Article by Sam Winebaum and Jeff Valiere
ASICS GEL-Trabuco 13 ($140)
Introduction
The Trabuco 13 is ASICS “big mountain” stability focused trail runner (and hiker/low top trekking shoe). It features a dense Flyte Foam Blast+ midsole, rear GEL unit, woven type rock plate and full coverage ASICS Grip outsole with varying height 4 and 5mm lugs. The upper is a soft mesh and is fully lined to prevent debris entry.
Somewhat of a throwback in an age of high stack,and super foams and often plated trail running shoes with low drops, at 34mm heel and 26 mm forefoot the Trabuco does not focus as much on speed as a reliable, protective and stable ride in rough terrain or really anywhere. Yet it is also not a “heavy weight” coming in at a reasonable 10.35 / 293g in a US9 and fair $140 price.
No agile speedster it is a practical, inherently stable and protective shoe which shines at slower paces on any terrain.
Pros:
Mountain focused: in a sea of plated higher stack trail runners: Sam/Jeff
Excellent all terrains and roads walking and trekking shoe: Sam/Jeff
Among the most stable if not most stble trail runners out there: Sam/Jeff
8mm drop a good call giving the front some impulse: Sam/Jeff
Copiously protective including via woven type rock plat: Sam/Jeff
Comfortable solid fitting upper: Sam/Jeff
Cons:
Due to the very stiff toe bumper and front overlays runs a bit short for long days.
A bit ponderous at the rear of the shoe due to its stability: Sam/Jeff
Foothold is less than ideal on steep downhills - Jeff
Limited utility off technical trails: don’t come looking here for a speedster or door to trail shoe
Most comparable shoes
Hoka Mafate Speed
Merrell Agility Peak
Arc’Teryx Nordan LD 3 and 4
Terrex Agravic 3
Brooks Caldera
Stats
Approx. Weight: men's 10.35 oz / 293g US9
Sample Weight: men’s 10.1oz / 285g US 8.5, 10.6oz / 301g US 10
Stack Heights: men’s 34 mm heel / 26 mm forefoot (mm drop spec)
Platform Width: 90 mm heel / 80mm midfoot / 110 mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Big, solid and colorful for sure is my first impression of the Trabuco 13. A beautiful visual design that says “speed” to me in its colors and this is not a speed shoe in the ASICS Trail line up. Then my eye is drawn to the rear of the shoe. Cantilevered with rising midsole side walls and a stabilizing midfoot bump out speaks to the Trabuco heritage as a very stability focused trail shoe.
The heel counter is very rigid with the ankle collars very plushy and appropriately padded with both relatively low. A smart move as any more height and things would get too rigid. As it is the heel hold and stability is total yet comfortable if not intended for much rear agility and that is OK as Trabuco is intended for running on rough terrain at slower paces.
The upper mesh is a soft and pliable material and is fully lined to keep out debris.There is no gusset to the appropriately lightly padded tongue.
The tongue instead of having a gusset is stitched to the upper. Midfoot hold is excellent as is lace up. In part this is due to the correctly placed overlay extending to the rear and in part due to the medial midsole stabilizing bump out.
The toe box is generous in volume as, other than the toe bumper it is mostly unstructured except for some triangular overlays on the lateral side.
The toe bumper is very rigid and protective and vertical. At its very top edges there are narrow additional semi circular overlays.
The very front height, not the main part of the toe box which is the somewhat soft mesh, is quite low. I am true to size with about a thumb’s width but for swelling toes in summer heat on technical terrain or while trekking or if you have “long” toe sizing up half a size might be good idea.
All and all about as comfy a trail shoe upper out there with very solid hold. Breathability should be decent.\
Jeff:
Sam describes the mechanics of the upper quite well. Out of the box, I am impressed with the flashy, sleek and fast look of the shoe, but upon closer inspection, the Trabuco 13 is more of a mid/max sort of shoe.
Fit for me is true to size, with a secure heel (very built up as Sam mentions), a secure midfoot and a roomy forefoot. The room in the forefoot is welcome for most running, as I enjoy the extra room for comfort, splay and swell, though I did notice that when running down steep trails and especially off trail fall line steep and sidehilling, my feet slide forward in the shoe. This is not really an issue and is controllable without feeling loose or unstable, but it is definitely worth considering if you are intending to use them on steep mountain terrain.
Midsole & Platform
As with all of their road and trail shoes, except their racers, ASICS goes with FF Blast + here but not the slightly softer and more energetic FF Blast + Eco. The foam is quite dense but in no way harsh and has a touch of rebound. Not a classic EVA trail shoe midsole that is for sure. And for a yet more shock reduction and stability on landings we have a cantilevered heel with embedded GEL unit.
The foam appropriate for the stable big mountain focus of the shoe but could use a bit more zing for firmer surfaces for me
With a 34mm heel / 26mm forefoot we are at reasonable stack heights with plenty of cushion and protection for the intended uses.
I like that ASICS kept to an 8mm drop here. This helps me roll forward to the nice mild front rocker after that super stable flat on the ground rear of the shoe with its stabilizing medial bump out.
The mild toe off impulse is helped by a woven rock plate (similar to Saucony’s) and white showing through the midsole) just above the outsole in the photo below.
From a protection standpoint I am not sure it is needed given the midsole and stout outsole but after all this is a shoe for rough terrain. Eliminating it could save some weight and make the shoe more flexible.
After several runs and hikes the shoe which at first was completely rigid has some in the area where the rock plate ends now has some stiff but present flex.
Jeff: The Trabuco provides a very good balance of performance, comfort and protection. They are not particularly light or responsive, but they are a very solid and efficient option for smooth and well protected, well cushioned running over longer distances to full days of running or hiking over rocky, technical terrain.
The FF Blast+ midsole is a very good choice here, given its stable, predictable and firm, yet adequately cushioned.
While not notably fast or light though as I previously mentioned, I have found that when you are feeling quick, they have plenty of get up and go. I have tested them for my usual steep, technical mountain running, where they perform exceptionally well. I have also run in them for flat training runs on gravel trails at a somewhat casual 7:30 pace and they performed quite well for that type of running as well.
Outsole
The outsole rubber is ASICS-always solid ASICSGrip compound. It is a one piece outsole with small cutouts at the heel and upfront.The outsole clearly contributes to the stability of the Trabuco.
The lugs are 4-5 mm in height in an aggressive multi directional pattern
Grip is good but is a bit hampered on snow by the rigid area below the rock plate. On rock, and with winter conditions here in Utah for that test, grip should be fine.
I also took them for road walks here in Park City and for sure one could hear the outsole! Kind of created a metronome.By the way they have been one of the fastest walking shoes I have tested.
Jeff: The ASICSGrip outsole provides very good grip on a wide range of surfaces, with the 4-5mm lugs giving great bite on steep, loose trails, off trail, snow, mud, etc…. Grip on rock and slab is quite good, as the compound is reasonably sticky. I have been able to test wet traction in a very limited fashion in wet, rocky creek crossings and creek beds, where wet grip seems good the best I can tell, but have not really been able to test in truly wet conditions as of yet.
Durability has thus far been quite good with very little, if any wear after 30 or so rocky rough miles. As I mentioned above, I have also done some flat hard packed gravel trail running and the lugs provided great grip there as well, without being all that noticeable underfoot.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Given winter conditions here in Park City, I have run them on snow and run and walked them on pavement. Not the most agile shoe on snow, where flex and light weight (even lighter than than the reasonable 10.35 oz here) are advantages and with stability not as crucial as in summer on rocks. I was grateful for the stability when the trails got bumpy and potholed.
Running on the road, the big outsole was noticed as was for me the “excess” of inherent rear stability. Walking the road they were fantastic and I highly recommend them for all seasons walking again due to their stability, plenty of dense but friendly cushion and that big if a bit noisy outsole.
If I was to change something I would like to see the softer slightly more energetic FF Blast Eco foam and potentially removing the front woven rock plate as there is plenty of underfoot protection from the midsole and outsole. This might affect the stability/pronation control strengths of the shoe somewhat but could lighten it and make it more agile.
The Trabuco 13 is a solid trail runner for technical terrain taken at moderate paces. It likely will be a top choice for me for our summer European hut to hut trek due to its stability and cushion. It is clearly one of the most stable trail shoes out there, and trail shoes by nature tend to be more stable than road shoes. And if you are looking for a comfortable walking or stable stand on your feet all day shoe, it is also a super fine choice for that.
Run Score: 8.9/10
A bit blocky at the rear of the shoe for my tastes and rigid up front. Limited utility off technical trails
😊😊😊
Walk/Hike Score: 9.4 /10
Outstanding !
😊😊😊😊
Jeff V: The Trabuco 13 is a great all around daily trail trainer, with excellent fit, protection, cushioning, comfort and traction. I find the FF Blast+ to be a solid choice for this shoe, as it does provide a very stable, predictable ride that is perfect for rugged, rocky trails. The ride is quite smooth and supportive.
As Sam mentions though, a slightly lighter and more energetic foam would be welcome for quicker running, as despite the racy look, this is definitely not a race or PR sort of shoe.
While they are meant for rugged trails, I do find that my feet do slide forward while running down steep gradients, but I did not experience any blistering or serious instability, but just something of note. The heel is a bit bulbous and helps for heel landing and such, but does make the shoe feel large and a bit less nimble (also adds a bit of challenge if adding traction devices such as Microspikes or EXOspikes).
Jeff V’s Score: 9.1/10
Ride: 9 Fit: 9 Value: 9 Style: 10 Traction: 9 Rock Protection: 9.5
😊😊😊😊
Saucony Peregrine 15 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Peregrine 15 is a bit lighter, rides lower to the ground and more agile and nimble, with overall better upper security for better performance in technical terrain and steep downhills. I also find the Peregrine to be quicker and more responsive. The Trabuco is more cushioned for longer distances and has comparable traction. Peregrine for more fast, technical terrain, Trabuco for less technical, longer distances.
Topo MTN Racer 4 (RTR Review upcoming)
Jeff V: The Topo is about a half ounce heavier, has a more roomy toe box, firmer midsole and overall comparable fit, which is great for less technical terrain, but neither are ideal for technical steep terrain as there is some foot movement on steep downhills. The Topo has superior traction with a more sticky rubber outsole, especially in the wet.
Hoka Mafate Speed (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Trabuco is a bit lighter, stack is comparable and feel underfoot is similar. I do find the Mafate to have better foothold and security, but the Trabuco is much more stable overall and in my opinion a better overall shoe for any type of trail or distance, though the Mafate has slightly better traction.
Merrell Agility Peak (RTR Review)
Jeff V: Close in stack and weight, the Merrell feels lighter and more responsive with better foothold and comparable traction. For faster running and slightly more technical terrain, I would go with the Merrell, but for less technical and slower running, then either are great.
Brooks Caldera 8 (RTR Review)
Jeff V: The Caldera weighs more, but has more stack, yet feels comparable in weight. I would likely pick the Caldera for longer runs, but both are ideal for day to day training and mid distance too. Slight edge to the Trabuco for traction and they are a bit more agility as well. Caldera has a bit more secure foothold.
Tester Profiles
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is in his 60’s with 2024 Sam’s 52th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
Jeff Valliere loves to run and explore the mountains of Colorado, the steeper and more technical the better. He has summited all of the 14ers in the state, many 13ers and other peaks in Colorado and beyond, plus, he has summited his local Green Mountain over 2,100 times in the past 20 years. He can be found on mountain trails daily, no matter the weather, season, conditions or whether there is daylight or not. On the side he loves to ski (all forms) bike and hike, often with his family, as he introduces his twin daughters to the outdoors. Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire, but has called Colorado home for over 25 years. He is 5’9” and 145 lbs.
Europe only: use RTR code RTR5ALL for 5% off all products, even sale products
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for reading Road Trail Run! We also welcome comments in French. See our page with links to all shoe and gear reviews HERE. You can also follow RoadTrailRun on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram where we publish interesting run related content more frequently as well as links to our latest reviews. Shopping through links on articles help support RoadTrail Run and is much appreciated