Having run almost exclusively in Asics shoes for the latest two years I was very excited to test the Trabuco Max 4. As a 6'3" 210 pound runner in my mid thirties I have leaned in heavily to the max cushion category.The road running I do is in large part to supplement my trail races. Having run the Novablast 3,4,5 and most recently Superblast 2. the first pair I ordered in my running shoe size 12m. upon trying them on it was apparent I'd need to size up a half size. When I received the 12.5 they fit like a traditional size 12. My first trail run in the Trabuco Max 4 was a moderate effort 17km on dry compact dirt. First Run: The foam is firm and compliant which I seek in a running shoe being a heavier runner. Despite the stack height I found the ground feel to be adequate. the forefoot rocker provided a pleasant and predictable transition from forefoot to toe off. Upper did a great job breathing throughout the run. The most striking aspect of the shoe was how much it protected my legs. At no point throughout the run did I feel fatigued. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I left the trail stoked on the shoe. That same day after I had taken off the shoe to continue my day I started to experience heel pain that radiated up my calf. The pain was transient however, I would experience shooting pain on the inside of my heel. I decided the next day to use the shoe to walk the kids the park. This time the pain was present while wearing the shoe. I isolated the point of insult which was the tibial nerve being compressed by the foam backed by the extremely firm heel counter. When I returned home I attempted to massage the heel counter after applying heat in the hopes that it would be easier to shape. Second Run: I went out again for another 17k trail run after it rained over night. Sections of the trail were fairly muddy this time. Within the first mile I again experienced shooting pain midline in the heel and up the calf. I was hoping the foam in the heel would start to compact through the run alleviating some of the impingement I was experiencing. While defending I ran through a muddy section. It was there the shoe washed out over and over again. The experience was similar to trail running in road shoes. There was a total loss of grip. the last 3km I did some Tabata repeats. The pain in the heel and calf intensified as the heel counter rose up the heel during shoes compression cycles. The next few days I continued to have heel and calf pain in my left leg. Running in the Novablast and Superblast didn't illicit the same discomfort but the shooting pain would be transient throughout the day. Third Run: After some time out of the Trabuco Max 4 I opted to run on the road with a few running buddies casually for 10k. The pain presented itself again. I kept the shoes on walking my daughter to the park hoping beyond the issue was only induced if I was running. Unfortunately the discomfort persisted. Conclusion: There are so many good things going for this shoe. The user Jacquard mesh is fantastic. The foam is firm and compliant which is excellent for folks who want a more responsive shoe over longer efforts as well as heavier runners. The toe box when sized up allows for splaying of the foot over time. Unfortunately the drawbacks are significant enough that I am putting the shoes on the shoes down while I look for alternative for this years 50k races. I look forward to an Trabuco Max 5 update. I really hope they lower the heel counter height and reduce the overall stiffness. We also need to see a shoe with longer lugs and a better lug pattern to give confidence in wet conditions. I hope Asics makes the necessary changes to this shoe. Ill be looking forward to it!
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