Discontinued · trail · Trail / Daily · $120
Mid-level technical trail trainer.
Built for trail, daily, 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 Gel-Trabuco 13.
Asics tuned this midsole firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 25 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. 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 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.30 per mile at $120.
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
25 mm
11 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$120
40 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 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.
Nike Kiger 10
263 g / 9.3 oz · 29 mm · 5 mm drop · Rock · $160
Nike Kiger 10: 29 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 261 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx
250 g / 8.8 oz · 28 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $200
Mountain race shoe for single-track and long sky-race days.
Merrell MTL Skyfire 2 Matryx
200 g / 7.1 oz · 25 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $220
Featherweight Matryx racer for vertical and short technical racing.
New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel v6
285 g / 10.1 oz · 27 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $100
New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel v6: 27 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 291 g — specs from independent lab testing.