Asics has such a robust presence within the street working world that I generally overlook their contributions to mountain working and path working. The Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 ($140) has been a most glorious addition to my quiver, notably as I slowly ramp up miles for adventures on the rocky, dusty, and generally muddy Entrance Vary and high-country trails of Colorado the place I stay.
If you happen to relish extremely cushioned, easy driving, and grippy footwear to hold you over rocks, roots, hardpack grime, medium spicy jeep roads, some mud, occasional snow, and up and down the mountains and molehills, the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 is a close to good possibility.
What I additionally actually admire about this 8-millimeter drop shoe from the outset is that it appears like a shoe that may please a variety of runners’ ft, our bodies, and preferences, particularly for these of us with wider ft and a not-exactly-gazelle model of working.
The precise weight for a males’s measurement 9 is a hefty 11.1 ounces (315 grams) and this mannequin has a stack top of 35.5 millimeters on the heel and 27.5 millimeters on the toe.
Whereas there are higher choices for vital mud/snow/ice, fell racing, and pace, it’s a most-terrain path working and mountain working shoe and really versatile when you’re touring or need to hold your working quiver pared down.
A sizing observe, I’m discovering my optimum measurement to be a half measurement smaller than many of the footwear I put on, together with La Sportiva, New Steadiness, Brooks, and Saucony, however a half measurement greater than Salomon.
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The Asics Gel-Trabuco 11. All images: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 Higher
The mid-plus-volume higher of the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 is constructed from a extremely breathable, quick-drying, and versatile mesh (50% recycled supplies) with skinny TPU overlays within the conventional Asics design, offering construction. The protecting rand is on the extra substantial finish and runs from the toe by the midfoot-forefoot junction. The outsole extends up into the center one-third of the toe space as nicely, creating sturdy safety towards toe stubs, branches, and cacti. I might very a lot admire this shoe for runs in Arizona and Utah.
Skinny overlays help the lacing system and promote a comfortable match by the midfoot, creating extra stability and management with off-camber working. I discover the laces to remain safe with a double knot, and I’m capable of alter the match through the laces by the midfoot and have it keep as I choose.
The mildly padded tongue is gusseted about three quarters of the best way and protects the highest of the foot from the laces and dries comparatively effectively after submersion. One added element is the elastic loop that acts as lace storage or routing to maintain laces safe. I’ve not discovered this to be essential.
The heel cup is sort of agency close to the midsole however will increase in flexibility towards the Achilles, which reinforces consolation with out sacrificing confidence and management. Comfortable padding by the ankle collar provides leveled up consolation round my ankle bones, which provides to the convenience of sporting the footwear over lengthy miles. A stout webbing loop in the back of the heel counter makes it straightforward to get them on/off or safe them to a fitness center bag.
A lateral view of the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11.
Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 Midsole
My distinctly middle-aged ft admire responsive cushioning and safety, however my physique nonetheless doesn’t love maximalist footwear, vital rocker bottoms, and the decrease drop of most of the footwear on the market. The Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 hits the candy spot of safety and cushion whereas nonetheless permitting me to push the tempo on flats and rocky downhills thanks, partially, to the midsole know-how.
A easy, detachable Asics insole provides simply sufficient help for my high-arched ft, however I actually wouldn’t object to extra substantial arch help right here just like the OrthoLite insoles usually present in different footwear from a couple of years in the past. That is the one side I’d enhance on this space of the shoe.
This model options 2 millimeters extra foam than prior variations with the change to Asics’s very responsive FF BLAST foam within the midsole. This coupled with the gel within the rearfoot improves the affect absorption and smoothness of the roll from heel strike to toeoff. As a heel striker, I really like the texture of this journey. A skinny, versatile rock plate may be very efficient at averting any intrusions by the outsole, which makes it a shoe you’ll be able to simply put on for 50 kilometers in all kinds of terrain.
A lot of my working has been on dry, rubbly, and hilly trails that I’ve actually put the midsole to the take a look at. With over 175 miles within the shoe, there aren’t any indicators of compression traces or change in consolation. These are simply my present shoe of alternative when my coaching plan includes large hill repeats with lengthy, poundy downhills, and so they’ll be with me as soon as our increased mountains open up as nicely.
A medial view of the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11.
Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 Outsole
The Asics Gel-Trabuco 11’s improved ASICSGRIP compound is proving to be one of many extra grippy and sturdy outsoles of my present path footwear, maybe on par with Vibram’s compound not less than at this level in my testing. Regardless of all of the rocks they’ve been subjected to, I’ve zero indicators of wear and tear and there stays some pliability to the tread with finger stress. One would possibly suppose that this degree of sturdiness would make the shoe stiff or unyielding underfoot, however that has not been my expertise. The outsole flexibility is enhanced with small cutouts all through the only, which additionally serve to scale back the general weight.
The opposite replace to the outsole on this model is a barely wider platform throughout the bottom of the shoe. I discover this promotes stability with out creating awkward or sudden tipping factors if I discover myself stepping off a chunky path or rock edge. This base built-in with Asics’s adaptive steering system permits the Gel-Trabuco 11 to adapt to the terrain higher than what I discover with maximally cushioned footwear. It offers simply the correct amount of torsional management for my foot to rapidly accommodate to camber, rocks and roots, and in any other case wonky terrain, which supplies me extra confidence notably on downhills.
The grip and traction supplied by the 4-ish-millimeter tri-blade and chevron-shaped lugs is great for many of what I run on together with hardpack singletrack, rocks, rubble, roots, some mud, and quick stretches of snow. I’ll actually take them on the sections of the Colorado Path and Continental Divide Path in addition to my regular 13er and 14er coaching mountains this summer time.
The outsole of the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11.
Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 Total Impressions
Total, I actually admire the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11 for longer days with extra miles and smiles. The consolation and easy, rolling journey, to me, attracts from Asics’s street heritage — however the grippy, high-traction outsole and rock plate make it is a worthy path shoe for mountain and ultramarathon experiences, notably for these of us who worth cushioning and safety.
It’s not fairly an all-mountain, tremendous burly rock hopper such as you would possibly want for primarily off-trail journey in tremendous rocky terrain, however most of what I do doesn’t require considerably extra construction. I do discover them to be extra responsive and simpler to run my model of quick in than footwear just like the New Steadiness Contemporary Foam X Hierro v7 — learn our New Steadiness Contemporary Foam X Hierro v7 assessment — however barely much less nimble and speedy than one thing just like the Nike React Pegasus Path 4 — and right here’s our Nike React Pegasus Path 4 assessment, too.
I additionally choose the extra conventional form of the Gel-Trabuco 11 over the rocker model that includes closely in many more moderen path footwear available on the market at present.
I usually wax poetic in regards to the Montrail Vitesse line from my early ultrarunning days, but it surely appears like this could possibly be a extra cushioned, slightly-less-burly cousin to that shoe. No doubt, I’ll be shopping for myself one other pair of those as soon as they’re retired.
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Name for Feedback
- Are you working within the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11? What do you suppose?
- If you happen to’ve been working within the Gel-Trabuco line, how does this mannequin evaluate to prior variations?
- What can be your most distance or time comfortably sporting these footwear?
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A high view of the Asics Gel-Trabuco 11.
