Discontinued · trail · Trail / Tempo · $100
Earlier generation of the Asics Fuji Lite line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for trail, tempo, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Asics Fuji Lite 5.
Asics tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 27 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A low 4 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 350 miles from the outsole, about $0.29 per mile at $100.
For the foams and plates Asics uses across its line, read the Asics brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
260 g / 9.2 oz
15 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
27 mm
9 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
4 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$100
60 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~350 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Asics line it is lighter than the brand's median (268 g / 9.5 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (38 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Asics Fuji Lite 5
250 g / 8.8 oz · 30 mm · 4 mm drop · — · $120
Low, flexible and natural — a light trail shoe for feel over protection.
Hoka Torrent 4
255 g / 9.0 oz · 29 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $130
Light, flexible and ground-feel oriented for fast trail miles.
Topo Athletic Pursuit 3(2025)
278 g / 9.8 oz · 32 mm · 5 mm drop · — · $160
Roomy, natural-feeling trail trainer for door-to-dirt mileage.
Merrell Nova 4
261 g / 9.2 oz · 29 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $130
Nimble moderate-terrain trail trainer on FloatPro foam.