ASICS Gel Lyte III review

After all the tests that we did on it, we found the ASICS Gel Lyte III most suitable for wearers who:

• are after lightweight trainers from ASICS
• want a shoe you can wear hands-free even if it does not have a heel counter
• prioritise foot containment above all else.
• are on the lookout for trainers that offer a good deal of breathability

This shoe has a combination of a narrow platform and a not-so-stiff base, which might put the shoe's overall stability in jeopardy during our test walks. Sure, there were compensatory features such as the stiff heel counter and thickly padded tongue, but the two stability-compromising features might push some to lose confidence in the ASICS Gel Lyte III. They are better off with the RS-X from PUMA.

Just by looking at it, we could already tell that the heel part of the midsole is just as thick as the usual sneaker. Our calliper measured it to be 34.1 mm thick.

But don't get us wrong, we don't have complaints at all. The heel provided just the right amount of bounce and compressive that kept our walks and runs comfortable.

Just like the heel, the forefoot is just average. Our calliper in the lab pegged its thickness at 21.1 mm.

This setup allowed us to feel the ground more at the forefoot, giving us a more natural stepping experience.

The heel was not prominently elevated. The whole midsole also did not feel especially high. Because of this, heel-to-toe transitions were quite smooth.

When we measured the heel-to-toe drop, it was indeed just around the average. Our calculations pegged it at 12.9 mm.

We were quite pleased with the plushness of the midsole. It was not too much to cause instability; it was not too stiff, either. 

Our in-lab HA durometer gave it a rating of 22.1, making it just slightly softer than the average midsole.

We did not feel anything different with the removable insole. It was soft, it was comfortable, and it practically did what it was supposed to do. Hence, we were surprised (well, just a little) when our calliper measured it to be slightly thinner than average at 3.8 mm.

On foot, the ASICS Gel Lyte III did not feel any different than most other retro trainers. It was close-fitting but not tight on our medium-width feet.

To see how it compares to other trainers, we created a mould of the shoe's interiors using proprietary gel. Once the mould froze solid, we measured its dimensions with a digital calliper.

Just as expected, we got a standard reading of 92.9 mm in the widest part. This should fit a medium foot just fine, but if you need more space, this ASICS kick is also offered in wide.

The calliper showed a standard reading in the toebox as well. The Gel Lyte III is 68.6 mm wide near the big toe. The taper angle is pretty mild here.

The shoe's vertical space didn't bring any surprises either. With a toebox height of 27.0 mm, it puts no pressure on the toes.

Stability was not an issue with this shoe. The midsole was not too high and the sidewalls were stiff enough to keep our feet in place.

The ASICS Gel Lyte III's twist resistance was not the best when we were testing it in our strolls, but it also was not the worst (try walking in the New Balance Minimus TR to see what we mean!). As long as it's used not so aggressively on debris-free surfaces, this shoe should be fine. It still got a considerable 3 out of 5 for torsional rigidity, after all.

Aside from being durable, the heel counter also felt immensely stiff. Not once did we feel that our feet were going to pop out of the shoe because of how securely the heel counters were clasping them. A good but well-resisted squeeze in the lab was all it took to convince us to give this shoe's heel counter a perfect 5 for stiffness.

The platform of the ASICS Gel Lyte III is generally narrower than average. At the forefoot, it is only 100.0 mm wide, making it 9% narrower than the typical sneaker.

The heel is also narrower than average. It is only 76.88 mm wide.

Narrow platforms often lead to problems with stability. Fortunately, we did not experience such issues while wearing the Gel Lyte III from ASICS because the stiff sidewalls and secure heel counter successfully compensated for what the platform lacked. Admittedly though, having this configuration resulted in a tighter fit, which we know is preferred by some.

However, if a relatively wide platform is what's desired for a more forgiving fit, getting the PUMA RS-X might be the better move.

The ASICS Gel Lyte III offered a good deal of flexibility. It was able to fairly accommodate the natural flexions of our feet.

We tested it in the lab, and we saw that it needed only 17.2N of force to bend at 90 degrees, making it 22% more flexible than the average sneaker.

Because of the durability of several of its parts, we expected the Gel Lyte III from ASICS to be on the heavier side. Thankfully, we thought wrong. This sneaker is even slightly lighter at 12.7 ounces or 361 grammes.

Because of its weight and impressive breathability, we could wear this shoe for long periods without feeling any pain or discomfort.

Even if our walks lasted long, we didn't have problems with sticky and stinky feet. The airiness of the ASICS Gel Lyte 3 was pretty effective in keeping our feet fresh. 

We pumped smoke into the shoe to see if it could escape through the upper material. As shown in the video above, the smoke easily seeped through the upper. We were even more impressed when we compared the upper's performance with that of the Reebok Classic Leather. With that shoe, the smoke that we pumped barely escaped through the pretty closed-off upper material.

We also assessed the material used in the upper of the Lyte III, and we were delighted to see pores in between weaves. 

Both light and smoke get to pass without much issue. The Gel Lyte 3 from ASICS truly deserves the 4 out of 5 that it got from us for ventilation. It's already a huge bonus that this material also feel premium.

Compared to materials such as plastic and fabric, leather is more resistant to flame. We used our torch to determine the authenticity of the suede material used in the upper.

After being exposed to the naked flame from our torch, only the tiny fibres on the suede's velvety surface got burned. After removing the burnt part with our awl, we still saw the fairly intact suede underneath. The verdict? Legit. It's real suede.

The upper has overlays in the most critical area to make it more resistant to abrasion. But the longevity of the shoe rests largely on the exposed parts, so our Dremel targeted such an area.

To our delight, the material displayed moderate resistance to pressure. It got a 3 out of 5 from us for durability.

Given such observations, we don't have qualms using this shoe even on slightly harsh surfaces.

To the touch, the heel counter truly felt stiff and unrelenting, so we already expected that it would display a considerable degree of resistance to our Dremel drilling.

True enough, our device merely left a scratch on the surface of the heel padding. It got a 4 out of 5 from us for this amazing display of durability.

Compared to the average, the outsole of the ASICS Gel Lyte III felt just a little harder. Our HC durometer gave it a rating of 89.8, which is almost equal to the rating received by the Adidas Alphaboost V1.

We do not question the capacity of both shoes to resist the pressures of normal sneaker use. We skipped and  leaped a lot during our tests, and the Lyte 3 was definitely able to keep up.

To test the durability of the outsole, we also subjected it to our high-pressure Dremel drilling. The resulting dent is only 0.8 mm deep, which is slightly lower than average.

With reasonable care, we expect this shoe to last a fairly long time.

In addition to being slightly more durable, the outsole is also slightly thicker than average. Our calliper measured it to be 6.7 mm thick.

This sneaker has a reflective 'ASICS' logo right at the back of the collar. Aside from attracting compliments, this thoughtful add-on also helped increase our visibility during the night.

Given its stiff heel counter, responsive sidewalls, fully gusseted design, and now its thickly padded tongue, we feel it's safe to say that the Gel Lyte III from ASICS is big on foot containment.

Our calliper measured the tongue padding to be 12.6 mm thick, and it's easily one of the thickest that we have ever seen. Aside from providing plush comfort on top of the foot, the thick padding also helped ensure a snug fit and pretty secure lockdown.

This sneaker comes with a very unique split-tongue design. We enjoyed the smugness of it and found that it creates a lot of support on the sides of the upper.

Because of how easy it was to put this sneaker on and take it off, we almost did not even notice that the Gel Lyte III does not have any heel counter!

This ASICS sneaker has a removable insole, and it was easy to get it out of the shoe when we needed to wear orthotics and other add-ons.