Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 Review

Comfort and Fit

As soon as we picked up the Gel-Nimbus, it was clear that it was designed to be plush and comfortable. The upper materials are soft to the touch and generously padded. The textile along the heel and ankle is particularly pleasant, featuring some horizontal stitching that looks luxurious and also provides added friction to help with heel lockdown. The pull tab is stretchy and effective, connecting to a bit of stretchy material that wraps around the ankle and seems superfluous. We suspect it's actually a holdover from previous iterations of the Nimbus, which had a much stretchier upper material. The tongue isn't padded, but is well-gusseted and caused no issues on our run.

While heel lockdown is excellent, the midfoot and forefoot lockdown left something to be desired. We experienced some sliding, and removing it required quite a bit of tinkering with the laces. We didn't experience vertical lockdown issues (where the foot lifts off the insole), but instead, we were sliding laterally inside the shoe. As a result, we never felt particularly “planted” when running in the Nimbus.

After extensive experimentation, we concluded that the sliding was a result of where the shoe flexed during toe-off. It's around the ball of the foot, which also happens to be where the volume of the upper noticeably increases. Due to the higher volume, the foot appears to slide around as the shoe bends.

The overall fit is pretty good. Lengthwise, it's perfect. The forefoot has plenty of space, though we think it feels a little too high-volume for the width. The midfoot fit is average, as is the heel fit. Asics also offers a wide fit.

Cushioning

The midsole of the Nimbus is great. It provides a lot of protection (45 mm of foam at the heel!) without feeling mushy. The landing sensation is smooth and controlled. When paired with a bit of forefoot rocker, we could feel the shoe encouraging the roll of our foot into the next stride. The foam feels supportive underfoot, with generous sidewalls along the midfoot to provide arch support.

Unfortunately, while the shoe feels smooth at a relaxed pace, as we increased our pace, we noticed that the cushioning started to feel clunky. It felt as if the compression and rebound of the foam were a little too slow, and it continued to compress as we began to take off. Then there's the overall bulk, which is significant. We definitely noticed the thick slab of foam feeling under our feet, which left it feeling less well-balanced than some similarly cushioned competitors.

Breathability

The upper materials of the Gel-Nimbus 27 are a little more breathable than in past iterations. Thanks to a fine jacquard mesh, there is plenty of ventilation for airflow. However, the rear of the shoe can get warm, and the plush materials do retain sweat. We have noticed that this issue becomes more problematic on warmer days, and we imagine that humid climates would exacerbate it even further.

Traction

Traction isn't the best on the Gel-Nimbus, but it could be worse. There's less outsole rubber than in the past, but what is there does a good job of grabbing on wet or cold pavement. The grooves in the outsole handle mild precipitation well, but struggle when it comes to off-pavement running. We don't recommend this shoe for uneven surfaces.

Should You Buy the Asics Gel-Nimbus 27?

We think this is a solid option for runners who value cushioning above all else. The upper is comfortable, but the lockdown isn't the best. The foam is highly protective and helped keep our legs from getting sore, but it lacks pace versatility, and the shoes felt heavy when trying to run at faster paces. The Nimbus is a solid option, but it has some limitations that make it not the best choice for everyone.

What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?