Between the snow shoes and the GT 2140 Trail I choose...

In life, you often have to make choices. Do I want to huck this 20 foot cliff onto a sketchy landing with ice and rocks? Do I want vanilla or chocolate? Should I fart in public or not?

Some of those questions are easy, some are not. What shoe to wear on a particular run should be fairly easy. Asics managed to make it fairly extremely not.

Let it be said that I LOVE Asics. They typically fit my feet perfectly, and my wife will never ever stray from the Nimbus. If I ever have any doubts on trail conditions and general comfort, I go for my Trabuco GTX (see very favorable review here).

For quite some time man has struggled with road vs trail running. Two very different beasts, yet oh so similar. They both involve running... and well, running. One happens to be the scourge of the earth and boring as frozen bacon, but that's my problem. Asics has tried to bridge the road to trail gap with their GT 2140 Trail shoe. It's a hybrid shoe, more or less a cross between their 2140 road and their trail sensor line. Keep in mind that they have updated to a 2150 line this year, but very little has changed.

In effort to make road running more comfortable from a trail shoe point of view, they reduced the overall stiffness of the shoe, de-tuned the aggressiveness of the sole, and added a bit more EVA foam to the mix. The whole point is to make road running possible from a trail shoe, which brings up the question... Why?

Your given trail runner isn't a wuss. They've been hitting the road in trail shoes for years, toughening their feet and minds in the process. Next question... why would I ever run road in a shoe that weighs a good 5 oz's more than a standard road shoe, per shoe!

I found many, many problems with these shoes. As a trail shoe, they didn't provide enough support, allowing my wife's chronically bad ankles to get torn up, and had tread grip that was about as good as Old Navy flip flops. Oh man, don't get these wet either. They drain about as well as a plastic bag.

Now as a road shoe... this is where they flopped even more. Their flex wasn't great, the trail sole was awkward on the road, and the weight penalty is just stupid.

The real question is... if you have to compromise one way or the other, either road or trail, wouldn't you lean to the side that you'd be stuck on more often? You can always run trail in road shoes, especially in good weather, and handle things pretty well. If you're on a trail that is really that technical, you wouldn't dare touch it with road shoes anyways.

As shoes go... These get a big, bold NO GO!

Asics puts out plenty of other great stuff... just this isn't their shining achievement.

ASICS Trabuco WP Men’s Trail Shoe

ASICS Trabuco WP Men’s Trail Shoe

First, let’s just get the bad out in open. The Gore-Tex gets hot and muggy on 80 plus degree days. And there you have it, I have praise for these beauties from here on out.

These shoes are like chocolate chip cookies. Sure they’re not the most exotic, kinda plain, but man, they always get the job done. The gore-tex membrane does a killer job at keeping your feet dry (assuming you don’t tank your foot above the ankle) and do a pretty good job at regulating temperature at all but the most humid, hot runs. The uppers are firm enough to prevent many ankle injuries, yet let your feet flex naturally as you run on pretty much any terrain. The shank is stiff and has one of the better rock plates I’ve used. They’re not as stiff as true mountain running shoes (see la sportive lynx), but the rock plate will protect you from roots and most rocks. The tread is very aggressive, with good forward and reverse lug placement. Not incredible at running downhill, yet they make up for it in their odd ability to be fairly comfortable in the occasional road session. They shed mud very well and I personally have never had any clumping issues. I like the the round shoe laces, but my wife (who has the women’s version) happens to hate them. They also have a nice shoe lace pocket in the tongue, so they can be stowed out of the way while running.

These shoes are made for the neutral to moderate pronator, but have plenty of room to accommodate most orthotics. They are fairly well cushioned and supportive, giving a comfortable ride.

They come with or without a goretex membrane, giving a runner the option of opting out of the extra weight and warmth of goretex. W/O Goretex they cost around 80. With goretex they cost about 100.

Coming in both men’s and women’s versions, a running couple can have his and hers models and look like incredible dorks (aka Mrs CP and I).

Who should buy:

1. neutral to moderate pronators

2. those looking for a good go anywhere trail shoe

3. if you’re looking for a tough shoe that protects the ankles well (Mrs. Two Feet has no TaloFibular Ligament and can attest to the ankle protecting powers)

Terrain:

Rocks: eh, could find a better ride for rocks

Packed trail: Great shoes, great shoes

Mud: so good, so good

How happy are the Feet?

Very happy feet. Well protected, Not too wet. Great for long runs. Definitely better options for those looking for very technical terrain.