REASONS TO BUY
Like running on a cloud
Fantastic upper
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy and slow
Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 Review
This shoe won't win any speed contests, but it makes up for that with a pillowy and smooth ride perfect for easy days
Credit: Asics
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Our Verdict
Running in the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is like wearing clouds on your feet. That can be both good and bad; this shoe is perfect for easygoing runs but struggles when you want to pick up the pace. That said, the foam and outsole are durable, and with the comfortable upper, we're happy to spend long miles in the Nimbus. We think the comfortable upper and generous cushioning make this a great easy day shoe for many runners, especially those who love a soft ride.
Our Analysis and Test Results
This iteration of the Gel-Nimbus is nothing like past versions. It's become a modern shoe, and we love that. The FF Blast + Eco foam is soft, squishy, and does a great job of smoothing out runs on sore legs. A slight rocker helps keep things moving, although this isn't the shoe to grab for speed days. The upper is fantastic, and a wide base keeps things stable when you tire.
Performance Comparison
This is a plush pillow for your feet on those slow and easy days.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Cushioning and Landing Comfort
This shoe is all about cushioning. Measurements came out to 42mm of foam for the rear and 34mm up front. That's a thick chunk of cushion that feels at home absorbing long miles on pavement. It's hard to argue with the comfort of this shoe, as each step feels padded and well-damped. But because of all that cushioning, we do feel very isolated from the surface we're landing on. That's great at preventing rock strikes, but we wouldn't mind a bit more ground feel when running on uneven or loose surfaces.
We appreciate the ample forefoot cushioning of this shoe and found it rolled well with our foot at easy paces without allowing any bottoming out. However, when we moved towards the front of our foot at faster paces (threshold and quicker), we did experience some bottoming out of the cushioning. That isn't a huge concern; this isn't a shoe we want to go fast in anyway. It's perfectly cushioned to eat up miles when your legs are sore and you just want something plush.
With a massive 34mm of foam under your forefoot, it's no wonder this shoe feels pillowy.
Credit: Jessica Riconscente
Responsiveness
As we alluded to, this is not a responsive shoe. Sure, the mild rocker does help keep you rolling forward, but we don't think any runners will seek it out for its ability to handle faster paces. This is a high-mileage trainer, not a workout shoe.
The foam underfoot has a decent bounce to it. The energy return is good, but it feels more like a smooth compression and rebound rather than a bounce and pop. It doesn't feel snappy. Because of that, we don't enjoy this at faster paces; it's more mushy than you need to get good power down at speed.
This is a shoe that knows what it is. It's slow and doesn't care. We love that.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Stability
The Gel-Nimbus has a wide platform that feels stable on smooth surfaces. But it also has soft foam and a very high stack, a recipe for rolled ankles on uneven terrain. It provides plenty of support underfoot for runners who don't need additional stability, but the foam is likely too soft for runners who need some motion guidance. This is a shoe that knows what it is (a road cruiser) and sticks to its lane well.
The wide platform does well on smoother surfaces, but the soft foam holds it back in the stability department.
Credit: Jessica Riconscente
Upper Comfort
The sock-like, form-fitting upper of the Nimbus is one of our favorites in the test. Although it runs a little warm on hot days, it feels luxurious and comfortable, in keeping with the rest of this shoe.
We found the upper to lack breathability in the heat.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
On our first run, we laced the midfoot too tight and experienced a small hot spot at the base of the tongue gusset. That was quickly remedied by correctly lacing the shoe, and after that, we loved the upper. The heel cup is well padded and soft, with great retention. And, as always, we appreciate the addition of a pull tab.
Weight
A men's US size 10.5 weighs 10.98 ounces per shoe and is one of the heaviest we tested, and we could feel that weight in our strides. A huge chunk of cushioning couples with a luxurious-feeling upper to create a pretty heavy shoe. Luckily, we don't really want to go fast in the Nimbus, so it doesn't matter. This is a shoe for easy miles.
Yes, all that plush cushioning helps the ounces add up.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Should You Buy the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25?
If you like your feet to have a comfortable place to relax on top of cloud-like cushioning, this is the shoe for you. With top-of-the-line comfort and impressive durability, the Nimbus can eat up a lot of miles. No, it's not going to save you any time in workouts. In fact, it might slow you down. But if your goal is relaxing and enjoying an easy run, this is a great shoe, and we think you'll love it.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
If you're looking for a similarly cushioned shoe that is more suited for picking up the pace, take a look at the Hoka Clifton 9. If you want cushioning coupled with support and stability, the Asics Gel-Kayano 30 is a bit firmer and might be your shoe.
—
Nathaniel Bailey
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