The ASICS Gel Nimbus 19 is ASICS’ neutral running shoe. The latest version features their new FlyteFoam™ Technology, for optimal comfort and a responsive ride.
For the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of taking a purple/pink pair of ASICS Gel Nimbus 19 along on runs, to training and gym to test them out and review them.
LOOK
At first glance, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 19 looks like a classic no-fuss running shoe. Style wise It’s not a particularly stunning shoe and appears a bit bulky. However, I love the two toned colour and mesh fabric which helps modernise the shoe. ASICS utilises a gradient jacquard-mesh which is tighter and looser in different areas to allow for your foot’s natural motion.
Available in South Africa is the purple/pink gradient (seen above) for women and a navy/light blue gradient for men.
The purple/pink shoe is a really nice darker coloured shoe that still has a colourful playfulness to it. The combination of the fabric and colour also seems to prevent them from getting dirty. Over 60km in, running on road, grass and dirt, mine are looking as good as new and virtually spotless.
FEATURES
The ASICS Gel Nimbus 19 makes use of a number of ASICS technologies, most notably the new FlyteFoam™ Technology, below are the features and technologies that stood out to me and made a difference to the feel of the shoe.
FlyteFoam™ Technology provides the bounce back and essentially cradles your feet in comfort. It is reinforced with organic fibres making the Gel Nimbus 19, lighter than previous versions. Although these shoes have a bulkier look, they’re light and I felt a good bounce as I ran.
The heel of the Nimbus 19 has a snugger fit and is ultra-cushioned. The material used matches that of the tongue. The snug fit means your foot doesn’t slide out and the cushioning provides comfort. While the heel is snugger, I didn’t find it too tight; and the toes have a roomier feel. This helps with the comfort of the shoe – they needed no wearing in and I have not gotten even a hint of a blister.
The shoes are lined with an ORTHOLITE® X-40 SOCKLINER which keeps feet cool and dry. The breathability also helps prevent blisters which are caused by friction.
The GUIDANCE TRUSSTIC SYSTEM™ TECHNOLOGY enhances your gait efficiency and helps improve pronation when your ankles flex out a bit. So even though these are neutral running shoes, this technology makes them a good choice for over-pronators and gave the shoes a very supportive feel.
The ASICS FluidRide® midsole is what gives them the bouncy and light feel.
Gender specific – the men’s and women’s version are almost identical except for cushioning and heel drop. The upper section of the midsole in the female version is softer allowing female athletes to better enjoy the benefits of midsole compression. The heel drop on the female version is also 3mm higher than the male version which helps relieve Achilles tension.
FIT
I found these to be true to size, with my usual UK5/US7 size fitting perfectly. I have seen some reviews that have said they run small, with the suggestion that if you’re upgrading from the ASICS GEL NIMBUS 18 to go for a half size up.
The lace fit, however, was a bit tricky. I do tend to be oddly fussy when it comes to lace feel and it generally takes me a while to achieve my perfect lace tie. When tied, the laces felt loose towards the toes, but tight towards the ankle. I found that if I tied the laces gradually – tightening the bottom and moving my way up, tightening each row until the final tie at the ankle, I got a more secure fit. This could be because they are a firmer and tighter fit than their predecessor the Gel Nimbus 18.
I’ve seen complaints that the tongue, which is made from the same soft material as the heel slides during runs as it comes without a sleeve. I did not find this to be an issue at all and if there was sliding, it was unnoticeable.
FEEL
ASICS is known for comfort and support and they do not disappoint in these two areas. They’re an incredibly comfortable and supportive shoe with ample cushioning. Aside from the issue I had with the lace fit and the upper area around the lace, they were comfortable from the first step in them. The best way I can describe them is like airbags for your feet, as I felt them to be incredibly cushioned and supportive.
Recommended For
I much prefer these shoes as a mid to long distance road runner (10-42km) than a short distance, faster running shoe. The cushioning, support and slightly higher heel worked great on my long runs (thus far up to 18km), but when it came to short speed runs, I found myself wanting a shoe that had a less bulky feel with a lower drop closer to the road.
They are comfortable enough to wear throughout the day, especially if you have a profession like nursing that keeps you on your feet for long periods of time.
If you are a heavier runner or have a heavy running stride and need a shoe with more support and cushioning, these are a great choice.
PRICING
They retail for R2599 (both the men’s and women’s are available here). Not only are they one of ASICS most expensive shoes, they fall onto the higher end of the price range when compared to other running shoes. I would suggest that before purchasing you go into a store and try them on and get a good idea of how they look and feel on you before dropping over R2000 on them.
ASICS sent us a pair of the ASICS Gel Nimbus 19 to test. This did not influence the review which was written only after having worn these running shoes during various activities including over 60km of running.
I have run in almost all makes of shoes but ASICS remain my first choice. I don’t have the biomechanics for the Nimbus due to some overpronation so I run in the GT 1000 which is now in its 5th version. I have been totally injury free in the GTs.
The nicest thing about ASICS is their comfort right from day 1. I have already taken a brand new pair out of the box and run a 42km! Not to be recommended though…
Definitely, agree with you on comfort Chris. My last running shoes gave my a serious blister after the first long run, and I was nervous with these but they’ve been great thus far!