Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 Review

ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 26 Shoes

Introduction  

There's no other ASICS running shoe that personifies what ASICS is all about more than the Nimbus. New Balance states that if they could only make 1 running shoe, it would be the 1080. For ASICS, it would definitely be the Nimbus.  

The Nimbus has had its fair share of major changes and updates over the years but now it's finally at a point where you get what you expect from ASICS’ premium, max cushioned trainer: an uber-soft, cloud-like experience which oozes comfort. 

What makes the Nimbus such a popular shoe is that it's not only for running but it's also a great shoe for walking and standing. It's suitable for casual use as well as performance activities due to its high level of cushioning, comfort and stability.  

The Nimbus is marketed as ASICS’ softest, plushest trainer and it sits above the Cumulus in their neutral, performance running range. While it's still called the GEL-Nimbus, it doesn't have any visible gel units anywhere in the midsole.  

It competes against the usual suspects in the maximum cushioning category: the Saucony Triumph, the New Balance More, the Nike Invincible, the Adidas Ultraboost and the On Cloudeclipse.  

This year's Nimbus 26 has a new upper, midsole and outsole but the changes are minimal when compared to the changes from the 24th to the 25th version. The Nimbus 26 is 14 g heavier than its predecessor with the majority of the weight increase coming from the more aggressive outsole.  

Specifications   

Upper 

The knitted upper of the Nimbus 26 is similar in design to the Nimbus 25 but the major change is that the material is a lot more breathable. There are now bigger holes on the top of the toe box and the tongue to increase airflow. Some runners complained of the Nimbus 25 being too warm but in this latest version, breathability has been improved sevenfold. This Nimbus 26 is still however warmer than the average running shoe due to the knit being thick so it’s more suited to cool climates than warm ones.

The inside of the heel has generous padding all around the ankle. Heel lockdown is fantastic and there are no points of irritation on the heel thanks to all the plush cushioning. The padding does absorb a lot of liquid which makes it heavier so if you plan on running in the rain, it’s best that you don’t use the Nimbus 26. There are also double first-row eyelets to enable you to do heel-lock lacing.

The stretchy tongue is semi-gusseted so there’s no tongue movement during runs. The Nimbus 26 is one of the few max-cushioned trainers to not have a thick, padded tongue, so if you prefer minimal tongues, the Nimbus 26 is a good option. It lays flat against the top of your foot and there’s no irritation due to how soft the material feels.  

When it comes to sizing, the Nimbus 26 has a wider design than the Nimbus 25 so it’s more comfortable. It is still however a more narrow fit than most trainers so the majority of runners will be more comfortable in the wide or extra-wide version. If you can only get the normal-width version, you can go up a half size.  

A stretchy, wide heel pull tab is included as well as a tongue pull tab so putting the Nimbus 26 on is a convenient and pleasurable experience.  

Midsole  

There's so much foam in the midsole of the Nimbus 26 that it's illegal to use it in official World Athletics races because it surpasses the maximum stack height limit of 40 mm. The good news is that only elite runners have their race shoes tested so you will not be disqualified if you use the Nimbus and you aren't competing for a top spot. 

If you are in contention for a podium spot though, you won't be racing in the Nimbus 26 because it's an easy day trainer for slow running. 

The midsole is made of a single density slab of FF Blast+ Eco, ASICS’ premium midsole training foam. It's made of a blend of EVA and OBC (Olefin Block Copolymer), a thermoplastic elastomer which is elastic and tough. It also has kevlar strands infused into it to improve durability and strength. FF Blast+ Eco is much lighter than regular EVA foam and it also recovers much faster after a run, meaning it returns back to its original shape quicker.  

The midsole is called Eco because it consists of 20% bio-based materials from renewable sources, including waste from sugar cane processing. Inside the rearfoot is a layer of hidden PureGEL, which is a clear silicone pad designed to absorb shock and increase cushioning depth. 

The Nimbus 26 has a midsole which has slightly raised edges to guide your feet and ensure that your feet sit inside the midsole, not on top of it. It has a wide base to create planted foot strikes which results in extra stability. A medium-height forefoot toe spring helps ease you through transitions at toe offs, known as the rocker effect.  

Outsole  

The biggest difference between the Nimbus 26 and the Nimbus 25 is in the outsole. Runners complained of a lack of traction in the 25 which had outsole rubber with a flat design. Now in version 26, we get a more aggressive outsole rubber pattern which immensely improves traction. It's a much better shoe for running in wet conditions. 

There's HYBRID ASICSGRIP on the forefoot which is softer and AHAR+ on the rearfoot which is harder and more durable. ASICS chose to make the outsole rubber thinner than most running shoes in order to increase ground feel and reduce the weight. It's still however durable enough to not wear down prematurely. You should be able to get at least 800 kilometers out of the Nimbus 26 outsole.  

In the centre of the outsole is a shallow channel, or what ASICS used to call a guidance line. This channel starts out broad in the rearfoot and narrows as it enters the forefoot. It centres the weight of the runner to make the ride more stable and it’s a weight saving feature because it reduces the amount of midsole foam.  

It’s a full ground contact outsole on the Nimbus 26. This means that the entire part of the outsole touches the ground. This design character makes transitions feel very smooth and very stable because the entire surface area of the outsole comes into contact with the ground.  

Ride 

The moment you put your feet into the Nimbus 26, you can immediately feel your feet sink down into the plush midsole. The Nimbus 26 has one of the plushest rides of any max-cushioned trainer. This makes it great for easy or recovery runs which are 5:40 per kilometre or slower. Anything faster, and you’ll feel like you need to exert a considerable amount of effort to sustain your pace.  

Ride transitions are incredibly smooth thanks to the single-density FF Blast+ midsole and the forefoot feels just as plush as the rearfoot. Compared to the Nimbus 25, the 26 feels ever so slightly firmer but you won’t notice a difference unless you’re wearing both versions at the same time, one on each foot.  

Due to the super thick midsole stack heights, there isn’t much ground feel in the Nimbus 26. This is perfect for runners who have sore legs and need the extra protection from the pounding of the ground during foot strikes. When wearing the Nimbus 26, it feels like you have thick mattresses underneath your feet.  

The Nimbus 26 is great for long runs because of the deep cushioning it has. It also has a gentle forefoot rocker which saves you energy during transitions and keeps your legs fresh.  

Conclusion  

The Nimbus 26 is definitely the softest, plushest ASICS running shoe and one of the softest max-cushioned trainers period. It also makes a great gym or casual shoe because of its high level of comfort. It will continue to sell by the boatload and be one of ASICS’ most popular shoes.  

Version 26 is an improvement over version 25 for a number of reasons: it has a wider upper, it’s more breathable and it has better outsole traction. The only negative is that it has picked up a bit of weight but for easy runs, you shouldn’t worry about weight because you should be running slowly.  

Compared to the other max-cushioned trainers, the Nimbus 26 is softer than most, with only the Nike Invincible and New Balance 1080 being softer. The Nimbus is however a lot more stable. The New Balance More is similar to the Nimbus 26 in ride softness.  

The biggest improvement that ASICS can make is to make the upper of the Nimbus even more breathable. This would make it more enjoyable for summer running in the heat. The width of the upper should also be widened because it’s still on the narrow side.  

In an ASICS rotation, the Nimbus 26 can be your daily trainer for easy/recovery runs, the Novablast 4 or Magic Speed 3 can be your speed trainer and the Metaspeed Edge+ or Sky+ can be your race shoe.  

Reviewed by Brandon Loh

Check out Asics Nimbus 26 here