ASICS GEL-Cumulus 26 Review: 6 Comparisons

Article by Sam Winebaum

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 26 ($140)

Introduction

Sam: The GEL-Cumulus sees one other huge change for its twenty sixth version. ASICS center of the street impartial each day coach went broader and better stack for the 25 (RTR Assessment) Its seems and trip had been fairly near the Nimbus 25 with considerably much less stack and inherent stability focus of that shoe.

For the twenty sixth we “see” a extra conventional trying geometry that’s extra rocker centered than the 25, with 1mm extra stack top, a full contact rubberized foam outsole and a contact much less weight.

The 26 is also the primary ASICS to listing its carbon footprint on the sockliner at 9.4kg CO2e.

I’m recovering from a November surgically repaired with 2 screws damaged kneecap. The Cumulus 26 has confirmed one of the best of a number of street selections as I’ve resumed working, slowly, for its steady effectively cushioned impartial trip. They did require some break in because the fashion has now moved to a semi inflexible extra rocker centered trip reminding in trip and appears of the Glide Trip and fewer so of the comfortable and versatile Cumulus 25. Let’s get into the main points!

Execs:

True throughout effectively each day trainer-Tempo and distance versatile, mild at 9.1 oz / 258g: Sam

Now a extra uptempo driving extremely cushioned coach than close to Nimbus 25 as Cumulus 25 was: Sam

Steady non segmented foam rubber entrance outsole delivers a close to entrance plate rockered responsive really feel, reminding of GlideRide: Sam

Secure for a impartial coach and extra steady than prior Cumulus: Sam

Gentle weight for giant 38.5 mm heel /30.5mm forefoot stack of cushion, 1mm extra and about 0.3 oz lighter than the 25 : Sam

Pretty priced at $140 for a max cushion versatile coach : Sam

Cons:

Might confuse Cumulus followers: Stiffer, longer flex coach and firmer regardless of huge stack than prior extra flex based mostly Cumulus: Sam

Some break in required for flex given full contact midsole as outsole layer and excessive stack: Sam

Midfoot higher could also be difficult to lock down for very low quantity ft: Sam

MInimally profiled lugless outsole: shaky traction on slick winter roads (snow coating and ice: Sam

Please discover the testers full run bios on the finish of the article after Comparisons.

Stats

Approx. Weight: males’s 9.1 oz / 258 g (US9) / ladies’s 7.8 oz / 222 g (US8)

Samples: males’s 8.89oz / 252g (US8.5) Cumulus 25: 9.13 oz / 259g (US8.5)

ladies’s 7.8 oz / 222 g (US W8)

Stack Peak: males’s 38.5 mm heel / 30.5 mm forefoot ( 8mm drop

ladies’s 37.5 mm heel / 29.5 mm forefoot

Platform Width: 100 mm heel / 85 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot

$140. Out there March 2024

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Sam: The Cumulus 26 clearly makes a visible assertion that it isn’t a close to Nimbus 26 in look, match and trip because the 25 was.

Whereas the platform stays broad the geometry’s look is extra streamlined and conventional and whereas seeming to be decrease stack top is definitely 1mm greater. In hand, when new and even after preliminary walks and runs, it’s clear the Cumulus has moved from a flex based mostly shoe to a rocker much like the Glideride’s. Given the rubberized foam full and deep outsole backside layer some break in was required .

The higher is made from a reasonably dense engineered mesh with minimal overlays. We’ve got a skinny considerably stretchy gusset tongue.

The higher is safer, much less comfortable and comfortable than the 25’s however nonetheless roomy and reasonably broad notably on the midfoot the place for my narrow-medium quantity foot. I needed to cinch down the laces fairly far however not thus far that I had lace chew or couldn’t get an excellent maintain. Runners with very low quantity ft could battle extra.

I do assume a barely extra padded tongue would take up a number of the quantity higher than the skinny stretchy one right here.

The toe field is excellent for me with much less play than the softer considerably stretchier softer mesh of the Cumulus 25. For these in search of extra room up entrance, wides will be obtainable.

Midsole & Platform

The midsole is, as earlier than, Flight Foam Blast+ with a decrease layer foam/rubber mix which ASICS calls Fluidride because the outsole. We’ve got seen such an method in footwear such because the Hoka Mach and at UnderArmour Velocit Wind. The Cumulus 26 retains the Pure Gel unit which takes some fringe of landings whereas being way more seamlessly built-in than earlier GEL models.

We get 1mm extra stack top than Cumulus 25 whereas the load drops 0.24 oz / 7g in my US 8.5. Extra stack with much less weight is at all times welcome.

The platform stays broad at 100 mm heel / 85 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot so the 26 is steady as a impartial shoe and the extra streamlined rear of the shoe doesn’t result in the blocky overdone for me heel really feel of the Nimbus and even the considerably much less exaggerated however nonetheless a bit cumbersome rear of the Cumulus 25.

In my Cumulus 25 evaluate I remarked that the touchdown was overly comfortable. Right here it’s now “firmer” and extra steady however nonetheless very effectively cushioned.

My sense is the Flight Flight Foam Blast + is barely firmer total whereas the decrease Fluidride “outsole” whereas not as agency as rubber could be is thick bettering the response and stability on the floor.

The geometry and midsole/outsole building clearly strikes the Cumulus from the prior softer flex based mostly coach to a considerably firmer, extra rocker based mostly one with similarities to the Glideride.

Outsole

The outsole is named out as Fluidride, a foam rubber mix. The 25 had a gum rubber outsole which helped stabilize its softer trip considerably on the rear.

There may be loads of depth for put on with about 15mm on the heel and 8mm upfront of the rubberized foam. The protection is sort of full with solely a middle uncovered space of froth.

The outsole clearly contributes to the Cumulus stability and extra responsive trip. Such a deep steady and unsegmented to the midsole outsole clearly additionally provides the shoe its rocker based mostly trip profile. There may be some comparatively far again flex of a quick exhausting to bend in hand variety after break in. To the entrance the shoe stays inflexible offering a steady virtually plate like toe off platform .

Grip on dry and moist surfaces has confirmed simply nice. On flippantly snow dusted roads with some icing the grip, given basically no lug profiles it was sketchy. Not a shoe for working on roads when issues transfer in direction of freezing.

Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions

Sam: The Cumulus 26 clearly modifications character from a flex based mostly softer shoe to a extra up tempo extremely and agile cushioned each day coach. In some ways it reminds extra of earlier Cumulus however now with trendy foams and a heel approaching 40mm, so a flexible do something each day coach in its makes use of than the less difficult going 25.

It now additionally reminds extra of the Glideride given its rocker profile. In a sea of but greater stack broad platform “softer” each day trainers, I respect having a extra responsive, steady impartial rocker based mostly trip with no plate that isn’t mushy comfortable and with an honest 8mm drop to go together with the excessive stack and extra inflexible flex to accommodate all paces, together with slower ones. After break in is serving me very effectively as I return to working from my knee damage Given its mild weight for stack, match and trip it’s now a best choice for an throughout each day coach that blends trendy tech together with a rocker and light-weight weight with a extra historically stable trip really feel.

Sam’s Rating: 9.25 / 10

Want for extra entrance flex and a contact bouncier trip

6 Comparisons

Index to all RTR opinions: HERE

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 25 (RTR Assessment)

Sam: Considerably firmer, quicker, rocker based mostly and extra responsive, the Cumulus 26 strikes away from the less difficult going 25 returning in trendy excessive stack type to its extra versatile earlier variations however now with a rocker sort profile. I clearly desire the 26 as a each day throughout coach.

ASICS Glideride 3 (RTR Assessment)

Very barely heavier with 3.5 mm extra stack top on the heel and an enormous 7mm extra on the forefoot the Glideride features a hardened foam entrance plate which the Cumulus 26 doesn’t have and no rear GEL unit. It has the same trip to the Cumulus however extra deliberate and fewer agile in really feel. Cushioning finally ends up about equal in really feel.

Hoka Mach (RTR Assessment)

About an oz lighter and decrease stack with the same rubberized foam outsole the Mach may be regarded as a lighter, quicker “close to” each day coach for many whereas the Cumulus is a extra cushioned, extra slower tempo versatile various with a fairly related trip.

ASICS GEL-Nimbus 25 and 26 (RTR Assessment)

With a platform 12mm wider on the heel and 5mm wider on the forefoot and 3mm extra stack top and weight 1.6 oz/ 45g heavier the Nimbus is “an excessive amount of” for me. I discover the heel blocky and broad compared to Cumulus 26, the forefoot not almost as agile and rockered and the higher whereas tremendous cozy not as effectively locked down. The Cumulus is a extra versatile each day coach.

ASICS Novablast 4 (RTR Assessment)

The Nova weighs the identical and has 3 mm extra stack top (41.5mm heel), the identical 8mm drop, similar FlightFoam Blast + midsole foam and the identical $140 pricing. It has the identical forefoot and heel platform width however a 15mm narrower midfoot platform making it not fairly as steady because the Cumulus and explaining at the least partly the equivalent weight for its greater stack top. Given its narrower midfoot platform and that Its rocker shouldn’t be fairly as efficient because the Cumulus at slower paces, the Cumulus is a little more accommodating to slower paces (and is extra steady) than the Novablast. To raised differentiate them in weight and objective ASICS ought to cut back the Novablast stack top to the identical or decrease than Cumulus. Each match true to dimension.

Saucony Trip 17 (RTR Assessment)

Sam: Having the same broad 115mm forefoot/ 70mm midfoot / 90mm heel platform, noting the Cumulus is equivalent at heel and forefoot however 15 mm wider at midfoot the Trip is softer, bouncier and fewer responsive and steady. Whereas a extra pleasing trip total given its new expanded TPU beads midsole with a extra versatile forefoot the Cumulus is a extra severe extra uptempo driving shoe that’s 0.8 oz lighter with a better stack top. The Trip whereas additionally true to dimension has a better quantity extra relaxed becoming higher For simple runs the Trip is a more sensible choice, for every little thing else Cumulus.

Nike Vomero 17 (RTR Assessment)

1.5 oz heavier on the same stack top platform the Vomero 17 is clearly extra versatile up entrance with no rocker within the combine because the Cumulus has. The place does the load distinction come from given the Vomero has a wholesome layer of tremendous mild Zoom X within the combine? The outsole! The Vomero has a close to full rubber outsole with notably superior grip. Its higher is safer but and true to dimension as is the ASICS. As with the Trip 17 comparability the Cumulus is a greater uptempo throughout each day coach whereas the Nike leans considerably extra relaxed in trip really feel.

The ASICS GEL-Cumulus 26 will launch March 1 2024 in US

Tester Profiles

Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Street Path Run. He’s 66 with a 2018 3:40 Boston qualifier. 2022 was Sam’s fiftieth yr of working. He has a many years previous 2:28 marathon PR. Nowadays he runs halves within the simply sub 1:40 vary if he will get very very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week principally at reasonable paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, mountain climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 164 lbs, if he isn’t having fun with too many nice New England IPA’s.

Samples had been offered at no cost for evaluate functions. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and will earn fee on merchandise bought through procuring hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are fully the authors’.

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