I first started running in these shoes years ago when they were the GT 2170. I was wearing nothing but the heavy workhorse Kayanos and was looking for something lighter but wanted to stay loyal to ASICS.
I like to consider myself a faster runner, but I am still over 200 pounds so I needed something that wouldn’t be too light and destroy my legs.
When ASICS decided to revamp the shoe and rename it to the GT 2000, I picked up a pair and was still a fan.
I was starting to get faster and lighter though, so I stepped away from this line as I needed something that was lighter and wasn’t as hard on my heels.
Now, coming back to this shoe I had an idea of what to expect but did not have great first impressions. While the shoe is getting lighter in weight and is certainly lighter than the last time I ran in it, it still felt very lunky at first.
My natural stride in them was way too slow and I had to really push myself to get to where I wanted even for a shakeout pace.
It took about 30-40 miles before the shoe really broke in for me. This isn’t bad, but it doesn’t typically take me this long to get a full feel for a shoe.
Tempos and fartleks were doable thanks to the adaptive sole, but I was working twice as hard. Not worth it with these shoes.
What they did the best for me were shakeouts after a hard day before and long runs at a relaxed pace. One of my last runs before writing this was a long 17 miler and it was the best run I had in this shoe.
I was in control and the cushioning allowed me to recover incredibly fast. The next day, I did a shakeout which helped me recover even fast.
Asics GT-2000 4 General Info
This is the 4th incarnation of the GT-2000 series which is a line that rose from the ashes of the 2170. In ASICS’ robust line of stability shoes, this sits right below the expensive flagship kayanos.
My first impression was admittedly not great for cosmetic reasons. The colorway I tested was the blue and silver ones and they just did not pop out to me. It looked like a shoe from 5 or 6 years ago.
This is purely on my personal style preferences, so take that as you will. Thankfully, ASICS offers a wide array of colors for this shoe.
When I first laced them up, while very comfortable the shoe felt very heavy and constricted when it came time to run. I loved the lacing system, but they did not feel flexible at all to me.
I really had to push myself to keep my pace to where I wanted. Once they were broken in, my opinion changed but this took a considerable amount of time.
Asics GT-2000 4 Sole Unit
Everything that ASICS has been known for is there in the sole. You have your gel on the outer heel for absorbing shock.
The FluidRide midsole, which is a section of hard plastic that is light and adds to the overall ride is there as well. The guidance line provides superb control.
I loved the traction the most. During my runs in inclement weather i never felt like i was losing control. Even toward the end of my testing, the treading was still superior.
All of the tech in the sole unit combined provided an adaptive ride based on what kind of workout I was doing. My long runs and easy shakeouts had me striking on the heel to midfoot and then pushing off on the ball of my foot.
My tempo runs, while not as fast as I hoped, allowed for me to strike on the midfoot to ball of my foot.
Asics GT-2000 4 Upper Info
Some of the models that asics have been pushing out lately have had questionable material in them. Two good example of this are the DS trainers with seamless material that fell apart way too quick and the Kayano who’s mesh way too padded.
The material on the upper portion is a thick layer of mesh over a very breathable sock liner. It felt incredibly sturdy and I never felt like it was going to rip.
Be warned that this will make it feel incredibly tight at first and make it feel like it is too small. After a few runs, this will go away.
The heel has an outer exoskeleton of hard plastic that gave me the feeling of locking into the heel. ASICS has truly perfected this over the competition and it is something I always look forward to in this brand.
The lacing system was my favorite part of the shoe. ASICS promotes independent lacing which allowed me to tie the shoe the way I wanted without any issues.
I tend to have a problem with the way I lace up my shoes; where they are either too tight and cut off circulation or I feel like I’m falling out of the shoe. This was a nice touch.
Asics GT-2000 4 Conclusions
Bottom line, if you are a runner that is used to being in shoes that are faster this is not going to be a racing shoe for you. The fit was great, but I did not have full movement which took away from my overall experience.
I was running in Saucony Mirages and ASICS tri Noosas coming into this so it was definitely a huge change for me. This can still have a place in my rotation for shakeouts and recovery runs though.
If you are on the larger side that has been running in stability+ shoes like Kayanos or Brooks’ flagship Adreinaline GTS this is a good shoe that is lighter but still gives a ton of support. Definitely a great way to transition out of the mega heavy shoes out there.
At first, I was not a huge fan of this shoe. It wasn’t until I looked at it through the perspective of different kinds of runners that I could fully appreciate what ASICS has to offer in this ever improving line.
We thank the nice people at Asics for sending us a pair of GT-2000 4 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.
Asics GT-2000 4 Price Comparison
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