Editor rating:
9/10 on
THEO CLYATT
User's rating:

PROS

  • Outstanding support from the rear arch to mid foot
  • Lateral heel lays down smoothly
  • More breathable than prior Asics designs
  • Runs much faster than its weight implies
  • Reasonably priced

CONS

  • Slightly loose heel fit

OUR VERDICT

A tremendously functional everyday shoe that won’t break the bank. The GT 1000 3 uses older Asics technology to bring the price down but all the pieces fall into place. Asics delivers a well cushioned, stable and dependable training shoe with the updated GT 1000 3.
SHOE INFO
Brand
GT-1000 3
Model
Type
12 oz. (340 gr.)
Weight
100 US$
MSRP
Previous model
WHO IS IT FOR
Moderate over pronators searching for a combination of solid support, traditional features and an easy on the wallet price.

Now three years strong, the Asics GT 1000 series delivers real daily trainer performance at a great price point for the stability minded runner.

This year, Asics changes the heel geometry just a touch and upgrades an already proven platform. Fans of the older 2100 series should look here.

Asics GT-1000 3 General Info

You could be forgiven for mistaking the GT 1000 3 for an older 2100 series shoe. In fact, that’s not an insult at all; the GT 1000 picks up where the 2170 left off when it morphed into the GT 2000.

It’s true that the 1000 series uses older Asics tech. It doesn’t matter as the GT 1000 3 feels great at try on. It does feel a bit like stepping back in time as it sports a completely sewn upper with no modern day heat pressed overlays and a heavier mesh upper.

Still, the shoe fits very well with a medium heel and mid foot and just a slightly wider toe box.

Visually speaking, my test pair arrived in a basic white with neon green and black accents; altogether a very attractive shoe with a little flash. My normal size US 10 fit just fine.

Asics GT-1000 3 Sole Info

The midsole of the GT 1000 3 is built on an SpEVA foam, which is an older generation midsole material.

Asics replaced SpEVA with SoLyte several years ago with the promise that SoLyte was lighter, more cushioned and more resilient. All that may be true but SpEVA remains a dependable and proven midsole foam.

Another throwback is the use of Duomax foam for the medial post which is a denser foam placed under the arch of the shoe to slow down the inward roll of an over pronating foot.

Asics has replaced Duomax with Dynamic Duomax which is a softer formulation and sometimes sports an additional “soft top” layer of foam.

The outsole utilizes a semi-curved last and is outfitted with carbon rubber in the heel and blown rubber up front. The standout feature underfoot is definitely the midsole shank.

This sturdy shank design wraps nicely into the arch and features two trusses that connect the medial and lateral sides of the shank.

This design has replaced the old school space trusstic design that Asics used for many years and is also found on their upper echelon shoes.

Asics also includes their newer Guidance Line design that carves a flex channel down the center of the outsole to help the shoe lay down more naturally with the runner’s foot.

Another standout feature is the redesigned lateral heel GEL crash pad. The GEL found on the GT 1000 3 has been reshaped and is now a touch thinner and longer at the rear. It certainly makes for a smooth landing.

Asics GT-1000 3 Upper Info

The GT 1000 3 upper consists of an all-sewn construction with many classic features. The Asics “Tiger Stripe” logo is emblazoned at the mid foot both medially and laterally and it connects to the eyelet row to provide a locked in fit.

There is also an additional supportive overlay situated beneath the Asics logo to further reduce the likelihood of the foot sliding around in the shoe.

Asics also uses a traditional and quite rigid internal heel counter that supports the rear foot. The heel is also connected to the eyelet row via a wraparound overlay. The end result is a solid feel and a ‘molded to your foot’ fit.

The tongue is of medium thickness and the laces are neither too long nor too short. The sock liner design also harkens back to yesterday as it is constructed of standard foam instead of the more modern OrthoLite style sock liners we see now.

Asics GT-1000 3 Conclusions

The Asics GT 1000 3 defies all the odds and everything that is supposed to make a modern running shoe great. It uses technology designed a decade or more ago and it’s heavier than just about anything else out there.

So what? This is an absolutely outstanding piece of running footwear. Hands down. I love this shoe.

Why? It runs beautifully. It’s super stable. The arch fits right. It has a great mid foot lock down. It’s quiet on the road. And it retails for $100! I’ll elaborate.

The Duomax post starts about mid-heel and stops right at the front of the arch. It is rock solid and very durable. I’m 6’ tall and 160 pounds and I can usually crease most stability shoes.

Not this one. The arch is medium high and provides support right at the rear of the arch, under the navicular bone. This is incredibly important to an over pronator in my opinion.

The fit disappears on my foot and I never had to fiddle with the laces because they were too tight or too loose. And even though it weighs 12 ounces, I never felt like the shoe was heavy.

The lateral heel GEL pad compresses nicely and works in concert with the Duomax post to help stabilize the foot. The only mild gripe I have is that the heel could be tightened up a notch but that’s really it.

The GT 1000 3 delivers on most everything I consider important in running shoe design and it does it at a price that few can match. So what if it doesn’t have all the latest bells and whistles? This shoe just flat out works, do not miss it!

We thank the nice people at Asics for sending us a pair of GT-1000 3 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.

Asics GT-1000 3 Price Comparison

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