Discontinued · road · Daily / Long run / Recovery · $145
Earlier generation of the Asics Gel Kayano line, kept for replacement lookups.
Built for daily, long run, recovery, at a target pace of 9:00–12:00 /mi on road.
This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Asics Gel-Kayano 31.
Asics tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 37 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
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.
A tall 10 mm drop tips weight forward off the heel, which usually suits heel strikers and calves that dislike low-drop shoes. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. It offers real guidance through the gait cycle — useful for runners whose form collapses when tired.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 500 miles from the outsole, about $0.29 per mile at $145.
For the foams and plates Asics uses across its line, read the Asics brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
312 g / 11.0 oz
37 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
37 mm
1 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
10 mm
4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$145
15 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~500 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).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Nike Journey Run
305 g / 10.8 oz · 34 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $90
Extra-plush entry trainer built for comfortable first miles.
Asics GT-4000 4
310 g / 10.9 oz · 36 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $140
Maximum-support trainer for overpronators who want cushion and control.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25(2025)
300 g / 10.6 oz · 37 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $145
GuideRails support in a softer, smoother 25th edition.
Nike Structure 26(2024)
298 g / 10.5 oz · 38 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $140
Wide base and firmer sidewalls — Nike's mainstream support trainer.