ASICS - TRABUCO 14 GTX

Second this, with trail you have to factor in the surface & elevation in terms of it slowing your pace but also increasing your HR. I dabble in both road & trail, they are both quite different but great. And just like in the road sector, trail shoes have been evolving over the years. I started with 2x pairs of Salomons (speed cross for the mud/snow & Elevate GTX for everything else). Eventually got the 1st gen Brooks Catamount for when it was dry/events. Now got a pair of ASICS Trabuco 14 GTX that I absolutely love. A hydration pack is helpful, you can often find them cheap in the middle aisle in Aldi or decathlon is a good shout. And if you get into the longer distances then you get to eat actual food, which is nice.

[Trabuco 14](https://www.asics.com/pl/en-pl/trabuco--14/p/1011C166-800.html) [Trabuco MAX 5](https://www.asics.com/pl/en-pl/trabuco--max-5/p/1011C164-020.html) I haven't seen this being announced on anywhere so look what I found this morning. The changes made to Trabuco 14 seem to be a go with the flow of current trend for more bouncy foam, and more of it. Looks very promising in my opinion. But man was I disappointed when I found out about Trabuco MAX 5.... I have 4s, and I love the idea behind this shoe, more stack, more of an all-terrain shoe, rather than hardcore trail runner, but the 4s don't deliver on this idea after 1500km on the I feel like there is room for improvement and this shoe would slap in high stack trail category. I like to think that 5s are just there cuz management wanted a yearly release and they just slapped some new materials to the upper and called it a day... I love the idea behind this shoe, and Asics has some great foams to be molded to it, but they decided to just slap some new colors... Sorry for the rant, but I was looking forward to new version of these and I'm so disappointed. I will definitely be going to the nearest shoe store to check on the 14s, as a replacement for my 4s. What are your thoughts about this ?

I have the Trabuco 14. Sadly it’s not a shoe for me and I’ll be returning them. It feels comfortable enough but they have too much arch in them for me, even with putting different insoles in them. They’re quite roomy, maybe even too roomy, I had to tie them quite tight to avoid any slippage. The midsole isn’t as soft as the Novablast 5, but the rock plate it it makes the forefoot a fair amount firmer and stiffer than the back half of the shoe. I feel like it would have been a better shoe with either a full plate or no plate so you get a consistent feeling throughout

I think there is an inherent compromise between comfort, durability and price when buying shoes. Personally, I wouldn’t expect a running shoe/sandshoe (ie non-rigid upper) to withstand more than a few months of all-day daily wear. Their fabric just isn’t designed to last like that. If you need something that is durable, I think you need a rigid upper made of more durable material. Usually this means switching into a different product category such as a hiking boot. Hiking boots have the advantage (if you see it this way) of not allowing the foot to flex as much, meaning the shoe doesn’t wear at the toe crease. My preference for a trail shoe is the ASIC Gel Trabuco GTX, with an aftermarket comfort insole. My preference for a hiking boot is the Scarpa Terra GTX

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 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.

ASICS gel trabuco GTX are also a great shoe ETA: the GTX versions do take longer to dry though - so keep that in mind if you’re running multiple days in a row

I haven’t done much road running with them but I’ve done a fair bit of hard packed trail - they’re comfortable but not very bouncy or fast. Almost like a less soft/squishy Gel Nimbus.

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

I use Asics goretex waterproof shoes. They are fantastic.