ASICS GT 2160 review

The ASICS GT 2160 is a "yes or yes" type of question if you're looking for:

• A breathable, flexible, and lightweight shoe that's comfortable all day long.
• A trendy pair of sneakers that mix fashion and function (GEL technology + a stable and supportive structure).
•  A retro shoe with an old-school runner vibe that looks good with everything.

You need to be careful with this shoe's mesh upper and inner lining, as they're both pretty fragile. We do believe this might be a turning point for some sneakerheads who don't really want to be thinking about their shoes every time they run into an obstacle. If you're nodding right now but you're a big fan of ASICS, then the GEL 1130 might be exactly what you're looking for (its aesthetics are pretty similar, too!).

As running shoe experts, we can't really fully recommend the GT 2160 for running. In fact, ASCIS has many other performance-oriented pairs that will help you slay every sporty activity.

Showing off its runner vibe, the GT 2160 scored a wonderfully high 105 SA on our shock absorption test. Surpassing by quite a lot many of its casual sneakers pals, we enjoyed its protection during our wear tests. This didn't only make it really comfortable, but it also protected our muscles and joints, making it a wonderful option for long hours of use.

Despite what many people may believe, shock absorption and energy return are two very different things. In this case, even though the GT 2160 offers great impact protection, its ride is not any bouncier than most sneakers'. With a 49.3%, it's pretty much average.

To us, this is a way for ASICS to say that this model is intended for casual use, so it's not performance-oriented. In other words, we wouldn't use it for running! If that's what you're looking for, we've reviewed loads of running pairs.

With a solid heel stack of 31.1 mm, this pair made sure our feet were well-protected. It focuses on being comfortable, and even though this score is pretty much average, we never felt it was lacking cushioning.

We mean... it features the brand's fantastic GEL technology at the heel. So there was no way we'd feel uncomfy underfoot!

When we measured the GT 2160's forefoot stack, our caliper returned 23.2 mm. We were pretty happy with this number, as it's slightly higher than average, promising great comfort.

After measuring both the forefoot and heel stack of this pair, we calculated its drop. Even with a lower-than-average score of 7.9 mm, our rearfoot muscles and tendons still felt protected. But don't worry, this doesn't really feel any different from most sneakers!

Do not let the sporty vibe of this ASICS fool you! As we've said before, these casual sneakers focus on being comfortable, and that's exactly what we felt during our wear tests. When we took it to the lab and cut it in half, we had full access to its foam, which explained it all.

When we pressed our durometer against its midsole, it returned 25.0 HA. This softer score works hand in hand with the GEL technology to offer a plusher and, consequently, friendlier ride.

Even though we absolutely love us a good pair of comfy sneakers, we very much know how important it is to have a balanced ride. And ASICS seems to be well-versed in the matter too, as it added a firmer secondary foam that scored 29.0 HA on our durometer. It's still softer than average, yet it adds some welcomed overall stability.

Our standard-sized feet felt at home in this shoe, but in RunRepeat we like to back up our experience with numbers. In that way, we all can have the best of both worlds! So we took the GT 2160 back to our lab and prepared our special gel to create a mold of its interiors.

Once our green piece was ready, we grabbed our caliper and measured its widest part. Returning 97.0 mm, our tool told us clearly that this ASICS is way wider than average! We were pretty happy about this, as it doesn't feel like there's dead space yet our feet could enjoy some extra room.

But with just one measurement is definitely not enough. After moving our caliper all the way up, we checked this shoe's width at the toebox, and it returned 68.7 mm. Which is definitely not wide! It's an average score, so it didn't feel too tight for us either, though. But the GT 2160 does taper a little bit.

The GT 2160 offered enough vertical space for our toes to be comfortable. It didn't sit too low and its mesh material is not restrictive. We were pretty happy when we cut its gel mold in half and measured a total height of 28.7 mm, which is higher than average.

With a solid score of 0.47 on our controlled traction test, this ASICS pair claimed our lab and wear tests agree. It bites dry surfaces easily, so it made us feel surefooted when we ran some errands in it. We'd only advise you to be careful with smooth and slippery surfaces, such as tiles, but you should be totally safe elsewhere!

Projecting its runner soul into its midsole, the GT 2160 features a solid rubber pattern divided into different sections and with a carved out separation in the midfoot. This doesn't only improve traction, but also flexibility thanks to the multiple linear grooves at the forefoot.

We couldn't believe our eyes when this ASICS pair only needed 9.0N to reach 30 degrees in our flex test. This makes it way more pliable than most sneakers. And... do you know what that means, too? That it's also extremely comfortable!

As you may already know, comfort is not only about cushioning. There are many features and details that play a key role in how friendly a pair of shoes is. And one of them is weight!

When we put this ASICS on our scale, it marked 12.0 oz/340g, which is way lower than average. We were absolutely in love with this result, as it makes the GT 2160 perfect for all-day wear.

During our wear tests walking around town and running errands, we felt the GT 2160's airflow was fantastic. When we took it to our lab we understood why, as our light could easily shine through its mesh.

Look at our fingers' shade! We already knew this pair would get a great score on breathability, but we wanted to know more. That's why we also went for our smoke test. In a train battle against the VEJA Volley, the GT 2160 let all the steam out like the best of machines.

That's why we decided to give it a 4/5 on our breathability test. This means that we can use this pair throughout the whole year, which is wonderful news! In order to have a closer look, we grabbed our microscope and put this shoe's upper under its lens.

As you can see, it features a double-layered design with huge ventilation gaps. That's why the airflow was so good!

Even though we wouldn't really recommend this ASICS shoe for running, its lateral stability is good enough to match some of our performance-oriented pairs!

We felt surefooted even when we walked for hours, and when we realized it was pretty much impossible to twist this ASICS, we understood why. Even though it's designed with mesh and it doesn't have a very tall platform, its solid structure made it earn a fantastic 4/5 on our torsional rigidity test.

To keep adding points to its stability, ASICS went for an incredibly rigid (like, 5/5 rigid) heel counter. Consequently, the GT 2160 locked our rearfoot in and didn't let it move at all!

So... who ordered some more stability? ASICS knows what the deal is, as it used a comfortably wide platform in these sneakers. With a whole 114.0 mm, our feet had plenty of space to land comfortably after every step.

The heel follows the same logic, and we honestly couldn't be any happier. When we put this shoe upside down, our caliper marked 91.6 mm, which is way wider than average. We loved the combination of a wide landing base with a solid and supportive structure. Wow, ASICS, way to go!

The impressive flame we saw when our torch dared to breathe a little bit too close to this shoe's leather left no room for doubts: it's absolutely fake!

A crazy high breathability score on a shoe with such a thin mesh... is bad news. It took literally no time for our Dremel to absolutely destroy this shoe's toebox material, so we couldn't give it any other score than a sad 1/5.

The heel padding did a little bit better on our Dremel test, but still... it was only enough for it to get a 2/5. With the same 5K RPM and 2N of force, the tool obliterated the material.

After checking the upper's awful results on our durability tests, we were terrified to drill this shoe's outsole. With the same 2N of force but now at 10K RPM, we wanted to look away when the Dremel went all in, but... the results were not bad! Actually, they were much better than expected. Our tread gauge returned 0.8 mm when we measured the depth of the damage, which is way less than the average for sneakers.

At 4.9 mm, this shoe's outsole is almost as thick as its category's average. The brand was on point with this design decision, as the material is already pretty durable and a thinner piece keeps the overall structure lightweight.

Throughout this review, we've already mentioned many times that the GT 2160 is a really comfortable shoe. To add some extra foot-friendly points to its already fantastic structure, it features a soft 4.5 mm insole.

Just in case you need or want to, this ASICS has a removable insole that you can change at any moment!

The GT 2160 features some modest yet pretty sick reflective elements. Look at that!

An incredibly thick tongue acts like the final touch to a super comfortable structure. When we measured it with our caliper, it marked 12.7 mm, surpassing the average easily.

But, as you can see, that's pretty much the only padded area of these sneakers, alongside their heel, of course. We believe this is one of the reasons why ASICS was able to keep its weight so low.

After analyzing these sneakers from top to bottom, we can say we do believe their price is just right. The GT 2160 offers fantastic stability and support on a breathable and lightweight structure that stays comfy all day long. As long as you're careful with its upper, this trendy pair will help you rock every outfit.

Like, everyone is going back to the classics, and ASICS lets you do it for a moderate price!

We kind of missed the old-school runner aesthetics that a finger loop usually gives to casual shoes. But this is just a fashion thing, because putting the GT 2160 on and off was pretty easy regardless.