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Gel Nimbus 27
Today's tracked prices
- 01DerbyRunnerLIVE£126.00£175.00−28%
- 02RunAndBecome5d ago£129.00£175.00−26%
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Price history
Our verdict
The Gel Nimbus 27 is ASICS at its most plush: a max-cushion neutral running shoe built for soft, protected miles rather than speed. This is the shoe you reach for on easy days, recovery runs and long efforts when your legs want padding underfoot and a forgiving ride. At 305g it is not light, and with an 8mm drop it sits in familiar territory for a daily trainer, but the appeal here is comfort, not pace. We rate it as one of the safest picks in the cushioned daily category, especially if you log steady mileage and value a shoe that feels the same in mile twenty as it did in mile one. It is a premium buy at £175 RRP, so it asks a lot up front. If you want the same soft, dependable feel in something a touch lighter and quicker, the Gel Cumulus 27 is the leaner sibling worth a look.
Key features
- Max cushioningSoaks up impact on every stride so your legs stay fresher through long and recovery runs
- 8mm heel-to-toe dropSits in familiar daily-trainer territory and suits heel and midfoot strikers alike
- Secure structured heelLocks your foot in place and stops slippage even when your feet swell late in a run
- Plush padded upperWraps the foot kindly with a slipper-like feel and avoids hotspots on long efforts
- Wide, stable platformGives the soft ride a planted, settled feel that holds steady as your form fades
Who it suits
Who should buy it
- Neutral runners who want maximum cushioning for easy and long runs
- High-mileage runners who need a protective, durable daily trainer
- Heavier runners and heel-strikers who want impact protection underfoot
- Anyone after a soft, comfortable shoe for relaxed, steady-paced miles
Who should not buy it
- You want a light, fast shoe for tempo runs or racing
- You overpronate and need real stability or motion control
- You prefer a firm, responsive ride with quick transitions
- You are on a tight budget, as the RRP is on the high side
Best uses
Extra information
Fit & sizing
The Nimbus 27 comes up true to size for most runners, so we would order your usual ASICS or everyday trainer size with confidence. The fit is what ASICS calls a standard medium width: secure through the midfoot without feeling tight, and roomy enough in the toe box for toes to splay on longer runs. The heel hold is a strong point, with a structured rear that locks the foot in place and avoids slippage even as your feet swell late in a run. Runners with narrow feet may want to cinch the laces a little more for a snug midfoot, while wide-footed runners will find it accommodating but not generous, so a wide version is worth seeking out if you size up normally for room. If you are between sizes, stay with your standard size rather than going up. There is enough length built in already.
Performance breakdown
Ride & feel
The ride is soft, smooth and unhurried. Land anywhere along the foot and the cushioning absorbs the impact without feeling mushy or unstable, which makes it an easy shoe to settle into for steady miles. The transition from heel to toe is gentle rather than snappy, so it rolls you forward calmly instead of pushing you to pick up the pace. This is a shoe that rewards relaxed running. Try to run fast in it and the weight and soft platform hold you back, but that is not what it is for. Over a long run the comfort really shows. Your legs feel fresher at the end than they would in a firmer trainer, and the consistency of the ride from start to finish is one of its best qualities.
Cushioning
Cushioning is the headline here, and it delivers. There is a generous, well-padded platform underfoot that takes the sting out of repetitive impact, making this one of the more protective daily trainers you can buy. The foam strikes a nice balance: soft enough to feel pillowy on easy days, but not so soft that it collapses or feels vague underfoot. That matters on long runs, where a poorly judged soft foam can leave your legs working harder to stay stable. Heavier runners and heel-strikers in particular will appreciate how much the Nimbus soaks up. It is built for high-mileage comfort, and over weeks of steady training that protection adds up to fresher legs.
Stability
This is a neutral shoe with no medial post or dedicated support features, so it is aimed at runners with a neutral gait or mild, natural pronation. That said, the wide, well-cushioned platform and secure heel give it a settled, planted feel that is more stable than the soft foam might suggest. It is not a motion-control shoe and will not correct significant overpronation, so if you need real support you should look at a stability model such as the Gel Kayano 31 instead. For neutral runners, though, there is nothing twitchy or unstable about the ride, even when your form starts to fade late in a long effort.
Upper & comfort
The upper is plush and accommodating, in keeping with the shoe's comfort-first brief. There is soft, padded cushioning around the collar and tongue that wraps the foot kindly and avoids hotspots, which is exactly what you want on a shoe designed for long, slow miles. Breathability is reasonable for a trainer with this much padding, so it stays comfortable in warmer conditions without feeling stifling. The lockdown is dependable: the laces hold their tension and the structured heel keeps everything in place. It is not the lightest or most minimal upper out there, but that is the trade-off for the cosseting, slipper-like feel that makes the Nimbus such an easy shoe to live in day after day.
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FAQ
Specifications
| Category | Max Cushion |
| Surface | Road |
| Drop | 8mm |
| Heel Stack | 43.5mm |
| Forefoot Stack | 35.5mm |
| Weight | 305g |
| Carbon Plated | No |
| Stability | No |