Best pair of shoes ever
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018
60 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-1000 5
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 5/5
- Value
- 1/5
ASICS GEL-Kayano 23
Daily trainer · Stability · Road · 11.5 oz · 13mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The ASICS GEL-Kayano 24 replaced it
How it ranks
The ASICS GEL-Kayano 23 ranks above most daily trainers in our data. Durability and cushioning are its strongest sub-ratings. Value scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 8 runner reviews and 15 other rated shoes in the GEL-Kayano product line. Another 4 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.
Good
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
85/100
What runners say
“The 23s are still narrower in the toe box than the 21 (I have to wear a larger size), but are a significant improvement with regard to cushioning”
“Their stabilization helped my knee pain go away”
“Very comfortable for distance running (got a 3:12 London run out of them)”
“They hold up very well durability-wise and only keep getting lighter”
“The Kayano 22's toe box narrowed significantly over the 21, and it just didn't feel comfortable for running”
“Serious wear on the soles after 300 miles”
“I can do a 10 mile run with absolutely no pain”
“Running in other shoes seems distinctively un-natural”
“Have not found a shoe that fits so well with my feet”
“Make you run too slowly for races 10K and below”
Prefer this shoe over another
38% 5/13
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
Pros
- Reviewers rate cushioning 4.9 out of 5, and three single it out for long, easy distance running.
- Two reviewers report it holding up through 60 to 85 mile weeks.
- One of eight reviewers so far calls it a clear improvement on the GEL-Kayano 22, which scores 71 on five reviews.
Cons
- Reviewers rate value 3.8 out of 5, its lowest dimension, and two balk at the $160 list price.
- Two of eight reviewers so far record it as running small in the toe box and size up.
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.
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.
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
-
GEL-Kayano 23 This shoe
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
-
2011 · 13 reviews
50 Bottom-tier
90 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 11.5 oz
- Release
- 2016 Q3
- MSRP
- $160
- Drop Height
- 13mm
Runner reviews
18 years of the same shoe
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018
55 mpw training for a half marathon
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 5/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 5/5
Old Asics runner
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018
35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GEL-Nimbus 19
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering.
More from ASICS
Compared to other shoes
See how this shoe compares to others like it.
ASICS GEL-Kayano 23 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 24 next version
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 22 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- ASICS GEL-Kayano 21 1 runner
- adidas Supernova Sequence 7 Boost 1 runner
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 1 runner