The Asics Gel-Nimbus 29 just launched, so I went hunting for early Black Friday deals on the Gel-Nimbus 28 and 27 — here’s what I found
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Nick has been a journalist since 2012 and has spent most of that time writing about health and fitness for a variety of publications. Nick spent nine years working on the Coach magazine and website before moving to the fitness team at Tom’s Guide in 2024. Nick is a keen runner and also the founder of YouTube channel The Run Testers , which specialises in reviewing running shoes, watches, headphones and other gear. Nick has covered all aspects of health and fitness throughout his career, interviewing experts and celebrities, trying fitness classes and running marathons, all in the name of providing readers with the information they need to get the most out of an active lifestyle. Nick ran his first marathon in 2016 after six weeks of training for a magazine feature and subsequently became obsessed with the sport. He now has PBs of 2hr 25min for the marathon and 15min 30sec for 5K, and has run 16 marathons in total, as well as a 50-mile ultramarathon. Nick runs 60-90 miles a week and races regularly with his club, which gives him a lot of opportunity to test out running gear: he has tested and reviewed hundreds of pairs of running shoes, as well as fitness trackers, running watches, sports headphones, treadmills, and all manner of other kit. Nick is also a qualified Run Leader in the UK. Nick is an established expert in the health and fitness area and along with writing for several publications, including Live Science , Expert Reviews , Wareable , Coach and Get Sweat Go , he has been quoted on The Guardian and The Independent . Nick graduated from the University of York in 2010 with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and worked in the NHS for three years, during which time he completed his NCTJ Diploma in Journalism at News Associates in London. Before starting on Coach and moving into health and fitness, Nick worked as a football journalist and lived in Kathmandu, Nepal for two years.
The Asics Gel-Nimbus has been one of the most popular cushioned running shoes available for almost three decades, and as a result, Asics launches a new version of the sneaker each and every year.
This year’s version — the Asics Gel-Nimbus 29 — has just been announced, which means the time is ripe for savvy shoppers to start looking for deals on older models of the shoe.
I’ve been searching early Black Friday sales myself and found a $40 discount on the Asics Gel-Nimbus 28 on Amazon and REI , and a $65 saving on the Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 on Amazon , which brings it under $100.
All colors and sizes of the Gel-Nimbus 28 are reduced to $129 in the Amazon sale. It's a lighter shoe than the Gel-Nimbus 27 and a highly comfortable option for cruising through your daily training runs. View Deal
It's a couple of generations old now, but the Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 is still a reliable pick for runners seeking a comfortable, cushioned shoe. The price will vary based on size and color on Amazon, so click around to find the best deal for you. View Deal
Asics made updates to the Gel-Nimbus 29, but the changes to the upper and outsole are fairly minor.
A new engineered mesh upper aims to improve the fit, while great rubber coverage on the outsole should boost grip and durability, though these have not been problems with past models in my experience.
The midsole changes are more significant with the Gel-Nimbus 29 using a new foam called FF Luxe Plus, which is softer than the FF Blast Plus foam used in older versions of the shoe.
Asics has also reshaped the midsole a little to allow for more compression when you land, which should enhance the softer feel of the new midsole foam.
I’ve yet to get my feet into the new Nimbus to try out its new foam, which is also used in the Asics Slowcush, which is an even more cushioned option for daily running.
I have racked up a lot of miles in the Asics Gel-Nimbus 27 and Asics Gel-Nimbus 28, though, and both are reliable, durable options for your training runs.
Like the Gel-Nimbus 29, they are built for comfort on easy and long runs in particular, and do that job well. If you’re looking to round out a running shoe rotation with a highly-cushioned shoe for easy runs, they’re great options at much lower prices than the new shoe.
When picking between the 27 and 28, I’d be tempted to get the cheaper 27 myself. While the Gel-Nimbus 28 is lighter than the 27, it’s not really any better for faster runs, and at easy paces the lower weight wasn’t so noticeable for me.
However, the deals are more consistent on the Gel-Nimbus 28 — all sizes and colors are down to $129 on Amazon — whereas the price of the Gel-Nimbus 27 jumps around depending on the exact shoe you go for, so you might even get a better discount on the 28.