ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 vs ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 – Stacked vs Sprightly?

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 now packs more foam underfoot, with a stack rising to 43.5mm in the heel and 35.5mm in the forefoot for a 8mm drop. Meanwhile, the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27’s lower stack is still well-cushioned, with 38.5mm in the heel and 30.5mm in the forefoot, for an 8mm drop.

On the scales, in my US men’s 9.5 test shoe, the Nimbus 27 weighs in at 10.8oz or 307g. The Cumulus 27 is lighter at 9.5oz or 270g.

On price, the RRP for the ASICS Gel Nimbus is $165 while the ASICS Gel Cumulus is $140.

Design

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 and the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 share some design DNA. They both offer plush comfort, good cushioning from a similarly-rockered FlyteFoamBlast+ midsole and premium uppers. 

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 is all about easy-pace comfort. The midsole has a thick slab of Flytefoam Blast+ Eco foam underfoot. ASICS added a 1.5mm across the stack (versus the Nimbus 26) for an even more cushioned ride. There’s also a PureGEL insert in the heel to improve shock absorption – particularly for heel strikers. And it’s one of the heavier daily trainers.

The ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 shoots for cushioned comfort but with a lighter, lower stack that boosts the versatility. It uses the same FlyteFoam Blast+ Eco foam in the midsole and the ASICS PureGEL heel cushion to soften things if you land further back. It’s a package that offers a good level of road protection and cushion but in a mid-weight running shoe.

Up top, the Nimbus 27 has a new mesh upper that successfully balances breathability with a snug, supportive fit. The Cumulus 27 also has engineered mesh uppers. Both uppers feel premium, quite thick but soft and flexible.

Both shoes have generously padded heel collars though the design is slightly different. The Cumulus 27 sticks with a more traditional collar, the Nimbus 27 has the padding dropped in with this collar rise.

The Cumulus and the Nimbus 27 have gusseted tongues, with a thinner, flat, wrapping design that saves on weight. The Nimbus 27 tongues are knitted while there’s a bit more structure and padding to the Cumulus 27 tongues.

On the outsoles, the Gel Nimbus 27 has a good covering of AHAR Plus, ASICS’ grippiest outsole compound with strategic placement in the impact areas.

The Cumulus 27 has a different approach with what ASICS calls a Fluidride outsole. This thick layer of rubberized EVA covers almost the entire sole of the shoe with lots of grooves to improve flexibility.

Fit

When it comes to fit I ran in a UK 8.5 / US 9.5 which is my regular size in both shoes. 

The Cumulus 27 has a comfortable, disappearing fit with good lock down across the mid foot and wrapping tongues that have a couple of pads on them to soften any potential lace pinch. There’s good room lengthwise in the toe box and enough wiggle room from the structure of the uppers. They don’t drop onto the top of the toes.

The Nimbus 27 is also roomy and accommodating with plenty of length and wiggle room in the toe box. It’s generally easy to lockdown for good security.

Both shoes offer an ideal fit for shoes you might choose for longer, easier miles. And I’d recommend going true to size in both shoes.

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Performance

In testing, I’ve run north of 30 miles in the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27, including a 2-hour effort to test the long-haul comfort. Slightly less in the new ASICS Gel Cumulus 27 but my testing has also included a 90-minute run.

I’ve tested both shoes across the same range of paces, covering slow and easy long runs, right up to faster paces on progression runs. As usual I’ve run mainly on the road but with some light off-road, too.

Both shoes feature large, cushioned platforms designed to absorb road impact and protect your feet. Perfect for those days when you want the road to disappear.

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However, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 takes cushion to another level with that extra stack for FlyteFoam Blast+. This generation is just as Nimbussy as the previous generations. It’s plush underfoot with a highly protective ride but it can be a bit slappy and definitely lacks the agility and quicker return of the ASICS Gel Cumulus 27.

The Cumulus 27 is 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.

The more old school ride offers up more ground feel than the Nimbus 27 and it’s smoother, less slappy. If you like less shoe on the foot, the Cumulus 27 is the better option. Though some runners might find it lacks the cushion they want for the longest runs.

Both shoes show little signs of wear and tear and I have no worries about either as a daily-use trainer that’ll keep going for hundreds of miles.

My Verdict

Which is the best ASICS running shoe? You’ve got two capable cushioned daily trainers here. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. The choice will come down to whether you want a shoe that delivers the most cushion and protection, or you’re happy to trade some of that high-cush for some sprightliness.

The heft of the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 limits it to the low-pace runs. It does that job very well, in a classic Nimbus way. If your top priority is softer, smooth, protective, road-eating comfort for your easiest of easy miles, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 delivers more of that.

But if you want a shoe that can cushion easy runs but also tick up the gears a bit, the Cumulus 27 is the more capable shoe.

If I had to choose one shoe, I’d pick Cumulus based on the versatility. There’s enough cushion to go slow but the lighter, more agile set-up, along with the more responsive ride, makes it better when you want to move with more intent.

Other alternatives I’d consider that can offer similar to these two shoes include the Saucony Ride 17, the ASICS Novablast 5, the Nike Pegasus Vomero 18, the Puma Velocity Nitro 3, the New Balance 1080v14 and the Brooks Glycerin 22.