Features of Asics trainers: gel-enduro5 review
I have been really pleased with my old pair of Asics trainers because they have lasted really well. So I was after some more, this time I wanted
You may be aware I have taken up cross training to support my cycling efforts. As well as keeping up with some light free weights training, I have been doing a little running, which I can only progress slowly because of might heart condition.
Falling apart, me!
It’s been a couple of years since I bought some running shoes, and the last pair have done me very well even though I have only used them for gym work and skipping. The sole had finally come loose. As they were Asics, I was very keen to get similar – I usually destroy trainers and running shoes in a matter of months.
I took a little time first to consider what I really needed in a shoe, and came up with the following list.
- Comfort fit
- Well cushioned heel to protect my knee joints damaged from weight lifting
- Good heel support, since I have managed to twist/sprain both ankles over the years
- Flexible sole
- Really good grip as much of the running is off-road, mainly through woods and on unmetalled tracks.
- Lightweight – as much as I can get for my under £50 budget
Last time I shopped, I bought some Asics cross trainers. Any sort of cross trainer in my mind would have done, and at the time (just to show my ignorance!) I thought that Asics was just a trendy brand name. I was looking for Reebok, or Adidas. It wasn’t until I watched one of the gadget programs on TV that I realised what a fool I was! Asics is a good brand. And actually, the cross trainers worked out really well, so at least I knew roughly what to look for.
When I went into JJB sports shop I was very pleased to find that they have changed the marking of the shoe types and there are now some shoes firmly marked as ‘trail.’ That meant I was now out of the firmly ‘cross’ trainer and more looking for something that would take an off road pounding. These differ from a trail boot for walking! I asked if they had my shoe size: 9 or 10, depending on where they are made.
I was asked if I would like to try a 9 and ½! I was shocked, but apparently (so I was told anyway) just about only Asics do half sizes. Bonus. I looked at the various types and decided on the gel enduro 5. I would have preferred something grey rather than black, and wasn’t too sure about the yellow bits. But I tried them on anyway.
A really comfortable fit, and I was pleased that I could use my student card to get another 10% off at JJB.
A day later in Cumbria where I was staying for another college away weekend I got to try the asics running trainers out.
When I put them on the first thing I noticed was that they were tight! It was then I realised that I had tried them on in the shop with trainer liners (short socks, thin) rather than the sports socks I now had on. A quick slacken of the laces sorted that out.
So what did they actually feel like? Well, they did the job! That’s about all I can say really. And that is I think good. There were no points that rubbed, and my ankles and knees felt supported all the time. The asics gel trainers cushioning in the heel worked really well, and it felt soft on the landing. I still didn’t like the fact I had black and not my accustomed white on the bottom of my leg, but that’s just me.
When I took the shoes out on the ‘trail’ – that is, me and the dog ran through a wood we have locally – the grip was sound. It is a particularly grippy grip, I think of all the trail shoes the best. It certainly stood firm when tested up a mud bank which is about a 45 degree angle, and I usually slip on even with walking boots.
The sole is super flexible. It is the only one a cut away mid-sole which makes it really flexible from the off, which is possibly why it had good traction going up-hill.
Its lightness was a little concerning. There are other lighter shoes but more expensive, and they are not waterproof as I noticed some are. But I think if you want light then you have to look at a normal road shoe really.
All in all, a good buy, and one I am happy with. Out of a gadget show 5 g’s (how I wish I could be part of THAT program!) I would give them a 3, but at this price with my student discount, I bump it up to a 4.
Asics trainers gel-enduro5 £45 (discounted) from JJB sports
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