In production · road · Daily / Long run · $210
Asics Gel Kinsei Max: 38 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 322 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is FF Blast, tuned soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 38 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 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
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 $0.53 per mile at $210.
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
333 g / 11.7 oz
58 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
38 mm
2 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$210
50 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
4 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 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 taller than its median stack (38 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Nike InfinityRN 4
316 g / 11.1 oz · 39 mm · 9 mm drop · — · $160
ReactX stability-leaning cruiser with a broad, planted base.
Mizuno Wave Horizon 7
334 g / 11.8 oz · 41 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $180
Mizuno Wave Horizon 7: 41 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 329 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Puma ForeverRun Nitro 3
290 g / 10.2 oz · 38 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $150
Dual-density Nitrofoam stability daily with a wide, planted base.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Vongo v6
303 g / 10.7 oz · 38 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $165
Stability daily trainer using a guidance film instead of a hard post.