some months ago. I also road run in gel kayano, and I’ve started trail running in asics trabuco 13. I find them awesome, had no issues with my feet :) check them out if they will suit you Edit: Tips about strengthing your feet are also good. With trail running I also boosted up my gym sessions and they have helped a ton (I’ve struggled with IT band)

I picked up some Gel Trabucos here recently and love them. Other shoes I have been wearing are xodus ultras, mtn racers and brooks catamount. Fit wise I love them, they feel stable and enough cushion while not being clunky like my catamounts.

I bought some 13’s based on a few people here. I have been really happy with them, comfy stable and good grip

I used to use Asics gortex runners, switched to Salomon.   Both I've had excellent experience with running on dirt and over rock plateaus and waterways.   A few runners ive met doing tough mudder really liked ice bug. 

Both Asics gortex and Salomon gortex Ive found to be the best I've used.   I get probably 2-3000km out of them?   Say 8km a day of sandstone gravel fire trails and rocky escarpments for a year. I  would get 12-18 months out of them.   Sometimes I just wear out heel rubber and foam is still good so I build it back up using Sikaflex or something to go another 6 month lol 

I have a pair of Asics gortex trail shoes and a pair of light weight Mammut boots. Both of which I found. And they are both good. I don't recommend finding footwear but it's always an option.

Waterproof: I find the Asics Gel Trabuco GoreTex are among the comfiest waterproof shoes I have ever had. They are trail running shows. Older versions were more low-key, the new ones have a horrible "goretex" writing on them. TropicFeel AT Hdry are also pretty good. Non-waterproof: Asics Gel Venture 9. There is now a version 10 Columbia Drainmaker XTR The Columbia are more ventilated than the Venture 9. I use the Columbia in the summer (I can also wear them without socks) and the Asics Venture in the winter, when I don't need waterproof shoes. Depending on where you're going, would something like waterproof show covers / gaiters be an option? There are people who wear GoreTex in the Florida summer - I'd die. But if you are going somewhere when it can rain a lot one day and get very sunny and hot the next, waterproof show covers might be an option. Functional but ugly... The RunRepeat website has excellent reviews

Hi from Edmonton :) Asics gel-trabuco GTX are the latest ones I've bought and my favorite so far. My feet are never wet. Rock protection plate is A+ on the trail. Tread has been grippy on wet trails, snowy trails, and slippery streets so far. My toes had to get used to the hard toe at first, but they did... And that harder toe has been essential for someone who trips over roots as much as I do 😁

My go to shoes are Asic gel trabucco gortex in all black. There are non-gortex models as well. They are super lightweight (my comparison are boots though) and if I am only bringing one pair of shoes for a casual trip, they are usually the best match, great grip in mud, wet and snow. For warmer weather the only downside I can think of for trail shoes is that they don't usually come in light neutral colourways, which helps negate the outdoorsy look. Maybe a crossfit shoe might have a more casual look? Nike metcons in all white for example. (Sorry I am not a big Nike supporter but that's what came to mind.) Or Inov8.

Considering your height, weight, and the fact that you're new to the sport, you should take your time and go to a store that has a good variety of options and try on different models and brands. Every foot has its own shape, which is why there are so many brands and options. But going back to your height and weight, I think you should consider the Nnormal Tomir, the Hoka SpeedGoat 5 (the 6 leaves a lot to be desired), the Asics Trabuco 12/13, or even a new brand on the Western market, the Kailas Fuga Ex. I love sneakers and I have more than 60 pairs and I've tried many more. What I can share is that you should listen to those who know, but testing is essential to having what makes you feel good. One thing: ON shoes are beautiful, they're fashion, and they take advantage of that, but they are still light years away from the quality, durability and price-quality of many other brands.

Fit matters, as all the major brands produce some good trail runners. I used a Trabuco way back in the day and they were fine.

Check into the Asics Gel-Trabuco series. I have been wearing these for both backcountry trails in Colorado, running on pavement, the gym, and on local smooth gravel trails. They are lightweight, flexible, with a grippy sole, and breathe well. They are unlikely to hold up for extended backpacking, though. But for general hiking and trail running, they excel. Be aware that you are going to see the soles wear sooner than some of the hikers on the list you gave. Trade-offs. I have Goretex hikers as well and I can tell you that they definitely are hotter and your feet will sweat in them. I have them in cold and warm weather models. They are good in cooler mountain environments and where you might hike in spongy, moist lowlands, and keep your feet from getting soaked from morning dews. Again, trade-offs.

I like Asics Gel Trabuco. Comfortable, good traction, cushiony enough that I don't need to add inserts. I don't tear through shoes as fast as some others though, but they do seem durable to me.

My road runners are Asics Gel Cumulus, and my trail are Asics Gel-Trabuco. Very similar, although the trail do feel harder on the roads.

I have the Gel Trabaco and love it.

ASICS Trabuco Max line is legit. Dan Green wore them for Cocodona 250. Trabuco Gel is good also for slightly more technical terrain.

I had Scott Supertrac RCs, Hoka Speedgoats and LaSportiva Bushidos before, last year I had the opportunity to take part in an Asics shoe test event and really liked them. I got a pair of Asics FujiLite 5s and really, really loved them. Ran over 600km in them last year and would say they are a wonderful versatile shoe. Used them in alpine terrain as well as chill forest trails, never had a Problem, was especially surprised with their sole/grip on wet trails. Would 100% recommend the FujiLites, i did not enjoy the other Asics trail shoes too much though, the Gel trabuco etc. felt weird for my taste...

Hey there, Just ran my first 50k. Did them in the ASICS Gel-Trabuco’s. Solid light yet semi cushioned shoe that has served me very well in the hills of PA.

after reviewing all insights contributed across reddit & fb, ended up using asics gel trabuco trail running shoes & they were the best. just finished our camino portugues. buen camino!

ASICS gel venture 10 comes in extra wide. I have somewhat wide feet and mid level arches and they fit pretty well. The gel Trabuco in standard is also on the wide side.

I love my Gel Trabucos! Have the same colour👌

Asics Trabuco (non max!) is stable and similar to your Kayano's. I personally like Nike Zegama 2's as well they are very comfortable and very stable. In trails shoes you are just looking for stable shoes, pronation correction doesn't really exist there. Only really bad shoe I ever had was the Trabuco Max 3, very high stack + very soft. For that same reason you might want to stay away from the Mafate 5

I like Vibram a lot, any shoe with a Megagrip outsole will have enough traction for me. But I have found that it is not the end all be all anymore. Asicsgrip is stickier than Vibram and extremely durable on top. It's amazing stuff, really. Asics' trail lineup is not that big, but they have some really interesting models and a great allrounder in the Trabuco.

I focus on trail running during the summer months, and last June, I picked up a pair of Merrell Agility Peak 5 — and absolutely fell in love with them. In 2022 and 2023, I ran in both the Salomon Ultra Glide and the Asics Trabuco, which are excellent trail shoes in their own right. However, the Merrells stood out offering great comfort and protection over long distances. They’re a fantastic all-around choice though they are a bit on the heavy side. Looking ahead to 2025, I’ve been considering the Saucony Xodus, as I’ve heard great things about them and am eager to see how they compare.

Asics Trabuco have worked well for me.

ASICS Trabuco. Ive got some of the 13's. Comfortable, reliable, good grip, good bounce. They go everywhere with me. Holidays, festivals, city breaks - walking, running, hiking. Perfect do it all.

Well that's indeed what I would do, unless you are used to hiking boots with zero drop. If you are not (most boots are not zero drop) definitely get something with cushioning and drop. There are plenty of good shoes out there. The Trabuco from Asics is also a good one (8mm drop I believe). Enjoy the trails!

You can probably find decent all rounders to do this, Brooks Cascadia or ASICS Trabuco. Personally if it’s over half marathon with 10k or more on road I’ll favour comfort over grip and just be prepared to slip around a bit, and will use my Trabuco Max.

Asics Trabuco and Pegasus trail 4.

I love my goretex shoes and have been running for years in them. ASICS Trabuco is my current go to!

I have 3 pairs. One for trail and two road. The road pairs are identical models and I wear them in rotation. I start the second pair when the first is half way through its life. The theory is that will help prevent injury as you’re not going from wearing quite worn out shoes all the time to suddenly wearing new ones, ie a sudden change in the level of support etc. Plus at least every second run you’re wearing shoes that are in the first half of their life. If you retire your shoes at a set number of kms you won’t actually spend any extra money. I was recommended asics gt2000 after a foot analysis at a running store, plus by a podiatrist and physio, and have been wearing that model for over a decade. Love them. For trails I wear asics trabuco, very grippy!

ASICS Trabuco for everything! I used them on a 63k/4500m and a 44k/2000m ultra and never thought about my feet. My current training pair has 1100k and still no sign of breaking down.

ASICS Trabuco

North face vectiv enduris 4 - am a heavy guy myself and those are one of the best I ever had (previous ones were Asics, Mizuno, adidas) or if you want something that has no frills but just works and is helluva grippy then Asics Trabuco (not max)

That's pretty good. Thanks for letting me know. I tried out Asics Trabuco for their delicious boying-boing (lol), but sadly the change in heel drop made it feel like I was running in heels. Not a good plan.

I’ve been running for a bit, so here’s my take. A long run in the woods and one on flat asphalt? Two completely different worlds. Personally, I’m team forest all the way. Time goes by faster, the view’s better, the air’s fresh, there’s shade when it’s hot, and you don’t get blasted by the wind. But — and there’s always a “but” — running in the woods wakes up muscles you didn’t even know you had. You’ll be sore in brand new spots, guaranteed. I stick to the forest ’cause I’ve got hills and dips right by my place, and honestly, trail running builds your shape way better than any road or treadmill ever will. It’s tougher though. Once you hit around 15 km — or even before — if you’re not ready, you’ll really feel it, especially going downhill. Uphill you can kind of crawl through, but downhill? That’s where your hamstrings and quads start screaming, because you’re basically braking the whole time. Anyone who says it’s the same as road running, just softer, is talking nonsense. It’s a completely different type of run. Take it easy, don’t push too hard — and have fun out there! And one more thing — a few key points from my experience: Shoes matter. Get proper trail shoes with a solid sole — ones that’ll keep you from feeling every rock underfoot. Some models even have built-in rock plates, like the Asics Trabuco. Socks matter too. Go for the best quality you can — I personally prefer long ones. Warm-up is everything. Don’t skip it, especially before trail runs. And before you go all in on long distances — get a few runs in the forest first. Let your legs get used to that uneven terrain.

Have a the asics range, the Trabuco and Trabuco Max have been my go to UK trail shoe. They’re not brilliant on mud, but for rocky and hard packed trails they’re brilliant.

For the rim to rim, trail runners are perfect. It's mostly a packed trail trail runners let your feet breathe more. I did the rim to rim to rim in ASICS Trabicos trail a few years back, and they were perfect. Otherwise, it kind of depends where you tend to do a lot of your hiking and preference for what you like to wear. In the Rocky Mountains, I prefer a hiking boot to help navigate Rocky trails in big boulders-- while my friend doesn't find that she needs that very much. Hiking poles can make a difference too--I used those for room to rim, and I used them for longer, moderate hikes, and challenging hikes.

With trail runners you're going to protect your feet more if you're hiking a trail where you are navigating big rocks and tree stumps, etc. Think less stubbed toes and less time removing debris etc . I think overall, you'll be able to hike more trails with trail runners. You can always strap your Sandals onto your day pack for water crossing or for the option. I know a lot of people like the Altras. I've owned four different pairs of ASICS Trabucos. The best thing to do is to go to a store and try them all on because everybody's feet are different. Ps. Get yourself some affordable dirty girl gaiters to keep debris from entering your shoes and you'll be set!

Asics have decent ones too, I had Trabucos for a while, they were great but the lack of protection sucks when you're a defender

I have the same issue on the road. Used to run in adrenaline, then asics kayano, and now switching between kayano and altra torins. Trail shoes aren’t stability specific because it is not the same kind of repetitive movement. Each step is different on trail while on road they are all basically the same. Stability in trail running means not wrecking your shit on a root or rock. For that, I have found nothing better than the asics trabucos. I swear they have saved me from multiple twisted ankles. I have tried saucony peregrines and Nike Pegasus, but the trabucos are the best so far. I have not tried any zero drop trail shoes yet.

S-tier: Asicsgrip. Tested it on mossy wet rocks by the waterfall. Beats megagrip

Asicsgrip is amazing. I have a pair of old Fujilyte 2 to walk the dog and these MFs still stick to the ground as fairly new. I've done super fast series on technical terrain where at first I would've swear I was about to kill myself but nope. On the other hand I have always Found LaSportiva Akasha awesome, I guess the rest of the lineup will be similar regarding the proper sole/terrains intended. Once you've run a few miles to get rid of that "new sole coating" they move incredible. Less over wet rock/soils but very nice anyways, slipped just two or three times in a +1000kms distance span.

For me in wet terrain with rocks, the best is Asicsgrip (6). After that, probably Vibram (tried in Hoka and Nike shoes), Contagrip in Salomon Speedcross 4 and Continental in various Adidas models. Here, some variation between them (for example, Continental in Adidas Terrex Two Flow is better than in Adidas Terrex Agravic Flow 2.0 (so a 4 for them). After those, probably the outsole by La Sportiva (in Jackal model) and various Nike outsoles (Kiger 8, Wildhorse 6, Pegasus 4 TR) in wet terrain (btw, in mid Spring to mid Autumn, Nike are pretty nice shoes here)

I brought these as a dressier option for a 3-week UK trip, intending to wear some newish Asics trail runners as an outdoorsy shoe. Asics is usually my go-to comfortable shoe brand, but that pair wrecked my feet within the first week. The Mizzles took on full duty and were a godsend.