Score: 8/10

Weight: 10.9 oz/260g

Heel Drop: 10mm

Type: Cushioning

Pros

• Excellent cushioning
• Squashy midsole
• Good for heel strikers
• Stable
• Excellent for short marathons

Cons

• Somehow unresponsive when doing fast runs
• Extremely-cushy midsole leads to foot sinking, thus tiring the foot when attempting prolonged runs.

Take Away

The Asics Gel Nimbus 23 exudes significant transformation compared to its predecessor Asics Gel Nimbus 22.

The Nimbus 23 has done away with the deep sitting TRUSSTIC™ device (an arc support plastic at the midsole) and added a hard AHAR+ rubber at the tip of the heel. It has also increased the tongue's thickness and enhanced Gel midsole cushioning to give a squashy feel. Doing away with space at the midsole has created a better heel strike. Hence, Nimbus 23 is for heel strikers, and Nimbus 22 is for mid-foot strikers. Still, they both have the same midsole sizes.

Despite the changes, the Nimbus 23 is not so compelling, more so for someone looking for speed. However, the superb cushioning guarantees you a soft and squashy feel with every strike; hence it is a go-for shoe when doing recovery running.  It's up to the mark neutral shoe for the best heel strike, excellent for short marathons, and best for underpronators.

Asics Gel Nimbus 23 Instant Impression

When the Nimbus 22 came, it received a lot of positive feedback from the Nimbus fans. It has a smooth forefoot ride, stable and extremely-cushioned. Interestingly, we all expected the Nimbus 23 to be better than the Nimbus 22. Therefore, my curious self did not take too long to buy the Nimbus 23. Interestingly, I could not quite differentiate the Nimbus 23 from the Nimbus 22 during the first encounter until I checked the outsole.

The upper layer has the same mesh as the Nimbus 22 apart from a very thick tongue.

In the outsole, the midfoot area is splash. Asics did away with the deep-sitting tarsal support rubber by adding more rubber at the midfoot to enhance full ground push. Also, the flex strips at the outsole are somehow shallow. In the Nimbus 22, the flex strips cut deeper, which makes the fore-foot very flexible. I also noticed a more solid carbon rubber at the heel tip and a narrow midfoot zone.

During the first trial, I felt the seamless cushioning, a snug fit, stability, and a feel of luxury. I ran three miles with them, and honestly, the squashy feeling in every foot-strike is memorable. The foot sank in the plush gel cushioning at the midsole making the action of running easier.

The bad side is that the Nimbus 23 was less responsive when I tried to pick up the pace. Still, it serves its purpose well. It is a great neutral cushioned shoe.

Asics Gel Nimbus 23 Sole Component

The upper layer of Nimbus 23 sits on a thick and light-weight FLYTEFOAM cushioning material to provide maximum comfort. The FLYTEFOAM material maintains the same heel-to-toe drop of the Nimbus 22. At the near bottom of the sole is the FLYTEFOAM PROPEL GEL CUSHIONING that adds extra cushioning to absorb ground impact and provides excellent toe-off.

The two foams at the midsole combine extraordinarily whereby, the upper layer is spongy and bouncy but gets hard towards the bottom. Besides, the midsole flares outside, thus creating a broad base to increase stability.

On the outsole is the furrow-like flex strips of AHAR rubber (protruding propulsion plate) that sit shallowly but not as deep as in the nimbus 22. It makes the forefoot zone less flexible. Still, Asics's idea is intentional because Nimbus 23 is not for a fore-foot strike but a heel strike. 

Also, the TRUSSTIC™ device (an arc support plastic plate at the midsole) is not set deeply like in the Nimbus 22. Instead, the midfoot part is cushion-filled to maintain sufficient ground push. The concept is complemented with a harder AHAR carbon rubber at the tip of the heel to add both traction and propulsion during heel strike.

Though the shoe is well-cushioned, it does not beat the well known cushioning shoes like Saucony Triumph, or Clifton 7, or the Brooks Transcend 2. Also, the shoe is quite heavy and less responsive. Another thing is that despite it being springy, its responsiveness when picking up pace is not satisfying. However, it makes sense because it is designed specifically as a cushioning shoe for easy runs, more so when doing recovery runs. True to its purpose, the Nimbus 23 is comfortable, stable, and well padded. However, it does not comfortably withstand a wet surface.

  Asics Gel Nimbus 23 Upper Component

The upper layer of Nimbus 23 is almost similar to the Nimbus 22 except for the extra-thick tongue that combines with the padded mouth to give a seamless snug fit. The thick tongue is also attached to the inner sleeve to make it less restrictive and firm when running.

The Ortholite X-55 sock liner takes the shape of the foot to enhance comfort. You also have an option of removing the Ortholite X-55 sock liner to replace it with your preferred orthotics.

The Nimbus 23 has an internal heel counter, a plastic shell support system inside the heel counter that gives the shoe structure and support. It also offers a runner a secure fit by holding down the heel when running. The plastic shell also extends towards the ankle area to provide a locking fitting.

Both Nimbus 23 and 22 series utilize the engineered breathable mesh for proper air circulation. The toe box is roomy to allow the natural splaying of the toes.  It also supports a wide foot.

Conclusion

The Nimbus 23 does not come with too much frills but it evinces a plush feel.  Despite the superb cushioning, it does not compare to Clifton 7. It is smooth yet quite heavy. Hence, if you love speed, try Novablast because Nimbus 23 is a neutral cushioning shoe. It is the best shoes for recovery runs or short marathons.  However, because the midsole is squashy, the feet tire when you add more miles. Hence, with Nimbus 23, stick to short runs. Overall, it is a great premium cushining shoe. You won't go wrong with it especially if you stick to tempo and recovery runs.