SCORE: 8.5/10
Weight: 9.9 oz
Heel Drop: 10mm
Shoe Type: Stability neutral shoe
Surface: Road and trail
Pros
- Upper has a comfortable and secure fit.
- Highly breathable
- Lightweight
- Quite responsive
- Stable
- Very durable
Cons
Rides quite firm, thus not suitable for long runs.
Take Away
The cushioning for the Asics GT-2000 9 is very neutral. It is not too cushioned but just balanced. The GT-2000 9 has firmer Flytefoam in the midsole. However, it is not as soft as the Flytefoam in the Gel Nimbus 23 or Kayano 27. In this shoe, Asics did away with Flytefoam propel in the forefoot and added a thick abrasive rubber in the outsole. These two transformations did away with the bounciness and squishiness experienced in the Kayano 27.
Though stable and secure, the GT-2000 9 rides firm. It may not work for long miles but short runs or daily training. Still, it is very comfortable and can be very handy for rotational training.
Overall, it is a great shoe because it performs well as a daily trainer shoe. Moreover, it has supportive and comforting features to keep your foot comfortable even on long runs. Most importantly, it will serve anyone with issues of overpronation.
Asics GT-2000 9 Instant Impression
The GT-2000 9 is not an incredibly slick shoe, but I immediately noticed the simple, smooth, and bright upper material. The upper material does not have overlays. Instead, it is a single material cover. It gives GT-2000 9 a little bit of plush and style. Hence, I found this shoe very attractive.
I gauged the shoe's weight just by swinging it in the air, and it felt very lightweight for a stability shoe. I also noticed the rigid forefoot. It did not bend freely.
I felt very comfortable when I wore the GT-2000 9 for the first time. I felt the stretchy upper hugging my foot cozily, and my foot breathed well under the highly perforated single mesh upper.
I expected a smooth ride with the GT 2000 9, but this was not the case. Though it felt lighter than the Kayano 27, the ride was quite firm. I did not experience the springy ride I associate with the Kayano 27.
The good thing is that it is comfortable, lightweight, and stable. I came to appreciate its abilities when I tried slow and short runs. I had confident strides because of the snug fit and exceptional stability.
Asics GT-2000 9 Upper Component
The upper layer of the GT-2000 9 is made of thin single-layer mesh. It is highly breathable to keep the foot cool and dry even when running in hot, humid weather. It even dries fast when you wash or run in wet conditions.
The mesh is also flexible and wraps around the foot to provide a snug fit. Also, something interesting about the upper layer is that it does not have too much material. It is well toned down. Hence I have never felt my foot swimming inside the shoe.
The upper GT-2000 9 also has a perfect snug fit around the midfoot. Thus you will feel your foot locked down when running. The toe box of the shoe is also roomy to allow the toes to splay out naturally. It supports the flexing and relaxing of the foot when running. The tongue has just enough cushioning. It is not gusseted but sits nicely on top of the foot. It does not slip sideways. I even like the lacing system. It is stylish and not restrictive.
Generally, this shoe is true to size.
The collar lining has a plush cushioning. The exciting part is that I did not feel any rubbing in the Achilles tendons. I also experienced the plush cushioned heel collar working together with the solid heel counter to lock down my foot as I ran.
The heel clutching system helps lock down the foot when running. The system is not as secure as the exoskeleton heel counter of the Kayano 27 but works practically fine.
Overall, the upper part of the GT 2000 v9 is exceptional. It is highly breathable, flexible, and provides a secure feel. I have clocked a couple of miles with this shoe, and the upper part has never been my worry. It has been designed for a runner's preferred running experience.
Asics GT-2000 9 Sole Component
The midsole of the GT 2000 9 is made of a Dynamic DuoMax support system (dual-density foam) also found in the Kayano 27 and Nimbus 23.
The Dynamic DuoMax Flytefoam runs from the heel and extends to the start of the forefoot area to provide cushioning. It combines with the clutching system placed in the heel to offer a secure feel. Besides, this midsole system guides the foot to an exact position, thus preventing overpronation. Like in the Kayano 26 and 27 or the Nimbus 23, Asics strategically placed the Gel cushioning on top of the heel and forefoot to enhance cushioning and toe-off.
I have run in the Asics-Gel Kayano 27. Therefore, I have noticed a lack of bounce in the forefoot when running with my GT 2000 9. I noticed that this version lacks the Flytefoam propel found in the Kayano's forefoot. Whereas the Kayano 27 is meant to be a stability shoe like the GT-2000 9, I felt that the GT-2000 9 is less forgiving and stiff than the Kayano. The bounciness is there but not very noticeable.
The firm AHAR abrasive rubber protects the neutral midsole of the GT-2000 9. I think Asics has been generous with the rubber at the outsole and very thorough with the stability aspect. The abrasive rubber system is completely blown out and profoundly treaded to increase both stability and traction. The guidelines running from the heel to the midfoot are less profound. Such features have made the forefoot less flexible and the entire sole unit very solid.
The medial post is made of the TRUSSTIC System, a robust device that works well to offer secure arch support. The TRUSSTIC system holds the forefoot and heel areas of the shoe firmly to allow them to work independently. With the TRUSSTIC System, I felt my foot held down securely to its place.
Moreover, the heel has a strong carbon rubber that also protects the shoe from abrasion and adds traction. I felt the ride very stable, and there was no slippage feeling even when I ran on wet surfaces and grass.
Therefore, the entire engineering of the sole unit makes the GT-2000 9 exclusively a stability shoe. It comes with a pretty firm ride and unimagined durability. Even after racking up about 200 miles, the outsole still appears unscratched, and the midsole has not given in at all. Since Asics-Gel Kayano 27, and is softer, GT-2000 9 is comparable to daily trainer shoes like the Mizuno Wave inspire 17 and the Brooks Adrenaline.
Conclusion
The GT-2000 9 is a comfortable stability shoe. It is very stable, thus a suitable choice for someone looking for stability, especially an overpronator. Asics did a marvelous job when designing the upper part. It is attractive, breathable, and guarantees a snug fit. The toe box is also roomy. I expected the GT-2000 9 to ride like the Kayano 27, but it did not since it lacks the Flytefoam propellant at the forefoot.
Therefore, it is not the best choice for long-distance running or fast runs. Instead, it performs well when doing short runs or training. It is specifically a daily trainer stability shoe. You can use it in between your running routine, especially when doing many short runs with a mix of exercises.
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Written By: Smith Carter, an experienced runner from South Carolina. Smith is an ardent runner with thousands of miles on his feet. At 36, he has 12 years of running experience.
