Gender Specific seems to be the buzz phrase in footwear development at the moment and the new Asics Gel Nimbus 11 also follow this emerging trend. Taking into account the physiological differences between men and women when running, these shoes have been tailored to create Asics most advanced cushioned running shoes yet.
So What’s New?
Rather than simply adding new features to the shoe for the sake of it Asics have actually bucked the trend of running shoe manufacturers and looked at what features actually worked on previous models. They have then reintroduced the successful features, removed any “extraneous” material and re engineered the midsole construction to create a lighter, more comfortable and more responsive shoe.
The Asymmetrical Lacing Design has been stripped down by removing all overlays across the toe-box and the new construction creates the open toe environment similar to what was used on the Asics Gel Nimbus 9.
The synthetic material that made up most of the upper on the Asics Gel Nimbus 10 has also been removed and replaced with an open mesh environment similar to the Nimbus 9′s.
Additionally, the standard 4mm foam lining material inside the tongue has been removed and replaced with 5mm memory foam. Which allows a more form-fitted feel under the laces. Also, to lessen the potential for irritation in the heel area, the stitching has been removed around the memory foam that makes up PHF® (Personal Heel Fit) and updated to a stitch-less construction.
The reduction in weight has also continued into the midsole with the addition of an injected Solyte® cap over the forefoot. The advantage of the injection process is lighter weight and more consistent density in comparison to compression molded EVA.
Not only does this help drop the weight of the tooling, the ‘dialed-in’ density improves the forefoot road feel. The density of the injected cap also recognizes the higher compression rate on men’s shoes versus women’s. So in an expansion of ASICS’ Gender Comfort strategy, the injected section is softer on women’s than on the men’s model. In addition, the injected portion on the women’s model extends from the lateral side of the forefoot all the way across to the medial side. The men’s starts laterally, but ends just shy of the medial side. All of the above results in the most noticeable difference – a 23g drop in weight from 373 grams to 350 grams.
What do we think?
If everything is to be expected the new Asics Nimbus 11 should be the most comfortable and performance orientated version of the illustrious Nimbus range to date. We are extremely curious to see if the weight reduction does result in any impaired performance. For instance will the injected Solyte provide that perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness? Will the injected Solyte® cap over the forefoot will create a plusher feel? Will the upper fit be dramatically more breathable with much more open mesh than before? And finally will the reduced number of overlays provide less irritation and produce a glove-like fit? No need to worry, these questions wont remain unanswered for long. Over the next month we plan to run more than 100 miles in the shoes and report back all our findings.
How much do they cost?
The Asics Gel Nimbus 11 retails for a massive £109.99 however by using Ransacker you can already save a minimum of £15.00!. For the latest and cheapest prices on the Asics Gel Nimbus 11 please click on this link.
New Features
- Injection Solyte® midsole material under forefoot provides plush road feel
- Lower density injection Solyte on women’s version provides a plush road feel
- Upper features improved Asymmetrical Lacing Design for better fit and less potential for irritation.
- 5mm of memory foam added to tongue lining for improved comfort through the instep
- Stitch-less PHF® construction improves heel fit and comfort and lessens potential for irritation
Carry-over Features
- Solyte® midsole material provides a more cushioned ride.
- ‘Discreet’ GEL® Cushioning System in heel for improved shock attenuation.
- Space Trusstic® w/ Gender Specific Fit provides midfoot stability
- 4-piece forefoot outsole provides enhanced flexibility
- Two-channel ‘Twist’ GEL® Cushioning System for forefoot shock attenuation
- Biomorphic Fit® System upper lessens potential for irritation
- Solyte® 45 lasting provides long lasting try-on comfort
- Blown AHAR® outsole for a great road feel
[...] last our long awaited (sorry for the delay!) review of the Asics Gel Nimbus 11 is here. As our initial review reported; rather than simply adding new features to the shoe for the sake of it Asics have actually bucked [...]