Independently Tested & Reviewed
ASICS Fuji Lite 6 Trail Shoe Review: The verdict on this lightweight, responsive trail shoe
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ASICS’ Fuji Lite 6 trail shoe joins a growing market of off-road running shoes that aim to hit that Goldilocks sweet spot between the responsive feeling you get with a road shoe and the grip required to ditch the tarmac and explore the trails less trampled
Boasting similar promises to the likes of the Salomon Ultra Glide 3s and the Scott Kinabalu, the Fuji Lite 6 aims to combine cushioning and energy return with grip and traction. After being pretty impressed with the Salomon Ultra Glide 3s, I was interested to see how the ASICS Fuji Lite 6s would stack up.
RRP
£125
Weight
220g (average)
Drop
4mm
Leg Depth
4mm
Pronation
neutral
Cushioning
Light to moderate
Key Features
Lightweight, responsive trail shoe
FF BLAST PLUS™ foam for cushioning without too much extra weight
ASICSGRIP outer sole designed to offer traction in wet and dry conditions
91% recycled upper
Road shoe-like design and construction
How we tested the ASICS Fuji Lite 6 trail running shoes?
I’ve been testing these out through the autumn and winter months across a range of terrain including hard-packed trail, gravel tracks, woodland and over the fields (in icy conditions).
Summary: The TLDR Overview
The ASICS Fuji Lite 6 trail shoes have performed well across a range of mixed terrain runs. The cushioning is enough to ensure they don’t feel too harsh when you’re running on any tarmac sections, without compromising on feel for the trail and stability off road. This means they’ve remained comfortable even during slightly longer runs on relatively ‘easy’ off road terrain, where there’s little to disrupt your stride.
The lightweight construction and low drop (4mm) gives them a responsive feel, but this does mean that they don’t offer the same level of protection against rocks and tree roots compared to a heavier duty trail shoe. The grippy outsoles have performed well, though I’ve not tackled anything particularly gnarly so far!
Overall, if you want a light trail shoe that can comfortably take you from tarmac to trail – you’ll enjoy the Fuji Lite 6s.
In depth review: What is it like to run in the ASICS Fuji Lite 6 trail shoes?
Those are the headlines, but read on for a more in depth review…
Fit and First Impressions
In general, I have to go half a size up in ASICS shoes and the Fuji Lite 6s were no exception. I take a UK 5 street shoe, and in a UK 5.5 (EU 39 / US 7.5) the Fuji Lites fit perfectly, with enough room in the toe box without feeling like my feet are sliding around too much.
From above, these shoes could almost pass as road running shoes. The upper is a lightweight, mesh-like construction, the toe box is relatively unstructured and the ankle collar is low profile. This all helps to reduce the weight of the shoe and gives them that lighter, more responsive feeling. But it does mean they’re better suited to ‘lighter’ trail rather than anything significantly rocky or technical due to the lack of additional protection. Plus, expect soggy toes pretty quickly in wet conditions.
Cushioning
As someone who spends the majority of their time running on the road, more often than not in road shoes with maximal cushioning to deal with the hard miles on fatigued legs that come with Ironman training, trail shoes can sometimes feel a bit harsh underfoot in comparison.
I’d say the ASICS Fuji Lite 6s don’t feel quite as cushioned as the Salomon Ultra Glide 3s, but they are pleasantly comfortable while offering a lower stack and profile that helps you to feel more connected with the trail. Obviously, these aren’t a high energy return shoe: they’re not designed to be. But the lightweight FF BLAST PLUS foam does give a nice amount of bounce (for a trail shoe) that makes pushing the pace (where the terrain allows) feel easy. And, over slightly longer distances (>1 hour) the shock absorption in the foam has kept things feeling comfy.
Stability and Grip
Despite the low profile ankle collar/heel design, these shoes (for me at least) offer a really stable-feeling ride. They offer a decent heel lock, without having to overly tighten the laces. And the 4mm drop and fairly low-profile stack means there’s been no feeling of ‘wobbling’ round corners.
I’ve run on a mixture of what I’d call ‘light trail’ terrain in these shoes. Sandy tracks, gravel, hard-packed trail, woodlands and over the fields – in dry, slightly wet and icy conditions. The grip has coped well across all of these, and they’ve served me well for some road running when the pavements were icy, too. As mentioned, they’re not really designed for anything particularly hardcore – the upper isn’t waterproof and you haven’t got much protection around the toe box – and I’m not much of a ‘hardcore’ trail runner either. So I can’t vouch for how well they’d perform on anything a bit gnarlier than what the countryside of Suffolk has to offer. But for the every day trails, I think these are a great choice
Comfort
As mentioned, the cushioning on the ASICS Fuji Lite 6s has been plenty enough to offer good shock absorption and long run comfort on mixed terrain. The lightweight upper was nice and breathable in the milder conditions of autumn. But these shoes aren’t really designed for keeping your feet warm and dry – so if you want a higher level of protection from the elements, you’ll need to opt for a heavier duty trail shoe (such as the ASICS Trabuco).
What I’ve really liked about this shoe is that, for me at least, they were comfortable straight out of the box. I’ve not had to do anything to adjust the laces and I’ve had zero issues with rubbing or blisters. They offer a good heel lock, and the lower profile ankle collar means there’s no pressure around the Achilles area. The toe box is also wide enough to avoid any cramped conditions for my freakishly long second toes too – which has meant no under-toe blisters. Always ideal.
Verdict
Overall, these are a great pair of trail shoes if you want the freedom to explore a mix of terrain on your everyday runs. They’re comfortable, responsive and cushioned enough to give good shock absorption without feeling marshmallowy. Are they going to get you through the really hardcore stuff? No. Are they great fun to run in, and comfortable too? Absolutely. If you hate that feeling of stomping around in heavy trail shoes, and you’re happy to stick to the more ‘moderate’ off road terrain, you’ll love the ASICS Fuji Lite 6s.
