Editor rating:
9/10 on
JIM COULSON
User's rating:

PROS

  • Rocker design decreases fatigue
  • Guidesole provides a smooth and comfortable ride
  • Firm FLYTEFOAM midsole adds speed and forward propulsion.

CONS

  • Narrow toebox
  • Possible untoward long term effects by limiting natural movement.

OUR VERDICT

The EvoRide is huge stride forward for ASICS in the current running shoe war. It’s firmed rocker midsole make it solid daily trainer, but its prepped to go faster.
WHERE TO BUY
LOWEST PRICE
$35
merchant logo$120 $35See It
SHOE INFO
Brand
Evoride
Model
Type
9.1 oz. (258 gr.)
Weight
120 US$
MSRP
5 mm
Heel Drop
WHO IS IT FOR
The neutral runner looking for a lightweight and versatile training shoe.

It's capable of handling a variety of distances and paces, but feels the most efficient on long intervals and faster long runs making it an ideal choice for the runner looking to invest in only one shoe.

Asics EvoRide Intro

Asics is a company that has been sitting comfortably on their laurels it seems for the last couple of years.

From a distance it appears they have been relying on its mainstays like the Kayano, Nimbus, and Cumulus and their league of followers that continually buy them year after year to keep the company treading water.

From a performance standpoint, they haven’t done anything that interesting. For myself, I have had little expectations of them and thus have fallen off my radar which also seems to be a theme amongst many runners.

After the release of the MetaRide early last year it seemed that the company was finally taking some risks and strides forward with new technologies putting a breath of fresh air in their stale lineup.

Building on the success of the MetaRide and looking to expand the Ride series the GlideRide, a more reasonable useful model, was released. The trainer found quick success and was a favorite trainer for many at the end of last year.

All of that leads us to the EvoRide the third shoe in the series and the closest to a traditional trainer. The EvoRide takes advantage of Guidesole curvature which helps drive efficiency.

This shoe is lighter and closer to the ground which provides a faster feel making it more engaged to go fast efficiently.

The EVO takes aim at similarly faster trainers like the Topo Zephyr, Nike Zoom Fly, and Saucony Kinvara.

Asics EvoRide First Impressions

Asics EvoRide - Pair

Asics EvoRide – Pair

I was pleasantly surprised when I first laid eyes on the EvoRide.

The simple engineered mesh upper of the shoe was a welcomed change from the heavy Thermoplastic and excessively stitched-on overlays that I have been accustomed to seeing on many ASICS models over the years.

Trying the shoes on for the first time the thing that immediately stood out was the rocker geometry. The shoe is stiff and definitely on the firmer side which helps give it a clean efficient roll.

Having just stared into a new marathon training cycle I was eager to put the shoes through a tempo run and see if the EvoRide lives up to its hype.

Asics EvoRide Sole Unit

Asics EvoRide - Sole

Asics EvoRide – Sole

The one unique feature of the EvoGuide that sets it apart is its GUIDESOLE midsole. The rockered geometry of the shoe gives it a smooth transition.

This smooth clean transition is also fast as my feet spent less time on the ground before toe-off and kept me in constant motion as no energy is lost as I rolled smoothly through each stride.

This design also keeps the ankle at a constant angle reducing dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Limiting this type of movement reduces energy loss and increases efficiency.

The rockered geometry is paired with ASICS new FLYTEFOAM a lightweight and firmer foam. While on the firmer side it does have a nice bit of bounce to it.

The firmness of the midsole was really noticeable on my first couple of runs, but seemed to soften a bit as I stacked on more miles.

Asics EvoRide - Sole

Asics EvoRide – Sole

ASICS shows a gel pod in the heel but the with lower drop and geometry of the shoe I really didn’t feel it at all.

The EvoRide is a shoe that is engineered to go fast. I found even trying to put easy miles in the shoe my pace evolved into a tempo run accidentally.

Asics EvoRide Upper Unit

Asics EvoRide - Toe

Asics EvoRide – Toe

The engineered seamless single mesh upper is simple. This is a huge change for ASICS as this has been one area that they toiled with trying to keep pace with other companies.

As I touched on earlier a lot of the heavy overlays and plastic tchotchkes common with ASICS are gone. The EvoRide uses a simple welded ASICS logo on the medial and lateral sides which is the only overlay providing support.

However, keeping with tradition a generously padded tongue and heel collar still adorn the shoe. While this provides a layer of plush comfort it seems to me a bit excessive adding unnecessary weight and bulk.

Asics EvoRide - Closeup

Asics EvoRide – Closeup

The fit of the upper is comfortable, secure, true to size, but a bit on the narrow side especially in the forefoot as my toes were a bit cramped.

The seamless design gives the upper a more knit feel that is lightweight, breathable, and has performed well in a
variety of conditions.

Asics EvoRide Conclusion

Asics EvoRide - Heel

Asics EvoRide – Heel

I really love the roll of the EvoRide it seems to just propel you forward making faster paced running easy and efficient.

This shoe falls squarely between speed and daily trainer making it great for tempo sessions and easy but not recovery days.

While not a carbon plated racer the geometry and responsiveness of the foam make it a worthy competitor to the likes of the Hoka Carbon X, and I wouldn’t discount it as a race day shoe especially half to marathon distances.

The only reservation I have with this shoe and many like it are what the long term effects may be in terms of limiting ankle movement and taking away the finer muscle movements of the feet that stabilize the toes.

while I am not a kinesiologist I can’t help but think that limiting any type of natural movement for extended periods has to have some sort of untoward effects.

I guess only time and further research will tell; In the meantime, if you are a runner looking for a lower drop, firm, and faster feeling shoe look no further.

We purchased a pair of Asics EvoRide from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.

Asics Evoride Price Comparison

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