ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28.

The Gavler Review.

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 Review: The Best Nimbus in Years, on Foam That's Starting to Show Its Age

The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 ranks fifth on our Best Running Shoes list with a 9.2 — and per RunRepeat's lab testing, it's the best version of ASICS's flagship comfort trainer in five years. At $170, buy it for plush, protective cushioning on easy, recovery and long slow miles, in a shoe that's finally lighter and fits close to perfectly. The trade-off worth knowing before you buy: the midsole underneath all that comfort returns only middling energy, and it just took its second straight price hike.

What it actually is

The Gel-Nimbus is the shoe most runners picture when they hear "plush daily trainer," and the 28 is the best-executed version of that idea ASICS has shipped in a while. RunRepeat's verdict: "The ASICS Gel Nimbus 28 is a clear step forward, and we found in the lab that it successfully cuts weight while boosting comfort. It stands out as the best Nimbus of the last five years." The headline change is a roughly 7% weight cut versus the Nimbus 27, paired with an upper RunRepeat calls near-perfect for fit and lockdown.

Underfoot, it carries the familiar FF Blast+ midsole with a PureGEL heel insert — deep, protective cushioning on a 43.5mm heel / 35.5mm forefoot stack at an 8mm drop, weighing about 9.8 oz in a men's 9.

In use

Where this shoe earns its reputation is shock absorption and fit, not speed. RunRepeat's lab measured genuinely strong numbers: "We discovered that the shoe clearly delivers enough shock absorption underfoot, measuring 137 SA in the heel and 133 SA in the forefoot — but the real advantage over average daily trainers appears in the forefoot, whereas the heel feels fairly ordinary." That's a specific, lab-documented strength: this is a shoe built to protect your legs over long, easy miles, with the forefoot doing more of that work than the heel.

The upper is where reviewers had the least to criticize. Strong lockdown, a comfortable fit, and breathability that holds up across most conditions make it a shoe that disappears on your foot the way a good recovery-day trainer should.

Strengths

• A genuine, measured weight improvement. About 7% lighter than the Nimbus 27 is a real change, not a rounding difference, and it's the reason RunRepeat calls this the best Nimbus in years.
• Best-in-class forefoot shock absorption. The lab-measured 133 SA in the forefoot specifically outperforms average daily trainers, which matters over long mileage.
• A near-perfect upper. Fit, lockdown and comfort are all rated highly, with few reservations from testers.
• Reliable, protective cushioning for its intended job. Easy runs, recovery days and long slow distance are exactly what this shoe is built for, and it delivers.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

• Energy return is genuinely middling. RunRepeat didn't soften this: the PureGEL heel insert "does not perform especially well for shock absorption or bounce when compared to a high-quality foam, which makes us question whether it might be time to move away from it."
• You're paying more for foam that isn't keeping pace. RunRepeat's own framing: "This result could be achieved with less weight, lower production cost, and higher energy return by using a better foam" — and the shoe has now had two consecutive price increases, landing at $170.
• It's a comfort specialist, not a versatile trainer. If you want a shoe that also handles tempo work well, the newer-foam options above it on this list are the better buy.

How it compares

Two ranks up, the New Balance 1080 v15 targets the same easy-mile, plush-comfort runner but does it on a newer foam — RunRepeat's lab found the 1080's Infinion midsole delivers noticeably more energy return than the Nimbus's FF Blast+/PureGEL setup, at a comparable price. If liveliness matters as much as protection to you, that's the more modern option.

At the top of the list, the Asics Superblast 3 shows what a more current ASICS foam platform can do — RunRepeat measured category-leading shock absorption and traction there too, without the same energy-return criticism, though at a $40 premium over the Nimbus.

It's worth noting the Nimbus and Superblast come from the same brand but represent different eras of ASICS midsole thinking — the FF Blast+/PureGEL combination in the Nimbus versus the newer foam platform in the Superblast is a useful illustration of exactly the gap RunRepeat is describing when it flags the Nimbus's energy return as middling.

Who should actually buy this

If your running is mostly easy-paced, recovery-focused, or long and slow, and what you want most from a shoe is that it disappears on your foot and protects your legs over high mileage, the Gel-Nimbus 28 remains an excellent, low-risk choice — RunRepeat's near-perfect marks for the upper alone make a strong case. Where it gets harder to recommend is if you're comparing purely on value or energy return against the newer-foam trainers on this same list; in that comparison, the Nimbus is honestly the shoe with the weaker foundation, even if its fit and comfort remain best-in-class.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.2, with an 89 expert consensus reflecting broad agreement that this is the best Nimbus in years — lighter, superbly comfortable, with a near-perfect upper. It sits behind the newer-foam trainers above it on this list for a specific, lab-documented reason: the FF Blast+ and GEL setup returns only middling energy, and a second straight price hike to $170 makes those alternatives more compelling on value alone. Buy it if plush protection and fit are what you want above everything else. If you want any real pop underfoot, look at the shoes ranked above it instead.

Common Questions

Is the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 worth it in 2026?

Yes, if plush comfort on easy and recovery miles is your priority. It ranks fifth on Gavler's Best Running Shoes list with a 9.2, and RunRepeat calls it the best Nimbus of the last five years — about 7% lighter than the 27 with a near-perfect upper fit. The honest catch is the midsole: it returns only middling energy, and a second straight price hike puts it at $170.

Does the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 feel bouncy or energetic?

Not especially. RunRepeat's lab testing found the FF Blast+ midsole with PureGEL heel insert delivers only middling energy return, and specifically questioned whether it's time for ASICS to move on from the GEL insert altogether. This is a comfort-first shoe, not a shoe built for pop underfoot.

What changed in the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 versus the Gel-Nimbus 27?

The headline change is weight — RunRepeat measured the 28 at about 7% lighter than its predecessor while keeping the same deep, protective cushioning and what they describe as a near-perfect upper fit. The FF Blast+ midsole and PureGEL heel setup otherwise carry over largely unchanged.

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 or New Balance 1080 v15 — which should I buy?

Buy the Gel-Nimbus 28 if fit and pure comfort matter most to you — RunRepeat rates the upper as close to perfect. Buy the New Balance 1080 v15 if you want more energy return for the same easy-mile use case — its newer Infinion foam scores better for liveliness in RunRepeat's lab testing.