Before we even get our hands on the product, we are super excited for the revolutionary new ASICS Gel-Kayano, a shoe that has always managed to be the king of both luxury and support in one package.

The latest Kayano promises to revolutionise the way we think about structured running, with improved comfort and performance that delivers heaps of stability and smooth, plush cruising.

Key Info

Price: £180
Foot type: Structured
Weight: 298g Men’s, 259g Women’s
Stack height: 40mm / 32mm Men’s, 39mm / 31mm Women’s
Heel drop: 8mm
Surface: Road
Best for: Long runs

History

Well into its 4th decade the Kayano has always stood for support, comfort and luxury. A sister shoe to the neutral Nimbus, it has always tried to emulate the soft cushioned, plush and occasionally fast feel of the Nimbus while adding extra support for over pronators or those who find a little guidance helpful.

There have been times in its history where it has been less supportive than the cheaper GT-2000, but still delivering the ultimate in supportive comfort, but that was back in the bad old days of the medial post, a harder piece of foam under your foot on the inside of the shoe that presented a physical barrier to your foot turning in too far.

Recently, with the introduction of the 3D system in the GT-2000 and the 4D system in the Kayano, it sits back on the top of the pile for both support and comfort. Both systems use a combination of technologies to deliver much softer guidance than the old medial post, described as non-intrusive support, the 4D System has been a fan favourite since the Kayano 30.

Closer Look

Let’s start with the guidance: there are no hard posts, firm plates, standout shapes, or other obvious support structures to be found anywhere, and before we talk about how ASICS have done that while still providing the support its famous for, let’s dig into what it means for the shoe.

It means lightness, the shoe comes in under 300g, it also means comfort, with a sensation that nothing is restricting you, only guiding your stride, the potential is for the Kayano to outperform many neutral shoes.

And with performance in mind, ASICS have introduced FF Blast Max foam into the Kayano for the first time. Found in the beloved Novablast series, it delivers a huge amount of spring from your stride. ASICS are pairing it with FF Blast Plus and soft PureGel in the heel, in a max stack midsole that could elevate this luxurious daily trainer to the speed of a super trainer.

So how do they do it? Well it seems that the blend of foams is one of the ways ASICS can gently guide your foot, by shaping the two foams so that your foot naturally follows the most efficient path through your stride. Another trick they use is within the outsole, small sections of rubber allow the shoe to flex and bend naturally, but one long strip of rubber down the instep helps to guide your stride without the need for anything firm to get in your way. Add in a wide base for stability all through the stride and you get all the guidance you need for long runs at the height of plush comfort.

Conclusion

Already well reviewed and super popular, in part because of its unobtrusive stability system, it is a brave move for ASICS to update the Kayano so dramatically. But the more you look into the changes, the more it makes sense. With zero firm elements forcing your stride in one direction and an improved blend of foams in the midfoot, you get stability, performance and none of the traditional drawbacks? None? I can’t wait till launch day on June 1st to find out.