Customer Reviews ASICS GEL-Kayano® 21

Just to give other runners an idea of how I use these shoes: I walk/run intervals 3-4 miles 2 times weekly. My pace is about 12 min miles when I do run. I was "fit" at roadrunner sports a while back and they recommended "stability" shoes...which I believe these fall into that category. I usually hate the way stability shoes feel and opt for more minimalist to neutral shoes! Oops. I'm 32, over all my years of dabbling in running I have had many, many minor to moderate knee and foot overuse injuries...nothing too serious but enough to keep me away from running for weeks or months. I guess we all have our issues. My feet are narrow, my arch is low (not flat totally) and I wear 11's...almost 11.5 :( I tried this shoe on at Dick's sporting goods along with about 5 other Asics models. This model felt a true 11 to me with ample toe room, while all the other Asics felt like 10's to me. This shoe cups your heel, has a slight barely noticeable elevation of the heel like a lot of running shoes have and the forefoot has great padding which is very good because I have issue with ball of foot that comes and goes. This absorbs shock very well and feels smooth all throughout inside of shoe without any prominent places in there to rub or throw off gait. It holds my foot well, hugs it a little, and I have room to lace tighter if I want without the shoe being all distorted looking (narrow foot issues). Overall, this shoe is great bc it reminds me of my prior and concurrent favorite shoes the Nike Air Pegasus, in all it's carnations. The big difference is that the Asics is mildly heavier, slightly more supportive all around and slightly more padded...but the feel is very similar. I don't feel weighed down by these but they are a little extra shot of support which I think Nike's lack. I plan to alternate between these and my slightly more minimal Nike Pegasus. Also...the reason I even considered this expensive shoe in addition to my current perfectly fine Nike's is because my husband picked them out for himself and made me try them on because he was so impressed with their comfort for him! I figured with his wide feet and my narrow feet, I'd hate them! Instead, I obsessed about how comfy they felt and went back and bought them a week later. I just ran for first time today in these. I will update after a week or two. But they felt good right out of box and onto pavement.

Quite surprised how comfortable they were. I took them out of the box and ran 3.5 miles. My feet felt great afterwards. They are really cushioned well and light weight. I bought another pair in a different color. The 10.5 medium fit me perfectly.

These shoes are the best running shoes I have. I overpronation and these give me the comfort and support I need to run my races. I am a repeat buyer of this one.

I have fallen in love with this shoe and Zappos! I needed thus shoe for the support and Zappos delivered the next day!

Love these shoes. I've had other Asics but not like this. I like these so much better. My feet have been aching from long days standing and the cushioning is outstanding. I have started to run again and I wanted shoes that would make my feet feel better.

These are the first shoes I've ever acquired that are truly wide. And the best part is that they also have a generous toe box. My toes like space, both laterally and vertically. These are perfect.

Finally I found a women's running shoe that fits! These run long, which are prefect. I wear a 13 shoe/sandal, but I run in a Men's 12 N for the extra room. These shoes actually run big. Bye bye men's shoe.

These shoes are awesome running shoes. In the kayano 20, I wore a 9.5, but when I ordered a 9.5 in these, they were too small. I'm returning them for a 10.

Love these shoes for my training. I run daily and tend to have a bit of an overstep - these help me center my foot much better and my legs feel great! They lasted for about 350 miles before I felt I needed a new pair. Great comfort - and no stinkiness either!

I was looking for help with my flat and pronating feet to keep up with my walking regimen. This shoe provides the motion stability with enough arch support,while still feeling flexible and light. The extra cushioning made these the winner over the Clarks and Brooks styles I had chosen to try as well. The heel support and cushioning is excellent.

Agree with other reviewers that the 21's toe box feels more shallow than previous models. Fabric over toes is less stiff and a little puckered where meets toecap. However, shoes function just as well as the 20's and the emerald color is marvelous.

I tried these shoes on at a local retailer and loved them, but did not love the price tag. I checked Zappos and they were cheaper so I purchased them here. As always, shipping is quick and I love the shoes. They are very comfortable and supportive!

Great sneaker for my skinny feet. I'm normally 8 1/2N (or slim) but go up half a size in sneakers. The 9N fits perfectly and stays secure, no slipping or shifting. Snugs up on my heel and is very comfortable for long walks. I always use Power Step insoles for extra arch support and they fit well in this shoe. Though no longer a runner, I walk on a hilly trail and need the extra padding that running shoes provide and these deliver. Hoped to find a less expensive athletic shoe but others I tried fell short on fit and comfort. I'm also happy with quality and looks and definitely recommend the narrow for hard to fit feet like mine.

I love these shoes! I laced them up and as soon as I put them on my feet, it felt like I was walking on a cloud. I was a little skeptical that they would be that much better than my Asics GEL-2 that I bought eons ago, and that price tag hurts - but my feet feel so good. I say they are totally worth it! No regrets, I am totally in love. My feet tend to swell when I am running especially long mileage days, I would recommend sizing up half a size than what you would normally wear to account for this.

This is my go-to running shoe. Well padded. Good support. Very stylish (for a running shoe).

These are great shoes. I have to order narrow and they fit perfect. They are great for running and power walking. These are the only shoe style I buy.

Love these shoes, this is my third pair. Great for people who have knee problems. Gives a good cushioning when running.

I switched to these from the Gel Blur 33's and the difference is amazing! My runs have been so much more efficient and I no longer have pain from my shoes not being supportive enough. Love these shoes!

I have achilles tendonitis and these shoes really help give me the support I need. They look great on as well. I love the colors. I only buy Asics now and feel these are worth the money.

These puppies are bright but beyond comfy! I love them. I had the gel kayano 19's and loved them so I went with the 21's and I am so happy. Great running shoe and true to size.

My wife has a hard time finding shoes big enough (size 13), but Asics is one of the few companies that makes high quality, larger sized shoes. Shoes are now coming in a variety of bright colours, again Asics is on of the few companies to make a black shoe for her to wear at work. These shoes are just about perfect, the right sytle for the way she moves. She does use a custom insole, and the footbed works great for the custom inserts. She's been wearing Asics shoes for a while now, but if she decides to veer off course, she'll invariably end up back with the Gel Kayano. Great shoes! Highly recommended!

Great shoe, was glad that I found it as my back and feet constantly hurt from standing. Now I am not hurting for standing at my job!

I've lost count of how many Kayano's I've owned. Not flashy, just functional and always perfect at the first use. I try to replace every 6-9 months, depending on mileage. Great for walking, running, work-outs, and casual wear. I'm 5' 2", <100 lbs., so I can't vouch for how they would hold-up for a larger person.

Love love love them, they wrap around the foot nicely,like a second skin, although they seem to run small, I had to order half a size up,they are narrow along the foot with a roomy toe area with a bigger size, I like to have between half or full width of my thumb between my toe and end of sneaker, so for me it is just perfect. Feels like running on clouds,ran 4 miles and could have been going, so a great show to right away take off in!