Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 Performance Review

Let’s get straight to the point: The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is a one-trick pony. But this pony does its one trick really well. 

I might be biased, as over the past year, Asics has taken up a lot of my shelf space, from the impressive GlideRide 3 and springy Novablast 3 to the polarizing Superblast (which I can’t get enough of) and now the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25. But each model serves a purpose and fulfills that purpose well.

Reasons to Buy (Pros)

Comfort

The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 shoe is a dream to slip into. Tons of FF Blast+ cushion under and around the foot. And with some added foam in the forefoot this time around, this is one of few shoes that can be described as “walking on a cloud.” (Editor’s Note: A very stable cloud.) Simply put, you just feel safe and secure with these on foot.

Build

Everything about the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 feels like it was thought out for a long time. The knit upper is near perfect, with a touch of stretch to conform to your foot, while not getting overly sloppy. The somewhat hidden eyelets keep a more streamlined aesthetic on the upper. And the super-stretchy knit tongue and ankle collar system remind you why Asics calls it their most comfortable shoe. But even the smallest details, like a nice wide pull tab on the heel, reinforce just how comfortable these are every time you wear them.

Reasons to Pass (Cons)

Singular Purpose

I said it up top, but the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is not a versatile shoe. It was built and intended for long, slow runs (or just wearing casually, which they are great at as well). You’re not going to feel any pop or snapiness when you try to pick up the pace. And honestly, that’s okay. We’re spoiled with so many shoes that have a lot of versatility, so consider these your recovery run SME. (Editor’s Note: SME is subject matter expert. I had to look that up. Can you tell Tyler’s day job is corporate? It’s a wonder he was able to write this review in between endless Zoom calls.)

Breathability

While I did all of my testing in January and February, I had no issues with breathability, but given the construction of the shoe, I surmise that warmer climates might not “gel” as much with these shoes. Thanks, I’ll see myself out…(Editor’s Note: Ba dum ching! Also, huge and lingering eye-roll.)

Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 Summary

The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is another great shoe from Asics, albeit, not one that will be showing up on speed days. While they might lack a touch of snap that you might find in other higher-cushion shoes, I think this shoe should be a strong contender for anyone who wants to treat their feet luxuriously during recovery runs or at slower paces. (Editor’s Note: They also easily pass the theme park test and have the style to be rocked casually in a bunch of settings. So while you don’t get running versatility per se, they are useful beyond running, unlike some of the stuff we test. Like…ahem…all the race day shoes.)

You can also buy the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 directly from the Asics website.

Thanks to Asics and Running Warehouse for providing test pairs free of charge. We did not provide them with early access to this review, and they were not given any say over the contents of this review.