Reader review
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · May 2, 2015
25 mpw
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 4/5
ASICS GEL-Kayano 18
Daily trainer · Stability · Road
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The ASICS GEL-Kayano 19 replaced it
How it ranks
The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 trails most daily trainers in our data. Cushioning and durability are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 13 runner reviews and 15 other rated shoes in the GEL-Kayano product line.
Bottom-tier
50/100
Overall
50
Cushioning
89
Durability
87
Comfort
62
Appearance
52
Value
50
Confidence
90
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.
Confidence
90/100
What runners say
“I have never had an injury since I have switched to kayanos”
“Wearing out inside the back of the heel”
“Good for easy mileage, but a little on the heavy side”
“Good model that doesn't change too much over time”
“Feels a bit heavy”
“Supportive, cushioned”
Prefer this shoe over another
0% 0/10
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- Reviewers rate durability 4.4 out of 5, its highest dimension.
- Two reviewers have run in Kayanos for four and fifteen years and stayed uninjured in them.
Cons
- Two reviewers find it heavy, one saying it is not ideal for tempo runs.
- Reviewers rate value 3.3 out of 5, its lowest dimension.
- Four of thirteen reviewers who answered report an injury while running in it.
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
50
60
70
80
90
100
25
50
75
100
Better Shoes Rating
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the ASICS GEL-Kayano
Each dot is one version of the GEL-Kayano, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
40
60
80
100
50
2011
77
91
2013
77
71
2015
86
88
2017
84
68
2019
71
78
2021
86
99
2023
94
87
2025
87
Release year
-
2026 · 5 reviews
87 Good
72 Confidence
-
2025 · 3 reviews
87 Good
74 Confidence
-
2024 · 14 reviews
94 Excellent
89 Confidence
-
2023 · 58 reviews
99 Exceptional
99 Confidence
-
2022 · 20 reviews
86 Good
88 Confidence
-
2021 · 4 reviews
78 Decent
68 Confidence
-
2020 · 2 reviews
71 Decent
57 Confidence
-
2019 · 20 reviews
68 Below average
88 Confidence
-
2018 · 16 reviews
84 Good
90 Confidence
-
2017 · 14 reviews
88 Good
91 Confidence
-
2016 · 8 reviews
86 Good
85 Confidence
-
2015 · 5 reviews
71 Decent
67 Confidence
-
2014 · 10 reviews
77 Decent
85 Confidence
-
2013 · 39 reviews
91 Very good
94 Confidence
-
2012 · 19 reviews
77 Decent
87 Confidence
-
GEL-Kayano 18 This shoe
2011 · 13 reviews
50 Bottom-tier
90 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Release
- 2011
- MSRP
- $135
Runner reviews
Reader review
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Apr 6, 2015
20 mpw training for sprints
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 3/5
Reader review
4/5
Overall
celeriter · Apr 3, 2015
25 mpw 1,086 miles in this shoe training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Reader review
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Mar 21, 2015
25 mpw
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 3/5
Reader review
4/5
Overall
Good for easy mileage, but a little on the heavy side. Sometimes use for tempo runs but not ideal.
Anonymous runner · Sep 21, 2014
75 mpw training for middle distance
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 3/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from ASICS
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
Current shoe
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Reference shoe
Newest
Lowest price
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Shoe properties
Type
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Daily trainer
Pronation
Stability
Stability
Neutral
Weight
—
—
8.5 oz M
Stack
—
—
40/35mm
Drop
—
—
5mm
Release
2011
2026
Newest
2023 Q1
MSRP
$135
$169.95
$145
Best price
—
$169.95
$149.99
Lowest price
Ratings
Overall
Bottom-tier (50)
Good (87)
Exceptional (99)
Best overall
Comfort
Below average (62)
Very good (90)
Exceptional (99)
Best comfort
Cushioning
Good (89)
Excellent (95)
Exceptional (99)
Best cushioning
Durability
Good (87)
Good (83)
Very good (92)
Best durability
Appearance
Bottom-tier (52)
Decent (71)
Very good (91)
Best appearance
Value
Bottom-tier (50)
Bottom-tier (56)
Good (88)
Best value
ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 In Context
More on the ASICS GEL-Kayano
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 33
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 32
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 31
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 30
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 29
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 14
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 19 next version
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 previous version