ASICS is not necessarily one of those brands you would think of when it comes to stepping out of the box and doing something new, but this last year plus has been an interesting journey for them. Historically, people were diehard devotees of a certain ASICS model, you just love the Kayano or the Cumulus or in this case, the Nimbus. So what happens though when the brand you love takes the model you love and flips it on its head and makes it a thousand times better, BUT it’s different than what you knew before. This is the story of the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 and yes, it is one of the best shoes out there right now and an amazing way to kick off 2023.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weight – 10.5oz or 298g for a US Men’s 9, 9.2oz or 261g for a US Women’s 7
- Cushion – 41mm of cushion and a 8mm heel/toe drop
- Pricing – $160 USD
- Colors – 11 colors
Construction and Materials
Upper
The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 features an engineered knit upper gently embraces your foot, providing a soft and cozy feel. The updated knit tongue construction enhances flexibility and extends around the ankle, elevating the fit and adding a touch of luxury to your running experience. Moreover, with at least 75% of the shoe’s main upper material made from recycled content, these shoes showcase a commitment to sustainability by reducing waste and carbon emissions, making them a responsible choice for environmentally conscious runners.
Midsole
The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 incorporates FF BLAST™ ECO PLUS technology, which enhances cushioning to deliver a softer landing and a more responsive toe-off, optimizing your overall running experience. Additionally, the PureGEL™ technology employed in this shoe offers lightweight cushioning and promotes softer landings, providing an added layer of comfort and support to keep you going mile after mile.
Outsole
The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 incorporates the AHAR™ outsole rubber, renowned for its exceptional durability, which ensures long-lasting performance and provides runners with the confidence and peace of mind to take on any training or race.
Performance Review
We first got a look at the Gel-Nimbus 25 as part of The Running Event, back in late 2022, but it was fairly under the wraps and not something many of us can show. Most of us didn’t get a chance to run in it though, we only got a visual look, and it was surprising to say the least because it felt so different. From the upper design, especially the lacing column to even the heel pull, and the roundness of that midsole, it was super exciting because it had a certain freshness.
Once the shoe arrive for testing, we were pumped, and from the first time you put it on your foot, you’ll understand why. That upper system, from the treatment of the net, to the way, they handle the padding around the collar to the step and feel, and the tongue pole, it is, just silky smooth up top. It’s like when you jump into a hotel bed and the thread counts are higher than you’ve ever experienced, the Nimbus upper is fantastic.
The midsole isn’t too shabby, either, making use of the FlyteFoam Blast+ paired with a bit of their Pure Gel to give you a softer forefoot experience. Now it can feel a little soft, and this is probably an important takeaway, but you shouldn’t expect this to feel like a super up-tempo shoe. The Nimbus 25 is a great daily trainer for filling all of the requirements. Yes, it comes in a little and a heavy side, but it’s got enough cushioning, enough support, and a built up enough upper to give you an easy run almost every day. It is not a shoe for speed days but he delivers a solid overall experience, and a well rounded one at that.
If we had to give it a knock, it’s going to come in a few areas. First, the upper is unbelievably comfortable, but as the temperatures increase, it is going to start feeling a bit warm. The layering of that knit is it going to heat things up that and so as we get closer to summer, expect these to just heat up your foot a little more than you might expect. Next, these are coming in a bit heavy, almost 11 ounces and sure that’s okay as a daily trainer, but we do think it could lose some weight. Lastly, and this is the easiest to fix, where is the AHAR+ on the outsole? For some reason, ASICS continues to ship shoes with the older AHAR, but as we saw with a Superblast, the AHAR+ is a much better outsole tech and just one that tracks a lot better during all kinds of weather. Seems like an easy switch for next year.
Overall Conclusion
We said it at the beginning, and we will say it again, the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 25 is the best shoe of the new year, and while we were excited about it when we first saw it, once we had a chance to experience them in run it was even better. Expect to see these on a lot of feet throughout the year, because once people step into them, it’s going to be hard to take them away. The upper alone sells the shoe but the combination of that nice cushy midsole makes for a very pleasant daily training experience. Yes, we would love to see it lighten up a bit and do have some minor concerns around the warmth of the upper, but don’t let this steer you wrong, this shoe makes for a really nice running experience.
Learn more on the ASICS website
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Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
