Asics Gel Nimbus 27: The Comfy Cruiser

Nimbus 27: Quick Facts

What’s the Nimbus 27 all about?

The Nimbus is one of Asics most long standing, classic series of shoes. Within their family of shoes, the Nimbus is positioned as their premium neutral max cushioned experience. It's a shoe that's designed for ultimate comfort and cushioning for your easy runs out on the road. 

For us, we found Asics truly deliver on that when they completely redesigned the Nimbus for version 25, released back in 2023. It was a huge departure from previous Nimbus models and offered a really soft, plush feeling ride. Since then, Asics have been refining the Nimbus. We saw subtle changes in Nimbus 26 which made it grip better, feel a fraction firmer (a good change for us) and as a result the Nimbus 26 was much more durable and stable than the Nimbus 25.

Now into its 27th iteration, Asics have continued to update and refine the Nimbus to deliver an improved overall experience of what a max cushioned shoe should be. We also think it separates itself more distinctively from other models in the Asics family and complements shoes like the Novablast and Superblast.

See what's new and how our team found the Nimbus 27 below!

There are two key changes in Nimbus 27:

1) More FF BLAST = more cush

In a shoe world where stack heights are increasing across pretty much every model, it's no surprise to see the Nimbus get some extra stack and bulk. Asics are using their most cushioned midsole foam FF Blast Plus Eco, but they've added an extra 2mm to the platform. Although it's apparently the same foam from Nimbus 26, it does feel like Asics have tweaked the formulation here in the Nimbus 27 to be slightly softer and lighter. As a result, the ride of the Nimbus 27 really shines on easy jogs as it offers a lot of protection from the road.

The Nimbus isn't known for being a super lightweight shoe, but it's surprising to see the extra stack hasn't come at a cost to the weight of the shoe. The Nimbus 27 weighs in at basically the same weight as the Nimbus 26. We think Asics might have achieved that with the midsole formulation and the new lighter weight upper.

The additional stack doesn't just add more cushioning, it also results in a forefoot that has some added stiffness. If you're someone that liked the forefoot in Nimbus 26, you'll most likely enjoy a similar, but slightly stiffer forefoot in the Nimbus 27.

2) Refined upper material, same stretchy tongue

Continuing the theme of refinement, Asics have made some small changes to the upper with the Nimbus 27. Sliding your foot into the upper of the shoe feels premium. It's also noticeably more breathable thanks to an upper material that's definitely thinner than before which probably helps the Nimbus 27 not gain additional weight. The same stretchy knit tongue, pull tab and plush collar lining around the heel we saw used in the Nimbus 26 remains in the 27, which we love to see as it was some of our favourite parts of that upper.

Fit wise, we think Nimbus 27 fits true to size. There does seem to be a little more volume through the forefoot compared to Nimbus 26 which will be welcome for runners who found it a shallower and narrower fitting shoe. Just like before, the Nimbus 27 will come in both standard and wide widths for women and standard, wide and extra wide in mens.

Tom's take on the Nimbus 27

I used the Nimbus 26 a fair bit last year for warm up and cool downs before sessions and some easy jogs during the week. After my first run in the Nimbus 27, the first thing I noticed was the added 'guts' in the forefoot, probably thanks to the added stack. I reckon the forefoot rocker also feels more stiff and aggressive which I like! 

My main negative with the Nimbus 27 which is specific to me is the upper fit. I have a pretty shallow and narrow foot which suited the fit of the Nimbus 26 super well. The 27 is definitely more accommodating with more volume and less tapering so it's overall more roomy in my usual size. As a result, I think the fit of the Nimbus 27 will work for a lot more runners than Nimbus 26, just not quite as good for my foot.

I'm going to use the Nimbus 27 for easy runs during the week, anywhere from 30-60 minutes and then pull out the Superblast 2 for my long runs. I think the closest comparable shoe in this category right now is the New Balance 1080v14, but I'm leaning more towards and preferring the Nimbus.

Georgia's take on the Nimbus 27

I was a big fan of the Nimbus 25 — the first version without exposed gel in the midsole. The fit and feel was perfect for me and it quickly became a favourite in my rotation. Then Asics brought out the Nimbus 26 which was a lot softer - I only really used it for 30-45 minute easy jogs, whereas the Nimbus 25 allowed me to comfortably run up to 90 minutes. 

The new Nimbus 27 gives me very similar vibes to the 26, in that it will be too soft for me to jog any longer than 60 minutes in it. However, the main goal of my mid-week jog is purely to recover from the previous day's workout and not get caught up on pace and that's where the new Nimbus comes in handy; it's smooth, stable and reliable for the easy days up to 60 minutes, for me anyway. 

There is a lot of shoe underfoot which can make it feel a bit clunky but it's definitely something I am slowly getting used to. I am a big fan of the new engineered jacquard mesh as it feels thinner and more breathable than previous models. It is also worth noting the fit is deeper than the 26 so for some of our staff at RunDNA, the shoe almost feels too big for them but the change doesn't phase me too much.

Asics have released some really nice colorways in the women's range but it would be great to see other options for those who need a wider fit, they get the choice of black or grey which seems to be the same as previous years!

Nathan's final thoughts

I think the updates Asics have made to the Nimbus 27 improve and refine the experience it offers to runners. The characteristics of being rockered through the forefoot, highly cushioned and a broad surface area make this an ideal plodding shoe. It's a shoe I'd use for easy jogs and recovery runs where pace is not a priority, but cushion and comfort is. I also think it separates itself more distinctively from other shoes within the Asics family of shoe such as the Novablast and Superblast.

Asics are continuing to curate a family of shoes that are specific to different run types. If you're wanting a super comfortable, highly cushioned, protective experience for your easy runs, go the Nimbus 27. For a more nimble, lightweight, versatile daily trainer, go the Novablast 5. The well known "do it all shoe", Superblast 2 shines on the long run and when you want to go fast or chase a PB, grab a Metaspeed Paris. It's a well thought out range that offers plenty of options and choice to runners, which can only be a good thing!

About the author

Nathan Pope - Runner and Shoe Nerd

I'm really passionate about running footwear and how shoes can be used as a tool to get the best of your running, whether that be general fitness or performance.

My favourite event is the marathon. I feel as though the marathon is the ultimate test both physically and mentally! It requires careful planning both within the race and during the training block and it can be super satisfying when it comes together on race day.