Great but not Amazing Shoe
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 10, 2019
45 mpw training for a half marathon came from the ASICS GT-1000 8
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 5/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- Value
- 4/5
ASICS GEL-Cumulus 21
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 9.5 oz · 29/19mm stack · 10mm drop
Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The ASICS GEL-Cumulus 22 replaced it
How it ranks
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 is based on 14 runner reviews and 13 other rated shoes in the GEL-Cumulus product line.
Below average
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 is low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.
Confidence
93 High
Based on
The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.
- Product line track record
- Our ratings
- External ratings
What runners say
“Not as durable as some other shoes; will struggle to get to 500 miles but can most likely get a quality 400 miles out of them”
“I felt like sinking at every step due to the softness of the sole”
“The bottom tread has lasted much longer than many of my other shoes”
“Very comfortable, with a lot of padding around the foot, front to back”
“It seems like the Cumulus often has a little too much room in the toe-box”
“Very difficult to pick up speed and keep a faster pace”
“The rubber outsole wears to the plastic midsole a little quicker than I would like”
“I have ran over 300 miles in it and it has held up so well”
“Its weight more on the heavy side and its lack of responsiveness”
“After 100km with them, this actually changed. The sole became harder”
“I'm pulling 50 miles a week on the Asics and I am injury free”
“Softer than my usual Mizuno Wave Rider”
“Comfort and durability for a wide width foot”
“Perfect weight for base runs long and short”
“The cushioning decreases after a while but that's to be expected”
“The shoes have continually conformed to my feet”
“Doesn't have a long lifespan”
“Fit is true to size”
“The cushioning on the Cumulus is great”
“Lasts much longer if I run on trails”
Prefer this shoe over another
24% 5/21
Where to buy
No offers available
Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.
Prices updated daily. Last checked Oct 22.
Pros
- 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.
Better Shoes Rating
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.
Release year
-
2025 · 0 reviews
75 Decent
77 Confidence
-
2024 · 9 reviews
73 Decent
83 Confidence
-
2023 · 16 reviews
57 Bottom-tier
91 Confidence
-
2022 · 3 reviews
75 Decent
83 Confidence
-
2021 · 0 reviews
70 Decent
77 Confidence
-
2020 · 1 review
61 Below average
82 Confidence
-
GEL-Cumulus 21 This shoe
2019 · 14 reviews
61 Below average
93 Confidence
-
2018 · 12 reviews
50 Bottom-tier
93 Confidence
-
2017 · 7 reviews
51 Bottom-tier
91 Confidence
-
2016 · 8 reviews
59 Bottom-tier
91 Confidence
-
2015 · 6 reviews
52 Bottom-tier
84 Confidence
-
2014 · 37 reviews
49 Bottom-tier
97 Confidence
-
2013 · 48 reviews
53 Bottom-tier
97 Confidence
-
2012 · 2 reviews
54 Bottom-tier
92 Confidence
Specs & fit
Sizing and ride details at a glance.
- Weight
- 9.5 oz
- Men's / women's
- Men's 10.1 oz · Women's 8.9 oz
- Release
- 2019 Q2
- MSRP
- $120
- Stack
- 29/19mm
- Drop
- 10mm
Runner reviews
I've Run in the Same Shoe for 20 years
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 9, 2019
50 mpw training for a marathon
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 5/5
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 9, 2019
40 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36
- Comfort
- 5/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Asics review
4/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 8, 2019
20 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 3/5
- Appearance
- 4/5
- Value
- 4/5
Took my shoe to the dogs
5/5
Overall
Anonymous runner · Jul 5, 2019
20 mpw
- Comfort
- 4/5
- Cushioning
- 4/5
- Durability
- 4/5
- Appearance
- 3/5
- 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-Cumulus 21 In Context
More on the ASICS GEL-Cumulus
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 26
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 25
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 24
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 23
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 22 next version
- ASICS GEL-Cumulus 20 previous version
Reviewers Also Ran In
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 2 runners
- Nike Lunar Glide+ 7 1 runner
- Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 32 1 runner