Asics Gel-Kayano 30 Review

For a long time, stability shoes relied on stiff medial posting and other now archaic approaches to stop the natural movement of “over-pronators.” In keeping with improving guidance on running mechanics and movement, the Gel-Kayano 30 has shifted towards providing both lateral stability and medial stability through less-intrusive approaches. We love that.

Performance Comparison

Cushioning and Landing Comfort

With 40mm of FF Blast + Eco under the heel and 30mm under the front, the Gel-Kayano 30 is clearly a maximally cushioned stability shoe. A lot of stability shoes in the past have been overly firm, but not this one. While the foam feels firmer than some others, it still feels smooth and absorbs impacts very well.

The wide landing base and heel bevel of the Kayano provide a smooth impact that supports the foot without intrusively forcing it to roll forward. The side walls along the midfoot aid in that endeavor, but don't cause cramping.

We found the forefoot cushioning to be solid, and didn't have any issues with rock strikes or bottoming out. Really, the Kayano performed extremely well in this category, especially for a stability-oriented shoe. Typically, we don't enjoy long runs in this type of shoe because they tend to be overly stiff and firm on landing. There were no such issues here.

Responsiveness

As you'd expect from a stability oriented, well-cushioned shoe, the Kayano isn't responsive. This is a great daily trainer, perfect for logging miles at up to about marathon pace. Still, while it can handle threshold efforts, we prefer something with a little pop. We love how good (and unintrusive) the stability features are on this shoe, but we think a bit more rocker would do wonders to give this shoe better responsiveness. It's not bad, but it's not an inspiring ride either.

Stability

The stability features are impressive on this shoe. Asics new 4D Guidance System follows current best practices on motion guidance, and gives the Kayano a very approachable fit and feel while also allowing for significant lateral and medial support.

The extremely wide base provides plenty of stability, while the foam formulation under the arch gives good support without feeling unnatural. For that reason, we think this is a shoe that many neutral runners would enjoy, particularly over the course of a long run when fatigue sets in, and mechanics start to break down. We enjoyed it on our easy days, when our legs were beat and the help in maintaining good mechanics was appreciated.

Upper Comfort

The Kayano 30 has a simple and plush upper with a lot to love. The mesh does well during hot days, breathing easily and leaving the feet relatively dry. The tongue is lightly padded and prevents rubbing from the laces. The material around the heel cup is soft and prevents abrasions. We found the toe-box to have enough room to allow our foot ro relax, but not enough that we were sliding around. Lockdown is excellent from toe to heel.

Weight

Unfortunately, this is the heaviest shoe in our test. While it's comfortable and cushioned, we think a little weight reduction would go a long way in improving how responsive the shoe feels. The Kayano 30 weighs 11.45 ounces per shoe for a men's size 10.5, which actually didn't feel all that heavy until we started to pick up the pace. Still, that's not an insignificant amount of weight to be lugging around.

Should You Buy the Asics Gel-Kayano 30?

If you're a runner seeking stability and are okay sacrificing some responsiveness for support, this is a good pick. We think some neutral runners will enjoy it; the Kayano is a genuinely good shoe, not just a responsive shoe. While we'd love to see some weight reduction and a bit more pop, it will work well for many runners as a daily trainer.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?