Asics GT 1000 2 General Info:

The Asics GT 1000 2 is a stability shoe for moderate overpronators, with a durable ride that held up well over 250 miles underfoot.

Asics GT 1000 2 First Impressions:

Asics’s most notable support shoe has always been the Kayano—a shoe replete with all of the bells and whistles of a shoe in its category. The next featured shoe in their lineup is the GT 2000, which offers nearly as much support and moderate cushioning. The GT 1000 2 is a more stripped down version of the GT 2000; when looking at their specs, it’s hard to even tell them apart.

Asics GT 1000 2 Upper:

The GT 1000 2 features a mesh upper with quite a few supportive overlays, typical for an Asics shoe. The shoe’s upper mesh was breathable and comfortable—I never had any rubbing or developed any hot spots.

The shoe tends to have a foot hugging feel through the heel and mid foot and a slightly wider forefoot, pretty typical for Asics’ design. Oddly, the GT 2000 2’s laces seemed to come untied quite a bit on long runs despite double and triple knots.

Asics GT 1000 2 Sole Unit:

Asics uses their SpEVA to provide a somewhat stiff but comfortable ride. I’m a mild over-pronator and these shoes did a good job of keeping that in check due to the Duomax dual density midsole foam on the medial side of the shoe. Silicone gel units are placed at the forefoot and heel of the shoe which should have provided more than enough cushioning.

However, I often ended my runs with a sore forefoot and it seems that this is a shoe designed for heel strikers rather than mid-foot strikers such as myself. A plastic mid foot shank reduces flexibility and overall the GT 1000 2 is a fairly stiff ride.

The use of Asics High Abrasion Rubber (AHAR) enhances the shoes flexibility and cushioning. The AHAR seems to be durable as well, as the outsole has held up remarkably well during testing with over 250 miles on them.

Asics GT 1000 2 Overall Impression:

The GT 1000 2 are a decent shoe for running on the roads and gravel paths I often use during the winter months. And quite a few times when I was wearing them I decided to hit some technical trails instead, and the shoes were up to the task. On the longer road runs my forefeet seemed to take a minor beating, so I thought the shoe could have used a bit more cushioning up front.

This model represents a mainstay in Asics support line, and very little seems to change from year to year. With the diversity in their performance line and neutral line some runners may enjoy knowing that they will be able to buy basically the same running shoe for many years to come. I liked how well the shoes held up.

I’m pretty hard on shoes, and after 250+ miles these seem like they have quite a few more miles left in them. These shoes seem like a solid pick for a mild over-pronator doing high mileage road running.

We thank the nice people at Asics for sending us a pair of GT 1000 2 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.