ASICS Gel Nimbus 25 Shoe Review
You've Never Ridden On a Cloud Quite Like the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25
Likes
- Plush from top to bottom
- Excellent weight-to-cushioning ratio
- Midsole balances soft protection and bouncy return
- Sleek aesthetic
Dislikes
- Not as responsive as expected
- Somewhat bulky
What's New
After some major successes of late, ASICS is ready shake things up once again, and what better way to do that than reinventing their signature premium daily trainer? The Gel Nimbus 25's upper, midsole, and outsole have all received updates from the ASICS team, and runners may not even recognise this revitalised cloud, but one thing is certain...the Nimbus 25 is not your father's Nimbus.
Let's kick things off with the Nimbus' new FLYTEFOAM Blast Eco Plus foam midsole with fully embedded PureGEL technology. Built to be soft and protective, this midsole promises a cloud-like feel that will keep you extremely comfortable while you collect your daily mileage. Furthermore, with 41mm of foam in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot, runners should expect more than enough protection to maximise long runs and recovery efforts. The PureGEL pod, which is now fully embedded in the heel, further fortifies the shoe's protective qualities. Though a comfort and protection-minded shoe, the Nimbus' midsole does offer a resilient bounce, the likes of which we have been seeing from some of the most popular premium trainers of late, and runners will be able to enjoy a lot of fun miles in these shoes.
Speaking of joy, there are not many things better than a plush upper that feels as though it was specifically designed for your foot, and the Nimbus' engineered knit mesh upper provides just that. The soft material delivers a premium on-foot feel while providing an adaptable fit that offers an excellent balance of comfort and support that will remain irritation-free from start to finish.
ASICS LITE Rubber and ASICS AHAR rubber accent the shoe's outsole and are designed to offer dependable traction with top-quality durability. Combine the grippy outsole with a midsole TRUSSTIC system, and runners will have no issues remaining stable, secure, and confident while racking up daily mileage.
The Bottom Line
As you can see by all the awesome updates listed above, there is a lot to love about the new Gel Nimbus 25, and if you are in the market for a highly cushioned trainer to take on daily runs, longer efforts, and recovery jaunts, then this reinvented legend is a no-brainer that you will not want to miss out on.
What makes the Nimbus 25 so great, and what sets it apart from the competition, is its level of comfort. Whether its the plush-feeling engineered mesh upper or soft midsole, the Nimbus has your comfort locked in, and our testers had nothing but good things to say.
The headliner of the show was the shoe's FLYTEFOAM Blast Eco Plus midsole, which is a slightly tweaked, more eco-friendly version of the FF Blast+ foam used in the beloved Novablast 3. In the Nimbus, the foam was well-balanced and impressively protective, with a Novablast-like bounciness characteristic of the modern max stack trainer, which helped produce a lively and fun overall ride. Though, like other highly cushioned day-in day-out trainers, the Nimbus 25 is best for cruising and caring for tired legs, and runners may want to find a more speed-specific shoe for their uptempo training runs.
Like a supporting actor overshadowing their co-stars and taking home the Oscar, the Nimbus 25's redesigned mesh knit upper may have been the best update of them all. Knit uppers have received criticism in the past and can be hard to get right, but ASICS has nailed the Nimbus' upper. It has a plush feel with a dynamite fit that adapts well to a variety of foot shapes, and the RW testers had no issues to report throughout testing.
Before wrapping things up, it should be mentioned that the Nimbus 25 has quickly become one of the most talked about shoes in the office, creating a buzz similar to that of the New Balance More v4 and Novablast, so you know the Nimbus is not messing around. It may be too early to say, but the Gel Nimbus has set the bar very high in the race for best running shoe of the year.
Our In-Depth Look
Upper
Jon: "This shoe has given me a whole new appreciation for how much a great upper can add to the running experience. The attention to detail in the upper is remarkable. From the stretch knit material to the padding in the heel collar, every aspect of the upper contributes to a game-changing fit. Even the Nimbus' soft and thin tongue design feels amazing, yet the biggest highlight for me was the laces. They were both sturdy and forgiving, but best of all, they stayed tied.
The last thing I want to do during a run is break stride to re-tie my laces. It is very annoying and affects the entirety of the run. Further, dealing with a troublesome double knot post-run is a fight I want nothing to do with. With the Nimbus, I could tie a single knot, then hit the road with no interruptions mid-run, which is the ideal situation for me."
Risa: "If I had one word to describe the Nimbus 25's upper, it would be "premium." The knit mesh is soft and very comfortable while on the run. I feel like you cannot ask for more from an upper.
If I had anything to comment on, then I would ask for a slightly more narrow-footed-friendly fit. However, I was impressed by how secure the shoe was once I found the ideal lacing setup. After that, I experienced no slippage throughout testing, and the upper has been a real highlight of the shoe."
Midsole
Jon: "In recent years, ASICS has consistently delivered reliably plush and protective cushioning, and the Nimbus 25 is no exception. Featuring over 40mm of an updated eco-friendly FF BLAST+ compound, aptly named FF BLAST+ ECO, the ride of the Nimbus 25 is blissful every step of the way. It offers the ideal weight-to-cushion ratio, which helped my legs recover during easy runs and recovery efforts. Despite its incredible level of protection, the Nimbus 25 remains lightweight and responsive enough to pick up the pace. Also, the model's signature Nimbus Gel technology is now embedded fully within the midsole, eliminating unnecessary weight without compromising impact absorption.
My only gripe with the midsole is that it is not as responsive as the ZoomX foam found in the Nike Zoom Invincible Flyknit, a comparable model. Other than that, the Nimbus' midsole was wonderful and left my legs feeling better after a run than before it."
Risa: "The Nimbus 25's midsole was ideal for all my daily training, as it provided a soft and bouncy underfoot experience with a nice energetic bounce. It is plush, but it does not feel like you are sinking in or wasting energy. Sometimes it can be challenging to distinguish the subtle differences in an updated shoe, but the Nimbus 25 is an incredible upgrade that hardly feels like, or even looks like, its predecessor. I felt and appreciated the added stack and increased softness of the 25 compared to version 24."
Outsole
Jon: "We have been getting a lot of rain over here on the Central Coast lately, and because of that, I had the opportunity to really test the traction of the blended AHAR+ rubber, ASICS LITE rubber outsole, and overall, I thought it did pretty well. While I never slipped or lost traction, I would not call the outsole confidence-inspiring. In other words, I felt like I had to remain constantly mindful to ensure that I did not slip or fall. Do not worry, as things were much different on dry road surfaces and the track, as the Nimbus 25's outsole provided substantial traction on those surfaces.
In terms of durability, I have seen no signs of wear after about 50 miles. Furthermore, another RW tester has put over 600 miles on their pair, and they still look good, so I have no doubts about the outsole’s durability."
Risa: "The Nimbus 25 is a protective shoe, and the outsole has performed as expected. I had no issues with grip, even on days when conditions were wet. Given my experience in the Nimbus 25, as well as my previous experiences testing out other ASICS models, I expect that the shoe's outsole will hold up well for many miles."
Comparable Shoes
Jon: "The Nimbus 25 reminded me a lot of the Nike Zoom Invincible Flyknit 2 and New Balance Fresh Foam More v4. All of these shoes are max stack daily trainers and are all fantastic shoes. The More v4 is the heaviest of the bunch, and even though it has the lowest price, I would still opt for the Nimbus 25 or Invincible 2.
As I previously mentioned, I find the ZoomX foam in the Nike Zoom Invincible Flyknit 2 slightly more responsive and protective than the Nimbus, but not enough to justify the additional $20. Also, the upper of the Nimbus is truly one to behold, and it takes the Nimbus to a level that eclipses the competition for me."
Risa: "The Nike Invincible is comparable to the new Nimbus 25, though the Nimbus edges out the competition for me. The Invincible is a bit bouncier, but I like the overall fit and underfoot feel of the Nimbus more. The Nimbus is also lighter and feels more stable than the Invincible.
Honestly, I cannot think of another max-cushion shoe that has the same level of bounce as these two models. I have seen some comparisons to the ASICS Novablast, but I think that they feel quite different. The Novablast is significantly firmer, lighter, and is more of an uptempo shoe than the Nimbus, which is a more comfort-oriented model. For friends and family looking for a soft daily trainer, this would be my top recommendation at the moment."
Men's ASICS Gel Nimbus Running Shoes
Women's ASICS Gel Nimbus Running Shoes
Individual Thoughts
Between the Novablast, Superblast, and METASPEED racing models, ASICS has been on one heck of a run, and with the release of the Nimbus 25, it would appear that they have no plans of slowing down. What an absolute pleasure it has been to test these shoes out. From the first step in, the on-foot experience in the Nimbus 25 has been special, and now I find myself reaching for them daily, for anything and everything, not just running. Whether I am chasing after my kids at the park or just picking up groceries, I want to pamper my feet with the Nimbus' plushness whenever I can. Personal feelings aside, the ASICS Nimbus is a fantastic max stack trainer that will deliver a lot of comfort and performance to all runners who want to give it a try.
If you cannot tell, I am a little obsessed with the new Nimbus 25, and I cannot remember the last time I was this excited about a shoe. The Nimbus has almost everything I am looking for in a daily trainer, and it perfectly suits my current training needs. I have used them for anything from short jogs to long runs and have enjoyed them every time. I would not hesitate to use the Nimbus on any of my weekly runs, which typically include a few 3-4 mile runs with a 7-10 mile effort, or two, on the weekends.
Though I love the Nimbus, there are faster shoes that I would use for speedier runs. However, if I was a runner who needed one shoe to do it all, then the Nimbus 25 has enough bounce to accommodate any run. Maximum-cushion shoes tend to feel bulky and a bit sluggish on the run, but the Nimbus 25 feels much more versatile to me.
Aesthetics speaking, the Nimbus 25 is a definite upgrade from version 24, offering a clean, more modern look that I thought was really sleek. I appreciate the removal of the exterior Gel unit, and I like the colorways that are available. This one is a winner in my book!