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ASICS trail lineup

MenWomen
RoadTrail
Current lineup2026 edition · revised 14 September

Shoe range map

Runnable terrain Mixed terrain Technical terrain
Race day ↑↓ Daily training← Shorter distanceLonger distance →

Distance and racing focus set the map position, and the colour marker shows terrain technicality — all three are editorial judgement, not performance scores or rankings.

Shoes by role

The full lineup with role explanations and buying advice
Shoe & specificationsWhy this roleIs it right for you?

246 g · 8 mm drop
Heel stack not listed

Door-to-trail

Road geometry with just enough grip: an 8mm drop and a low stack are a road trainer's shape, and the 3mm lugs stay quiet on tarmac. At $115 it is the cheapest honest way into the range. It gives up protection — no rock plate, low stack — so it reads the ground through your foot on anything sharp.

Also considerGel-Venture 11
Where it overlaps with other shoes

The Gel-Venture 11 is $25 cheaper and grippier, but 42g heavier and far worse on road.

Choose if

  • Most of your run is pavement and the trail is the middle third.
  • You want one shoe, not two, and your trails are smooth.
  • You are trying trail running for the first time and do not want to spend.

Skip if

  • You run rocky or rooty ground — there is no rock plate.
  • You want cushioning for long days; the stack is low.

241 g · 8 mm drop
36 mm heel stack

Daily trail trainer

The only shoe in the range built like a trail shoe rather than a road shoe sent outside: 4mm lugs, a rock plate, a 36mm heel and 241g at $145. That rock plate is the reason it is the daily trainer and the Gel-Venture is not — it is what lets you stop looking at your feet. Middle of the range on every axis, which is what a daily trainer should be.

Also considerTrabuco Max 5
Where it overlaps with other shoes

Same family, same rock plate. The Max 5 adds 8mm of heel stack and 22g for long days.

Choose if

  • You run trails several times a week and want one shoe to do it.
  • Your ground has loose rock and you are tired of feeling it.
  • You want the range's best balance of grip, protection and weight.

Skip if

  • Your runs go past three hours; the Trabuco Max 5 carries more underfoot.

266 g · 5 mm drop
40 mm heel stack

Cushioned long trail

A 40mm heel on a 5mm drop, a rock plate and the deepest lugs ASICS makes at 5mm. At 266g it is heavier than the daily trainer and that is the trade it asks for: everything is aimed at hour four, not at pace. The low drop with a very high stack is unusual here and suits runners who land midfoot.

Also considerTrabuco 14
Where it overlaps with other shoes

The Trabuco 14 is 22g lighter and cheaper; the Max 5 is the one that keeps going.

Choose if

  • Your long runs pass two or three hours.
  • You want maximum cushioning and still want a rock plate.
  • You prefer a low drop without giving up stack height.

Skip if

  • You want a shoe that feels quick — 266g never will.
  • You are used to an 8mm drop and do not want to adapt.
Technical trailNo selection yet

This edition has no pick for this role. Other shoes in the range may cover parts of the job.

240 g · 5 mm drop
26 mm heel stack

Short trail race

240g, a composite plate and 26/21mm: the lightest shoe in the range and the only one built to be raced short. The 3.5mm lugs are shallower than the Trabuco's, which tells you where it belongs — fast, dry, runnable courses rather than technical ones. $160 buys the plate; it does not buy protection for rough ground.

Also considerMetafuji Trail 2
Where it overlaps with other shoes

The Metafuji Trail 2 is the same idea for longer races, at $120 more.

Choose if

  • You race trail up to about 25K on runnable ground.
  • You want a plated shoe and do not need a carbon one.
  • You want the range's lightest shoe.

Skip if

  • Your race is technical or wet — 3.5mm lugs are not enough.
  • You want to train daily in it; there is no rock plate.

255 g · 5 mm drop
42 mm heel stack

Ultra race

Carbon-powered ultra racer for long, runnable courses. • 42/37mm stack at 255g keeps cushioning high without a heavy shoe. • The 5mm lugs suit smooth trails, not steep or technical routes. • At $280, buy only when you know ASICS trail fit works for you.

Also considerFujispeed 4
Where it overlaps with other shoes

Fujispeed for short and dry, Metafuji for long. Neither is a technical shoe.

Choose if

  • You race ultras on runnable ground and want carbon.
  • You want maximum stack at racing weight.
  • You already know ASICS trail fit works for you — $280 is a lot to guess with.

Skip if

  • Your ultra is technical or steep; the grip is not built for it.
  • You want value — the Fujispeed 4 covers most racing at $160.
Waterproof / winterNo selection yet

Not a separate shoe. Waterproof (GORE-TEX) versions are listed as variants of the shoes above.

Specs are from manufacturers. Role explanations are editorial judgement.

Putting it together

Suggested rotations

A few shoes with different jobs. Start with the running you actually do.

Two shoes for a trail week

Trabuco 14Fujispeed 4

The Trabuco 14 takes every ordinary run and protects your feet; the Fujispeed 4 takes the one fast session and the race. 4mm lugs and a rock plate on one day, 240g and a plate on the other.

Long-distance pair

Trabuco Max 5Metafuji Trail 2

Train long in the Max 5 at 303g, race long in the Metafuji at 255g. Both sit at a 5mm drop, so nothing changes underfoot on race day except the weight.