A First Look At the ASICS Gel-Cumulus 27

The ASICS Gel-Cumulus has long been ideal for those who can get away with a neutral trainer and are looking for an all-around shoe for their triathlon training. (If you’re so inclined, it sure won’t hurt on race day, either, but more on that below.) Today ASICS has launched the Gel-Cumulus 27, which will be available globally on March 1, 2025. We had a chance to take the new shoes for a spin and were suitably impressed – ASICS has delivered a shoe that offers a surprising amount of cushioning without sacrificing any performance.
I have long been a fan of ASICS shoes – in full disclosure, they sponsored me for all but one of my years racing as a pro triathlete. Since I retired from pro racing 32 years ago, though, I think it’s fair to say that my reviews now aren’t likely to be too biased. The running shoe market is crazy these days, with so many incredible products on the market, so it’s hard to go wrong once you find a shoe that feels good for you. You do see a lot of ASICS shoes in transition areas around the world, though – a sign that I’m not the only one out there who is a fan.
Gel-Cumulus line

The Gel-Cumulus line up has always been geared towards “neutral” runners – those who don’t pronate and require additional support in their shoes. It’s also long been an “all-rounder” – a shoe you can use for pretty much any workout. Long run? Check. Easy recovery day? Got that covered, too. Faster day on the track or intervals on the road? No problem there, either. (Well, unless you’re looking to scream through some 50-second 400 repeats, but if you’re one of those types, you’re using the Cumulus for your easy days only.)
Which means that the Cumulus can also work for many triathletes as a race-day shoe, too. If your body can handle it, switching out to some racing flats for race day is always nice – you’ll feel that much quicker – but most triathletes won’t feel speed-limited in the Cumulus come race day.
A few years ago ASICS started incorporating FF Blast Plus foam into the midsole of the Cumulus shoes, adding some noticeable bounce and cushioning without adding weight or reducing the shoe’s performance feel. All that continues with the Gel-Cumulus 27, along with a few new improvements.
What hasn’t changed from last year is that FF Blast Plus midsole, along with the Rearfoot PureGEL pad that offers lots of cushioning. You get a FluidRide Outsole that enhances the comfort while providing some decent traction, along with an Ortholite X-30 Sockliner to help on the comfort front, too. The stack height remains the same from last year, too – 38.5 to 30.5 mm in the mens and 37.5 to 29.5 mm for the women’s. That’s an 8 mm drop, which is part of the reason it is an easy shoe to pick up the pace with – you really feel like you can roll onto your toes quickly and easily when it’s time to go faster.

New for the Gel-Cumulus 27 is a lightweight engineered Jacquard mesh upper to help with breathability and a new heel pull tab, which makes it easier to pull the shoe on and off, which might make it a bit easier as a race-day shoe. The weight has gone up a bit (5 g for the men’s and 10 g for the women’s) in this year’s model which weighs in at 265 g (9.34 oz) for the men’s size 9, and 230 g (8.11 oz) for the women’s size 8.
Performance
Yes, I hear you. You want to know how the shoe performs out on a run. To put it simply: pretty much exactly the way it’s supposed to. As much as I love some of the other ASICS neutral shoes like the more-expensive Nimbus, the Cumulus offers a really nice combination of cushioning and performance. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of cushioning you get with the shoe, without losing that feeling of being able to roll over onto your toes for faster efforts.

If you’re the type of runner who doesn’t need a crazy amount of cushioning or support, the Cumulus is well worth a look. If you’re training for an IRONMAN or a marathon, you might appreciate the added cushioning for your long runs that you’ll find in the Gel-Nimbus. For those who aren’t training that long, you’ll probably be fine with the cushioning you’ll find in the Gel-Cumulus. Even those who are gearing up for a long race this season will likely appreciate being able to pull on the Gel-Cumulus 27 for faster days or shorter runs.
The new ASICS Gel-Cumulus will retail for US$140 (C$180). It’s a shoe that, if you wanted, you could easily wear for all your triathlon training and racing, especially if you’re only running about three times a week and aren’t putting in any really long days. For runners and triathletes who want some cushioning, but still want to feel fast, this is also a great option.
What: ASICS Gel-Cumulus 27
Cost: US$140 (C$180)
Available: March 1, 2025
A great example of a similar “gets it all done” shoe we recently checked out is the Brooks Ghost 16 – you can check out Ryan’s review of that shoe here.
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