Gel Nimbus 28 vs Triumph 24

The Gel Nimbus 28 is ASICS at its plushest: a max-cushion neutral daily training shoe built to soak up the miles and protect your legs, not to chase pace. This is the shoe you reach for on easy days, recovery jogs and long steady runs when comfort matters more than speed. At 278g it is on the heavier side, and with a tall 39.5mm heel and a moderate 5.2mm drop the ride is soft, planted and forgiving rather than quick. If you loved the Gel Nimbus 27, the 28 keeps the same brief and refines the feel. We rate it as one of the most dependable premium daily trainers for higher-mileage runners who want a cushioned running shoe that simply gets out of the way. It is not a do-everything shoe and it is not cheap, but for what it sets out to do it is very good.

The Saucony Triumph 24 is the brand's plush, do-everything max-cushion running shoe, the one you reach for when comfort matters more than the clock. At 250g with a towering 43mm heel stack, it is genuinely light for how much foam sits underfoot, and that is the story here. The new IncrediLUX A-TPU midsole is the soft, springy kind of cushioning that soaks up long miles without feeling dead or mushy. This is a neutral daily training shoe built for easy runs, recovery days and marathon-distance base miles, not a firm tempo tool and not a racer. In a max-cushion field that includes the Nike Vomero 18 and the Asics Gel Nimbus 28, the Triumph 24 leans into a livelier, bouncier ride than most. We rate it as one of the most comfortable plush trainers you can buy, as long as you want cushioning first and speed second.