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Asics Gel-Contend 9

In production · road · Daily · $75

The classic first running shoe — durable, affordable, uncomplicated.

Built for daily, at a target pace of 8:30–11:30 /mi on road.

The spec sheet

Weight
275 g / 9.7 oz
Heel stack
31 mm
Drop
8 mm
Midsole foam
FF Turbo
Plate
—
Cushioning
3 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
2 / 5
Flexibility
4 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~400 mi
Price
$75

How it rides

The foam

The midsole is FF Turbo, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 31 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.19 per mile at $75.

For the foams and plates Asics uses across its line, read the Asics brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

275 g / 9.7 oz

Level with the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

31 mm

5 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

8 mm

2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$75

85 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

3 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~400 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Asics line it is heavier than the brand's median (268 g / 9.5 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (38 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Under Armour Pursuit 4

275 g / 9.7 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100

No-fuss entry trainer for new runners and easy miles.

Skechers GO Run Consistent 2.0

280 g / 9.9 oz · 28 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $75

Simple, cushioned entry trainer for everyday easy running.

On Cloud 6(2025)

267 g / 9.4 oz · 28 mm · 9 mm drop · — · $150

The slip-on lifestyle runner that started it all — light and easy.

Adidas Duramo SL 2

265 g / 9.3 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $80

The classic cheap-and-cheerful Adidas trainer.

On Cloud X Shift

270 g / 9.5 oz · 32 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $160

Cushioned cross-trainer for mixed training days.

Lineage & siblings