I recently received a pair of the new Asics Gel Kayano 13, which came very highly recommended by various persons. I was excited to try them out as I had heard so many great things about the Kayano line (the cushioning and just right amount of stability) that I was finally ready to try something outside the Mizuno stable.
Being a somewhat heavier runner (220 pounds currently), cushioning and stability are areas that usually vary greatly for me compared to what the general tester and wearer experience, but I had read several reviews of previous Kayano models that stated that the shoes were great for heavier runners, so what is there to loose? They were on sale for $89 and I was ready to try them out.
Initial impressions:
The fit was good for my foot type (fairly narrow) the toe box and heel cup fit nicely, with no slippage or sloppiness. They laced up well and felt sturdy and stable.
When I first tried the shoe on and did some light jogging, I thought that the shoes were very stiff and rigid, with most running shoes even non-cushioned versions there is usually a pillow cushioning feeling to them right out of the box, but it was missing here. After about 15 miles on them, the stiffness started to come out and the cushioning has started to make an appearance ( I have never worn a shoe that the cushioning started after putting miles on them, it is usually the opposite), but now that they have over a month of running on them I can not give them high marks compared to what I have experienced in various Mizuno's. The moderate level of stability is there as advertised so they have the nail on the head there, but the rest of the shoe left holes in the walls.
Rating:
I give the Asics Gel Kayano 13 3 out of 5 stars.
(I guess it also doesn't hurt to try running shoes on before buying them, but I live and learn!)
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