Asics vs. Nike Running Shoes

Asics and Nike both provide a range of shoes designed to accommodate runners with a range of skill, from entry-level to advanced. Runners needing extra stability should look at the Asics Kayano or the Nike Structure. Barefoot runners can find good models in both the Asics Gel line and the Nike Free line. If runners are unsure about buying a particular model of a Nike or Asics shoe , they can get a professional analysis on gait, anatomical influences on stride, and pronation. Brick-and-mortar shoe stores, sporting goods stores, and online marketplaces such as eBay carry a wide variety of Asics and Nike running shoes.

Asics Running Shoes

Both the well-cushioned Asics Cumulus and the Nimbus are neutral stability models that suit many different styles of running. The Kayano is Asics' strongest stability shoe, built for a heavier stride but lightened on the upper with its form-fitting FluidFit mesh. The GT2000, an Asics moderate-support series, is a follow-up to the Asic GT2100.

Asics has progressively patented foams and gel support in the midsoles. DuoMax and SpEVA are two examples of shoes made out of light materials with resilient, bounce-back qualities on impact.

Asics' Answer to the Barefoot Trend in Running

Asics includes a number of extremely light, relatively flat heel-to-toe models known as barefoot running shoes, such as the women's Gel Super J33 and men's Gel Attract. Theoretically, shoes with thick and heavy heel-to-toe support do not conform to the natural stride of the foot.

Asics Entry-Level Running Shoe

A new runner looking for an entry-level trainer should try out the neutral-fitting Gel Flux with the SpEVA midsole. This running shoe offers a 4-E width that caters to the wider foot, especially in the toe region.

Nike Running Shoes

Like Asics, Nike designs running shoes that fit any stride tendency, anatomy, or style of running. Although its Nike Air line gets most of the press, its foam-cushioned running shoes are the brand's most elastic and durable. One of Nike's bold innovations, the flyknit upper, is reviewed as having a sock-like comfort and feel, specifically designed for giving stability shoes a lighter feel and to make its lightest shoes even lighter.

The soft-cushioned Pegasus, the soft yet stable Lunar Eclipse with its LunarFoam midsole, and the super-stable Structure are good default options for runners uncertain about which Nike to buy.

Nike's Answer to the Barefoot Trend in Running

Nike's Free line, such as the Flyknit 5.0 and the Flyknit Lunar 1, are flexible to the point of letting the foot run in its natural way, freely, without noticeable heel and forefront support.

Nike Entry-Level Running Shoe

A runner who is looking for an entry-level trainer should consider the Structure, since it can be used for almost all running applications: workouts, recovery runs, and races. Moreover, because of the Structure's design, it does not matter if a runner pronates, or rolls the foot either outward or inward on impact.

Comparison of Asics and Nike Running Shoes

Both Asics and Nike offer designs built with the cushion, support and comfort to fit any runner's gait and anatomy. Some runners with wide feet, especially in the toes, prefer Asics and other brands over Nike. Both makers also offer trail running shoes, with added toe protection and heavier heel-to-toe cushioning, as well as increased traction for running upward on slick or rocky hills. The Nike Wildhorse are specifically designed for efficiency on steep hills, with angled lugs below the toe.