Article by Sam Winebaum
ASICS GEL-Kayano 30 ($160 USD)
The Kayano ASICS's stability daily trainer gets a truly "massive" and total overall for its 30th edition.
Watch the GEL-Kayano 30 Initial Video Review (12:40)
In the video, I take the Kayano 30 for a first 10K run and share all the details and my initial run impressions. Let's just say positive as while I have tolerated prior Kayano's support "pieces": this Kayano is for sure finally both now pronating and neutral runner (as I am) friendly, and is more much deeply cushioned and lively riding.
It gets an all new geometry featuring 4mm more stack height to 40mm at the heel and 30 mm at the forefoot with the midsole a new Flight Foam Blast Plus ECO foam which is 24% bio based.
GEL is now PureGEL as in the Nimbus and Cumulus 25 and delivers the same cushioning properties but is 65% softer and clearly felt as such.
The platform is all new with 5mm more width on the ground, width being a key component in delivering its inherent stability.
Gone is the firm outer medial foam LiteTruss layer replaced by the width of the platform and 4D Guidance with its surprisingly soft grayish medial insert, higher midsole sidewalls and the support provided by the outsole, the combination providing adaptive support.
The geometry is well decoupled and smooth flowing, better so than the Nimbus 25 for me whose heel I found blocky and toe off awkward with the deep rubber here providing both durability and some appreciated response.
After the first run they have developed a nice front flex which for the 30mm forefoot stack is important to allow smooth slower paces toe offs.
The upper is an engineered knit that is comfortable and supportive with of course as in all Kayano key to support a stout stout heel counter but one that is not overdone (but could be svelter) and with no external clip as in the 29.
The weight is now up there at about 10.74 oz / 311g in a US8.5 (+ 0.32 oz / 10g) as the shoe is bigger and taller than before but the weight is not really that noticed and not that critical as this stable "cruiser" more moderate paces shoe is lively and smooth riding.
Also please read our Bryan Lim's full written review of the GEL-Kayano 30 here
The GEL-Kayano 30 is available now including at our partners below
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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4 comments:
This shoe will be much more welcome in Europe. A shame though, for some reason Americas flatfoots seem to pick Altras.
I wonder if stability can compare to previous Kayanos, but well, I doubt anyone at RTR actually had a gel kayano 29.
It would be great if, in the multi tester review, there were runners for stability products that have an actual stability need where either their pronation velocity or extent has contributed to injury that has necessitated a stability or guidance shoe. The RTR reviews are all written by pretty fast neutral runners who review the stability shoe in terms of how tolerable it is, not whether it helps solve a problem for them. The use case and target market for stability products is rarely addressed. I say this as a ER doc who treats sports injuries, studies sports medicine, and rehabbed my way through injuries with careful use of stability shoes. Otherwise the reviews are a disservice.
The foundation runner was the best ASICS runner but they stopped making it
Good point!
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