Facts

  • Discontinued
    Update: Asics Gel Contend 5
  • Terrain

    Road

    Shoes best for road, track and light gravel. See the best road shoes.

    Trail

    Shoes best for trail, off road, mountains and other unstable surfaces. See the best trail shoes.

    Good to know

    As long as you stick to the road or path, and if you want just one running shoe, buy a road running shoe.

  • Arch support

    Neutral / cushion / high arch

    Shoes for runners who do not need any additional arch support (Around 50% of runners). Best for people with normal, high or medium high arches. See the best neutral shoes.

    Stability / overpronation / normal arch

    Shoes for runners who need mild to moderate arch support (Around 45% of runners). Best for runners with a low arch. See the best stability shoes.

    Motion control / severe overpronation / flat feet

    Shoes for runners who needs a lot of arch support. Best for runners with flat feet. See the best motion control shoes.

    Good to know

    - Rule of thumb: If in doubt, buy neutral shoes to avoid injuries.
    - More about arch support in this video.
    - Find your arch type by following steps from this video.

  • Use

    Daily running

    Cushioned shoes for your daily easy running. Great comfort. See best shoes for daily running.

    Competition

    Lightweight shoes good for races, interval training, tempo runs and fartlek. Here are the best competition running shoes.

    Good to know

    If you want just one pair of shoes, buy a shoe for daily running.

  • Price
    $65
  • Weight
    Men: 10.5oz
    Women: 8.5oz
  • Heel to toe drop
    Men: 10mm
    Women: 10mm

    The height difference from the heel to the forefoot, also known as heel drop, toe spring, heel to toe spring or simply drop.

    There are many opinions about what a good heel drop is. We do not recommend any in particular. Lean more in this video.

  • Heel height
    Men: 25mm
    Women: 22mm
  • Forefoot height
    Men: 15mm
    Women: 12mm
  • Width
    Men: Narrow, Standard, Extra wide
    Women: Standard, Wide, Extra wide
  • Release date
    Unknown
Show more facts

Rankings

Top 44% overall
Best running shoes
Top 41% Asics
Best Asics running shoes
Top 43% most popular
Most popular road running shoes

Expert Reviews

Experts are runners, who post reviews at youtube, directly at RunRepeat or at their own websites. Each expert is categorized from level 1 to level 5 based on expertise. See stats on expert reviews and how we calculate scores here.

Are you an expert? Apply to contribute here.

78 / 100 based on 3 expert reviews

  • 76 / 100 | Frank DuCett

    A Case for Contend!

    The Asics Contend 3 is a neutral running shoe that might have you wondering (after a little while) why you paid three times as much for the more lavish models.

    This shoe could be greatly improved by upgrading the sock liner.

    A good shoe

    Well done, a bit dated but well put together with tried and true materials and techniques, with no high-tech printed overlays and none of the latest state-of-the-art cushioning materials such as DNA or FlyteFoam.

    This shoe performs well in all areas except one, cushioning!

    Good Looking

    Asics design. The heel counter and midfoot-uppers use some fine web material, very nice looking.

     

    Durability

    With just under 70 miles of easy running, I see no more wear on the outer soles of the Contend than with the Asics GT-2000, as a mid-foot striker.

    The Asics GT series has AHAR (Asics High Abrasive Rubber) in the heel, the Contend does not, so some runners will see faster heel wear without this model.

    White Arrows show that the Asics GT 2000 has an additional layer of density foam and added gel in the heel, the Contend has only simple white EVA and far less gel.

    Weight is 348  grams for size 44.

     

    Safety

    Not a great deal of after dark reflectors except on the rear.

    These shoes are a candidate for reflective laces or some reflective material, however, the fact is that even if you had 20 reflectors and a big flashing light on your hat, it might not help at all because many drivers are simply not looking!

    Bring your reflective laces just in case, they are moving as you run and this motion helps. And remember you simply must be ready to jump out of the way!

     

    Not for the Novice

    This is not a shoe for the beginner, a novice runner should be running in a more substantial shoe, such as the Asics GT, Cumulus or something like the Brooks Ghost to avoid injuries so common in the early years of running.

    Once a runner has built up some miles and has become stronger and more durable, their shoe choices increase.

    Conclusion

    This shoe is best suited for a very lightweight, experienced runner on a tight budget, as an every other day trainer, leaving the  Nike Pegasus or Asics GT for longer runs.

    With that said, there seems to be no substitute for quality, we get what we pay for and after adding in the cost of upgrades it might be better to wait for a sale on a better shoe.

    Run Happy. Run Safe!

    This expert has been verified by RunRepeat. Reviews are neutral, unbiased and based on extensive testing.

  • 80 / 100 | LaMontage Photography

    The heel counter is extremely rigid. It really feels quite solid.

  • 80 / 100 | Running Shoes Guru

    You’re not getting the lightest ride, nor the newest tech, but you are getting a reliable shoe with a well-tested heritage.

Apply to become an expert

Updates to Asics Gel Contend 3

  • Asics gives a few slight changes to a shoe designed for entry level runners in the Contend 3. What is most significant in the changes is the use of overlays that are not as rigid and as stiff as before. One update that really sticks to the theme of removing the very stiff overlays of the past version is the new single rand that holds effectively the heel from any movements without being very stiff. Protection at the toes is not as substantial as before courtesy of the more flexible forefoot overlay. The overall fit is more forgiving and adapts rather nicely to the foot.
  • The outsole gets a slight reboot as well. There is now a new decoupled heel that helps with the shock-absorbing features of the shoe. Runners will also find more grooves for better flexibility and enhanced transition.

Asics Gel Contend 3 size and fit

A medium-sized heel and forefoot are the main characteristics of the Gel Contend 3. It has good space in the toe box and a snug midfoot. This is a fit that is very similar to the previous model. Available widths are D and B. Sizes are on point featuring 7 to 14 for the men’s and 5 to 11 for the women’s.


Outsole

A textured outsole provides decent grip and durability on the road and track. Flex grooves are located near the forefoot for better flexibility and smoother transitions.


Midsole

A single layer of standard EVA acts as the main midsole cushioning component. The same high-quality EVA material is also used in the Asics Contende 4.

Asics’ patented gel cushioning, which is a silicon-based material, is placed in the heel for proven shock-absorbing features.


Upper

Asics uses regular mesh for adequate breathability while synthetic overlays provide added support and structure. A contoured and removable sockliner offers enhanced comfort and arch support.

Comparison