ASICS ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack review

We recommend the ASICS ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack as a great choice for:

• Beginners in need of a neutral daily trainer for easy to moderate-difficulty runs
• Runners seeking a well-cushioned, breathable shoe that’s reliable all year round
• Casual runners who want a versatile shoe that can also tackle other fitness activities
• Those in the market for a shoe that’s comfy enough for all-day wear and walks around town

The ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s ride is anything but exciting. While its stack ensures we were well-cushioned from impact during our test runs, the midsole lacks the lively rebound to support tempo training adequately. This isn’t surprising for a shoe at this price point, and the more energetic Flyte Foam found in the ASICS Novablast 3 proves that you get what you pay for. However, the ASICS Novablast "Light Steel" is a speedy daily trainer that we can recommend to beginners who don’t want to break the bank. 

With an accurate drop of 11.8 mm based on our measurements, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s offset is too steep for forefoot strikers. We recommend that those runners check out the mid-drop ASICS Gel Lyte III Camouflage, or the Asics Tokyo Tights Ladies with its 2.8 mm offset as alternatives more suited to their running gait. 

While the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack feels quite stable underfoot, it lacks the support that overpronating runners require. We recommend the ASICS GT 1000 12 asics onitsuka tiger corsair white port royal men Asics Sabates Running GT-2000 10 Lite-Show authentic asics gel contend 6 grey red white.

Using our caliper, we measured the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s stack to be 35.2 mm thick at the heel.

This is higher than our lab average and means that heel strikers have plenty of foam underfoot to promote protective and well-cushioned landings during their runs. 

We measured the forefoot stack to be just shy of our current lab average at 23.4 mm thick. This is still enough foam for forefoot strikers to enjoy good impact dampening in this shoe, with only a hint of the harsh asphalt below. 

Despite having a stated drop height of 8 mm, the difference in our stack measurements leaves us with an accurate offset of 11.8 mm. This 3.8 mm disparity means that the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack falls in the category of high-drop rather than mid-drop shoes. This definitely favors heel strikers as it promotes smooth transitions for their stride, with forefoot striking runners likely to find it too steep for comfort. We recommend the ASICS Gel Lyte III Camouflage as a true mid-drop alternative for those runners. 

Pressing our durometer against the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s midsole foam gives us an average reading of 24.8 HA.

This provides us with a balanced level of cushioning that effectively dampens the impact of our landing during our test runs. 

Where the midsole lacks is in energy return, with the ride feeling rather dull underfoot. However, we can’t expect the responsiveness of a premium shoe from such a wallet-friendly daily trainer. For a more premium feeling ride, check out the ASICS Novablast 3 ASICS LITE™ rubber Lighter.

We popped the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack in the freezer for twenty minutes and took another durometer reading of the midsole. With a post-freezer reading of 28.6 HA, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack isn’t as firm as the average road shoe under similar conditions, and should still feel somewhat pliable underfoot in the harsh cold of winter. 

With only a 15.7% difference in the firmness of the midsole between warm and cold conditions, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack is much more consistent than the average road shoe, and thus shouldn’t feel too different whether out for a warm summer run or braving the cold for a winter session.

At 4.7 mm thick, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s insole is right just shy of our current lab average, giving us a nice and padded surface to land on within the shoe. 

Measuring 97.6 mm at its widest point, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s toebox is well over the average for road shoes here in the lab.

This means that, apart from runners with very broad feet, the toebox should be accommodating enough for most runners. 

Moving up to the big toe, we measured our gel mold to be 73.4 mm wide which is also on par with our current lab average. This means that most runners should have enough room to run comfortably within the shoe, except, again, those with very broad feet. 

We found that the upper offers slightly less vertical room compared to most daily trainers, which could deter some runners.

At 25.6 mm, it sits just a few millimeters lower than expected. While some may appreciate the snug fit for added security, others might find the slight toe pressure less than ideal.

Despite some excessive lateral movements as we shifted our weight from side to side, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack feels pretty well-planted and steady underfoot. This is good for neutral runners, but those with pronating strides should consider more supportive shoes like the ASICS GT 1000 12 or its more premium cousin, the GT 2000 11 instead

We were met with an average level of resistance as we attempted to bend and twist the shoe in our hands, leading us to give it a torsional rigidity score of 3 out of 5 on our subjective scale. This strikes a good balance between comfort and stability as the shoe allows for some natural contorting of the foot, but still maintains a relatively level landing platform for our landings. 

The Gel Excite’s heel counter didn’t put up much more of a fight to our manual manipulations, thus also earning it a stiffness score of 3 out of 5. This gives the shoe some structure at the rearfoot that holds our heel in place without squeezing the life out of our Achilles tendon. 

Measuring the midsole at the forefoot reveals the secret to the Gel Excite’s surefooted underfoot sensation. At 120.5 mm wide according to our caliper, it’s much wider than our current lab average, giving us one heck of a robust platform for stable landings and toe-offs. 

The heel isn’t quite as broad but is still a little wider than average at 91.1 mm according to our caliper. As such, heel strikers should also enjoy stable landings in the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack. 

Requiring only 10.2N of force to torque the shoe 30 degrees in our stiffness test makes the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack much more flexible than the average road shoe. This greatly factors into the shoe’s comfort as it easily bends along with the natural flexion of our foot during our stride rather than resisting it. 

This brings us to the weigh-in, and we found the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack to be smack-dab on par with the average road shoe at 9.45 oz (268g).

This is a pretty good weight for a daily trainer as the shoe feels rather nimble underfoot despite its generously padded heel. Moreover, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack is lightweight and comfortable enough to be worn all day without feeling like a burden on the foot.  

We kick off with our most visually striking assessment, the smoke test. As the footage clearly demonstrates, the smoke makes its way out of the shoe with relative ease, but mostly around the heavily perforated toebox while the tongue seems rather insulated. This still indicates above-average breathability, leading us to give the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack a respectable 4 out of 5 for breathability. This makes the shoe well-suited for runs on warm summer days without becoming a sweatbox. 

This level of breathability is easy to explain when looking at a backlit cross-section of the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s upper, with the light clearly shining through the porous jacquard mesh. Only the reinforced sections around the laces and towards the rear of the shoe block out any light. 

Inspecting a section of the toebox through our microscope, we can see that it’s made of uniformly woven strands of very light synthetic fibers with lots of room for air to pass through. Moreover, the pattern opens up into much less densely woven sections with many perforations that encourage airflow throughout the shoe.

We turn to our Dremel to simulate extreme wear and tear on the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack. First up to the chopping block is the shoe’s toebox, which we subjected to 3.2N of abrasive force spinning at 5K RPM. Once the tool’s grinding element was able to bite into the toebox, it seemed to make quick work of mincing up the material. 

However, upon inspecting the aftermath of the four-second test, we came to find that we had only made a small hole in the outer mesh layer, with the layer underneath almost intact. This earns the shoe a frankly impressive 3 out of 5 for toebox durability.

Next, we turned our attention to the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s heel counter, which our Dremel proved to be even more ineffective against. The tool’s grinding element merely skated off the lining and was unable to penetrate through to the soft padding within by the end of the four-second test. 

With only a barely visible scuff as its sole battle scar, this outstanding performance earns the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack a perfect 5 out of 5 for heel padding durability. We have to commend ASICS on the quality of this shoe’s build which rivals many more premium models despite its extremely wallet-friendly price.

We pressed our durometer against the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s outsole and got a much harder-than-average reading of 87.5 HA. While this bodes well in terms of the outsole’s durability, but explains its less-than-stellar traction, especially on wet surfaces. 

Here in the lab, we’ve found that, in general, softer outsole materials are better able to bite into hard surfaces like asphalt while harder ones, like the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s, are better suited to softer terrains like dirt trails. Check out this article that breaks down the different types of outsoles and their uses. 

To test the durability of the outsole, we turn to our Dremel for one last spin; this time applying the grinding element with 10K RPM of rotary force onto the shoe. It seems to go well at first until some rather unhealthy-looking chunks are cast aside toward the end of the twenty-second test. 

Eyeballing the damage afterward, we found that we had basically gone clean through one of the mini-lugs that make up the outsole’s tread pattern. However, our tread gauge reveals that we had only lopped off 0.8 mm of material from the outsole, which is slightly less than our current lab average.

So while this implies that the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s outsole is marginally more durable than average, taking this shoe off-road too much will definitely eat away at the tread pattern which will gradually affect the shoe’s traction.

At only 2.9 mm thick according to our caliper measurements, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s outsole is slightly thinner than average. While some more rubber underfoot would have definitely improved the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s longevity, it also would have added unnecessary weight to the shoe. 

While good enough for our test runs on dry asphalt, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s subtle tread pattern proved to be less than ideal on slick (like smooth cobblestones) or wet surfaces where it felt rather slippery. For runners who frequently contend with rain, we recommend the Asics Calçat Infantil Asics Gt-1000 11 Gs as another budget trainer that’s grippier on wet surfaces. 

With no reflective element to be found on the shoe, the ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack does nothing for nighttime visibility. We therefore recommend that runners stick to well-lit routes and/or make use of additional high-vis gear when out for nocturnal sessions. 

Using our caliper, we measured the tongue to be 5.6 mm thick. This is within range of our current lab average and provided us with a comfortable and secure midfoot lockdown, with no hint of lace bite during our test runs. 

The ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s tongue is non-gusseted, though we didn’t experience any slippage during our test runs.  

The ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack features a handy finger loop at the heel, although we didn’t make much use of it as the shoe is already quite easy to slip in and out of. 

The ASICS GEL-Lyte III "Rose Gold" pack’s insole isn't glued in, making it easy to remove and replace with custom orthotics wherever necessary.