To be fully transparent, I went into the Trabuco Max 5 with high hopes. I was hoping for the vibe of shoes like the Salomon Aero Glide or other max-stack trail cruisers which provide the bouncy comfort sensation that makes you want to just keep ticking off the miles. The specs look like exactly that: 40mm of stack, a 5mm drop, and FF BLAST PLUS foam. It’s a slight iteration on the previous version, dropping 10g but keeping the rest of the shoe largely the same.
Unfortunately, my first few runs left me a bit disappointed. This isn’t the marshmallowy sensation I expected; it’s a much more firm and grounded experience. Let’s take a look at what left me feeling a bit let down by what I thought to be a very exciting shoe.
Upper and Fit of the ASICS Trabuco Max 5
What works for me
The upper on the Trabuco Max 5 is simple and it works. It’s exactly what you expect from a daily trainer trail shoe: functional, breathable, and comfortable. The fit is true to size with no major issues to report. I experienced no rubbing on the heel or ankle, and the toe box offers a pleasant wide-ish feel that my (wide) feet appreciated. I also didn’t have any irritation from the laces rubbing on the top of my foot, which I have found in quite a few other models in recent testing. Moreover, I am a big fan of the padding in the heel and around the ankle which really makes the upper have a comfortable lockdown.
What doesn’t work for me
One thing I would say is that the fit does feel very generic. It’s spacious where it needs to be, but doesn’t really lock down or wrap around the foot, the same way some other trail shoes I tested have. When I say generic it’s probably the best way to describe this sensation, as it’s kind of like a “one-size-fits-all” upper. It works for everyone but isn’t perfect for anyone. Perhaps I am being harsh as the overall sensation of the upper is quite nice and I do actually find it to be very breathable and cushioned in the right places.
Midsole and Ride of the ASICS Trabuco Max 5
What works for me
Where the Trabuco Max 5 shines is in being quite a structured and grounded shoe. For a “Max” cushion shoe, it prioritises a grounded, secure feel over soft dense ride. The ride is very stable, due to it being a relatively wide footbed and it is supportive where it needs to be, feeling incredibly durable underfoot. It’s the kind of shoe you can trust to not bottom out on a long day out. As I’ve put more miles into them, the foam has started to soften up slightly and feel a little less brick-like, which has made the shoe more enjoyable.
What doesn’t work for me
There is a reason that the section above is quite vague and brief and that reason is that I overall did not love or enjoy the ride of this midsole. It’s firm, much firmer than I had anticipated from a “max cushion” trail shoe. It feels reminiscent of the CMEVA foam from Hoka, which makes sense given it’s an EVA-based compound in this shoe also. It seems ASICS has significantly firmed up their FF BLAST PLUS formulation across the board; I had a similar experience with the Nimbus 27. The sensation is dense and protective, but it lacks the lively, responsive, and soft feel I crave from a shoe in this category.
While I only took this shoe to moderate trails, forest paths and gravel roads, I can not imagine any use case for this shoe on technical terrains. The combination of a firm, wide platform with a large stack height makes it feel like it would be very easy to roll your ankle on rocky paths, especially on technical descents. It’s something I definitely need to test more as I have limited real technical trails at my day-to-day disposal, but the ride of this shoe does not inspire confidence on such terrains.
Outsole of the ASICS Trabuco Max 5
Grip and Traction
The outsole is a carryover from the previous version, featuring 4mm lugs and a generous coverage of ASICS’ proprietary rubber compound. On the trails, it’s perfectly fine. The lugs bite into soft ground well so much so that I often return from a run with a thick cake of mud on the bottom. It’s certainly picking up dirt along the way. Where the rubber compound showed its weakness was on wet, hard surfaces. On the cobbled streets of Brussels, transitioning to and from the trail, or on wet stone, the grip felt almost non-existent. It’s hard to be critical of an in-house compound especially when comparing to a Vibram Megagrip or continental, however, it is worth noting.
Durability
That said, as with much of this shoe, the durability of the rubber compound is great. After my testing, I see practically zero wear. Combined with the dense foam and reinforced sections in the upper, this shoe is built to last and will likely outlive many of my other shoes.
Conclusion
Value for Money
At €180 / $170 / £160, the Trabuco Max 5 isn’t cheap. I guess you have to think about the use case and it being a max cushioned daily trainer.
Do I think you can get a huge amount of value out of it and use this shoe for a very long time? Yes.
But is it a justified extra €30 price tag over a Salomon Ultra Glide 3? I’m not sure.
It definitely sits at or slightly above market in that sense but perhaps it is quite good value if you take into account durability and longevity of the shoe.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
I would fit this in my rotation as a daily trainer, just for easy trail missions that are not too technical or difficult. As a soft running sensation enjoyer, I find it hard to really justify using it in my day to day, especially as I hit the trails only 2-3 times per week max (mainly focusing on road). I would not take this to faster paces, or technical terrain and stick to just easy, long, daily runs on trail. It’s a good trustworthy partner for your generic trail running, providing grip, stability and comfort.
Final Verdict
The ASICS Trabuco Max 5 is a firm package that delivers on its core promise of daily training, yet remains pretty unidimensional in its use capabilities. In an era full of soft, cushy and bouncy versatile daily trainers, ASICS strikes a different note with a firmer, more basic package. Not quite suited for very technical terrain, the Trabuco Max 5 suits those who want a shoe that can last the test of time and deliver a consistent performance across their runs. While it may not be the companion for me on my trail missions in the future, I can confidently say that it is the type of shoe that grows on you as you wear it in.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
ASICS Trabuco Max 5 vs. Hoka Clifton 10
While one is a trail shoe and the other a road shoe, I found the sensation to be super similar in my overall feeling being a bit disappointing. Both have very similar rides, firmer than expected, less dynamic than expected, but very stable, comfortable shoes. Perhaps as I am a lighter runner these firmer foams are not for me? I would say that if you enjoy the Clifton 10, then you will likely enjoy the ride of the Trabuco Max 5 as well.
ASICS Trabuco Max 5 vs. On Cloudultra 3
Day and night with these two. The Cloudultra have a lower stack, however feel more cushioned, more responsive and more snappy. While the use case differs greatly between the two, the price difference is quite small, for a much more enjoyable package from On. It’s not just a case of midsole compounds, even the grip on the Cloudultra is better, meaning the slight bump in price tag is more than justified.
