The 13th round of the Cumulus is a reinvention of a sort, as a significant weight reduction now places the shoe squarely into the mid weight range, and tweaks to the upper and midsole/outersole improve the articulation with the foot. The upper is still an open mesh with a bit of give to allow it to move with the foot. The addition of Discrete Eyelets, here as three separate pair of linked eyelets, allows the lacing both to better wrap the contours of the foot and to match its movement. The midsole is SoLyte, ASICS’ high-end foam compound, slightly adjusted in size for better flexibility. An additional, softer layer tops the mid- sole in the women’s model. The outersole is the same AHAR carbon rubber heel and blown rubber forefoot as before, but with the addition of Guidance Line, a longitudinal flex groove, that gives the shoe a better feel as the toes splay before toe-off.
Testers: “This is a very solid shoe [that] feels good for all types of runs. These shoes transition nicely from landing through toe-off with none of the ‘slapping’ or folding that some shoes get. They follow what my feet seem to want to do.”
Updates the Gel-Cumulus 12 • Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics • Sizes: men 6–13,14,15 (D) and 7–13,14,15 (2E,4E); women 5–13 (2A,B) and 6–13 (D) • Weight: men 12.4 oz. (size 11); women 9.9 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, SoLyte Strobel board