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PLUSH CUSHIONING Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 320g for size 10.5 | RRP R3 999
As a big guy with a high cross-training load and joint issues, I love a max cushioned comfort kick. Every time I don’ t feel like a fast tempo or track session, but need time on my legs, I find myself leaning towards a pair of 40mm + plushers. I know I’ m not alone – this max cushioned category is so popular that the lawmakers stepped in to put a lid on it. We know purists feel that the trend in heavily cushioned shoes is creating poor running form and weaker posture, but suddenly oversized people can find comfort running and less efficient runners can double their mileage without joint or muscle pain. That’ s surely a nett win. |
These have a 43.5mm rear and 36mm front and, despite their beefy bulk, they look and feel sophisticated and wellmade. You can immediately sense a deep level of foot and spinal comfort. The PureGel FF Blast superfoam is soft and plush. The Gel heritage at Asics goes back many years and is a respected benchmark of cushioning – and it continues to do a great job absorbing shock in the heel landing and delivering a smooth ride without feeling spongy or unstable. Some even argue it’ s too firm for its stack height – but you can never please everyone.
Having reviewed the Nimbus 26, we immediately noticed how the smooth jacquard mesh upper on the 27 provides more structure than the previous knitted upper – which was not stable enough for
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the high-stack base. The toe box space is squarer, providing more room than in the tapered knitted versions, which those with wider feet felt were a little constricted. The foot width and length fit is now spot on for us Saffas. The shape of the upper is snug around the midfoot, wrapped by the thin, strongly gusseted knit tongue that sits flush under the flat minimalist laces. The heel is wide and beefy and the heel cup is heavily padded, creating stability and a snug fit once you have slid effortlessly into the shoes.
There is an 8mm heeltoe drop, and with the slight posterior flare and heel bevel, the shoe transitions well through a slightly stiff midfoot into a snappy forefoot. The forefoot features a slightly late bevel, which makes the ride a little stiff at first, but as this breaks in, it
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begins to transition a little quicker than expected. With very little flexibility in the forefoot and mild toe spring, these will also assist those with less flexible toes. Once you get used to the feel of a max cushioned shoe you start to more easily find a mileagemunching rhythm and ease into mild uptempo runs. VERDICT: After so many iterations, with the finer details ironed out at each stage, the Gel-Nimbus 27 a smoother riding, better fitting shoe for long and steady miles. It’ s perfect for those who enjoy a high stack height but a balanced ride. While I wouldn’ t use a shoe like this exclusively for fear of learning poor efficiency, it’ s great for rotating with racer trainers and racing shoes. My only criticism is that there’ s not great traction on the well-positioned but fairly minimalist outsole. |
WE RAN IT |