ASICS GEL Cumulus 21 Review: THE DARK WORKHORSE

I haven’t really been excited for an Asics shoe in the last couple of years. My last Asics shoe was the Nimbus 19: it was expensive, heavy and didn’t wow me. It was the first Nimbus to have FlyteFoam in the midsole and it felt very, very firm bordering on hard. Here in Asia, Asics is the most popular running shoe brand. Going for long Saturday runs, more than half of the runners I pass wear Asics shoes (mostly Kayanos). Whenever I passed them, I would think to myself: shame, it must be torture to run in such a heavy, firm shoe. I didn’t get what all the hype was about. I only bought the Cumulus 21 because it was on sale at a ridiculous price. I chose the Cumulus 21 because I have read reviews stating that the Cumulus 21 is actually softer than the Nimbus 21, its older, more expensive big brother. I wanted a long-distance trainer that I could use for distances longer than 25 kilometres while I train for a marathon. The Cumulus 21 is a beefy workhorse capable of eating up many road miles. I had my reservations with Asics before running in the Cumulus 21 but now I understand why so many people are die-hard Asics fans. The Cumulus 21 has not only met my expectations but exceeded them. The Cumulus is now the first shoe I pick up for my long 3-hour plus weekend runs because I know that my feet will be well protected and the upper won’t give me any blisters. What sets the Cumulus apart from competitors in the neutral daily trainer category such as the Pegasus, Ghost and Wave Rider is that the Cumulus has an extra layer of underfoot softness making it more comfortable for super long runs.