2011 Running Shoes - Asics vs. New Balance

Asics or New Balance? Here's what makes them different and both effective running shoes.
Please note, I post mostly men's shoes but all these shoes are available in women's model's as well.

The Essential Comparisons:
The biggest difference between Asics and New Balance are the Asics Gel sole and the New Balance Abzorbs Foam sole technologies. Asics Gel soles give their shoes a plush gel cushion making them soft in sensation. New Balance Abzorbs Foam also cushions well using a foam technology that is equally as effective but not gel like. Depending on your activity you may find that you like one over the other. I simply find them different and they both do a pretty good job.

Upper materials are also somewhat different between the two manufacturers. Asics typically use soft stretcheable mesh uppers in most of their shoes giving them a snug feeling as the material surrounds the foot. This gives them the snug and comfortable feeling to their shoes that they are known for and that many like. Asics also uses something called Ahar Heel Plugs which supposedly absorb shock from heel strikes and less prone to quick wear.

New Balance tends to use lighter materials in the uppers but just as tough and breathable. Although they don't tout a special heel plug the shoes are just as effective. New Balance shoes tend to feel more like a runner's shoe as they are different from the insulated feeling of most Asics. Also, it seems in most cases that Asics technology and materials in the more advanced Asics running shoes are just a tad heavier compared to New Balance of the similar models.

Fore-foot/Mid-foot support

New Balance 890

Asics DS Sky Speed 2

The latest models of the New Balance 890 and Asics DS Sky Speed 2 are direct competitors in the fore to mid-foot support shoe market. They are good everyday runners with sufficient cushioning. They are two very different shoes but are worth every penny for those looking for fore-foot to mid-foot support.





Minimalists

Asics Blur 33

While Asics running shoes have essentially made small changes in recent years and have been typically following innovations they went all out with the Asics Gel-Blur 33 and Rush 33. Asics has come up with something completely different. They have practically no heel to toe drop so they provide a solid, free feeling, and natural experience. The Blur 33 are quite unique with the softest gel like cushioning I've ever felt. The only thing I can compare them to are the way Nike Free running shoes feel.

New Balance Minimus

New Balance has moved forward with new designs and materials with the New Balance Minimus series, which are purely minimalist shoes with little to no cushioning and closest to the barefoot experience, they are comparable to Merrel Barefoot shoes and Vibram 5 Fingers.

While Asics and New Balance may be your first choices for running shoes keep in mind there are other brands such as Saucony, Brooks, Nike and Reebok.  A shoe that is comfortable and doesn't hurt you during activities is a good shoe but if you're looking for performance I recommend moving away from the heavier, typical shoes to newer, lighter technologies.

For Pavement:  

Asics Kayano 17

From Asics, the popular 2011 Asic Kayano 17 provide a lot of support and Asic DS Sky Speed 2 provide good support for fore-foot/mid-foot runners. These two are favored by many for those wanting a good amount of support and cushioning in a running shoe. Asics also released the Gel-Blur 33 the softest gel cushioning I've ever felt in running shoes which have no heel to toe drop for a free feeling running experience.

New Balance 1226

The New Balance equivalent to the above is the new 2011 New Balance 1226, focusing on good foot support and arch support. The New Balance Abzorbs Foam is somewhat lighter than Asics Gel technology. What gets me excited for New Balance are their newer lines of shoes, the Minimus for minimalists and NB890s for those who are not ready to go minimal but want something close with just as much cushioning but lighter than a typical running shoe.



For Trails:

Montrail Mount Mashocist

For trail runners, Asics makes the Gel-Trail Sensor. More popular are the NB101 from New Balance and the trail version of the Minimus. Many ultra runners also consider Vasque, Montrail, Salomon and The North Face as well as many others. From Montrail, the Mount Masochist is a women's Gear of the Year award winner is proven to be a performance trail running shoe which is also available in a highly water resistant GTX version (gortex). Also check out Salomon, another performance trail running shoe manufacturer well known around the world.

The Quality of Shoes - How To Buy Comfortable Shoes

There are two things a person does most of their life. One is sleep, the other is stand on their feet, so never buy an uncomfortable bed or shoes. With the thousands of shoes that shoe companies offer it's easier to find shoes that don't fit well and are not comfortable than it is to find ones that are. However, it's wonderful to have choices, if you walk into a shoes section, whether it be a department store, shoe store or sports store there's a wide variety of manufacturers, makes and model to choose from. Each has their own marketing and some even patenting their technologies. Lots of thought goes into feet you know, from that athlete's highly functional sports shoes to the stylish high heels the lady next to you is wearing. 


First, there's nothing like trying shoes on first and walking in them a while before purchasing them. You may find some shoes fit you well and others feel like they don't. This is normal, everyone's feet are different and everyone has different perspectives of comfort and fit. I offer a few basic things to look for and practices before choosing the right shoes for you. It's even better when the better quality and more comfortable shoes are possibly cheaper and better looking. This article offers some basics of finding and buying shoes of your choice using a simple guideline of quality, comfort and fit.

Quality = stitching, fabric cuts should be even, smoothly cut and stitched together.
You should be able to see the quality of the fabrics, stitching and the cuts of fabric. A tell tale sign a shoe are  not up to par is an initial view from the outside. Check the fabric cuts. If they are rough, hard and stitched unevenly where the fabric lifts up or the cuts of fabric just don't seem to be accurate they better be a good price. Quality control on the shoes were probably set to low standards at that particular factory or shoe manufacturing line. For example, I saw a pair of New Balance shoes that exhibited poor cuts and saw another model right next to it from the same manufacturer of much higher quality and the prices were the same. The obvious choice was to try the ones that looked like they were made properly with clean cuts of fabric and consistent stitching. Uneven fabric and bad fabric cuts means there's a good chance it could catch on something and possibly tear or cause odd wear. In this case, the cut was too large therefore the stitching could not be stitched down consistently and smoothly. Most importantly, it's very possible that the inner part of the shoe may have the same flaws.

Comfort - they should feel good standing, walking or whatever activity they are aimed for.
If you try on shoes and walk in them a bit, you will know in 5 minutes of trying them where the simple Quality meets foot Comfort, which means happier feet and a happier shoe wearer. Walk around in them and get a feel, then try on some other manufacturer's or different models from the same manufacturer and see what the they feel like and what your feet are telling you, there may be some differences you prefer. I recommend trying on many different pairs before making the choice that your feet and you will be happy with and keep in mind what features you are looking for if buying specific shoes for sports, walking or simply for fashion and won't wear that much.

Fit -Size, Width, Ankle Support - Mens and Womens Shoe Sizes and Widths
Shoes are sold in a range of sizes and widths. Mens shoe sizes and widths and Women's shoe sizes and widths differ. Click on the text to see them. Shoes also range from low ankle to high ankle support. Many hiking boots and sports shoes offer ankle support while dress and casual shoes do not. In no way should these features affect the comfort of your feet but only provide increased support for the heel and ankle. A shoe too narrow will constrict blood circulation, shoes too wide could cause blisters and not provide enough support for activities. Depending on what your aim is for the shoes, whether fashion, sports or casual wear, they should fit your feet well. No one person has the same exact foot dimensions, bones or sensitive feet but there are shoes out there that will fit you and your feet.