GEL-TRABUCO 13 GTX

I started (M/43/UK) running properly when I was 36. I had attempted it for a year or so, thinking 1-3km was a run and I’d be totally done. Started on tarmac and thought it was all about speed. Since moving to fell and trail I absolutely love it. I’ve had many different shoes over the last few years, but my best advice would be to go to a local store like Runners Need/Cotswold Outdoor or similar and try on some shoes. If you find a pair you like, pop online to see what the best price available is on sites like Sportsshoes.com. Or, if money isn’t an issue, and you want to support local independent running store then go for it. I’m using Asics Gel-Trabuco 13 GTX, which I love, but previously I had the Salomon Sense Ride 5’s which covered me for almost 1100km on trails/fells before I retired them. Other shoes have been Hoka Challenger 7 ATR (more trail/road mix) since moving to trail and they were ok. Fells can get pretty wet, with loose ground, so I’m tempted to look at some Nnormal Kjerag 2.0 or Inov8 shoes as my next pair. Something with real grip. Enjoy the trails!

I would go for North Face Vective Enduris 4, or maybe Merrel Mtl Adapt Matryx. I’m 90 kg, have wide feet and run on technical terrain in Norway (it often rains, so a lot of mud, and with periods of snow). I have ran in: • Hoka Speedgoat 5 - not very durable grip. • New Balance Hierro V9 - A bit unstable. • Asics Gel - Trabuco 13 GTX - Caused achilles pain.

Thanks i ended up ordering Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL GTX and it's perfect! A very bouncy GTX running off road hybrid shoe. Would recommend. I also order the Gel Trabuco 13 GTX and this were not so good so they are going back.

It’s a pity, because those who fit it report good results. And it actually feels more energetic than my Cascadia 18 so I liked that. In the end, it wasn’t a good match.

Oh interesting because I read a lot how they’re both good but the Trabuco had better grip in mud and snow. Well, I’ll test them and in any case I can return them and get the Cascadia 19 GTX.

Damn everything. I just came home, tried them for 5 minutes, they felt tight, and started noticing something in the left foot, down right and top left. Also the upper ceiling is too low to fit my orthopedic insoles, although that stretched after a bit. I removed them and switched to the Cascadia and my feet breathed! Same merino socks, same orthopedic insoles. I’ll return them tomorrow and buy the Cascadia 19 GTX.

Do a search in this sub, there’s a lot of data. I remember there’s even a post of a guy who analyzed the frequency of positive answers to questions about shoes for different types trails and distances, and poured all in a spreadsheet ranking them. To your question, I live and die for the Brooks Cascadia 19. I had the 18 and now the 19 GTX because I did a winter race with snow and ice and mud, and it’s a great shoe. I also tried the Asics Trabuco Gel 13 and it’s likely great but my feet found them too narrow. Same with La Sportiva Bushido III. That’s why it’s important to try the shoes and if it’s in a store maybe they have a terrain to run on. Side note: I’m looking forward to try once the NNormal Tomir 2.0 since they seem to be in the same area than the Cascadia.

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.

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.

Trail runners, my pair of ASICS waterproof trail runners is the best gear I purchased it does everything you mentioned, if you get black ones you can go out with them as well

I decided to try Trabucos after running in Cascadias for a few years and I think I’ll be going back to Cascadia. Despite the length of the Trabucos being good I find I have to do the laces up really tight otherwise I feel like I’m sliding around in the shoe even with a heel lock, got bruises from the tight laces during my last ultra.