ASICS Nimbus 25 Review

• Along with the new stylish new knit upper, the tongue and lace area of the Nimbus also got a big upgrade. The tongue is made of a stretch knit material and is unlike anything I’ve seen before on a running shoe. The material is soft, flexible, and hugs the top of your foot when the laces are tied. Despite the thinness of the tongue, I did not notice any discomfort on the top of my foot from the laces digging in.

• The memory foam heel collar padding is super comfortable and is a feature that I’d love to see more shoes adopt. I occasionally notice heel slipping in certain running shoes but had none with the Nimbus thanks to this padding. This is about to sound weird, but I have never loved the heel area of a shoe so much. I don’t think my heel/lower ankle area has ever felt so comfortable and secure in a shoe before! Even when the memory foam compresses after running for a while, the comfort remains. I will be interested to see if the padding holds up over the lifetime of the shoe. As a nice little bonus, there’s a loop/tab at the top of the heel to make getting the shoes off easier.

• The Nimbus has a bit of a rocker-like feel to it (similar to most Hoka shoes if you’re familiar) that helps create a smooth ride. The shoe rolls the foot from heel to toe upon landing in seemingly one fluid motion. The heel-to-toe transition feels almost effortless!

• I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Nimbus is quite possibly the most cushioned running shoe I’ve ever worn. The cushioning is distributed nicely throughout the shoe, with even the forefoot having an impressive amount of cushioning. Most of the time, I felt like I could barely feel the ground when running in these shoes. The Nimbus provides a plush feel with excellent shock absorption. 

• Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the shoe at first glance is the high stack height; depending on who you ask, some may say it’s impressive or excessive. I apparently lean towards “excessive” because I tripped or scuffed the heel area of the sole more than a few times throughout my first five runs in these. If you’re not someone who regularly wears shoes with a high stack height, these can take some time to get used to. You’ll likely trip a few times, but it does get better. I will say, though, it sure is nice gaining what feels like a couple inches of extra height when putting on the Nimbus!

•  My biggest complaint about the Nimbus 25 is that it is somewhat of a one purpose shoe. Weighing in at 9.2 oz for the women’s version, it’s far from being the heaviest shoe of this kind, but for some reason, it feels heavier on the foot than, say, the Hoka Clifton or Brooks Glycerin. The Nimbus also lacks responsiveness – I felt like I was almost “sinking in” to all of the cushioning and losing power from the push-off phase of my stride. I LOVE a highly cushioned shoe, but those looking for more balance between cushion and responsiveness may feel that there is too much cushioning. Because of the heavy cushioning and lack of responsiveness, the Nimbus is essentially an easy run only shoe. For recovery runs, long runs, and runs done at easy to moderate paces, these shoes are gold, but I wouldn’t be caught dead in them for speedwork or for a race. 

I was quite shocked at how much I ended up liking the Nimbus 25 - after some issues with the Kayano changing vastly from new edition to new edition, I had sworn off ASICS entirely in 2018. ASICS, consider yourself redeemed in my eyes because these shoes are amazing! From the impressive amount of cushioning to the stretchy tongue and heel collar that hugs my ankle area, these shoes are true walking comfort. The Nimbus is on the heavy, and honestly, kind of “clunky” side, and are not very responsive, so they really aren’t a great pick for days where you feel like going fast. If you’re looking for a highly cushioned daily trainer to carry you through easy miles, look no further than the Nimbus 25!