The Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 is the top neutral cushioned shoe in Asics’s line-up, while the Asics Gel-Kayano 30 is the top stability option, but the latest versions of both shoes have a lot more similarities than differences. Kieran and Nick talk through their running experience in each shoe in this video, and suggest which will suit different runners.
Check out our reviews of both shoes:
Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 Review:
Asics Ge;-Kayano 30 Review:
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:14 – Design & Key Stats
02:59 – How’s The Fit?
04:00 – The Run Test
08:41 – Verdict
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Hello and welcome to run testers my name Is Nick and in this video we're going to Be comparing the aex GEL Nimbus 26 and The aex gel Kono [Music] 30 so the Carno and the Nimbus are the Most expensive top training shoes within The A6 range you've got the Nimbus which Is the top of the line cushioned neutral Shoe and then the jel Cayo is the top-of The-line cushioned stability shoe now in The past has been quite big differences Between the pair but over the last Couple of years they've moved together In terms of their design so we're going To try and highlight any differences There are here between the two shoes and Suggest which would be the one to go for Price is the same on both shoes it's £180 in the UK $160 in the US which is Pretty brutal conversion if you're here In the UK the weight is also very Similar the gel Cayo is 315 G or 11.1 o In my uk9 whereas the GEL Nimbus is 318 G or 11.2 o the jel Caro is a 10 mm drop And a stack out of 40 mm at the heel 30 At the 4 foot uh the Nimbus has a Slightly lower drop at 8 mm and a higher Overall stack heite of 42 mm at the heel And 34 mm at the 4ot so it comes to the Midols you've got lot of similarities Here they're both got big stacks of Asx's flight foam plus Eco cushioning With a little bit of pure gel under the
Heel as well both we've got side walls Of foam and a big wide base to create Stability but you got a slightly wider Base with the jelo and some other Features on it to make it more of a Stable shoot since it is aimed at Runners who do over prenate you get this Through the 4D guidance system so it's Not so much about medial posting which Used to be the traditional way that People create stability shoes but There's a whole range of features to Make the shoe stable across the length Of the shoe things like those sidewalls And the wide base you've also got a big Heel bevel to guide your Landings and Then the midsole geometry and materials Use has been set up to create that Stable design so you've got this little Patch of foam here for example instead Of being a medial post which should be a Firmer thing on the inside of the shoe To stop your foot rolling actually told Us that this is a livelier foam that Springs you off that part of your foot To get you back into a neutral position Rather than rolling too far inwards on The run the result is that you get a Stable shoe that but it's not Obtrusively stable like sometimes used To be the case with medial posting and That kind of thing and it's better as a Result for neutral Runners as well as Stability seeking Runners youve got knit
Tongue and knit uppers on both shoes Loads of padding around the heel as You'd expect and really significant heel Counters on both it's not just on the K There really firm internal heel counters There to create stability at the back of The shoe and both are obviously very Well padded around the tongue and collar Because they are Comfort Focus Shoes you Got slightly different outes in this Version of the shoe Jo number 26 one of The big Updates this year is the outsole Which is a mix of ax grip and ahar plus Rubber which should create better grip Than you had with the ahar rubber alone On the gel numers 25 which some people Found a little bit slippery on greasy Pavements and that's the rubber you've Got on the gel Co you've got an ahar Plus rubber it's a slightly firmer Material at the back of the shoe here on These darker green sections and then Slightly softer feeling further forward So you do have the slightly different Outso materials on the two shoes Although I didn't really notice a Massive difference in terms of grip in The real world When it comes to fit I ran true to size In both of these shoes that is my Regular running shoe size the UK and a Half the US 9 and a half and I would Recommend going true to size in both of These shoes they do have like a snug
Hugging fit I think the heel collar hold Really securely in both of these shoes You know that's one of the things that's Really noticeable against some other Shoes you do feel well held there's no Slipping at all across the top the Midfoot there's good lock down without Any sort of lace pinch or nasty the Tongues do a good job of buffering all Of that there's just about enough wig Them in the toe box but overall on both Of these shoes you're going to get a Snug fit I would say is almost like for Like almost identical and I would Recommend going true to size in both so The fit was good for me with both of These shoes I have a uk9 in both of them Which is a us10 in aex they're fairly Roomy at the front of the shoe but in a Good way enough room for a cushion Cruiser like this no chance of your toes Getting cramped on those long runs good Hold around the midfoot and heel as well So yeah no concerns with the fit in my Normal running shoe size with both Shoes So in testing I ran more than 35 miles In each of these shoes that was mostly Easier low and slow but I logged some Faster efforts to test the pace range Versatility as well my test miles were Mainly on road but I threw in some light Off-road park pars River trails that Kind of thing to test a Kyo 30 stability
I also did a side by side Mile with one Sh on each foot to get a better sense of The differences in real time and here's What I found so then I've just done my Sidebyside Mile with the numers 26 on The right foot I've got the Kayo 30 on My left foot major things here the Difference between these shoes is very Minimal I mean I don't normally run in a Stability shoe but overall the Comfort On the foot the way the uppers wrapped The way the heels hold all of that lock Down and that overall foot feel I find Is pretty much identical same room in The toe box so these are very very Similar shoes from that point of view in Terms of the ride there's a couple of Little distinctions here I think I get The kind of same return from that Midol Phone from that flight bone blast eco Plus pretty much if anything I would say That the Kayo feel a little bit softer Very very tiny bit softer sink here Maybe that's the footed I don't know the Other thing that I really noticed it's One of the changes that's happened with The Nimbus 261 25 the N 26 is just a Slappy shoe I mean it's it slaps on the Ground you can hear it it's just a Little bit disconnected and for me I Find you know the noise the feeling the Sensation is just a little bit Interruptive to me it's a small thing But it does
Uh factor in when I'm running I don't Get that from the K30 otherwise I think your major Differences here just going to be Whether or not you need a stability sh Or not there is a bit more guidance in The Kayo 30 as you would expect there is A bit more stability they you know I I Can feel there's sort of less role but Overall I don't think the uh Nimbus 26 Is a particularly unstable shoe though Aside from the stability additions in The Kayo 30 which if you need stability You're going to benefit from I think There's not much to choose between these Shoes in terms of the r performance of That midsole foam and how it feels Underfoot they both return at about the Same amount of time I get the same sort Of feeling in terms of the role through In the transitions apart from that slapp That you get in the Kayo 26 this is Pretty much like for like for me in the Way that they move on the ground and so There's not a huge amount to choose Between them and the verdicts I think is Just going to come down to whether or Not you want that extra stability or you Don't or you need it or you don't so These are both enjoyable shoes for Cruising around the I tell they're both Very much comfort Focus shoes that I Found out their best for those easy runs Just because the size and weight of the
Shoes makes them not the best if you are Going to try and up the pace at all I've Logged a lot of easy miles in both the Shoes as well as doing some shorter Faster stuff and one workout in the Jael Nimbus and certainly I'd say they shine When it comes to the easy relaxed Running side of things so in the past The Jael Koo was a b Fair bit different To the nimus you had things like the Medial posting and it created a firmer Less enjoyable ride or round as a Neutral Runner myself so I would in the Past would always have gone for the Jael Nimbus but with the latest version of The Cho the stability is there but it is Subtle and just supportive and as a Result it is very comfortable shoe for a Neutral Runner as well and then we've Given the fact that the GEL Nimbus also Has quite a few stability features they Use same Foams in general the shoes do Have quite a similar feel on the run I Found so when I was running in both Shoes at the same time you do still Notice a slightly softer feeling with The Nimbus and I do think it's got a Little bit more of a smooth ride as well With that slightly lower drop and the Way it almost eases you onto the 4 foot A little bit more smoothly than the Caro Which has a little bit more of a snap to It but these are really minor Differences I'd say overall and even as
A neutral Runner I really did enjoy Using the Jael Caro as a relax shoe with That extra support like it's not Necessarily need all the time but at the End of longer runs it's it's nice to Have a little bit of extra support from Your shoe if it's delivered in an Unobtrusive way like this and obviously The Nimbus does have a lot of stability Elements as well so I do think they Match up quite well on the run there Those slight differences in terms of Softness and smoothness where the Nimbus Feels a little bit more so of those two Things than the Caro now one change you Have with the gel nimus 26 is that new Outso and it has created a slightly Slapper ride than the Jael nimus 25 I Found and actually not quite as Comfortable a ride under the foref foot For me on long runs or anything where I Was doing any kind of faster Paces in The shoe I just got a slight bit of four Foot discomfort with the Jael Nimbus 26 Which isn't really present with the jel Cayo or indeed the Nimbus 25 so you have Got this new outsa material on the gel Nimus 26 I haven't really noticed a big Up ticking grip so the gel nimus 25 I Think has a similar outso to the gel Kayo 30 and the first couple of runs out The box they can be a little bit Squirely on greasy Pavements but once The outsole roughs up I found the grip
To be perfectly fine so even though you Have got the updated outsole here on the Gel 26 which might be something that aex Does with the jel K 31 I wouldn't say It's a game changer of an outso change And in fact maybe the grip has slightly Improved but I also think the Comfort Has slightly uh decreased using this new Outso material just because it hits the Ground a bit harder in my [Music] Experience so it might seem a bit Strange as a neutral Runner but i' Probably lean towards getting the jelo Out of these two shoes i' say neither Would be top of my list to get they're Probably not shoes that I'd whack in my Rotation myself just because they are a Bit too heavy and maxed out for me but If you are looking between them I Wouldn't be put off by the fact the gel Coo is a stability shoe if you are a Neutral Runner it rides really well it's Very comfortable it doesn't feel Annoying or overly overbearing because Of the stability elements obviously if You are a runner seeking stability then Actually these are both fairly stable Shoes but the jel Caro is the more Stable one I would get it of the pair But the GEL Nimbus is not an unstable Shoe so I wouldn't really worry about it Despite the high stack you have here I Didn't find it very wobbly at all underf
Foot so if you are racking up a lot of Miles in marathon training and just Ticking through easy runs at very slow Paces the extra support you get here From the Jael car is no bad thing but The Nimbus like I say is probably Slightly softer a little bit smoother so Maybe that's a slight Advantage as well Probably if it was up to me and I was Looking at these shoes I just look at Getting the cheapest one out of the gel Coo and the GEL Nimbus and I would Probably include the Jael numers 25 in That if you're just looking for a big Cushion shoe The Tick through easy runs Then all of those shoes I think are Pretty much equally good unless you Obviously do need stability in which Case the Kano does have the edge but Yeah at face value at full price I might Just Edge it to the Kano out of these Two but I probably rate the gel n 25 the Best of the trio even though it is the Older shoe my verdict then if you get Along with bulkier shoes the ners 26 and The the K 30 shoes both offer cushion Protective rides that are geared towards The slower daily miles long run comfort And easier recovery runs that's what They do best neither shoe offers the Responsive or Snappy ride that you'll Find on the Range topping rival super Daily trainers and if you want running Shoes that offer slow to allout Pace
Range there are better options out there For sure however if your priority is Guaranteed easy cruising Comfort these Shoes both offer that big time the Design tweaks bring the Kayo 30 much Closer to the nimbus And with only minor upgrades to the Latter which shoe you choose here I Think basically comes down to whether or Not you need that stability as I've said If you do the car 30 is going to be the Shoe for you if you run in neutral shoes The Imus 26 is the better option it's Also I think just a better shoe overall With a somewhat smoother ride despite That Slappy out sole it's a bit more Responsive and just a bit more agility Overall I think if you've used the Nimbus and found yourself wanting a Similar ride just with some added Stability though the car 30 now fits That bill the good stability alternative To the K 30 I think it's worth looking At things like the sakon tempus and the Brooks gising GTS some Runners love the Nike Invincible 3 as well but I can't Get along with that shoe but there Another one that would fall into this Bracket good Nimbus 26 Alternatives that Deliver soft protective Landings but Maybe a touch more sort of faster Pac Capability I would say include the Brooks Max that's a soft nimy shoe and The socer ride 17 which I think has a
Bit more overall versatility oh yeah but If I'm personally choosing one of these Shoes uh for me it's going to be the Nimbus 26 That's our comparison of the aex Jael Nimbus 26 and the ax Jael Caro 30 let us Know what you think in the comments Below please do like and subscribe ring The little bell and we'll see you next Time
