ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 vs 28: What Changed, and Is the 28 Better?
ASICS lists both at 8 mm of drop. The lab measured 8.3 mm on the Gel-Nimbus 27 and 5.2 mm on the 28, whose toe box also measured 3.7 mm lower and whose forefoot is among the stiffest of the 35 shoes we review.
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That makes the 28 the better Nimbus for a stiff or arthritic big toe, and the worse one for hammertoes or a sore Achilles. If the 27 suits your Achilles, do not assume the 28 will: the label is the same, the shoe is not.
This is a spec comparison. We have not measured, worn or scored either shoe. The brand figures below are ASICS’ for the 28 and, for the 27, as Doctors of Running recorded them at launch; the lab figures are RunRepeat’s, from one pair of each. We keep the two apart because they are not the same tier of evidence.
What ASICS says changed
The Gel-Nimbus is ASICS’ plush neutral trainer, and ASICS’ figures for the 28 change little apart from weight: the same 8 mm drop as the 27, a shoe ASICS calls about 20 g lighter than the previous version, at 281 g, FF BLAST PLUS foam (the 27 used an ECO version) with a PureGEL insert at the heel, and a $5 price rise to $170. Nothing in ASICS’ own specification suggests the drop or the toe box changed.
| Specification | Nimbus 27 | Nimbus 28 |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $165 | $170 |
| Stated heel-to-toe drop | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| Listed weight, men’s | 305 g | 281 g |
| On sale on 28 September 2026? | No longer on ASICS’ US site | Yes, at ASICS and running shops |
Sources: ASICS’ Gel-Nimbus 28 page, read September 2026; Gel-Nimbus 27 launch figures from Doctors of Running, whose 305 g is for a men’s US 9. Doctors of Running lists the same 43.5 and 35.5 mm stack for both shoes, which the lab did not find, so we leave stack to the lab below.
What the lab measured
RunRepeat cut, weighed and measured one pair of each. The 27 measured true to its label at 8.3 mm of drop. The 28 measured 5.2 mm: its heel stands 3.2 mm lower while the forefoot did not change. The toe box lost height, and the forefoot got about 14% stiffer.
| Measurement | Nimbus 27 | Nimbus 28 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toe-box width at the big toe | 73.8 mm | 72.5 mm | 1.3 mm narrower |
| Width at the widest point | 97.0 mm | 97.6 mm | 0.6 mm wider |
| Toe-box height | 26.4 mm | 22.7 mm | 3.7 mm lower |
| Heel stack | 42.7 mm | 39.5 mm | 3.2 mm lower |
| Forefoot stack | 34.4 mm | 34.3 mm | The same |
| Measured drop | 8.3 mm | 5.2 mm | 3.1 mm lower |
| Weight | 299 g | 278 g | 21 g lighter |
| Midsole hardness (Asker C, higher is firmer) | 39.3 AC | 38.8 AC | The same |
| Energy return at the heel | 47.7% | 44.2% | Less bounce |
| Heel shock absorption | 136 SA | 137 SA | Much the same |
| Force to bend the forefoot | 20.2 N | 23.1 N | About 14% stiffer |
| Heel counter stiffness (1 to 5) | 4 | 4 | The same |
| Insole thickness | 4.7 mm | 5.4 mm | 0.7 mm thicker |
| Force to twist (torsional rigidity) | 5 of 5, older test | 20.5 Nm | Not comparable; the 28 is the stiffest of the 24 we review |
Source: RunRepeat lab, one pair of each, read 28 September 2026, with the same toe-box, cushioning and bending tests on both shoes. Hardness is on the Asker C scale and shock absorption in RunRepeat’s SA units; the lab now measures torsional rigidity in newton-metres and tested the older shoe on a 1-to-5 scale, so the two cannot be compared (the median of the 24 shoes we review with the newer test is 14.5 Nm). Medians of the lab-measured shoes we review (34 for the toe-box figures, 35 for the rest): 72.8 mm at the big toe, 95.2 mm at the widest point, 27.0 mm of toe-box height, 38.7 mm of heel stack, 8.5 mm of drop, 137 SA and 15.3 N.
What a foot and ankle surgeon takes from this
Still sold as 8 mm, measured 5.2. That is the sixth lowest of the 35 shoes we review, and nothing on the box tells you. Lower drop loads the Achilles and calf more at push-off. For insertional Achilles pain, a Haglund’s bump, a tight calf or a plantar fascia that hurts on the first steps of the morning, the 27 is the safer Nimbus; move into the 28 gradually or not at all. For forefoot pain the lower drop is slightly kinder. Our heel-to-toe drop chart shows how far brand labels and lab figures drift.
Wide at the joint, low over the toes. At the widest point the 28 measured 97.6 mm, second widest of the 34 shoes we review that the lab has measured there, though the 27, at 97.0 mm, was nearly as wide. Above the toes it went the other way: 22.7 mm of height, 3.7 mm less than the 27 and second lowest of the 34, and 1.3 mm narrower at the big toe. Hammertoes, claw toes and a bump on top of the big toe joint all press on that roof. The Nimbus is not alone: most new ASICS have lost room at the toes, as our ASICS toe box page shows.
Stiffer, and a little flatter. The 28 took about 14% more force to bend at the forefoot, second stiffest of the 35 shoes we review, and resisted twisting the most of the 24 we have on the lab’s newer test. That is what a stiff or arthritic big toe joint, turf toe or midfoot arthritis wants. Its energy return was the second lowest of the 35, so it will not feel lively, and heel cushioning did not change: 137 SA, close to the median.
Should you switch?
Buy the Gel-Nimbus 28 if…
- Your big toe joint is stiff or arthritic, or you have turf toe. Its forefoot measured the second stiffest of the 35 shoes we review.
- The ball of your foot hurts, as with metatarsalgia. Its lower measured drop puts a little less load there.
- You want a lighter Nimbus: 21 g lighter in the lab.
Stay with the Gel-Nimbus 27 if…
- You have Achilles pain, a Haglund’s bump or a tight calf. The 27 measured 8.3 mm of drop, the 28 only 5.2.
- Hammertoes, claw toes or toes that rub on top need room. The 27’s toe box is 3.7 mm taller.
- You wear a full-length orthotic.
- You liked a livelier ride: the 27 returned 47.7% of the energy at the heel to the 28’s 44.2%.
Orthotics and inserts
Both insoles come out, but the 28 is a poor home for a full-length orthotic. Its thicker insole, 5.4 mm against the 27’s 4.7, frees a little more depth when you take it out, but its toe box is the second lowest of the 34 shoes we review, so a device that adds any height at the forefoot pushes the toes into the roof. A three-quarter-length orthotic, or the 27, is the better fit. Our Orthotic Volume Rating explains how to check depth in the shop.
Questions runners ask
Is the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 better than the Nimbus 27?
It depends on your foot. The lab found the 28 lighter and stiffer at the forefoot, which suits a stiff big toe joint; at the ball of the foot the two are within 0.6 mm. It also measured 3.1 mm less drop and a toe box 3.7 mm lower, which suits Achilles problems and hammertoes worse.
Is the Gel-Nimbus 28 really an 8 mm drop?
Not in the lab. ASICS lists 8 mm for both the 27 and the 28. The lab measured 8.3 mm on the 27 and 5.2 mm on the 28, the sixth lowest of the 35 shoes we review.
Is the Gel-Nimbus 28 wider than the Nimbus 27?
At the widest point, slightly: 97.6 mm against 97.0. At the big toe it is 1.3 mm narrower, and its toe box is 3.7 mm lower. The 28 comes in Standard, Wide and Extra Wide in men’s sizes.
Is the Gel-Nimbus 28 lighter than the 27?
Yes. ASICS calls the 28 about 20 g lighter than the previous version and lists it at 281 g; the lab weighed 278 against 299 g for the 27.
Is the Gel-Nimbus 27 discontinued?
ASICS has replaced it with the 28, released in December 2025. On 28 September 2026 the 27 was no longer on ASICS’ US site, though leftover pairs may still turn up at other retailers.
Is the Gel-Nimbus 28 good for plantar fasciitis?
With care. Its heel cushioning is about average for the shoes we review, and at 5.2 mm its drop asks more of a tight calf and plantar fascia than the label suggests. We cover it in detail in Gel-Nimbus 28 for plantar fasciitis.
Read the full analysis
Our spec analysis of the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 carries its full figures and sources. For the rest of the range, see ASICS, and for stiff-soled options by condition, our hallux rigidus page.
Sources
- ASICS, Gel-Nimbus 28 product page (8 mm drop, 281 g, about 20 g lighter than the previous version, FF BLAST PLUS and PureGEL, $170), read September 2026.
- Doctors of Running, ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 review (launch price $164.95, 8 mm drop, 10.7 oz / 305 g in men’s US 9, FF BLAST PLUS ECO) and Gel-Nimbus 28 review (listed stack), read September 2026.
- Running Warehouse, Gel-Nimbus 28 (men’s D, 2E and 4E); availability of the 27 at ASICS US and Running Warehouse checked 28 September 2026.
- RunRepeat, ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27 and ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 lab reviews, read 28 September 2026.
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