It’s showdown time between two of ASICS’ popular daily trainers. We’ve got the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 up against the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27. We’ve done the test miles and we’re here with a mult-tester review to help you find out which of these two running shoes might work best for your running needs. Hit play for our ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 vs ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 review.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 – Intro
0:15 – Details: Stack height, drop, weight, price
1:01 – Shoe Comparison
3:17: – How’s the fit?
5:24 – The Run Test
14:46 – Verdict
20:03 – Now watch this:
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Hey people welcome to the run testers And to our head-to-head between two of Asex popular daily trainer We've got the Asex Gel Nimbus 27 up against the Gel Cumulus 27 We've done the test miles in Both of these shoes and we are here to Help you find out which might work best For your running needs So let's get Straight into It Let's kick off with those quick Details Then the ASX gel numbers 27 now Packs more foam under foot with a stack Rising to 43 1/2 ms in the heel 35 1/2 Ms in the fore foot for an 8 mil drop Meanwhile the Asex Gel Cumulus 27's Lower stack is still well cushioned but It comes with a 38 1/2 mil in the heel 30 1/2 mil in the forefoot for an 8 mil Drop On the scales in my UK and a half US men's 9 and a half test shoe the Nimbus 27 weighs in at 10.8 oz or 307 Gram The Cumulus 27 is lighter at 9.5 oz Or 270 g On price the RRP for the Nimbus 27 is $165 or $180 The Cumulus 27 is £140 or £140 Let's give you a quick shoe Comparison then And the ASX gel Nimbus 27 and the Cumulus 27 share some design DNA The Asex Gel Nimbus 27 is all about Easy pace comfort The midsole has a big Thick slab of flight foam blast plus Ecoamoam as6 added 1 and a half ms Across the stack versus the 26 for an Even more cushioned ride There's also a
Pure gel insert in the heel to improve Shock absorption Obviously that's going To benefit heel strikers a little more The other thing to note is that this is One of the heavier daily trainers going The AIC gel cumulus 27 meanwhile shoots For cushion comfort as well but it comes With a lighter lower stack that I think Boosts the versatility somewhat More on That later It uses the same Flight Foam Blast Plus Ecoamo You get the same Asex Pure Gel heel cushion in here to soften Things if you land further back It's a Package that offers a good level of road Protection and cushion but in a Midweight running shoe Up top the Nimbus 27 has new mesh uppers that successfully Balance breathability with a snug Supportive fit Cumulus 27 also has Engineered mesh uppers Both uppers feel Premium quite thick but soft and Flexible Now both shoes have generously Padded heel collars Though the design is Slightly different the Cumulus 27 sticks With the more traditional collar The Nimbus 27 has sort of dropped the Padding in behind this slightly sort of Raised heel collar here The Cumulus 27 And the Nimbus 27 also have gusseted Tongues with thinner flat wrapping Design that saves on weight The Nimbus 27 tongues are really quite knitted They're a bit softer a bit more pliable There's a bit more structure and padding
To the cumulus 27 that also come with These two pads to take away the lace Pinch On the outsoles the gel nimbus 27 Has a good covering of a plus That's Asex grippiest outsole compound You got Strategic kind of placement in all the Key impact areas The cumulus 27 has a Different approach with what calls it Kind of fluid ride outsole This is like A thick layer of rubberized EVA that Covers almost the entire sole of the Shoe You've got some grooves cut in There to improve flexibility It reminds Me something of we saw on the Under Armor shoes where you're kind of trying To save weight I guess on the outsoles But also beef up the Durability So the fit for me in these Two shoes I'm a size eight in UK These Are both size eights Uh they're very Comfortable shoes They're designed for Comfort They've got a lot of padding on Them Um and the fit is very nice as well Um both shoes have similar um width uh Of the of the design Um there's plenty Of space for me around the forefoot Around the sides of the foroot So uh It's quite comfortable shoe to wear Um In the Nimbus plenty of space before the Big toe as well which is pretty much Spot on I think for a a sizing that I Would go for in my size So the perfect Amount of space There's a bit more in The cumulus Cumis is a little bit longer
Um so it's probably got a little bit More space than I'd normally expect in a Shoe in my size Um but I wouldn't size Uh size down in it just because I found It very comfortable on all the runs that I've done in it So both of these shoes I Would say definitely stick to your size In them It comes to fit of both of these Shoes I've got the same size a UK 9 in Both which is a US 10 It's a size I use Across the AS6 range and it's been Perfectly fine for me with both of these Shoes Nice comfortable uppers with Enough padding around the heel that hold It in place there quite comfortably Without being too overbearing although I Have been mostly running in quite cold Conditions It might be a bit much if You're in the heat and enough room in The toe box good hold around the midfoot So yeah I'd stick to your normal size With both shoes I ran in a UK and a half US 9 and a half which is my regular size In asex running shoes The Cumulus 27 has A comfortable disappearing fit with good Lock down across the midfoot Wrapping Tongues with those couple of pads that Help take away any potential lace pinch Those feel nice They wrap well There's Good room lengthwise in the toe box Enough wiggle room from the structure of The uppers here that kind of keep that Top bit off the top of the toes That Feels nice and comfortable The Nimbus 27
Meanwhile is also roomy and Accommodating with plenty of length and Wiggle room in the toe box It's Generally easy to lock down for a good Comfortable secure fit I find the heel Collars work really nicely in terms of Holding me in the back there Both shoes I think offer an ideal fit for shoes That you might choose for longer easier Miles And overall I have no problem Recommending going true to size in both Of these So these shoes are two shoes that are Quite similar in what they're designed To do They're workhorse shoes They're Designed for comfort They're designed to Um churn out the miles day after day but Not really do a lot more Neither shoe is An exceptional shoe in terms of what it Does I don't think they're particularly Versatile shoes Um but they are quite Comfortable shoes However I don't think They're exceptional in comfort either I Think there's a lot of shoes out there Which are probably more comfortable if You're doing easy runs and longer Sessions and things like that Um the Nimbus is a shoe that uh I've never Really been that into Um reason for it Is that I don't really like the heel to Toe transition in the shoe Where I'm Hitting this this uh midsole is right in The middle And what I find is that it it Sort of lands comfortably It feels very
Nice on on the feet It's minimizing Impact but I'm not really getting a nice Roll through in this shoe Um so uh I've Used it a lot for easy runs Absolutely Fine It's a very good easy day shoe You've got a nice balanced midsole in There It's a nice stable midsole Considering the stack height um and uh It's a little bit more responsive than You get some from some high stack really Soft um cushion shoes So it's a nice Sort of um balance shoe for if you're Just looking for comfort and you want a Little bit of stability and everything As well Um but for me if you're using This shoe if you want to do long runs in It um if you want to pick up the pace in It it just doesn't do that It's not a Shoe designed for anything like Efficiency It's not a shoe that really Has a great deal of roll through for me It feels like I'm landing a nice nice Comfortable landing but then I'm just Picking my foot up and going again and It's not really rolling me through um That motion which is fine for easy runs And recovery runs and things like that But if I was using this for marathon Training and I was doing like you know 25k 30k runs in it I want some some sort Of hill to transition that really gives Me a bit of efficiency and makes me feel Like the shoe is helping me which I Don't get from the Nimbus 27 The cumulus
27 I have I have actually been out and Done a 30k run in this um the first run I did in it and it was absolutely fine For that Um nice balanced midsole a Little bit softer than the Nimbus I Think Um and it is a little bit more Versatile It's a little bit of a smaller Shoe It's designed to be um probably a Bit more versatile than the Nimbus Uh Which it is There's a bit more heel Totoe transition in this shoe For that 30k run I didn't it it was absolutely Fine Um and I did feel like it was Better than I definitely would would Have preferred it to the the Nimbus for That run Um but even then it it doesn't Quite work for me based on the the foam And everything in it as well If I've got A shoe that I'm wearing to be a bit more Versatile and pick up the pace in and Have a heel nice heel totoe transition I Want something that actively does does That for me I don't feel like I'm Getting loads of benefits from this shoe I think it's still very much an easy day Shoe um that is just a little bit more Versatile than the Nimbus Um it's Probably a shoe that is more likely for An option for people that maybe just Don't want the the stack height of of The Nimbus They want something a little Bit lower stack Um but still the sort of Same things from the shoe So um yeah Absolutely fine the Cumulus 27 on the
Runs that I've done in it Um I think It's very much a daily workhorse with a With a lot of comfort in it Um but I Definitely would say the shoes are Designed for versatility So I think it Really comes down to that level of Midsole that you want in it Um the other Thing that I'm not ticking on with the Cumulus is I found that the the 4 foot Cushioning wasn't enough for me on that Run So 30k you can really tell if the Shoe's got enough cushioning for you And I did notice that the forefoot just felt Like it just didn't have enough um foam In it for me over that distance It felt Like I was hitting the ground a lot Harder in the later uh kilometers of That run Um the outsole on both of these Shoes So uh the cumulus has this sort of Full covering of this dual layer midsole Or outsole Uh and it's very good It Seems quite durable I wouldn't have Thought it would be It feels feels quite Delicate but it's actually held up Pretty well Um I've not done a lot of Running in the wet because it's not been That wet recently while I've been Testing this but it's it's felt fine on Most of the terrain that I've like the Roads and the public field paths that I've run on So not a bad outsole at all Um but I haven't tested it in the rain Uh the outsole on the uh Nimbus 27 is Absolutely fine So you got quite a good
Layer of rubber um and a nice little bit Of grip on it as well Um and I have been Running on probably foot paths and and Road and various um ground in the wet as Well in this shoe when I when I started Testing that So absolutely fine outsole There is quite a bit of exposed midsole On here but the rubber is quite thick So I think it'll take a while to get down To that On to run test then And I've run Over 50k in both of these shoes I've Done a bit more in the ASX gel Nimbus 27 Just because I think when it landed I Was doing a bit more running in general In marathon training but have done Plenty of miles in both shoes Mostly Using them for nice relaxed daily Training runs easy runs long runs that Kind of thing have done a little bit of Speedier stuff in both shoes but I don't Think either excels on that front They're really built to be comfortable Workhorse shoes that pick up your easy Mileage They both do a solid job of that You got slightly different profiles to Them and they may appeal to slightly Different runners as a result The Gel Numbers 27 is the more modern cushion Shoe I guess with a mega stack of foam a Really big wide base to create stability Despite the fact you have got that big You know slab of foam under foot and the Foam in the midsole I think is a little Bit softer than the one on the Gel
Cumulus 27 although there's not a lot in It Whereas a gel cumulus 27 in general Has a more traditional setup I'd say It's more akin to shoes like the Pegasus Or Brooks Ghost that have you know not a Mega stack of foam on the foot You know Still plenty of cushioning there It's Still a very cushion and comfortable Shoe but it's not quite as high as a Nimbus and it's got more of a Traditional ride I'd say more of a snap Through than you know a smooth rocker Going on there So they both would do the Same job for me in terms of my training Which like I say is to pick up those Easy runs I'd use them in rotation with Lighter faster shoes And I wouldn't say That the Cumulus is a lot more versatile Than the Nimbus even though it is a fair Bit lighter It's got a narrower nimler Feel to it on the foot but I don't Really feel like it gives you a lot back In terms of energy return I didn't Really enjoy using it for fast runs or I Enjoyed it about the same as the Nimbus For fast runs which is to say they you Know they both can do it You can run Fast in these shoes any shoe obviously But um they're not shoes that I pick out To do even fairly you know mild speedier Runs like an easy to steady run or Something like that I would prefer to be In lighter more responsive shoes Like These for me are very much built to
Handle those easy miles I think they Both do pretty much an equally good job It's more just what you prefer like I Don't tend to go in for very big max Shoes like the Nimbus I did enjoy Running in it but if I was going to buy A shoe for my own rotation I'd rarely go For such a large shoe Just I don't feel I need that level of support and width Under foot And the Cumas has more of a You know nimler feeling on the foot and It creates a slightly more natural ride I would say I think that's also added to By the fact it has that fluid ride Outsole which is the rubberized EVA Which creates a quieter softer almost Landing and roll through with the shoe Compared to the Nimbus 27 which is a bit Slappy and always has been over the last Few generations because of this outsole Rubber I think which creates a slightly Louder feel and I think does take away Some of the comfort of the midsole and When I was running in both shoes at the Same time it was really noticeable the Slapping sound of the Nimbus 27 and that Slightly harder ground contact you get From it as a result do think it is Obviously a very cushioned and Comfortable shoe and it goes away a Little over time that slappiness but do Prefer that fluid ride outsole on the Gel cumulus It might well compromise the Durability of the shoe compared to the
Nimbus over the long haul But after 50k I've not seen any problematic signs of Wear and tear yet And certainly the Midsole foams on both shoes are very Much built to last So yeah for me they Do a similar job when it came to my run Test They're comfortable shoes for easy Miles So which does it better will Probably come down to whether you want The really big maxed out size of the gel Nimbus or the more traditional setup you Have on the Cumulus In testing I've run North of 30 miles in the Asex Gel Nimbus 27 That includes a 2-hour long effort to Test that kind of long haul comfort of This sort of super cushion shoe I've Done slightly less in the AS6 gel Cumulus 27 but my testing has also Included a 90minute run I've tested both Shoes broadly across the same range of Paces covering everything from slow and Easy slow and short long runs right up To faster paces on progression runs the Odd kind of quick mile as well And as Usual I run mainly on the road but I Have thrown in some light off-road too To test the stability and to challenge Durability Now both shoes feature large Cushion platforms that are designed to Absorb that road impact and protect your Feet They're perfect for those days when You want the road to really kind of Disappear However I think the AS6 gel Nimbus 27 takes the cushion to another
Level with that extra stack of Flight Foam Blast Plus This generation is just As nimbusy as the past generations So It's plush underfoot with a highly Protective ride Can be a bit slappy and It definitely lacks the agility and the Quicker return of the Asex Gel Cumulus 27 which just feels a bit lighter and a Bit more nimble on the foot Now the Cumulus 27 is a happy reliable Comfortable shoe as well Though it can Cope with quite a good range of paces I'd sort of describe it as a competent Jack of all trades where you can go from Easy up to endurance pace but I wouldn't Say that it really excels at any one Particular job It's got a more old School ride I think it offers up more Ground feel than you're going to get With the Nimbus 27 and even shoes like The Nova Blast 5 It's definitely Smoother and less slappy than the Nimbus 27 So if you want that kind of more Traditional ride with less of that slap This is the better option Though some Runners I think will find that it lacks The cushion they might want for their Very longest runs On durability both Shoes so far in my testing have shown Little signs of wear I think they're Both built very well Good for use as a Daily trainer that will keep going Probably for hundreds and hundreds of Miles Okay so my verdict on these two
Shoes they're both shoes designed for The same thing Um they're comfort They Are not speed shoes They're not Particularly versatile shoes Um and Neither one of them is shoe that I think Excels in a lot of areas is I think they Firmly sit bang in the middle of that Comfort ticking off the miles um and Just churning out miles That's it That's It's it's what really what these two Shoes are designed for I think there's a Lot of shoes out there that uh beat These two shoes when it comes to what They're trying to do So the Nimbus I'd Obviously go for something like the New Balance More V5 It's just they've got a Nicer midsole for me a nicer rolling Action and just I just enjoy running um Easy runs and longer runs in that shoe Nimbus is just a little bit Um less enjoyable for for those sorts of Runs for me although it is a bit more Stable So it has got that going for it And I think that's probably a big Benefit to a lot of people especially if You're a beginner and you're not sure What sort of um support you need in the Shoe and you you want comfort as well Um The Cumulus 27 I think is a little bit More versatile than the Nimbus Um but Not a lot Um and I also think that uh it Has a little bit more of a a nicer heel Totoe transition than the Nimbus for me Um if I was going to pick pet these two
Shoes I think it would just purely come Down for those easy day runs because I'm Not going to use either of these for Anything else I'm not going to go and do A speed session in this or a long run um Or anything like that in these shoes I'm Purely going to wear these for those Daily runs where I just want comfort a 10k a 15k where I'm just running along At five minute 20 kilometers uh and I Just want comfort and that's it That's What I'd use these shoes for So if it Comes down to that I'm going to go for The cumulus 27 just because I just There's a bit more to the heel totoe Transition in this shoe Uh and I just it Works a little bit better for me over Those um for those sorts of runs Um but E both of these shoes I I wouldn't pick As my anywhere near my top picks for Like really comfortable easy runs I'd go For something like the new bands more 5 So it comes to my verdict I think the Gel Nimbus is probably more of a Standout on the market at large I think Is one of the better max cushion shoes Out there and I do think it does that Job really well It is a big comfortable Shoe lots of foam underfoot but it does Feel quite natural and smooth on the run Aside from the slappy outsole and I do Think it will work for lots of runners Really well and you've got that natural Stability of the wide base However my
Preferences will probably lean more Towards the cumulus which is just that Little bit lower a little bit nimler While still being very comfortable and Cushioned still certainly cushions Enough for me to do all my easy runs in And I don't think I'd miss the added Comfort of the Nimbus that much So Getting it for a little bit less in Terms of the price I think would be good For me I'd probably go for the Cumulus And if your tastes run more towards the Lightweight end of things it would be One to look at I think in general I'd Prefer the Nova Blast to both of these Shoes and there are lots of options on The market at large that I think I would Prefer to the Gel Cumulus But sticking Very much to this versus I think it Offers plenty of comfort and does the Same role as the Nimbus pretty well So Unless you really like that extra high Shoes with that big amount of width for Stability I'd look at the Cumulus and Make the saving I do think Nimbus like I Say is more of a standout within its Category than the Cumulus is within its Own category It's just I don't really go For those max shoes myself But certainly If you do like big maxed out cushioning Shoes then definitely the Nimbus is a Really good shoe to look at Very good Option for new runners heavier runners I Think you might get a little bit more
Comfort out of the Nimbus under the Forefoot over longer runs perhaps as Well But the Cumulus is still a very Comfortable shoe will satisfy lots of Runners very well and is a little bit Cheaper So gives it a little bit of an Edge in my book Verdict then And you've Got two capable cushion daily trainers One I don't think is necessarily better Than the other I think the choice is Going to come down to whether or not you Want a shoe that delivers the most Cushion and protection or you're happy To trade some of that high cush for a Little bit more Spreus way It's going to be cushioned And controlled If your top priority is a Softer smooth protective road eatating Comfort for your easiest of easy miles Then I think the Nimbus 27 is going to Deliver more of that you're going to get From the Cumulus 27 But if you want a Shoe that can cushion easy runs but also Move up through the gears a little more I think the Cumulus 27 is the more Capable shoe for overall versatility If I had to choose one shoe I'd pick the Cumulus based on that kind of range of Paces that it can work at There's enough Cushion to go slow but the lighter more Agile setup along with a more responsive Ride for me makes it better when you Want to move with more intent But I Think if all you want is cushion and
Stability and reliability the Nimbus 27 Might be the better choice Other Alternatives I'd probably consider in This space that I think can offer Similar to these two shoes include the Socky Ride 17 I haven't tried the 18 No Blast 5 is another interesting one The Nike Promeo 18 has become a favorite of Mine to cover these similar runs Velocity Nitro 3 from Pummer New Balance 1080 V14 Brooks Glycerin as well So there's a Few other options to go and look at as Well there are reviews of all of those Shoes up on the channel that you can go And have a look at So there you have it That's our head-to-head of the Cumulus 27 versus the Nimbus 27 Give us a like If you found it useful Hit subscribe if You haven't already joined 100,000 plus Yeah we ticked over that milestone Recently 100,000 people who've made that Smart move We appreciate every single One of you Thank you for showing us all That support If you're interested in Cushion shoes I'm also going to pop a Video up on the channel that you should Go and check out about now Otherwise Thank you very much for stopping by and Until next time happy running
