After 22 years, a product can develop stale. That’s precisely what occurred to the Nimbus collection. The identical runners have been shopping for the Nimbus 12 months after 12 months and it wasn’t gaining many new clients.
In 2020, the progressive Nimbus Lite was launched. It was designed to be a funner model of one in every of ASICS’ hottest impartial trainers, the Nimbus. It focused younger, quick runners who discovered the common Nimbus too heavy and cumbersome.
After I first ran within the authentic Nimbus Lite, I took a right away liking to it. It felt environment friendly, energetic and versatile; it was a breath of recent air. I most popular the Lite model to the common Nimbus.
It’s an excellent technique by ASICS to maintain each fashions although. There could be an enormous uproar in the event that they have been to discontinue the normal Nimbus and exchange it with the brand new model. The Lite mannequin remains to be the much less well-liked of the two fashions.
This 12 months’s Nimbus Lite 3 has the same look and trip to the Nimbus Lite 2 however the midsole has been modified to be barely softer. The eco-friendly midsole nonetheless has cellulose nanofibres in it that are a waste product of sugar cane.
The Nimbus Lite 3 has a brand new higher which isn’t as plush because the earlier Nimbus Lite uppers. It weighs 9.2 oz (261 g), 0.3 oz (8.5 g) lighter than the Nimbus Lite 2. It additionally prices $10 greater than final 12 months’s model.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3 First Impressions


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
I wasn’t all that excited concerning the Nimbus Lite 3 till I put it on and walked round. It felt actually squishy underfoot and rather a lot softer than I anticipated it to really feel.
My first run in it was a 12 km hill repeat session at 4.54 minutes per kilometer. On that run, the Nimbus Lite 3 felt versatile, cushioned, and really pure.
The shoe it jogged my memory most of was the New Steadiness Insurgent v2 but it surely felt barely firmer and extra steady. Each footwear are very versatile and don’t have a lot midsole construction.
In comparison with the Nimbus 24, the Nimbus Lite 3 didn’t really feel as energetic however the trip felt squishier and plusher. What I preferred most concerning the Nimbus Lite 3 was how easy the trip transitions felt.
It felt nice proper out of the field with no break-in interval required.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3 Sole Unit


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
Flytefoam is now one of many older, blander midsole foams within the ASICS assortment with the latest innovations of FF Blast, FF Blast+ and FF Turbo.
The Flytefoam within the Nimbus Lite 3 is nevertheless extra thrilling than common Flytefoam as a result of it’s manufactured from organically derived supplies so it has extra give.
The midsole of the Nimbus Lite 3 has a excessive fee of compression with out a lot rebound. I discovered it to be greatest suited to gradual or restoration runs due to its marshmallow-soft trip.
Flytefoam makes the Nimbus Lite 3 really feel like a max-cushioned coach, designed for primarily simple runs. Something sooner than 5 minute tempo and you end up wishing for one thing a bit firmer or with extra power return.
The Nimbus Lite 3 has loads of long-distance consolation although. The midsole cushioning feels substantial and it doesn’t backside out. You possibly can simply do a full marathon in it if you happen to wished to.
It has an excellent versatile forefoot which additionally provides to the max-cushioned coach really feel however the snappiness simply isn’t there for pace work. It feels too relaxed.
One factor that the Nimbus Lite 3 does higher than different tremendous delicate driving trainers just like the Invincible Run and the Insurgent v2 is that it feels very steady as a result of it has a really broad forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot. Throughout runs, I by no means felt like my ankles have been below strain.


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
You continue to get the compulsory GEL within the forefoot and the rearfoot which is hidden contained in the midsole of the Nimbus Lite 3 but it surely’s principally there for advertising and marketing functions. You don’t really feel the GEL in any respect.
One of many greatest variations between the Nimbus Lite 3 and the Nimbus 24 is that the Nimbus Lite 3 doesn’t have a tough, floating Trusstic shank in its midsole. This makes it rather a lot much less structured than the midsole of the Nimbus 24.
The Nimbus Lite 3 has a gender-specific outsole so the boys’s model has a barely completely different outsole to the ladies’s model.
The lads’s model has an additional oval rubber piece in the midst of the midfoot which the ladies’s model doesn’t have. Which means that the ladies’s one has smoother transitions and is extra steady on the midfoot however the males’s one provides extra sturdiness.
AHAR+ is on the rearfoot and softer, much less sturdy AHAR is on the forefoot. Identical to on the Nimbus 24, I additionally observed important outer heel put on on the Nimbus Lite 3’s heel lugs so sturdiness is just not superb.
Flytefoam of the Nimbus Lite 3 is far denser and extra proof against cuts and abrasions than the FF Blast+ within the Nimbus 24 so the Nimbus Lite 3 has the extra sturdy sole unit general.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3 Higher Unit


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
70% of the Nimbus Lite 3’s engineered mesh higher is recycled content material and the brand new higher feels extra streamlined, largely partly to its up to date skinny, knitted tongue.
I like this alteration as a result of it makes the Nimbus Lite 3 really feel leaner and sooner. The tongue is semi-gusseted so there’s no tongue slide and the knit additionally permits higher air flow subsequently the shoe is cooler.
The collar and heel tab are nonetheless generously filled with foam so the rear of the shoe is lush and there’s no heel slippage.


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
The Nimbus Lite 3 has a roomy, accommodating midfoot and a big toe field which is extra suited to wide-footed runners than narrow-footed ones.
I went down a half dimension from my regular and the match felt good whereas sporting very skinny socks however I discovered myself craving extra size once I wore thick socks. Nearly all of runners might want to go true to dimension.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3 Conclusion


image of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3
I loved operating within the Nimbus Lite 3. It’s nonetheless a enjoyable shoe to run in however the enjoyable issue has been barely diluted.
The Nimbus Lite 3 is an enchancment over the Nimbus Lite 2 as a result of it’s lighter, has a cooler higher and a plusher trip. Sadly, it nonetheless makes use of ASICS’ older Flytefoam in its midsole.
I’m undecided why ASICS selected to make use of Flytefoam and never FF Blast+ within the midsole of the Nimbus Lite 3. FF Blast+ would have made it sooner and bouncier.
The Nimbus Lite 3 was designed to be a sooner, lighter, extra versatile model of the common Nimbus however the brand new Nimbus 24 truly feels just like the sooner shoe. Its midsole springs again a lot faster after every footstrike so the Nimbus 24 feels prefer it has an additional gear.
The 2 trainers have the identical worth however I’d select the Nimbus 24 over the Nimbus Lite 3. The Nimbus 24 with its new midsole foam appears like a extra premium shoe so it makes you’re feeling such as you’re getting extra worth to your cash.
I feel $160 for the Nimbus Lite 3 is an excessive amount of. The Novablast 2 is just $130 and the Insurgent v2 can be $130. Each trainers are additionally very delicate however are much more versatile than the Nimbus Lite 3 as a result of they’ll decide up the tempo.
I might nonetheless nevertheless advocate the Nimbus Lite 3 for you in order for you a max-cushioned coach which is marshmallow-soft and really versatile for less than gradual, simple or restoration runs. It’s additionally about an oz. (28 g) lighter than different max-cushioned trainers.
As editorial coverage, we don't settle for free samples from firms.
We bought this pair of ASICS GEL-Nimbus Lite 3 at Working Warehouse with our personal cash.
Source link