Raving About My Asics Gel GT-2110 Running Shoes

A little over five years ago, I discovered the joys and benefits of long-distance running. It didn’t take long before I realized how crucial it was to pick the right shoe, and not just any cheap pair in the department store that happened to be on sale. After some conservative experimentation I settled on (or rather, my feet did) on the Asics Gel 2000 series. Back then the model number was 2030. I have owned, trained in, raced in, and eventually worn out a pair in every released model since then. At the time of writing this, it’s up to model 2120–my next shoe purchase .

During my days in footwear sales, I have even converted more than my fair share of customers to my favorite, but relatively little-known, super-comfortable brand. It wasn’t as if I was getting any compensation for it, but when it worked, it was just satisfying to get people to know what a great fit can feel like.

The greatest thing about this particular shoe is the “upper“ or the part that wraps over and around your foot (some shoe geeks also call it the “vamp”). Because it is made almost entirely of mesh, it’s very breathable, spawns less bacteria, dries faster, very lightweight, as well as tremendously comfortable. There is a minimum of (unessential) vinyl or leather overlays that with other brands cause undue rubbing and blistering on my foot. In fact virtually all the non-mesh materials are mostly in the logo, and even that serves as in integrated extension for the shoelaces for a strong but snug fit.
My foot edges towards being wide, but is still too narrow for an “E” width shoe. The beauty of having lots of mesh in the shoe for someone like me is the upper will yield just enough for comfort, but without the toebox having a loose, sloppy “swimming” feel while I’m running. So conversely, a brand that has gotten complaints for being too narrow in the toebox (such as Nike) will not work for me.

In addition to the upper, the midsole is a composite blend called DuoMax technology, which cleverly incorporates blocks of different materials. Because the midsole goes between the outsole (the “tire-treads”) and your foot, its job is to absorb most of the shock with each stride that travels through your foot, and up the leg and spine. If you only had one single material, such as EVA foam, as strong as it is, from the front all the way to the back of the foot, it will wear away unevenly and collapse much faster as various portions of the foot subject it to organically uneven distribution of impact. For someone who wants a long-lasting running shoe (and you’re cheap like me), a feature like this is a good investment.

The outsole is pretty unique as well. If you flip the shoe over, you won’t find a solid field of black onthe bottom. Instead, it is widely separated between the forefoot, and several sections for the rearfoot. By having many sections instead of one solid, molded slab, the shoe has more flexibility and yield, not to mention having dense outsole material only where your foot would be naturally subject to contact and pressure, and not on the arch, where it’s unnecessary.

On the arch, between the forefoot and the rearfoot, is the patented Trusstic Support made of shaped hard plastic. This maintains the integrity of the shoe’s shape as well as give super-durable arch support. This perfect combination ofhte pliable midsole and rigid trusses make for a smooth-rolling ride that holds you for miles and miles.

At the very back of the shoe, you’ll see afor the AHAR heel plug which is simply a hard, carbon-reinforced rubber section for the heel outsole. For a relentless heel-striker like me, a durable heel is a blessing after rapidly wearing out, and sometimes destroying, competitor brands that don’t have an equivalent feature

And right above the heel portion, just peeking out of the midsole, is literally the “gel” in Asics-Gel. Distributed all throughout the midsole are packets of semisolid gel material that adds to the resilient yet durable support. Competing brand Brooks has the equivalent Hydroflow system using packets of water, while Nike has the famous Air feature. In my experience, these other two don’t provide as much cushioining and energy-transfer management as the Gel system.

With the genius-engineered combination of materials in just the right places, you will get divine cushioning and shock absorption with each stride. During a training run, you will pound your feet thousands of times into the ground. A shoe that protects and correctly guides a runner’s orthopedic alignment is a precious, precious tool at any price. At an age where many of my peers complain of aching or injured knees, my Asics are more than worth every penny. Coming from a cheapskate like me, that’s saying something.

The only thing I would change about the Asics 2000 series is the change itself: Asics likes to roll out a new shoe in this line every 18 months. As soon as I would find a new shoe that works perfectly, the designers alter it with a new release, and my favorite model quickly evaporates from the shelves. Fortunately, the changes are mostly minor (so far!) and this loyal and happy customer can easily adapt. As soon as it’s on sale (wink!).

When I got into running longer and longer distances, my physical and psychological health improved. In the first year, my asthma was under control for the first time in decades, and I lost fity pounds (and counting). Also, running always seemed to pick up my mood, and I can easily see why exercise gets prescribed for symptoms of clinical depression.

Whether it’s training for a marathon, or just a jog in the park with friends for stress relief, running is always an important part of my daily life; and on this journey, my Asics are a reassuring companion every step of the way.