Asics may not be as popular to the sneaker-loving public as Nike, adidas, and Jordan, but runners know that Asics consistently delivers reliable options. Asics has some of the best running shoes available on the market. You’ll notice several Asics running shoes also featured on our Best Running Shoes page. Asics is most famous for its Gel technology, rightfully so, but with better foam and midsole technologies now available, Asics uses Gel much less. This is perfectly fine because Asics shoes remain top of the line in comfort and cushion. Here’s our list of the Best Asics Running Shoes.
This list does not include all of our Asics running shoe reviews – just the best ones. If you want to see more, you can check out all our running shoes reviews here.
All the shoes mentioned here are at the top of their category within the brand. We tried to make it easy to find the categories that are most important to you. Just click the category you want to read in the table of contents, and you’ll quickly see what we have to say about the best shoe from that category.
Updated: 02.23.2023
Best Neutral Cushioned Asics Running Shoes
Asics Gel-Nimbus 25
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 isn’t a snappy shoe, but there’s plenty of soft FF Blast+ cushion underfoot. That, alongside an absolutely luxuriously comfortable upper, means the Gel-Nimbus 25 is ready for a ton of road miles. We don’t recommend using it for any of your speed work, but you can churn out miles in the Gel-Nimbus 25 while saving your legs from harsh asphalt and roads.
As an added bonus, the foam flares out from the foot, creating an incredibly stable platform. Oh, and it’s built to accommodate tons of foot types. Wide-footers, flat-footers, and beginners will all find a shoe that works for them. And for wide-footers that need even more room, Asics sells an extra wide version that may be perfect for you. See the full review.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $160
Asics Superblast
The Asics Superblast is a high-stack, fun, and versatile neutral running shoe useful for anything from easy miles to workouts to long runs. It’s so light, it feels like a race day shoe. It’s soft but stable, and even without a carbon fiber plate in the middle of all that foam, it’s got a nice pop. You’re getting a shoe with a ride that will make you want to run more often. And true, the price seems high at first glance…but this do-everything shoe is extremely durable and worth the investment. See the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $220
Asics Novablast 3
The Asics Novablast 3 is close to the perfect running shoe. There are many reasons it currently sits atop our rankings as the best running shoe of 2022. The combination of bounce and impact protection provided by the FF Blast+ midsole makes this shoe an extremely comfortable daily trainer that can pick up the pace when needed. The Novablast 3 is also much more stable than you’d expect for a shoe this soft. In addition, the upper is breathable and comfortable, while the overall ride is super smooth. There are basically no weaknesses, and it doesn’t hurt that the Novablast 3 looks spectacular as well. Grab it and enjoy an extremely good all-around shoe. See the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price $140
Asics GlideRide 3
The Asics GlideRide 3 is an impressive shoe. It’s soft as your foot lands and then provides a nice bounce as you push off into the next stride. The midsole’s shape makes the running motion super smooth, and how the midsole is built adds much more stability than you’d expect on this type of shoe. To top it off, the upper is super plush and comfortable. Running one mile in this shoe feels just as good as running 20. It’s just that good.
Overall, the combination of comfort, cushion, stability, and an ultra-smooth ride make the GlideRide 3 a neutral cushioned shoe you’ll want to wear daily. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 6mm, Price: $150
Best Asics Stability Running Shoes
Asics Gel Kayano 29
The Asics Gel Kayano 29 is Asics’ flagship stability shoe. It delivers top-of-class stability via the stiff foam LITETRUSS system that steps in to prevent moderate to severe overpronation. If you don’t need the motion control, it stays out of the way and allows you to maintain your natural footstrike. The cushion does take some time to break in, but once the FF Blast+ livens up, you get an extremely comfortable upper and a super durable outsole. On top of all that, the Kayano 29 comes in regular, 2E, and 4E widths for men and regular and D widths for women. Read the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 10mm, Price: $160
Best Asics Marathon Running Shoes
Asics Metaspeed Sky+
The Asics Metaspeed Sky+ is light, stable, breathable, and super bouncy. The FF Blast Turbo paired with the carbon plate really provides a spring to every step. The AsicsGrip traction grabs every surface making this shoe an excellent choice for running a race in bad weather. The upper isn’t perfect, but the rest of the shoe is so good you can overlook any minor issues. This shoe is perfect for race days, long training runs, or fast-speed workouts. It’s versatile and helps you feel fast. Read the full review.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 5mm, Price: $250
Asics Metaspeed Edge+
The Asics Metaspeed Edge+ is made with a slightly different geometry from the Metaspeed Sky+. This gives runners more options on race day. The Edge+ has a little less stack height, a higher heel-to-toe drop, a more gradual toe-spring curve, and a carbon plate that sits lower in the midsole. The Edge+ doesn’t bounce you up as much as the Sky+, instead bouncing the user forward. Which will you like better? That depends on your running form. Grab them both, see which feels better on foot, and then return the other using Running Warehouse’s great return policy.
Fits: Fits small, Drop: 8mm, Price: $250
Best Asics Triathlon Running Shoes
Asics Noosa Tri 14
First, let’s take a second to enjoy the wild colorway of the Asics Noosa Tri 14. And there are four other (also pretty crazy) colorways of the shoe on the Asics website. But this shoe is more than just a colorway. The FlyteFoam provides solid cushioning, which, while not the best Asics offers, the Noosa Tri 14 compensates with a super smooth ride. The Guidesole rocker is perfectly shaped to where it feels like you’re gliding as you run. The upper is wide-foot friendly with a roomy forefoot so you can stretch your toes. And because this is a triathlon-focused shoe, it comes with an extra set of toggle laces for easy on/off transitions. We’ve heard many serious triathletes find these so comfortable they’ll wear them without socks. The upper is comfy, but we’re not quite ready for the no socks thing lol. The Noosa Tri 14 is not just good for triathletes…it’s also a really good everyday running shoe.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 5mm, Price: $130
Best Asics Running Shoes – Honorable Mention
Asics Magic Speed 2
The Asics Magic Speed 2 is a firmer shoe focused on speed sessions or short races. The top layer of FF Blast+ doesn’t offer the impact protection as the Asics Novablast 3, but it does pop off the pavement. Much of that pop is due to the full-length carbon-infused TPU plate sandwiched between the FF Blast+ and the heel Flytefoam.
The upper is super breathable and very similar to the uppers on the Metaspeed series. It’s not perfect, but it accommodates wide footers well. Flat footers will enjoy the Magic Speed 2 because there’s good arch support that’s also unobtrusive, so it won’t cause discomfort. The Magic Speed 2 feels comfortable on foot and excels on tracks or other surfaces where you can go fast but don’t need much impact protection.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 7mm, Price $150
Asics Cumulus 24
The Asics Cumulus line is reliable. This year the Cumulus 24 again delivers a nicely cushioned, comfortable shoe. But it’s not as well-cushioned or comfortable as the Nimbus 24 or GlideRide 3. We’d recommend you spend the extra $20 or $30 to upgrade to one of those models. But, if you’ve worn and loved the Cumulus in the past, this year’s version will give you more of the same feeling you enjoy.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price $130
Asics EvoRide 3
The Asics EvoRide 3 features the same midsole and outsole as the Asics Noosa Tri 14 but a more traditional running upper. However, the upper on the EvoRide 3 isn’t nearly as comfortable. It’s easily worth the $10 to upgrade to the Noosa Tri 14 if you like the feel of this midsole. However, if you hate the crazy colors of the Noosa Tri series, the EvoRide 3 provides the same feel in a much more understated package.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 5mm, Price $120
Best Asics Running Shoes Now on Sale
Asics Gel Nimbus 24
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 24 is a huge upgrade from previous Nimbus models. Nimbus has always meant comfortable neutral cushioned daily trainer, but the Nimbus 24 takes that to a new level. The FFBlast+ foam (with some Asics GEL for good measure) is super plush underfoot and doesn’t deaden over long runs. The upper is engineered mesh that feels more like knit, along with an awesome comfortable tongue. One of the drawbacks is winter traction issues, but the outsole is incredibly durable and hardly shows wear. This will be a long-lasting shoe. And even though the fit is accommodating, it’s available in a wide version, so even the widest footers can enjoy it. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 10mm, Price: $160
Best Asics Casual Shoes
Asics EX89
The Asics EX89 is the reissue of one of Asics’ basketball shoes from 1989 called the Gel Extreme. The EX89 is not meant for basketball, but it does bring comfort and retro style to your feet. Asics even added FF Blast to liven up the underfoot cushion and feel. The traction also has no issues, even in wet and slippery conditions. It’s similarly priced to the Nike Dunk Lows, but the Asics EX89 features better materials, fit, and performance for walking and casual wear. Read the full review.
Fits: True, Price: $110
Asics Gel-Lyte III OG
The Asics Gel-Lyte III OG, originally released in 1990, features the iconic split tongue configuration that’s still easily recognizable today (though the split tongue actually originated on the Gel-LD Racer). The OG version stays true to the original shape and tooling, including the Gel unit encapsulated in the midsole. It’s a truly classic shoe that’s now available in a ton of different colorways and collab versions. The Gel Lyte III OG can even stand out in today’s crowded retro sneaker scene.
Fits: True, Price: $110-120, $140-150 for collab versions
Thinking of a shoe we should add to the best Asics running shoes list? Comment below or message us on Instagram or Twitter.
