This reduces “poke risks” where sticks or sharp rocks will be blocked by the outsole material. This ensures forward and rear motion grip is maximized.Īdditionally, the tread pattern sits on top of a layer of more rubber. Trail runners should be most focused on the sole of the shoe, this is what you’re (generally) paying extra for.Īsics puts in a fairly aggressive tread pattern on the outsole that features ‘V’ shapes in alternating orientations. Just a bit sweatier than normal, but more on that in the rest of the shoe review. The rubber coverage on the outsole made gripping the trail easy, although due to the thicker stacks, you don’t feel 100% connected with the trail which you may get with Merrell Glove shoes.Īfter finishing this first test trail run, I was pleased since the shoes held up and I had seemingly no problems on my feet. I found it to be solid across most of the trail, only slightly slipping on sandy rock surfaces which is common for most trail shoes. I set out over the next 50 miles of testing to see how the shoes held up.įirst real test in the shoe was an 8 mile trail run/hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. My first run was along the Charles River Esplanade and the shoes felt ready enough for a longer trail run. Quite solid, not too much flexibility, and lots of grip. Everything tightened up well, and the first thing I noticed was solid outsole design ready for trails. This was my first time in trail running shoes from Asics, so I was excited to try out the fit. However, both versions in the same color look almost identical. The upper features a new lacing system and a few design changes that provide a mild refresh. The midsole changes were mostly aesthetic without much of an effect on function. The previous model of the Gel Venture featured a near identical outsole, similar midsole, and upgraded upper.

It’s designed to be a daily trainer for those who need performance trail running in a proven package.įor those who need more speed and less trail, they can look at the Dynaflyte line of Asics shoes.Īlthough the Gel Venture is well suited for off road, Asics has a high-end trail shoe called the GT-2000 8 Trail which overlaps in features, but offers more tech (FLYTEFOAM, DYNAMIC DUOMAX) in a more expensive ($150) package. The Asics Gel Venture line of shoes is the entry level trail shoe from Asics.

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