Asics Gel Cumulus 26 Introduction
Now in its 26th edition, the Gel-Cumulus is one of the longest tenured running shoes in the Asics lineup yet it has gone through several different redesigns in the last few years.
For this edition, Asics decided to change the midsole and the heel flare from the last edition while also dropping some weight. The upper had some slight redesigns, mostly in the heel tab area and the tongue. Finally, the outsole was changed to a new Fluidride™ technology that claims to enhance comfort and traction.
The changes in this shoe helps to distinguish it from both the Gel-Nimbus and the Novablast in the Asics lineup.
The Gel-Nimbus is definitely more plush feeling and has a greater outsole grip, which ultimately screams premium.
The Novablast is firmer and designed for faster runs.
The Gel-Cumulus tries to fit somewhere in between – attempting to give the runner something that has soft cushion but enough of a ride to help with those uptempo efforts.
The Cumulus shares a similar midsole and tongue while the rocker technology is what helps the slightly more uptempo efforts.
Asics Gel Cumulus 26 First Impressions
When I first opened this box, I was impressed by the colorway and stylistic design of the shoe overall. It just looked sleek and comfortable.
It felt lightweight in my hands and all the above was confirmed when I first put it on my feet. My first run in the shoe was an easy recovery run.
This shoe didn’t have all the soft cushion I wanted in a recovery run but I could feel the rocker technology propel me forward on a day that I didn’t have any propulsion my own. It was very nice.
My next run was a long run. Again, it felt like I was gliding. There is an energy return to this shoe but it’s not as pronounced as I thought the Gel-Nimbus was.
The upper of the shoe felt great but I wasn’t impressed with the tongue. I had to get used to tucking it under so it was flush against my ankle.
Asics Gel Cumulus 26 Upper
The upper on this shoe was generally well-constructed. The entire upper is made of soft, stretchy engineered mesh. This helps the shoe conform to your foot while creating a plush feel all around.
The tongue is partially gusseted and feels as soft as the rest of the shoe, though I had struggles initially keeping it flat on my ankle when I would initially put it on.
My only issue with rubbing came on the back of my ankle from the higher heel counter. I didn’t have issues during my first long run but did on my second.
If you don’t respond well to higher heel counters, this shoe could potentially be a problem for you.
The lacing system was fine and the laces stayed tied without a double knot during all my runs.
Overall, the shoe fit true to size for me. This shoe does come in wide widths options.
Asics Gel Cumulus 26 Sole Unit
Similar to the Gel-Nimbus, the midsole unit is made of two major parts: the PureGel™ in the heel surrounded by the FF Blast™ PLUS ECO foam.
For those that are Eco-conscious, the development of the FF Blast™ foam helps reduce the shoe’s carbon footprint by 25%.
The heel drop is 8mm, with a height of about 38.5mm in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot. It’s a lower stack height than the Gel-Nimbus and it’s quite noticeable. The rocker technology in this shoe is noticeable as well.
The sockliner is very soft and makes your foot feel like it’s wrapped.
One upgrade in this version compared to Cumulus 25 is the Fluidride™ outsole.
It helps the shoe feel lighter and supports the transition from heel to toe very well. I have seen a good amount of wear and tear, though, after about 60 miles on the shoes.
I don’t think this will be as durable as some other shoes with different outsole rubber but it likely fits in line with most daily trainers.
The grip was ok on wet surfaces and gravel surfaces. I generally will keep this shoe to dry, smooth roads only and look for other shoes if I know I will be on some grass, gravel, or wet roads.
Asics Gel Cumulus 26 Conclusions
Overall, the Cumulus 26 is a very good daily trainer that allows for some uptempo efforts.
For all levels of runners, I can see this shoe being a great trainer for marathon and half marathon training as it allows for some of those uptempo efforts while still staying true to the daily, easy miles.
For those concentrating on 5k-10k distances, this is a great daily miles trainer.
At the $140 price point, I think it is a fair price to pay for daily trainer that will log a good amount of miles at various paces.
