Since I started running I have been trying a couple of different running shoes.

Just like lots of people (I think) I first started out with Nike. Why? Because Nike is a brand with a very high awareness and they position themselves as the best brand o running shoes. Back in 2007 I bought a pair of Nike Air Pegasus in New York (they had this little NYC lettering in the back, making them a bit exclusive – whatever ;-)).

 

I remember buying this pair not only because Nike is big and have an high level of perceived quality. I also bought them because they were announcing the Nike+ system, at the time allowing you to sync the shoes with your iPod so you could keep track of your running data and archive/share it online.

It seemed like an interesting system but when you want to take running to the next level you can’t just trust a system that measures all your data from your foot strikes. Why? Because if you go with longer/shorter strikes the data will not vary so you only have approximated values for your performance (training length in km or pace) – which probably is just fine if you only want to have a little fun.

Besides this thing with the Nike+, I started looking for more information on the shoes performance and I read in several places that the shoes have too much cushioning – something you probably will only realize after you try a different brand. Why is this bad? Too much cushioning is not good for your feet and knees because it is anti-natural (no, I’m not yet going on to bare-foot running – we will get there, eventually).

Then 2 years later I bought the first pair of Asics. I picked the Gel Kayano 16 from an online retailer with a 30/40% discount over the local Decathlon store. Ever since then I don’t hesitate when in the need to change running shoes and I am already the happy owner of the newer Gel Kayano 17 (2011’s model) – although, truth be told, I couldn’t find any difference from the 16 to the 17’s model (Asics launches a new model every year).

The Gel Kayano have much less cushioning compared to the Nike and are also lighter on the foot. I find them cooler (which is important for spring/summer) and fitting better on the foot. But the most important thing is that even on longer runs my knees and feet feel much more comfortable then with the Nike.

So, if you are still running with Nike just try some Asics  because I believe you will be surprised with the superior quality of these shoes – it’s not wonder that many professional athletes prefer Asics.