ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 Review – The New Dependable

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

While it’s not as stacked as an ASICS Novablast 5 or an ASICS Gel Nimbus 27, the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 is still well-cushioned, with a stack height of 38.5mm in the heel and 30.5mm in the forefoot, for an 8mm drop.

It weighs in at 9.5oz or 270g in my US men’s 9.5 test shoe. That’s relatively sprightly compared to rivals like the Brooks Glycerin 22 or a Nike Pegasus 41.

At launch, the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 price was set at $140 joining a growing group of daily trainers around this price. Within the ASICS running shoes line-up, it’s considerably cheaper than the Nimbus 27 but a shade more expensive than the Novablast 5.

Design

The ASICS Gel Cumulus is a cushioned daily trainer designed for comfort and versatility. It uses FlyteFoam Blast+ foam in the midsole with a familiar ASICS PUREGel heel cushion to soften things if you land further back. The overall softness is boosted by an Ortholite X30 sock liner, for a package that offers a good level of road protection and cushion but in a mid-weight running shoe.

Up top there’s engineered jacquard mesh uppers that feel premium. They’re quite thick but soft and flexible. The heel collars are well padded and the gusseted tongues follow the ASICS Novablast 5 design, with a thinner, flat, wrapping design that saves on weight.

Flip them over and you’ve got what ASICS calls a Fluidride outsole – a thick layer of rubberized EVA covering almost the entire sole of the shoe. The same as we got on the Cumulus 26 with lots of grooves to improve flexibility.

Fit

I ran in my regular ASICS running shoe size, which is US 9.5 and overall it's a comfortable, disappearing fit with good lock down across the mid foot. I really quite like the wrapping tongues that have a couple of pads on them to kind of soften that kind of lace pinch.

There’s good room lengthwise in the toe box and enough wiggle room from the structure of the uppers that means they don’t drop onto the top of the toes. You've got really nice padded heel collars that hold well with good cushioning.

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It’s all comfort cruiser stuff and I would recommend going true to size in this shoe.

Performance

In testing I’ve clocked around 20 miles in the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27. I’ve run on very tired recovery-day legs after completing the Trans Gran Canaria Marathon and on fresher legs in training for the London Marathon. I’ve logged miles a mix of paces with most of my runs up to an hour. Though I did one 90 minute test to see how the cushion protects on the longer haul. All of that on the road.

All of that showed me the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 almost bucks the trend of big stack, super soft, max cushioned shoes. It’s still well stacked but it at least holds the line somewhat against the max-stack invasion with a profile that’s lighter, narrower and lower to the ground.

The Cumulus 27 keeps things a little more traditional but still ticks some key boxes for a good daily trainer. That includes generally good comfort, a reliable, stable platform that’s cushioned with some response. Though it maybe lacks some punch.

The more old school ride offers up more ground feel than the Nimbus 27 or the Novablast 5. There are fewer shoes offering this kind of ride now. So it’s great, if that’s what you like.

I got some Nike Pegasus 41, Brooks Glycerin 22 or Ghost 16 vibes. Maybe even a hint of Saucony Kinvara 15. If that appeals, you’ll like the Cumulus 27.

However, I think many runners might now seek more cushion, more energy, more bounce. The more direct midsole might limit how far you want to take the Cumulus 27 on a single stint.

As someone who doesn’t mind a less cushioned shoe for longer runs, it was ok cruising my 90 minute run. But there are shoes I’d lean to first for that longer mileage endurance effort.

However for lower daily mileage and regular easy runs, it’s a pretty good option. It’s certainly livelier and more agile than than Nimbus 27, though not as energetic as a Novablast 5. For me it’s one of those running shoes that’s competent without being particularly remarkable. Tame and trustworthy in a good way.

My Verdict

The ASICS Cumulus 27 cuts a different path to the ASICS Novablast 5 or the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27, with a smaller stack and a more traditional set-up. It adds something to the ASICS line-up and I like that it hasn’t jumped the bandwagon and gone big, big stack. We need these lower-stack shoes in the mix, too.

I’d describe it as a happy, reliable, comfortable shoe that can cope with quite a good range of paces. It’s a competent jack of all trades, from easy-to-endurance pace, but doesn’t necessarily excel at any one job. Maybe the stand out selling point for this shoe is that it doesn’t try to stand out. It’s just nicely reliable.

I think it’s potentially a good option for a beginner runner. Certainly for someone who wants a balance of cushion, simplicity and a mildly energetic ride.

However, at the £140 price I think there’s some really stiff competition from shoes that offer more versatility. If you don’t mind a bigger stack, the ASICS Novablast 5 has more range. I prefer the ride of the Nike Pegasus 41. And while I’ve not run in the Saucony Ride 18, the Ride 17 would get my nod ahead of the Cumulus 27. The HOKA Mach 6 is another good rival with workhorse versatility at a similar price.

So while I enjoyed my miles in the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 – and there’s nothing inherently wrong with it – I can’t say I’ll be reaching for it much after I’m done testing.