As far as shoe updates go, Asics’ 30th take on the Gel-Kayano is one worth talking about. The component-driven stability tech found in previous models – so the section of firm foam on medial side of the shoe which Asics called 'Litetruss' – is no more. Now, stability is delivered through the shoe's geometry. The idea is for the Gel-Kayano 30 to be more adaptive and appeal to a wider audience – not sure just your classic Published: 06 July 2023.
Other standout differences include a fairly hefty increase in stack height (4mm) to 30mm in the forefoot and 40mm in the heel and the removal of the exposed visible midsole gel, which has now been replaced by an internal PureGel, to deliver a softer ride and better shock absorption.
So, how exactly does the Gel-Kayano 30 provide stability through geometry – and what difference does that make? And how do the changes to the shoe make it feel different – and perform differently – to its predecessor, the Gel-Kayano 29?
At the recent launch in Berlin, we caught up with Asics' global product line manager for footwear Chad Mullavey, who was involved in the development of the shoe, to find out more...
What’s the thinking behind this different approach to stability?
'With the Kayano 30, we've taken a lot of learnings from the Best wireless headphones, in terms of how we provide stability through geometry but then we've continued that story further in terms of looking at the runner as they run [for] longer and as they fatigue.'
Mullavey says the shoe delivers the same amount of support as its predecessor but in a less intrusive way, making it suitable for a wider subset of runners. These include:
- Those who are running longer than they ever have and are wanting to stave off injury.
'Typically they would classify as a neutral runner, but as they run longer, biomechanically-wise, they break down, so need more support,' explains Mullavey.
- Those who have one foot that would be classified as neutral and one foot that's a bit more mobile.
'Historically it was a compromise where you'd either be in a neutral or a stability shoe, where you have one foot that's over-supported and potentially rolling outwards and one that's nice and stable, and so with the new stability, you're not going to get that sensation of a really firm post, or really structured thing, that's trying to correct the foot that doesn't need it but it will to adapt to the foot that is mobile.'
- Your prototypical stability shoe wearer 'who starts their run really mobile in their feet and needs a lot of support'.
How does the new tech work?
The new stability tech combines a number of different design attributes. Firstly, the midsole has been sculpted, so that it curves inwards on the lateral side of the shoe (providing more compression). 'This is going to help control the rate at which you come into initial ground contact,' explains Mullavey. 'There's also convex sculpting on the medial side and that's going to help in the way you have to use more force to effectively compress that higher volume of foam.'
On the medial side of the shoe, a compartment of foam has also been added which helps to guide the foot into position after every landing. 'People might associate this medial pod with a medial post but it's actually a softer and higher energy return foam,' he explains. 'The goal of that is to help you reduce the amount of time you spend in that peak pronation phase – so it's going to help redirect you, as you go from mid-stance to toe-off and get that foot in a more neutral position for each subsequent impact.'
The base of the shoe is also wider – through the heel, midfoot and forefoot – to stabilise the foot through the gait cycle. 'We've also adjusted the guidance line – so how the shoes flexes – to really efficiently get you through [your gait] in a consistent way.' The heel is also rounder to better control impact. 'One thing that we noticed is that, as runners fatigue, they start to take shorter stride lengths and they have a more aggressive heel angle when they come into ground contact, and so we've increased the heel bevel. There's a lot of fine tuning of the geometries that all give marginal gains to the support they provide – so guiding your foot in an unintrusive way through a really efficient gait cycle – as well as to comfort.'
Has the midsole cushioning changed?
The FF Blast Plus foam, found in the Asics Gel-Kayano 29, has been replaced by FF Blast Blast Plus Eco foam, which is lighter and has a lower carbon footprint. There's also a lot more of it.
'We found that certain foams actually perform better when you have an increase in stack height,' says Mullavey. 'We tested a lot of different foams and a lot of different offsets when developing the Gel-Kayano 30 to really fine-tune that balance of protection and perception of comfort for the consumer.' The extra 4mm in stack height means more compression – and ultimately a more comfortable ride, says Mullavey.
Differently to the Gel-Kayano 29, however, the shoe doesn't have a second layer of Flight Foam material sitting at the bottom of the midsole, and the construction of the heel is also different. 'We've transitioned from an external exposed visible gel to an internal PureGel, which is not only softer but positioned in a more efficient way to really attenuate that shock when you foot hits the ground.'
Runners can also expect a more responsive ride thanks to an adjusted toe spring in the forefoot. 'The way we set up the toe spring in the forefoot, it's going to help get you through your gate a little bit faster than the Gel-Kayano 29,' says Mullavey.
What does the shoe feel like to run in? Deputy digital editor Jen Bozon gives her first impressions...
So far, I've only taken the shoe out for three 5-7km runs – so will update this page with a more comprehensive review once I've clocked more miles in the shoe – but here's how I've found the shoe so far...
Firstly, the cushioning feels much plusher compared to previous iterations, thanks to the higher stack, and is nowhere near as firm. You get a much softer feel underfoot – quite comparable with that of the best carbon plate running shoes for race day – but it isn't so soft that it feels mushy. It's certainly snappier, too, delivering a much more energetic ride, which becomes even more noticeable as you pick up the pace.
Unfortunately, the shoe doesn't feel any lighter than its predecessor – in the men's Gel-Kayano 30, the weight has actually increased by 4g to 303g, while the women's model has shaved 7g off its predecessor – now 263g. It is undoubtedly a bulky shoe, but thankfully the springier nature of the midsole makes it feel less cumbersome overall than the previous model.
Fit wise, it definitely feels wider than the Gel-Kayano 29, which has resulted in a less secure foothold – in my case, anyway. When I asked Mullavey about this, he said the Gel-Kayano 30 is built on the same last as the Gel-Kayano 29 but a change in material on the upper – which is now more structured – has created more room in the toebox. The idea is for it to give long-distance runners extra wiggle room as their feet swell during races. I'm a runner who likes a really secure sock-like upper and good amount of lockdown so this is something, I have to admit, I have been disappointed by.
That said, the new stability tech is effective – but subtle – and I'm a big fan. When I ran in these directly after testing the Gel-Nimbus 25, they felt significantly more supportive and structured but it was hard to pinpoint exactly why. And this, combined with their much plusher and bouncier quality underfoot, makes them feel much less like your stability shoe. But I'm interested to find out if my opinion remains the same once I've tested these during longer runs and some faster sessions on the track. Watch this space...
