ASICS Review 2024
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Asics has reinvented itself over the last few years, and if there’s any sign of complacency, we’ve yet to see it.
The brand has also done an excellent job of bringing the old and new together. On one hand, we see popular models like the Nimbus, Cumulus, and Kayano in the catalog, but updated with fresher designs and materials.
There are fun products like the Superblast – a softer, lighter, and bouncier version of the Novablast. Using the lightweight Flytefoam Turbo on a rocker midsole makes the Superblast comfortable and quick.
Also, the Japanese company is one of the last safe havens for affordable low-profile racers like the $80 Lyteracer 4 and $90 Hyper Speed 2. Occasionally, it’s nice to have a traditional racer for speedwork rather than wobbly Carbon-plated running shoes.
Trail running shoes have always been Asics’s Achilles heel, and that hasn’t changed. That said, the Gel-Trabuco 11 is a decent trail runner, and so is the Fuji Lite 3.
1) Best for beginners: Asics Gel-Cumulus 25
There’s a good reason why the updated Nimbus Lite hasn’t shown up this year. The Cumulus 25 and Nimbus 25 are very different than their predecessors.
We cover the Nimbus 25 in the next section, but the Cumulus 25 also goes through a similar redesign process. The new Cumulus feels similar to the Nimbus Lite – the visible Gel pad is gone, and so is the slow-loading ride quality.
Asics adds 2 mm of stack height to the new midsole that’s 100% Flytefoam Blast+ on the outside, and has a small Gel unit under the heel. The midsole has a mild rocker profile that previously did not exist on the Cumulus.
The outcome is anyone’s guess. The ride is more comfortable than the Cumulus 24, and the new shoe feels quicker due to the midsole shape.
Overall, the Cumulus’s balanced ride character is a good fit for runners of all experience classes, be it a beginner or a veteran marathoner who wants a versatile everyday trainer.
The true-to-size upper uses a combination of speed loops and soft meshes to achieve a comfortable and secure fit.
2) Best for long runs: Asics Gel-Nimbus 25
The Nimbus 25 isn’t anything like the 24, or any other Nimbus that came before it.
For 2023, Asics opts for a bold Nimbus redesign. The midsole is now full-length Flytefoam Blast+, a softer and livelier variant of the standard Flytefoam. Inside the heel is a small Gel unit called ‘Pure Gel’.
This also means that the rearfoot no longer has a visible Gel window. The forefoot doesn’t have any Gel either – not that it mattered anyway.
On the road, the Nimbus 25 delivers an extremely cushioned ride with a noticeably higher pep.
Unlike the previous models, the new Nimbus doesn’t behave like a long-distance shoe for easy runs. Sure, it does high-mileage runs just fine, but the forefoot midsole makes it much easier to go faster.
On the Nimbus 24, the foot had to work through the soft forefoot during the gait cycle. Here, the high toe spring and inflexible (but highly-cushioned) forefoot helps the foot roll forward – similar to what the Novablast does.
On the flip side, the Nimbus 25’s outsole traction is average due to the new lug geometry and toe-spring; it’s a downgrade from the 24 and 23.
We like the new upper with its true-to-size fit and comfortable interiors. The tongue design will divide opinions, as the thin knitted tongue feels out of place on a shoe this plush.
As always, the Nimbus 25 has gender-specific cushioning. The Women’s version has a 1 mm lower stack height.
3) Best for overpronators: Asics Gel Kayano 29
The Kayano is the longest continuing shoe series with a firmer medial post. These days, the midsole wedge design isn’t in-your-face like it once used to be.
Asics hasn’t canceled the medial post on the Kayano 29. While the brand doesn’t advertise it, the ‘Litestruss’ part of the midsole has a firmer section of foam. Our review breaks down the ride character of the new Kayano.
As expected, the Kayano 29 has a mild motion-control quality that’s expected of traditional stability shoes.
However, the midsole isn’t without its changes. The plastic shank no longer exists. The redesigned footbridge and its sloped design improve the transition quality by acting as a firmer base under the foot.
The foam has been softened a bit, so the Kayano 29 feels easier on the feet than the Kayano 28. An Ortholite insole and foam lasting add the familiar step-in comfort.
The 10.5-ounce Kayano 29 is best used as a daily runner or for occasional long-distance training at easy paces.
Premium materials are used throughout the upper to create a comfortable interior. The sizing fits true to size, and the Kayano also sells in a wide and extra wide.
4) Best for overpronators: Asics Gel GT-2000 11
Even the venerable GT-2000 isn’t immune to the changes in the rapidly evolving running shoe industry. Asics no longer advertises the ‘Duomax’ medial post on the V11, nor does the midsole have a plastic shank.
Nonetheless, the midsole still has a firmer (but smaller) section of foam, so the GT-2000 11 hasn’t checked out of the medial posting business yet.
The Flytefoam midsole is softly-cushioned, yet sufficiently supportive. The ride is more comfortable, and the transitions feel smoother due to the updated outsole geometry. In more ways than one, the GT-2000 11 is very similar to the GT-2000 10.
Summing up the GT-2000 11 is easy. It’s a versatile daily trainer with supportive cushioning and a conforming fit.
The true-to-size upper has a design and fit character that resembles the past models. Components like the engineered mesh upper, welded overlays, and the traditional tongue and heel design produce a pleasing fit character.
5) Best for tempo runs: Asics Novablast 3
The Asics Novablast 3’s Flytefoam has a soft yet lively cushioning that’s ideal for high-mileage runs. The shoe’s 8.9-ounce (253-gram) weight delivers a high cushioning-to-weight ratio.
There’s a fair bit of spring in the semi-rocker midsole, so the runner benefits from a forward-biased transition quality. Also, the 8 mm heel-to-toe offset makes the Novablast 3 beginner-friendly. Our in-depth review explains everything.
In short, the Novablast 3 is a cushioned tempo trainer for everyday runs or races of up to a half marathon. While full marathons are also doable, we recommend softer racers with a plate – our recommendations are here.
The upper has a similar form factor as the Novablast 1 and 2, which means it fits securely and true-to-size.
6) Best for marathons: Asics Metaspeed Sky
Asics has a diverse assortment of running shoes with an internal plate. The first is the ‘Guidesole’ kind; shoes like the Glideride use a stiff Nylon plate to enhance the rocker sensation. The second is the Metaracer – a cushioned racer that promotes quick transitions through a stiff Carbon plate.
The third category would be models like Metaspeed Sky and Edge – running shoes that are inspired by the Nike Vaporfly form factor. In other words, there’s a curved Carbon plate inside a soft midsole to deliver the signature cushioning ‘snap’ or springiness.
Both the Metaspeed models use the Asics Flytefoam Turbo material – a responsive foam that feels like a blend between New Balance Fuelcell and adidas Lightstrike Pro.
The FF Turbo is a soft and bouncy cushioning platform, but with a resilient overtone. And like most other superfoams, it adds sufficient comfort for marathon distances.
The full-length Carbon plate does the rest – it adds a sense of pushback under the heel, and makes the forefoot transitions quicker. Asics uses a specially formulated outsole rubber to improve the grip quality.