Hardwear
Product 2021
Woman, Man
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 22 we tested came close to getting the Test4outside.com FIRST Award. The Asics Gel-Nimbus 23 goes straight to the top of the podium and wins this distinction without hesitation.
The Gel-Nimbus has been around for about 20 years now. It honors the Japanese brand for having developed this model, which has now reached full maturity, great consistency at a time when some brands are giving in to the facility of new products at any cost.
What a pleasure to run on the road with these Asics! So comfortable and with such quality cushioning! For long runs they are ideal.
Let’s look at their first quality: the sole. This cushioning, fluidity, and softness accompanies you for hours. They filter along the entire length of the foot, but mainly at the heel. On a marked heel strike the cushioning is powerful, but during “normal” foot strike you feel the sole squash evenly, then harden before springing back the energy.
You can recognize this cushioning with your eyes closed: it’s soft but with energy too, very comfortable but without any loss of spring. You can run and run without any worries. The filtration is also under the metatarsals, and very well gauged. You can run the Asics Gel-Nimbus 23 forefoot to gain even more efficiency. But it is more aimed for a heel attack.
We had the impression that the slight imprecision of the heel grip, what we called the slight “roll” of the Asics Gel-Nimbus 22 version is no longer there. The foot strike is quite precise and with a well-balanced stride. The stride is helped by both the mechanical quality of the sole and the 10mm drop (15 at the front, 25 at the rear).
In terms of comfort, the toe-box volume is ideal for “medium” feet. The mesh is breathable, it doesn’t stretch much.
The heel is well seated in thick foam padding, unbelievably comfortable. For those who want to use the Asics Gel-Nimbus 23 in an Ironman, its foam padding would take on a little water when being sprayed in triathlons in hot weather, and the shoe then takes on a little extra weight.
The lacing is perfect: efficiency reigns with precision, and precise and even foot envelopment. There just remains the question of weight: 320g in size 42.5. No, it may not be the lightest in its class. But it is arguably the shoe with the most elaborate cushioning: there is quality material in this Asics Gel-Nimbus 23, and no doubt this is the off-side to technicality. We wouldn’t be surprised if the next Nimbus version, number 24, loses a little weight.
The overall design of this Asics Gel-Nimbus 23 is very consistent between the sole and the upper, everything carries the same level of quality and technicality. As far as the manufacturing is concerned, no complaints here, the materials, assemblies, everything is top-notch. On the other hand, we feel that the design does not do this technical and very efficient shoe justice. The very traditional look deserves a facelift.
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 23 is a product that has been painstakingly improved over decades. Its cushioning for long distances is really well balanced and effective. Ditto for its superior comfort. A shoe to rack up the miles, and for recovery sessions too. It fully deserves the Test4outside.com FIRST Award.
15 mm10 mm 
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
Receive your answers by mail. Do you have a particular question concerning the design, use, durability or other about a tested product? We will answer your question personally.
