Gel inserts in the heel, a wave-patterned sole and more outsole rubber sit around the new foam. The update lands as performance running keeps growing and SportStyle claims more of Asics’ momentum.
Asics is rebuilding the Gel-Nimbus around comfort, replacing the cushioning of its 29th edition with a new midsole foam, FF Luxe Plus. Announced in Kobe, Japan, on Oct. 29, the shoe goes on sale worldwide on Dec. 1 at €190 and enters a crowded everyday-trainer segment with a softer ride as its central promise.
Asics describes the new foam as light and soft. A wave-shaped pattern under the sole lets the midsole compress more on impact, and PureGel inserts in the heel absorb shock on landing. The outsole, Hybrid AsicsGrip, uses more rubber than the previous version for grip and wear. The company puts the weight at about 279 grams for the men’s model and 238 grams for the women’s.
Up top, an engineered mesh upper is paired with a knitted tongue, a ribbed collar and a pull tab. The design, called “Soaring Cloud,” shapes the midsole around drifting clouds and the line work in classical Japanese painting.
Asics also published a carbon footprint for the shoe: 11.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per pair, according to the company.
SportStyle is growing faster, but performance running, the Nimbus’s home category, remains the base of the business. It brought in ¥220.6 billion (€1.19bn) in the first half, up 19.3 percent, growth that fed into the full-year guidance Asics raised in August.
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