Vasque is a company well known for their superior hiking boots, but they’ve recently amped up their trail running offerings, and the Vasque Transistor FS shows that the quality of their boots shows in their trail shoes as well.
Out of the box, the Vasque Transistor FS trail running shoes felt amazingly light weight. In fact, when I got the package I didn’t believe there were shoes in the box. Putting them on, they felt true to size, yet low-profile to the point that I was a bit worried about how they would perform, especially on mountain trails. I’m far from a barefoot running convert, and these minimalist shoes made me think twice.
The only way to find out if they work is to hit the trails, and I gave the Vasque Transistors a good pounding. Thanks to a unseasonably wet spring here in Utah, getting on the trails has been a challenge. But Vasque calls the Transistor FS a shoe that can “transition” from pavement to dirt, hence the name. So I took to the streets for some jogging and training.
On the street, the shoes show their limitations for sure. One of the features is the lack of a footbed. Instead, Vasque uses an integrated Poron® memory foam sewn inside the shoe that forms to the foot. Vasque calls it the FootSync Fit System, where the runner is closer to the ground as the shoe conforms to their individual foot shape. But pavement is hard, and running any further than about three miles made my feet feel pretty beat up as a result of the lack of standard cushion. Funny thing though, my usual knee pain went away when running in the Transistors, so maybe Vasque is on to something here.
When the trails around Salt Lake finally dried out, I got some long runs in with the Vasque Transistor shoes, and any comfort issues I had in the city evaporated as soon as I stepped foot on some rocks and soil. All I can say is these shoes can fly! They are light weight and nimble, with excellent breathability and all-around support. I was doubly impressed with the traction. Running up steep, slippery slopes was no probem at all in the Transistors, and the aggressive lugs made cornering easy.
However, running about 5 miles in the Transistors still made my feet a bit sore as the low height in the sole makes every rock and variation amplified. The plus is that you can react instantly to changes in the trail, and the increased sensitivity leads to greater awareness of the terrain. But the downside is the bottom of my feet were hurting. So while the Transitors are awesome performers in every way, I think they’re probably best for experienced trail runners with conditioned feet that can take the pounding.
Overall, the Vasque Transistor FS trail running shoes are super light, stable, and minimalist – everything an experienced runner needs for racing or fleet-footed long distance runs. But novice or casual runners may prefer a bit more cushion and work up to a shoe as advanced as the Transistor FS. Here’s the shoes’ features from Vasque.
Upper Material: synthetic leather, nylon
Lining: mesh
Sole: slip-resistant rubber
Lacing: standard
Arch Support: neutral
Weight: 10.8 oz
Manufacturer Warranty:1 year