Discontinued · trail · Trail · $80
Asics Gel Venture 8: 34 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 295 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for trail, at a target pace of 8:30–12:00 /mi on trail.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Asics Gel Venture 11.
Asics tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 34 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 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 tall 10 mm drop tips weight forward off the heel, which usually suits heel strikers and calves that dislike low-drop shoes. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.18 per mile at $80.
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
354 g / 12.5 oz
79 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
34 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
10 mm
4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$80
80 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Asics line it is heavier 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.
Salomon XA Pro 3D v9 GTX
359 g / 12.7 oz · 34 mm · 11 mm drop · Rock · $170
Salomon XA Pro 3D v9 GTX: 34 mm heel stack, 11 mm drop, 359 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Asics Gel Venture 11
320 g / 11.3 oz · 36 mm · 10 mm drop · Rock · $80
Asics Gel Venture 11: 36 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 320 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike Juniper Trail 2 GTX
323 g / 11.4 oz · 35 mm · 9 mm drop · Rock · $115
Nike Juniper Trail 2 GTX: 35 mm heel stack, 9 mm drop, 293 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Mizuno Wave Daichi 8
300 g / 10.6 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · Rock · $145
Michelin-outsoled trail trainer built for grip and wet-rock security.