Asics Gel-Kayano 32 Review

Comfort and Fit

Premium, soft-touch materials make up the upper of the Gel-Kayano. When you put the shoe on, it immediately feels plush. Particularly around the ankle and heel cup, this shoe feels almost luxurious.

It's well-padded through those areas, and the padding is well-designed to keep your heel in place throughout the run. The tongue is lightly padded and gusseted, remaining in place as it moves. We appreciated the non-abrasive materials for longer efforts and didn't experience any rubbing or discomfort. The pull loop is a nice design, and allows you to easily pull the shoe on without crushing the back of the heel cup.

The overall fit of the Gel-Kayano is spot on, with the perfect length for the advertised size. The toe box feels roomy for our average-width forefeet without feeling cavernous, and is easily cinched down for those who love a snug fit. From there, it tapers to an average width at the midfoot and an average width at the heel. At the heel, the padding is compressible enough that most runners should be able to achieve good heel lockdown, whether they have wider or narrower feet. For runners who know they have wider feet, it's also available in wide and extra-wide.

Cushioning

The Gel-Kayano 32 receives high marks in the cushioning category. It features a substantial midsole, boasting 37mm of foam at the heel, with an 8mm heel-to-toe drop. The Asics' FF Blast Plus foam provides ample protection but is not exceptionally soft or energetic. The midsole felt somewhat firm but smooth throughout the landing phase of his stride. There is no noticeable bounce. Instead, the gentle rocker geometry helps roll you through your footstrike. The Kayano feels a little softer as we increase our pace and apply more force through the shoe. Based on our experience, we expect heavier runners to find the shoe somewhat softer than lighter runners.

A key part of the Gel-Kayano is Asics' 4D Guidance system, which replaces many of the traditional features found in stability shoes. The combination of built-up sidewalls around the midfoot and heel cup, a wide base with varying foam density under the arch of the foot, and other features, helps prevent your foot from collapsing inward without feeling like your feet are being manipulated. The shoe feels very stable underfoot, with a planted ride that rolls along. The Gel-Kayano has a relatively high stack height, but feels much more controlled and confident than competitors with 40 mm of foam. Sometimes, running in shoes with this much foam can feel a little directionless and uncontrolled, as though the shoe doesn't consistently propel you forward and instead has you bouncing along. With the Kayano, there is a distinct sensation of forward motion. It's not propulsive, but the shoe very clearly guides you forward and into the next stride. The Kayano provides stable comfort, but it's heavy and feels less smooth when you start to push the pace. Plus, the bulk gets in the way at higher speeds. We don't recommend this shoe for runners who are tackling interval workouts or faster runs.

Breathability

Unfortunately, the Kayano struggles with breathability, which isn't a huge surprise given the stability design. The upper materials are soft and very comfortable, but they're also heavy and do not breathe very well. On hot days, we found our feet getting very sweaty.

Typically, shoes that don't breathe well also tend not to dry well. However, the materials of the Gel-Kayano don't retain as much sweat as we expected, and we were pleasantly surprised by how quickly they felt dry.

Traction

The Gel-Kayano 32 performs well on wet, cold, and dry pavement.

It grabs well on smooth surfaces in all conditions. However, the siping and grooves in the rubber outsole were prone to collecting rocks and mud when we ran on non-paved surfaces.

Should You Buy the Asics Gel-Kayano 32?

We believe the Gel-Kayano 32 is an excellent choice for those seeking a shoe that offers stability features and premium comfort. For runners who value support or have histories of pronation-related injuries, it's likely a good fit. On the other hand, several non-stability shoes outperform it. If you don't specifically require additional guidance and support, we believe that other options will better serve you.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?