I haven't had to buy shoes for a while, and just found out that the Tarther is gone from ASICS' lineup. Anyone know what, if anything, is replacing it? If you used the Tarther, what are you replacing it with?
I haven't had to buy shoes for a while, and just found out that the Tarther is gone from ASICS' lineup. Anyone know what, if anything, is replacing it? If you used the Tarther, what are you replacing it with?
I didn't know the Tarther was going. Sad, it's a great shoe, although I preferred the 2011 version to the 2012.
I also used the Adizero Adios which was very similar to the Tarther, but it's been replaced by the Adios 2. The Adios 2 is also similar to the Tarther but has a slightly firmer/stiffer ride. The grip is better grip too and it has (for me) a little better fit at the heel.
I tried the Asics DS Racer but didn't like it.
Thanks. I'll check them out. My wife and I have gone through 29 pair of Tarthers since they came out in 2010. We tried other shoes here and there, but Tarthers always worked best. Strange they are gone, because I believe they were a very good selling shoe. Bummer!
I've heard they were really popular in Japan and that Asics started to sell them overseas because of "popular demand" or something.
Could be that they are just no longer exporting them? I'd be surprised if they were discontinued altogether. They're a great 10K to marathon racer.
With the Adios, I'd also say they they don't have that same soft feel of the tarther when you first try them, but they loosen up and the profile feels very similar once worn in a bit. Good luck!
I believe the Tarther was a shoe basically sold in Japan and got imported here for awhile. I don't know what happened to them, but you can't seem to find them any longer. I suspect if you contacted Joe Rubio through Running Warehouse, he or someone on his staff would know.
I had trained in them and currently use the DS Racer 9, the Hyperspeed 4 and Hyperspeed 5. Of the three, I prefer the Hyperspeed 4, but alas it is now gone also. The Hyperspeed 5 just seems too firm for me.
Having said all that, I just wish they would bring back the Bandito. The DS Racer was suppose to be the replacement, but never seemed to fit the bill for me, although I believe the 9 is somewhat better than the 8 and closer to the Bandito.
You're right about the import from Japan. In the initial stages, the Tarther shipped direct from the USA factory. Once it got popular, ASICS started full US channel distribution. I'm not sure what happened, because it was as popular as ever. Tarther 2 is being introduced in the EU now, but USA isn't getting it. I talked with someone at Running Warehouse this morning, and they confirmed it was discontinued for the US market. No explanation so far, and no recommended replacement by ASICS. I tried calling ASICS USA this morning, but they don't open until 9am PT, and I was too busy with work. I'll try again tomorrow. The Ohana and Bandito were great shoes as well, but I liked the Tarther even better. I'll post an update if I get any info. Cheers.
Tarther isn't gone - there are many versions in Japan, including slim and wide foot. Try Rakuten website, some vendors will ship to US