Gear Review: ASICS Cumulus 23

I’ve been running in the ASICS Cumulus 23 for a few months, so I have a bunch of miles under my feet with them and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you.

TL;DR

A quick note on transparency, ASICS did send me these kicks but I am not getting paid for this review and they are not seeing this video before I post it.

So first, as always, let’s go through the basics.

The Cumulus is (are?) a neutral shoe, gonna cost you $120, and come in at 9.9 OZ. So while not as heavy as the Nimbus, these are still gonna com in on the heavy side.

This is a cushioned shoe, in fact, these are more cushioned than last year.

But I get ahead of myself.

The midsole stack comes in at 23MM and goes down to 13MM in the forefoot giving it a 10MM drop.

The midsole is made from ASICS Flytefoam which has been the ASICS midsole of choice for a number of years now and offers a cushioned ride without feeling mushy.

This year ASICS extended the Flytefoam layer to a full-length bottom layer which is going to provide a bit more cushioning than last year and ASICSs claims a smoother ride than previous years.

I will admit to liking these a lot more this year than last. And in fact, have liked the Cumulus more and more over the years.

I think the first year I ran in them was 2015 or 2016 and I feel like the brand has invested more and more R&D into them every year.

Let’s talk about that R&D and how it’s showing itself in the shoe this year.

There’s a bit of Gel on the outside of the heel for a softer land. And this year ASICS added what they are calling the 3D space construction for a bit more cushioning and a smoother ride.

So what does that mean?

3D space construction is exactly what it sounds like. ASICS created some negative space in the midsole. Essentially hollowing it out but in a shape that looks kind f like a honeycomb, so it’s not just a big old hole in the middle of the midsole.

In the men’s version they used the honeycombed midsole in the heel and in the women’s version they added it in the heel and under the forefoot.

So why did they do this?

This is for a few reasons. First, it offers the opportunity to remove some weight – never a bad thing in my book as long as durability isn’t sacrificed. Time will tell on that.

Now for both genders it softens the impact on the heel. And the reason the women’s version has it up front is so it will help the midsole in the forefoot deform on push off which, when it snaps back, gives the shoe propulsion.

The reason it’s not in the forefoot of the men’s version is that, according to ASICS, men are heavier and can create enough force to deform the midsole.

Side note, it’s the same technology (along with midsole shaping) in the GEL-Kayano Lite that offers the ability to remove all of the plastic components making it lighter and achieve similar levels of stability.

Like last year, the 23s have a 3D printed upper that really conforms to your foot. It’s also super breathable, which you know is important as we get into the warmer months. the toe box is snug, but not constricting as is the heel cup.

The outsole is made from ASICS Hi Abrasion Rubber (or as they call it AHAR) which has a boat load of cuts and is used a little more sparingly this year which may account for the tenth of an ounce in weight reduction –

I’m joking of course but the rubber outsole on shoes is some of the heaviest material used in construction and if companies are looking to drop weight, this is one of the first places they find it.

That’s why outsoles on a lot of the carbon plated shoes looks like this:

So what are these kicks good for? I like this for all around trainers, I can use them for drills, midweek runs and long training runs. I would even consider these for long races where I’m not trying to PR.

But I usually stick with the Nimbus for those days.

Anyway, nice job ASICS.