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Our verdict
Pros
- Fits true to size
- Good cushioning
- Breathable upper
- ASICS Gel-Lyte III atmos x Solebox us9
- Reliable grip
- X ASICS Gel Lyte III Formosa
Cons
- Asics Trail Scout 2 Hommes Trail Chaussures de course
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
+ + Asics Tokyo Nauw | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 83 Good! | 89 Great! | 86 Good! | 80 Good! | |
| Price | £80 | £120 | £80 | £110 | |
| Pace | Daily running | Daily running | Daily running | Daily running | |
| Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Weight lab Weight brand | 9.5 Asics Damenkleidung Hosen 9.9 Cinta orejera ASICS | 9.7 Кросівки asics gel 43 розмір оригінал 9.5 asics upcourt 4 white peacoat whitepeacoat marathon running shoessneakers | 9.5 Asics Damenkleidung Hosen 9.2 Asics Gel-lyte V 5 The Storm Pack Black Orange Mens Retro Shoe | 9.2 oz / 261g 9.5 Asics Damenkleidung Hosen | |
| Drop lab Drop brand | 12.3 mm 10.0 mm | 10.5 mm 5.0 mm | 11.8 mm 8.0 mm | 7.8 mm | |
| Strike pattern | Heel | Heel | Heel | Mid/forefoot | |
| Size | True to size | True to size | True to size | True to size | |
| Midsole softness | - | Soft | Balanced | Soft | |
| asics gel lyte mt forest | - | Normal | Small | Normal | |
| Toebox durability | - | Bad | Decent | Good | |
| asics gel kayano 28 vs nike zoom pegasus turbo | - | Decent | Good | Good | |
| Outsole durability | - | Good | Good | Good | |
| Breathability | - | Breathable | Moderate | Breathable | |
| zapatillas de running ASICS niño niña constitución fuerte talla 40 | Narrow | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
| Colette x La MJC x Asics GT II Sold Out Chapter | - | Medium | Medium | Medium | |
| Stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | |
| Pantofi ASICS Gel-Excite 9 1011B338 Lake Drive White 400 | Small | Normal | Small | Small | |
| Torsional rigidity | - | Stiff | Moderate | Flexible | |
| Footwear ASICS Gel-Dedicate 6 Clay 1042A073 Oyster Grey Pink Cameo 021 | - | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Heel lab Heel brand | 35.8 mm | 40.7 mm 40.0 mm | 35.2 mm | 35.4 mm | |
| Forefoot lab Forefoot brand | 23.5 mm | 30.2 mm 35.0 mm | 23.4 mm | 27.6 mm | |
| Widths available | NormalX-Wide | Normal | NormalWideX-Wide | NormalWideX-Wide | |
| Orthotic friendly | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Season | - | SummerAll seasons | All seasons | SummerAll seasons | |
| Removable insole | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ranking | #417 Bottom 22% | #90 Top 29% | #177 Bottom 43% | #272 Bottom 13% | |
| Popularity | #332 Bottom 38% | #212 Bottom 32% | #52 Top 17% | #36 Top 12% |
Size and fit
Size
ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 is true to size (15 votes).
ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 review and lab test
There almost isn’t much to say about the Gel Excite 8. At a time of perhaps over-designed running shoes ASICS breathes life into the concept of the simple jogging shoe the runner who just wants to hit the pavement.
Who the shoe is for
The ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 is the shoe I recommend for neutral runners who want a shoe for lighter training loads. From a 1191A347.700 5k to a slow-paced longer 15k, I can safely declare that the Gel Excite 8 fits the bill without overcomplicating anything.
Who the ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 is not for
It’s probably best to avoid the ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 if:
- You overpronate, the shoe is a neutral running shoe so offers no stability control for overpronators, the Asics London City T Shirt Men's is a great alternative, still at a decent price.
- You’re after something high-tech and speedy, try the flagship ASICS Superblast
A tried and tested design
At 9.98oz (283g) the ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 is a pretty lightweight shoe for the price. That’s thanks to their simple EVA “Amplifoam” midsole (more on that later) and a thin, mesh upper. The shoe fits true to size.
Their feather-weight design helps them stay comfortable and easy on longer runs up to about 15km. The lack of stability control and simple cushioning means I wouldn’t recommend these for any longer distances than that.
The ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 has a somewhat improved upper
The ASICS Gel Excite 7 didn’t really need much improvement on the upper, aside from it being a little warm. While there’s still a fair bit of material there (the tongue is 10.3mm thick), a slightly new design has added more mesh throughout the shoe.
I didn’t notice my feet being particularly warm. Then again it’s about 2°C in Scotland most days now and I didn't notice my feet being cold either.
The ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 could add to the lacing
At such a low price point I didn’t really expect the laces to be top-notch –it’s usually the easiest place to save some money for brands– and the Excite 8 didn’t surprise me at all.
The laces are a little 1191A347.700 meaning you might not get a double knot in or use the extra lace hole if you need to. The plus side is they’re pretty secure, so I never needed a double knot.
The Amplifoam midsole does the job
ASICS have suggested great improvements with their recent Amplifoam midsoles. The heel-to-toe EVA foam did pretty well at cushioning my Excelente was definitely comfy. At 40.5 HA it’s not the softest foam out the (the average is 26.9 HA) but there’s plenty of foam there to take lots of impact.
It’s definitely not there to provide the energy return of some of the more up-market running shoes out there like the Asics Core SS Top which comes with more tech in the midsole.
That being said, at this price point and for the style of shoe, I wasn’t expecting to find any rebound and peppiness throughout the shoe.
Flexible and Consistent
To check how flexible a shoe is, we measure the force it takes to bend a shoe to a 95° angle. Without much in the midsole, we only needed 20N (the average is 34.5N) which makes the shoe quite flexible. This definitely helps with comfort, which I began to realise was ASICS’ main goal.
What impressed me the most about the midsole of this shoe though was its resistance to the cold. As I said earlier, I tested the Excite 8s in Scottish winter, around 2°C, and noticed very little firming up of the shoe.
In testing, we also chuck our shoes in the freezer for 20minutes and test the flexibility again. While the average percentage change between the two numbers is 34.1%, the Gel Excite 8 only saw a change of 7%, taking 21.5N to bend it to 45°.
The Gel Excite 8 is not just a great all-rounder, but it’s a versatile trainer for year-round running.
The ASICS GmbH x Gel Quantum 360 6 Ivory Black Ivory Black 1201A099-751 no break-in period
Thanks to that flexibility, the Gel Excite 8 was ready to go straight out of the box. With no need to let the shoe break-in I could get straight into my usual training without any blisters or sore feet.
It’s often the small things like this that make a huge difference in running shoes.
Asics Core SS Top | The Excite 8 gives excellent grip
I’m always impressed by ASICS’ outsoles and the Gel Excite 8 is not different. One piece of solid rubber lines most of the outsole and provided excellent grip throughout my runs.
I did feel a tiny bit of slip-on wetter pieces of concrete but seeing as it’s a shoe for slower runs and at this price point I genuinely have no complaints.
Conclusion
The ASICS Gel Pulse 8 is a perfect running shoe for neutral runners on a budget. What’s more, it’s an incredibly reliable and versatile shoe that I would love to have in my arsenal regardless of budget!
