A Lunch Run In The Vasque Trailbender Men’s Trail Running Shoes

It would be a stretch to say that I suffer in traditional running shoes, but as I get older, and everything hurts just a bit more during and after runs, I’ve become more curious about cushioned shoes.

With the Vasque Trailbender as my first pair of cushioned running shoes, I finally have some thoughts on the advantages and possible limitations of cushioned shoes. First, I’m sold on cushioned shoes. Mostly. I love them for floating down flowy singletrack, and they’re great for running on pavement. A fair amount of my runs include a mix of paved roads and trails, along with singletrack, so these are a great fit as an all-around running shoe for me. I did notice that they get a little squirrely when things get rough, like through bigger rock gardens, and when really digging into sharper corners. Since the majority of my local trail terrain leans more toward the smooth and flowy, that’s not a big factor for me. Is it possible to get both cushion AND stability in gnarlier terrain? I don’t know.

The Run

With some amazing cloud formations hanging over Castle Rock, I decided to head out for a lunch run, with the top of a decommissioned rhyolite quarry as my destination. The run would normally be almost entirely on trail, but recent warm weather has melted the snow from last week, causing some serious mud on sections of our backyard trails. I opted for a mix of trail and pavement, with pavement making up a majority of this six mile route.

Runner Profile

I’m a casual runner (no racing), running 2-3/days/12-15 miles per week, averaging a high seven min/mile if I’ve been running consistently. I don’t need a shoe that performs on forty mile runs or in gnarly terrain. I also don’t mind stopping on my runs (see below).

Shoe Profile

6mm drop, Vasque AxisGrip rubber sole, Moisture Wicking Textile Lining, Vasque AR 6 Last, Vasque Micro Plus Outsole, 11.4 oz./323g (single shoe)

Bottom Line on the Vasque Trailbenders

Comfortable right out of the box, built on Vasque’s long history and knowledge of making shoes and boots, and versatile enough for a wide variety of terrain.