THE CHALLENGER
Asics footwear has long been a staple of the serious pavement pounder, and now they are ready to break into the performance trail running market. The all new FujiEndurance Trail Running Shoe is engineered from the ground up to conquer trails!
How well do they perform you ask? It is almost impossible to tell how well a shoe will perform in high-stakes conditions through a computer screen or through awkward jump movements in a retail store. To help you in your quest for knowledge we sent two of CampSaver’s best to put the new Asics Gel-FujiEndurance trail running shoes to the test.
MEET THE TEAM
Scott Datwyler is a legend as far as the Utah outdoor community is concerned. He has been crucial to the growth of the outdoor industry since the early seventies and continues to hike, bike, run, ski and live life to the fullest every day! Yes, he can still beat you in a race.
Matt Shoemaker is an accomplished road racer and all around great guy. Matt has competed in 45 marathons across the country including the Boston Marathon in 2013 and 2014. A typical week for Matt consists of 30 miles of road running. This is Matt’s first experience with a true trail running shoe.
Performance
Our testers were able to put about 30 miles each over a variety of different locations, terrains, temperatures, and conditions. We asked them to pay attention to comfort, fit, breathability, rock protection and shoe envy from other runners they came across on the trail.
Comfort
We tested on different terrains to see if the shoe was capable of taking on rocky trails, roots and smooth fire roads. We found the the Asics Gel-FujiEndurance more than capable to eat up any type of trails we could find!
Fit
Matt’s preferred road weapon of choice has been a pair of Asics for years, and he found that Asics was able to transfer their technical fit to their trail line seamlessly. Scott liked the fit so much he has incorporated these shoes into his work shoe rotation.
Breathability
Summers in Utah are not known for exceptionally cool mellow temperatures. The sun can be unforgiving during the summer and cause your body to melt and your feet to burn. Asics new Plasma Guard liner allowed moisture and heat to escape while still protecting from the unexpected downpour or stream.
Verdict
These shoes are perfect for somebody who is looking to get started with trail running or a more advanced runner looking for his next performance shoe. Our testers were able to run as far as they wanted and explore more without fearing water, terrain or an equipment failure.
If you are in the market for a fly new pair of kicks, we recommend you check out the new Asics Gel-FujiEndurance Trail Running Shoes.
