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Asics Gel Nimbus 26 vs Nimbus 25 Comparison Running Shoe Review

by Sportitude

The main difference between the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 and Asics Gel Nimbus 25 running shoes is that the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 delivers increased performance, durability and traction with more outsole coverage, while the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 is fractionally lighter.

As Sportitude running shoe expert Josh Willoughby explains in his shoe review below, this is a welcome trade-off when it translates to an improved running experience and the extended lifespan of your go-to running shoes.

The Asics Gel Nimbus 26 is the flagship high mileage, neutral cushioned shoe in the Asics running shoe family – staying consistent to the honest, protected feel of its predecessors. This running all-rounder is both an excellent choice as the running shoe to conquer most of your Ks in, or as a soft daily trainer to complement your shoe rotation.

Up top, a more breathable upper wraps your feet with a supportive, deep heel collar and soft memory foam. Asics have tweaked the fit to offer more wiggle room in terms of both depth and volume, with a new engineered knitted construction that adapts more readily to conform to your feet through the forefoot.

Underneath, the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 cradles your feet with FlyteFoam Blast+ Eco - made with about 20% bio-based material to stay honest to their sustainability initiatives. Loyal Asics Gel Nimbus runners will recognise the full-length, max stacked plushness this technology offers, paired with PureGel to dampen shock in the high-impact zone of the rearfoot.

Asics have put customer feedback into action – boosting traction with Hybrid AsicsGrip to keep you running smoothly and sure-footed at any pace. With multiple width options on offer, Asics have made discovering your ideal fit more effortless.

Check out the full review with transcript below.

Hey guys, Josh here from Sportitude. In front of me I have the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. This is a comparison shoe review and we're going to be looking at the minor changes that Asics have made to their #1 high mileage neutral cushioned shoe, being the Asics Gel Nimbus franchise.

In today's review we're going to go over the outsole, the midsole and the upper. I'll kick things off by letting you know how I felt with the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 and how it's performed for me.

I've run 50kms in this running shoe and have broken it down into a few different varieties of runs on roads, some inclines etc.

I’ll give you all of my feedback regarding how I found this shoe to perform and who knows, maybe make this running shoe your next footwear purchase. Without further ado let's get stuck in.

Who Is The Asics Gel Nimbus 26 Running Shoes For?

The Asics Gel Nimbus 26 is targeting the same runner as its predecessor. It's someone who is neutral with regards to their foot stability and also a person who is seeking maximum cushioning for plenty of kilometres out on the road.

If you're someone who has two or three shoes in your shoe rotation and you're looking to replace your cushion daily trainer, the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 is certainly one you should be considering.

On the flip side, if you're someone who's looking for one shoe for doing most of your running and you're a neutral foot type, or you're looking to slightly increase your volume, the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 is going to be a fantastic option.

Before we jump into the tech aspects of today's review, I want to let you know I have found this running shoe to be extremely comfortable. I really enjoyed the Asics Gel Nimbus 25. It was honest, it was cushioned, it was stable and really breathable. Taking that expectation into the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, I’m really satisfied.

There's not a whole heap of change with this Asics shoe. When we go back an extra model from the Asics Gel Nimbus 24 to the Asics Gel Nimbus 25, we knew there was going to be some significant variances in how people would transition.

However, from the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 model to the subtle changes in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, your expectations have already been set. You'll certainly enjoy the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 if you've loved the Asics Gel Nimbus 25.

I found the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 to be really easy at that slow, roll your legs over pace. For me that's anywhere between 5:30-5:45 mins/km (8:52-9:17 min/mile). It’s about really slowly ticking the legs over and switching off while you're getting all the cushion you require.

The stability through midstance is fantastic and I like where the rocker has been placed in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, just like I did in the Asics Gel Nimbus 25. There is not much stress at all going through your forefoot when you're releasing out of this shoe. It is a very effortless shoe to run in.

In the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 and the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, if you're looking for a shoe to pick the pace up in, I found it a little bit challenging. The shoe itself is soft and it's plush. When you're looking for that ground reaction force, you do sink into the midsole a little bit more than some other shoes in this category.

However, overall the shoe for what it's intended for is exactly on point. It’s cushioned, stable and very easy to run in.

Midsole

Let's jump into how this running shoe has been put together. Our statistics from Asics head office states that the midsole stack height is exactly the same.

From the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 coming from the Asics Gel Nimbus 25, we have a 41mm heel and a 33mm forefoot in the men's model. The women’s model in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 offers just 1mm less, so that's 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot.

With the technology keeping things very consistent, we have your FlyteFoam Blast+ Eco technology underneath the foot. That is that really soft compound of foam that runs from the heel right through to the forefoot. The rocker is strategically placed to take a bit of stress off that forefoot when you're toeing off out of your gait cycle, which is very comfortable on release.

Asics have PureGEL in play that's been strategically placed underneath the heel to offer more cushioning and compression for your true heelstrikers. If you're a midfoot striker or forefoot striker, you won't really notice what the PureGEL is going to do for you. However, if you're coming down heel first you will notice the extra cushioning underneath the foot.

As we addressed in the intro there is no additional support structure or guidance stability system on the medial side in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. Being a neutral running shoe, you would expect that.

All in all, nothing much has changed in the midsole. It’s the same technology on offer and same stack height. There’s a subtle variation with regards to the dimples that been placed in the midsole, and that's more around the overall performance, not only from your first kilometre but trying to make the shoe a little bit more durable right through to its last kilometre for every single runner who purchases it.

Outsole

Jumping to the outsole next, there's been two significant changes that Asics have made with this shoe. The reason I grabbed this colour in the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 in this women’s model (right) was to highlight the surface area which you can see the pink rubber in comparison to my pair of Asics Gel Nimbus 26 (left), which are a little bit dirty.

Obviously, there is more surface area that's been on play. In last year's model there is a gap between the heel and the forefoot on the lateral side, with exposed FlyteFoam Blast+ cushioning system.

This year, Asics have filled out that lateral border which I think is a great thing. It just provides a little bit more durability and clearly protects that asset being the midsole, especially on that lateral side.

The great thing about Asics and most brands is that they call-out different technologies by using either different colours or highlighting it with the name on the bottom of the shoe.

Asics used their AHARPLUS rubber last year in high abrasive areas, mainly in the lateral side of the heel. That’s the first entry point with the ground, so you want that durable abrasive rubber to be strategically placed in this high-impact zone.

That is exactly the same with the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. You can see the orange colour on the back of the shoe (left). This AHAR rubber is on that high abrasive entry point for heel strikers. The light blue/grey area is the new Hybrid AsicsGrip. That technology is a slightly new compound of rubber and Asics have strategically placed this just before the exit and the entry point for heelstrikers.

The reason they have placed that rubber in that area is off the back of the feedback that runners gave around the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 not offering enough grip on the road, especially when it got a little bit damp.

In the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, you have the high abrasive rubber at the heel and at the forefoot for your release (signified by the orange rubber in this particular colourway on the left). Between the two, you have extra grip and integrity with Hybrid AsicsGrip which is going to give you more confidence out in the road and better stability when you're running.

Upper

Jumping to the upper of the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 next. It features a heel counter, an internal lining with memory foam encapsulating the heel and a pull tab. Everything is exactly the same as last year.

The stability this Asics shoe offers on the entry point for your running is absolutely fantastic. There’s a really deep heel counter internal structure, so you get a great grab around the back of your heel and calcaneus. That offers the stability that you require to then transition through to the midstance phase of your gait cycle, where most of the changes happen with this shoe.

From the tongue forward we have a lighter construction regarding the overall execution of this engineered knit upper.

Last year the shoe was extremely comfortable and very breathable. At times it was a little bit firm for some runners from the first metatarsal to the fifth metatarsal. There wasn't a lot of play in the overall fit and feel. However, Asics offered widths in this shoe last year with the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 so we could dial it in for people.

This year they still offer widths in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26, but there is a little bit more wiggle room in depth and volume with regards to this new engineered knitted construction. Not only that, the material is marginally lighter so that's going to offer more breathability.

As I mentioned, it's going to allow for a slightly more conformed fit especially through the forefoot. The other great thing about this shoe which was called out from last year's feedback with the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 was the thin tongue which offered plenty of breathability.

The tongue is the same from the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 to the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. That tongue has plenty of elasticity so it can really get a nice conformed fit around your arch.

Obviously, there are different arch shapes out there. Some neutral runners have flat arches and some neutral runners have high arches, so offering that flexibility with regards to overall depth, fit, feel and function through that area is so important, and the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 has delivered on that.

It is available in widths which I absolutely love, so we can dial the fit into the specific requirements of every single runner. However, being a lighter upper you would probably think that the shoe would be lighter in overall weight. Let's talk about that really quickly because we have a lighter upper but we have a little bit more outsole as well.

Weight

There is a subtle adjustment in weight from the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 to the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. We have 300g for a men's size 9 in the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. Last year was coming in at 295g for a men's size 9 in the Asics Gel Nimbus 25.

That was using our kitchen scales, there will be subtle variances with weight with regards to some other reviewers and what their scales say in comparison to what Asics have delivered us in catalogues and tech sheets as well.

Using our kitchen scales, there is a 5g variance from last year to this year. I don't believe it's a negative impact in this shoe because the actual performance of the midsole is superior.

It's exactly the same as last year in terms of that really soft entry. However, the benefit of having a little bit more outsole for extra grip and stability in comparison to the overall performance in this upper being lighter and more breathable, creates a slightly better executed shoe.

I will sacrifice 5g every day of the week to get that performance benefit with regards to the Asics Gel Nimbus 26.

Similar Running Shoes To The Asics Gel Nimbus 26

Similar shoes to the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 are the Brooks Glycerin 21 (above), Saucony Triumph 21 and the Nike Vomero 17 which has had a fantastic update recently.

From those three shoes you can comfortably transition into the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. Obviously there's going to be a different fit, feel, outcomes and performance, but for the most part all four of those shoes do talk to the same consumer.

One thing we did find last year with the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 is if you're coming from a Hoka Clifton, the rocker is strategically placed in a very similar spot.

The major difference between the Hoka Clifton 9, the Asics Gel Nimbus 25 and the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 is the heel-to-toe drop. The heel-to-toe drop is on an 8mm offset with the Asics Gel Nimbus franchise in comparison to the Hoka Clifton 9 which is around that 5mm heel-to-toe drop.

A significant change of 3mm alters the performance, fit, feel and function, but we did find the Asics Gel Nimbus franchise to offer a similar fit and feel to the Hoka Clifton.

The Wrap Up

To summarise the changes with the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 from the Asics Gel Nimbus 25, we have more outsole on offer which is going to offer better grip and overall stability. The upper has a thinner more breathable construction up top using the same technology as they did last year.

Overall, this Asics running shoe has had those minor adjustments and that's going to be a very positive thing because this shoe is extremely popular. I expect it to have another bump in popularity in 2024.

Expect big things from the Asics Gel Nimbus 26. I'm looking forward to the go live date which is February 6 in Australia.

For runners looking for that new cushion daily trainer, come into Sportitude Running@Hindmarsh or Sportitude@Fullarton to have a conversation and get the Asics Gel Nimbus 26 on your foot.

If you have any questions about this shoe or where you've come from previously with the Asics Gel Nimbus franchise, please contact our Sportitude shoe experts and let us know. I want to know if you liked the Asics Gel Nimbus 24 and the Asics Gel Nimbus 25.

Let's start a conversation, we love hearing from you the running community all over the world. Thank you for watching this review.

Please subscribe to the Sportitude YouTube channel if you haven't already done so to stay notified and we'll keep knocking out these shoe reviews for you the fabulous running community all over the world.

Thank you very much and expect big things in 2024. Take care.

FEATURES

Asics Gel Nimbus 26

Men

  • Offset / Drop: 8mm
  • Heel Height: 41mm
  • Forefoot Height: 33mm
  • Weight: 300g / 10.6oz (US 9)
  • Width: D (standard), 2E (wide), 4E (extra wide)

Women

  • Offset / Drop: 8mm
  • Heel Height: 40mm
  • Forefoot Height: 32mm
  • Weight: 263g / 9.3oz (US 7.5)
  • Width: B (standard), D (wide)

Asics Gel Nimbus 25

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