In production · trail · Trail · $160
Asics Trabuco 14: 36 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 283 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for trail, at a target pace of 8:30–12:00 /mi on trail.
The midsole is FF Blast, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is above average: the midsole rebounds well without feeling unstable. 36 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 snappy at 4/5 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 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.36 per mile at $160.
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
281 g / 9.9 oz
6 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
36 mm
Level with the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$160
Level with the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
4 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
4 / 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.
Asics Gel Excite Trail 2
296 g / 10.4 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · Rock · $90
Asics Gel Excite Trail 2: 36 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 292 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 4
265 g / 9.3 oz · 36 mm · 8 mm drop · Rock · $200
Precision-fit ultra racer built around Kilian's mountain requirements.
Brooks Catamount 4
270 g / 9.5 oz · 34 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $180
Light trail racer with SkyVault plate propulsion.
Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL
247 g / 8.7 oz · 35 mm · 8 mm drop · Rock · $140
Salomon Aero Blaze 3 GRVL: 35 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 241 g — specs from independent lab testing.