Asics Gel Kayano 28 can almost be described as the classic stability running shoe in its most prestigious version to date! It’s simply a novelty that has rarely been seen before. Asics GEL-Kayano 28 is the successor to the popular Asics Gel Kayano 27. But there have been cutting-edge technology updates in the shoe’s structure and features. That makes the Kayano 28 even better than the previous models!
So, Asics Gel Kayano 28 is More Flexible Than Ever Before and has i.a. added a new midsole material and got some radical changes on strategic places around the shoe. These changes make Kayano go in a slightly unexpected but at the same time very exciting direction.
Asics Gel Kayano from 27 to 28
Asics Gel Kayano 27 is already a sublime classic and it’s no surprise to most runners who have had an eye on what is going on in the market for running shoes. If you are a runner and have chosen running shoes over the years, then at some point you have heard about Asics Kayano.
Simply because it has been on the market for so long, and is among the preferred choice when it comes to choosing comfort and stability running shoes for the long runs.
So, in advance, we praise the ASICS GEL Kayano 27 to the clouds for its stability and now it’s facing a replacement. It steps up a number, and becomes Asics Gel Kayano 28, and what does that mean for you? That’s what we want to look at in this article.
Asics Gel Kayano 28
Gel-Kayano 28 has thus been constructed with some technologies that haven’t been seen in Kayano before. The main purpose of this new model has been to maintain good stability and at the same time increase comfort with new shock-absorbing material and more flexibility.
In addition, it has also been constructed with specific technologies which are differentiated depending on whether it is a male or female Kayano. This is done because of the natural difference in biomechanics for women and men.
How Will The New Asics Kayano 28 Be?
Many runners who have used Kayano over the years probably wonder what should happen now! In particular the very recognized and well-founded comfort that has made Kayano a reliable and well-known pronation shoe with excellent support and stability. But the new version is certainly not inferior in this area, it’s just more energy-returning and gives smoother propulsion.
In the upper layer of the midsole, a new midsole material has been added – FlyteFoam Blast and the features mentioned are exactly what this new “bouncy” FlyteFoam Blast foam in the midsole can do.
For comparison, FlyteFoam Blast is also found in the neutral running shoe Asics Novablast, which is known for its extremely soft, bouncy, and energy-returning comfort. In fact, Novablast is one of Asics’ running shoes with the highest return energy.
And Kayano 28 has been awarded for some of that! However, we still find the well-known FlyteFoam and GEL material in the midsole. So, it’s not because the Kayano 28 has been changed to a completely new type of shoe.
Asics Kayano 28 Updates
The midsole material has thus become light, soft and gives a really good energy-giving bounce effect. It creates the same feeling as when jumping on a trampoline, as it helps push one forward to the next foot take-off.
With these new changes, the Asics GEL-Kayano 28 will certainly also move higher up on the comfort scale. The changes add Kayano 28 better comfort from landing to take-off.
Thus, the Kayano 28 is a great opportunity for a stability shoe for the longer runs, the recovery runs at a slow pace or when you just need an excellent combination of stability and maximum shock absorption during the training sessions.
The outsole is still equipped with Asics’ very durable rubber in the heel, while it’s a bit softer on the forefoot. The latter plays really well with the FlyteFoam Blast foam in the midsole and gives flexibility to the sole.
The shoe also has a new heel cap which is placed right down at the midsole like a horseshoe around the heel and up to the midfoot. It has been pushed all the way down to increase comfort and reduce heel discomfort but has been extended to maintain the good stability Kayano is known for.
Kayano 28 has also become lighter compared to its predecessor. This is because some of the midsole has been replaced with lighter foam material. The Trusstic System plate under the shoe is made smaller and the external heel cap is also more modest, but it still has a good grip on the heel, which helps to provide Kayano’s stability.
Asics Gel Kayano 28 Trusstic System
In relation to stability, there are various stabilizing elements that apply in the Kayano 28. It’s about the Trusstic System, Dynamic Duomaxx and the heel cap, which together make up the shoe’s stability system. The Trusstic System plate under the shoe is made of hard plastic material to ensure stability by preventing twisting.
The shoe twists as the foot move in various directions. Excessive twisting of the shoe prevents stable movement. The TRUSSTIC™ technology has been developed to improve the stability of the shoe by preventing excessive shoe twisting.
The plate has previously been more exposed, but has become a little smaller and is now integrated into the midsole. This allows the foot to follow a more natural movement in the stride.
The fact that the Trusstic System plate has become smaller also means that there is space for more foam in the midsole, which again means there is more shock absorption than before.
So, Space Trusstic and Dynamic Duomax have become more integrated and ‘hidden’ more away in the midsole, which provides full ground contact and more flexibility from the heel, midfoot to forefoot. Like its predecessor, this model also has Space Trusstic which is designed gender-specifically.
The Trusstic technology on the men’s model provides more stability around the arch, while in the women’s model, it provides more stability in the direction of movement and also more softness. The new model is also continued + 3mm in the heel in the female model, to increase comfort and reduce the load on the calf muscles.
Dynamic Duomaxx Technology
The heel cap has become smaller and lies now only around the lower part of the heel. This gives the Achilles tendon more space and thus more mobility. However, there is still good stability at the rear, but the foot gets a little extra movement compared to previous versions.
This ratio also saves the shoe some weight! as a pronation runner, you do not have to worry about not being able to run in the Kayano 28 after it has been updated. Because Asics has kept the so-called Dynamic Duomaxx technology on the inside of the shoe.
It’s a compressed and solid material that counteracts overpronation by slowing down the pronation movement as you move from landing – across the foot – to the take-off. The changes in the stability system mean that the Kayano 28 is now to a greater extent a shoe that adapts to the runner’s needs rather than forcing the foot’s movement.
Excellent shock absorption
Kayano 28 still has two different midsoles. The upper which is the new Flytefoam Blast is light, soft and extremely bouncy, and the lower, Flytefoam, provides comfortable and light shock absorption. The GEL pads are still placed in the heel and forefoot, and help reduce the shocks that come up through the body with each running step you take.
The combination of these three technologies provides excellent shock absorption, especially on the roads which protects the body while giving the runner a soft, energy-giving and responsive experience.
Comfort and stability
The upper is an engineered mesh upper that is soft, breathable and adapts well to the foot. In addition, stability has been added to the upper, which “hugs” around the foot and ensures good stability.
The Dynamic Duomax wedge is located on the inside of the arch, which helps keep the runner away from pronation. Along with the other technologies, it ensures that the runner gets a more gentle run.
Final Thoughts
Kayano fans can look forward to an edition that is far more comfortable, more energy-returning, and more natural to use than ever before. The new midsole material and the less aggressive stability system provide a more fun and vibrant comfort that also fulfills some of the desires we hear from pronation runners.
You can check ASICS Women’s Gel-Kayano 28 and also get many different colors to choose from.
In addition, Gel-Kayano 28 provides exceptional shock absorption on both short and long runs. So, The ASICS Kayano 28 is a top-tier stability shoe built for all paces and distances. Significant changes made in particular the design have turned this Kayano into one of the leaders of the stability running shoes.
