The ASICS GEL-Cumulus 21 trails most daily trainers in our data. Durability and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Looks scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 14 runner reviews and 12 other rated shoes in the GEL-Cumulus product line.
Bottom-tier
56/100
Overall
Bottom-tier56
Durability
Decent80
Cushioning
Decent77
Comfort
Decent71
Value
Below average64
Appearance
Bottom-tier50
Confidence
Confidence
How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on
confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long
record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low
when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.
Comfort averages 4.6 out of 5 across fourteen reviews, with cushioning and value both at 4.4.
Two reviewers report 300 to 400 miles from a pair, one of them saying the tread lasts longer than their other shoes.
One reviewer with wide feet praises the fit.
Cons
Appearance averages 3.9 out of 5, the lowest of its dimensions, and one reviewer calls the colorways ugly.
Three reviewers say the outsole wears through or that it does not last as long as they would like.
One reviewer finds it soft and heavy and hard to pick up pace in until about 100km, and another finds the toe box too roomy.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how
much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both
well rated and well established.
Confidence
5060708090100255075100
Better Shoes Rating
GEL-Cumulus 21 rates 56.
This shoe has high certainty.
See how we rate shoes.
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the ASICS GEL-Cumulus
Each dot is one version of the GEL-Cumulus, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
I was looking for a comfortable shoe, softer than my usual Mizuno Wave Rider. A store salesman suggested me the Cumulus and I really liked the cushioning.
The fit is true to size. They are very comfortable, with a lot of padding around the foot, front to back. My feet are locked down around the ankle and I still have some room in the toe box.
But I had mixed feeling after my first runs: although very comfortable and not feeling tired after my runs, I felt like sinking at every step due to the softness of the sole, its weight more on the heavy side and its lack of responsiveness. Slow pace was ok, but it was very difficult to pick up speed and keep a faster pace. I really had to put more effort than I wished.
After 100km with them, this actually changed. The sole became harder, I didn't have that much sinking feeling, and I even started to feel some rebound. I'm definitely more confident that I can use these shoes for long runs, up to marathon distance.
Love ASICS. Having been wearing the Cumulus for years. Still a comfortable, stable shoe but awful ugly. Years ago, it was a cool white with blue and grey ASICS logo. Now, it’s an ugly grey with a mush mash of blue, yellow, and orange. I only continue to wear it for its comfort and functional purposes.
Anonymous runner · Aug 11, 2019
15 mpw
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
3/5
Value
5/5
Good shoe outsole wears somewhat quickly
4/5
Overall
I like the cushioning and overall wear of the shoe. I supinate and the rubber outsole wears to the plastic midsole a little quicker than I would like. Lasts much longer if I run on trails.
I have ran over 300 miles in it and it has held up so well. The cushioning decreases after a while but that's to be expected. Overall i love this shoe and it was a great investment.
I have been running on the ASICS Gel Cumulus for about 4 months now on all sorts of terrain--grass, dirt, sidewalks, roads, and treadmill. I run between 4 - 5.5 miles/day. They have felt very good from the beginning to now feeling great, as the shoes have continually conformed to my feet. They look great; the bottom tread has lasted much longer than many of my other shoes; fit has been superb; and, appearance wise (mine are red), they have drawn compliments. I see myself buying another pair in the near future.
