ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 review

ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 review and lab test

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 is the newest in ASICS’ super-plush daily-runner lineup. This neutral runner has a medium stack height and the debut of their newest midsole foam. 

Who should buy the Nimbus 24

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 is a daily runner that has the midsole to take you all the way up to marathon distance. Perfect for runners with neutral pronation, I laud this daily workhorse as it's fast enough for tempo days and comfy enough for recovery runs. 

Who should NOT buy the shoe

The Gel Nimbus 24 would personally not be my best bet if:  

• You need support with overpronation, the ASICS Gel Kayano Lite 2 is the lightweight version of their flagship stability shoe.
• You want a lighter shoe, there's the Gel Nimbus Lite 3

Few design updates on the Gel Nimbus 23 

The Gel Nimbus 23 was a really popular shoe, but 23 editions in, it was probably time for a bit of change. ASICS have placed a really modern, elastic mesh in the Gel Nimbus 24, especially in the tongue. The tongue is really long and stretchy which some people may not love. 

Personally, I found it incredibly easy to put the shoe on and get a good fit, and it’s a huge bonus for me. 

The rest of the upper is super breathable and roomy enough for wider feet. Thanks to the elasticity of the material in the upper I had no problems with fit throughout the whole shoe.

There’s also a perfect heel cup and lockdown which is always welcome. The laces scored 44N on our lace slip test which is well above the average of 24.6N. 

A brand new midsole

This midsole foam feels really similar to the one found in the Gel Nimbus Lite 3. There’s a stack height of 38.7mm in the heel, with a durometer score of 35.5HA, which is nice and soft (average 41.4HA). I found lots of comfort on all my runs. 

What’s there was a lot of bounce back from the foam, making it a relatively decent option for tempo runs. This definitely makes the shoe feel like a great option for someone who doesn’t want to bother with a rotation of shoes.

I wonder whether the gel ‘cushioning’ is still necessary in the shoe or if it’s just an advertising gimmick, it would definitely make it lighter without it.  

A bit of bottoming out

With the relatively soft midsole, I did sometimes notice the shoe bottoming out, where my toes could feel the midsole meet the outsole, which concerns me a bit about the durability of the shoe. 

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 is pretty stable 

With an above-average midsole width of 115.1mm at the forefoot and 91.6mm in the heel, the Nimbus is a bit wider than its lite counterpart. It’s fairly stable and I had no issues regardless of speed. Although not built for overpronators, they easily fit custom orthotics, and with the supreme padding of the midsole, could be a great option for people wanting a light stability shoe. 

Be sure to check whether it would suit your needs though, I would only suggest this approach for people who need a small amount of correction. 

Pretty flexible, in most weather 

Consistent ride is one of the most important shoe aspects for me. From my experience, the shoe's flexibility is one of the biggest contributing factors. 

Which makes it important that their designed flexibility stays relatively similar at 20°C and 0°C. 

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 scored 32.4N in our flex test which is quite close to the average. It features a hard TPU shank in the middle which definitely helped it keep its shape.

After 20minutes in the lab freezer, that score went up to 38.5N which is a bit of a jump by 39.5%. It may not be ideal if you want this shoe to last you all year somewhere you have hot summers and cold winters. 

I have an issue with the grip in the new ASICS lineup  

I know a lot of people feel differently about this, so please insert your own opinion here: I don’t like exposed midsoles because they can reduce durability. 

This is not always true and I’ve been proved wrong by the likes of the Hoka Arahi 6. Not here though. The Gel Nimbus 24 has lots of gaps between its 3.8mm outsole which will undoubtedly cause wear to the midsole foam underneath. 

Moreover, I felt lots of slipping on wetter patches of tarmac. I usually test shoes on the same running paths to make sure I’m not being unfair on the grip especially and where I usually feel totally locked to the ground there was plenty of movement throughout my runs. 

This, paired with the bottoming out in the forefoot makes me think that some of that midsole is already hitting the ground. 

Conclusion

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 24 has lots to smile about. It’s got a super comfy midsole, and an excellent upper and is super versatile. With the ability to take it on long distances it might be an excellent all-rounder, but watch out for the grip and durability in this one.