ASICS Men's Gel-Kayano 31 Running Shoes

Best running shoe I’ve ever bought. The stupid amount of cushion, not only helps my flat feet, but helps quite a bit with my knees. They have lasted a year, which is pretty nuts when you take into account that it’s a running shoe, so short term use. Great traction and functionality, and fit. The arch support on this is pretty good. After a year of hard use, running an hour every day these things lasted like a champ, did not expect that. R inning shoes aren’t exactly known for durability. Wil buy these again and again.

I love these shoes! I used them for walking long distances. I highly recommend they’re very comfortable.

The good: These are easily the most comfortable shoes I ever tried. Plenty of cushion from the back all the way to the front of the foot. When barefoot, my feet are relatively flat and I tend to pronate. So, these shoes are great for the stability and resistance against overpronation, is very noticeable, unlike other brands I tried in the past. The not-so-good: The tongues are relatively thin, which make them prone to folding if caution isn't taken when putting these shoes on. This is easily remedied by just taking an extra moment to drag and smooth the tongues in a better position when putting the shoes on. But, it'd just be nice if the tongues had slightly more shape retention through better padding seen in other brands. Overall, this is minor, but an unnecessary matter in the first place. The outer soles squeak, squeak, and squeeeeak. To be fair, this is only present on very smooth surfaces like tile. These shoes are, probably, mostly designed for running on tracks, streets, forest trails, grass, etc. where this wouldn't even come up. However, if you ever want to wear these while working in a hospital or office setting, prepare for squeak city. This is also an unnecessary matter since there are plenty of processes that add microscopic dimples, ridges, grooves, etc. to outer soles during the manufacturing process to avoid this in the first place like other brands do. In all fairness, neither of these points count against what the shoes are designed for, so I wouldn't count them against the score in the this review. It's just extra insight for the curious would-be buyer and hopeful insight for the company to constructively grow if they ever somehow see this review. Bottom line: These shoes are well worth the purchase and I am glad to have them.

My 2nd pair of Asics running shoes. Comfortable and great looking. Just arrived today and I tried them on immediately. Perfect fit ( I wear 10.5). Very comfortable, especially the heel which has a snug collar that wraps around the back of your ankle. Comfortable footbed (will no more after a lengthy run or walk). This particular color scheme looks great too. Piedmont Grey with a pop of Fiery red. The shoe material is lightweight and might even be water resistant. Very pleased with these Asics. shoes. Update: while I love the look, quality and comfort of these shoes, I just noticed how badly the sole squeaks on certain flooring. I had been wearing them outside on pavement and didnt hear anything. Now I am wearing them to the gym and on wood or tile floors these shows are REALLY loud. It gets embarrassing walking from machine to machine in the gym and all the squeaks these make with each step. Wish I knew how to quiet them down.

Overall, I think this shoe is a great blend of stability and comfort. I got this shoe to use in rotation with my Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 and I’ve come to much prefer the Kayano 31. Based on my foot anatomy, I don’t NEED to use a stability shoe but I do like how the Kayano 31 keeps my foot feeling stable and secure while walking or running. One of my favorite supportive components is the somewhat tall and structured heel/ankle area. I also appreciate the 4D Guidance system as it helps me feel generally more confident in my foot strike. The padded tongue also stood out to me as a nice feature. I have a higher instep and regularly get pressure points at the top of my foot from my laces and this little bit of extra padded helps alleviate that discomfort. The only issue I have with the Kayano 31 is around the toe box. I’m not sure if it’s the toe box construction or the style of upper but I regularly end up with a hot spot on my little toe when I do longer runs. I wear and extra wide and still experience this. It’s almost like the toe box begins to taper just a little too soon. There’s also a distinct feel in the forefoot where the midsole foam stops. It leaves my forefoot feeling rather flat compared to in the foam extended just slightly into the forefoot area. Overall, I think this is a really comfortable, supportive, and great looking shoe. Outside of the issue with the toe box, this is a shoe I would be happy purchasing again.

These are the most comfortable shoes I have ever had. I used to run years ago, but had stopped because life got in the way. I decided I needed to get back to exercising, so I decided to at least start walking again. I live in a very hilly area, and during my first walk down my first hill, I was reminded of the shin splint pain I felt all those years ago when running. I did not even know if I could even make it back home, but I did. I immediately started researching best shoes for walking and dealing with shin splints; I found these as highly recommended, so I got same day delivery; I was surprised by how light and comfortable they were. The next day I set out to try my walk again. I could not believe the difference in these shoes and my regular shoes. I walked five miles up and down hills without any shin pain whatsoever; after some time I even began running again. I have now been walking, running, or bicycling every day for the past 7 months, and I have had no shin or foot pain to speak of. The shoes have held up very well, but if they ever need replacing, I am definitely purchasing these again.

I'm a moderate distance runner who sticks mostly to treadmills these days. I do about two to three miles five days per week at a 5+ MPH speed. For as long as I can remember, I've been running in Asics Gel Kayanos (my prior pair were the Gel Kayano 27). Recently, I upgraded to the Gel Kayano 31, not because my previous pair had worn out, but because I essentially demoted them to outdoor/casual use (which is to say they have a lot of life left in them!). It's difficult to imagine, but Asics somehow always finds a way to improve upon the performance and design of each new Gel Kayano generation. The Gel Kayano 31 (as directly compared to the 27) brings a noticeable decrease in weight to the already lightweight formula via foam rubber and neoprene cushioning and stability mechanics where carbonized rubber and hard plastic were once incorporated. These changes make for a few alterations in the shoe's overall feel: 1) The 31 is significantly more wedge-like and has a more elevated feel than the 27. 2) Lateral stability feels a tad looser, but the comparatively wider footprint compensates well (in other words, it doesn't detract from the shoe's performance). 3) The 31 has a slightly faster feel in that there is more forward thrust provided by the wedged sole design. The swap to these softer and lighter materials MIGHT provide less overall durability in the long run (pun intended), but I doubt it, being as Asics has built a reputation for high quality manufacturing. Looks-wise, I like the styling, though I realize this is a matter of opinion. Honestly, it's not the most important aspect, but I will say that the all-black variant is definitely sleek! Overall, the Gel Kayano 31 is a worthy successor to the proud Kayano lineage. It's a pure running shoe vacant of bells, whistles, and gimmicks touted by other brands. Asics is nearly synonymous with running, so buy with confidence. Other notes... I find that they fit true to size...maybe a half-size lower than an equivalent Nike running shoe (i.e., if you're a 10.5 in Nikes, go with a 10 in Asics). My feet are of a normal width, so there's no concern in that regard.

The Asics Keyano 31 is the perfect fit. I can see why they are hard to find. I love their fit and feel on the road much more than the 30 or 32 models. Bring the 31 back!