Hardwear
Product 2020
Woman, Man
This Asics Gel-Kayano 27 belongs to the family of versatile shoes that are aimed at runners who want to run on the road and on the trail. We tested the new Salomon Sonic 3 Accelerate in the same range. The two shoes are radically different in their sensations. The Asics Gel-Kayano 27 offers very obvious and appreciated cushioning. The Asics expertise in this area is second to none. They are designed for heel and midfoot attack. You can really let loose in the heel strike, the shoes filter a lot, even over long distances. Running midfoot, they are more balanced because you don’t have the slight lateral roll that you have when you attack from the heel. Precision is lost in this configuration. Running midfoot you also benefit from the heel cushioning, but you retain the propulsion and a more direct contact with the ground. Running forefoot, the Asics Gel-Kayano 27 also works, you have cushioning present under the metatarsals but of course it is reduced.
This Kayano 27 are not for runners who want very direct ground contact. They are designed for those looking for comfort and a tolerance to front/rear placement errors. Asics characterizes them as a product for pronators. Our field experience with them tells us that any runners can use them.
The only complaint the testers made was the heel fit: it isn’t tight enough. Precision and support are lagging behind other products. Of course, they are comfortable here because of the foam padding is thick in this area: the shoe is also warm at the rear and very ventilated at the front thanks to the mesh.
Another thing we noticed was that the laces are way too long.
The Asics Gel-Kayano 27 have a very pleasant, fluid, soft, and comfortable stride. They aren’t very directive in the sense that they allow your feet to breathe. You aren’t going to skim off seconds on your stopwatch, but you do have fun with them. They weigh just over 300 grams (315g) in size 42.5, they aren’t particularly light.
On the track or less technical paths, the Asics Gel-Kayano 27 are, once again, very pleasant to run with. The terrain is filtered without losing too much precision. You can accelerate without worrying about any vibrations. In the downhill you can feel the stones underfoot, which is normal as they aren’t kitted out with a protective plate.
Their grip is designed for the road, and a little off-road, and is satisfactory in most configurations. Of course, it loses points on steep uphill or muddy terrain.
The toe box area is comfortable and the diagonally arranged mesh meets the foothold and comfort needs.
There is a light stone guard at the front, effective for what they are designed for and well-integrated into the shoe’s design.
Advertised at 180 euros, they are in the premium-range shoes. A high price that could have been justified if they weighed less.
The Asics Gel-Kayano 27 are road shoes with plenty of cushioning. They are suitable for runners who have a heel attack. Versatile, they don’t mind going off-road but not very technical paths. Very comfortable shoes for possible long distances.
10 mm 
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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