Review
ASICS just made a very good shoe for very bad weather
ASICS’s Gel-Transcend FJ puts a trail shaped sole under a leather city sneaker, though its perforations set clear limits on rain protection. Grip is the real upgrade.
Published
British GQ presents the black ASICS Gel-Transcend FJ as an answer to autumn’s slippery streets, at £155. That framing gets at the shoe’s appeal, provided “bad weather” means wet pavements, grit and the occasional dirty shortcut. There is no waterproofing claim, no membrane and no promise that socks will stay dry through puddles.
The useful part is underfoot. ASICS has fitted the SportStyle shoe with a sole unit derived from its 2019 GEL FujiTrabuco 7 trail runner, a model whose lugged outsole was made for varied ground. The current product page describes the Transcend FJ as suited to “everyday exploration,” a sensible description for a sneaker with more purchase than a flat retro runner.
Up top, it is deliberately less technical. The leather panels, raised stripes, contrast stitching and perforations assemble details from the 1990s Transcend, Gel Odyssey and Gel Radius lines. That makes for a substantial, slightly armored silhouette with enough texture to work beside wide denim, fatigue trousers or a long wool coat. The perforations also explain why this is a poor substitute for a weather sealed walking shoe.
Leather improves the proposition over time. It can take a surface scuff without looking immediately spent, while a quick wipe after salted streets will keep the panels from developing a chalky film. The deep sole will need more attention: small stones lodged in the lugs and dried mud will be far more visible on the black outsole than on a smooth sneaker sole.
Fit should be approached as a lifestyle purchase. ASICS lists a standard width and unisex sizing, while its technical claims stay focused on the sole’s durability and grip, not on trail protection, stability hardware or long distance running. That restraint matters. The FJ has borrowed trail credibility where it will be felt during a commute.
Availability is already uneven by market. Early US coverage from Hypebeast listed Ash Green/Graphite Grey and Black Coffee/Graphite Grey at $150, while GQ UK reported the black pair at £155. ASICS’s Swiss store subsequently showed Black/Black, Rusted Rock/Black Coffee, Black Coffee/Graphite Grey and Ash Green/Graphite Grey, each set above the same aggressively lugged base.
