Customer Reviews ASICS GEL-Kayano® 26

I'd go a half size up in these puppies. I have to say Kayano's are great, but I found the Kayano 26 to be a bit stiff and hard soled. I much preferred the Kayano 25's. I don't know why Asics messed with perfection. That's my 2 cents worth.

I am writing this review because I have been through several tennis shoes and haven't been able to find a fit lately. And I tried these in spite of the reviews and they work great for me. I was a fan of the Gel Kayano 22, in fact, when they wore out, I tracked down another pair to buy. I skipped the 23 and 24, tried a pair of Brooks that were terrible, and last year purchased the 25. I can't say I have been happy with the 25, but they were better than the Brooks. However, lately my feet have been killing me, which is usually a sign my shoes are worn out. I was trying to decide between the 25 again, or try the 26. These work very well for me. The 26 is very padded in the heel, but is not quite as deep as the 25, so my foot sets better in it. They are much lighter than the 25. They have a lot of good cushioning, and your foot does not feel bogged down. On the negative side, they are slightly shorter than the 25s, not enough to change size for me, I'm usually a solid 9. They are more narrow than the previous version, only in that I lacing is much wider than I normally wear it, but the heel and toebox are fine. For me, I think they will be a great shoe.

I hate these. They seemed comfortable walking around the house but once I ran in them the lack of cushioning was so acute that I had to stop after a mile due to pain from my feet striking the ground so hard. My favorite version of the Gel Kayano were the 20. I've been searching for that level of comfort and support ever since. I also have the 24 version which is wearable but nothing like the running on clouds feeling I had with the 20. I wish I hadn't already run in the 26 so that I could return them because they are too short and HARD. My feet hurt for two days following my one and only run in them. :(

I’ve worn Asics for years, and suddenly this style and the Nimbus are both too short. Fair warning, order a half-size up.

I have worn Gel-Kayanos for 15 years with never a problem. The 25 was narrow but I dealt with it. I thought the 26 would be an improvement but it took numerous tries to get it right (thank you Zappos return policy!) I have worn size 9 regular width for many years. The current model (26) size 9 1/2 is the exact same size as the 25 size 9. So the current model is 1/2 size smaller. It is also narrow. So after years of size 9 in Medium width, I have finally realized that in the current model (26) I need to wear a size 9 1/2 Wide. Photo below shows the 25 and the 26. The 25 is a size 9. The 26 is a 9 1/2. They are the same size.

I have been wearing asics 13 narrow for years! Not only did they stop making the narrows ,but I just tried the new kayano in the 13 and it's way too short!!!! Ridiculous!!! I am a 12 narrow in a shoe.

I ordered the first pair of Kayano 26s in my normal size 9. Returned them and ordered a 9.5 which has the required toe room. I’m disappointed in having to size up. For the record, my Kayano 24s are the last pair that felt like a comfortable Cadillac ride. Probably the 20s were good. Every other pair feels like a ride in a Ford Ranger from the 1990s, hard but servicible

I purchase a pair of ASICS GEL-Kayanos every few years. I am consistently a size 8.5 and this time was no different. I noted some other reviewers mentioned the sizing seems to run small but I didn't have that experience. I found the length and width of the 8.5 even more comfortable in that respect as my last pair. However, I do feel like the foot bed is a bit stiffer than the earlier versions and I'd like it to be more gel-like but that's my only non-positive comment. I like the black with white stripes and glad they offer this neutral combination for those of us who don't want Jackson Pollock-eseque running shoes.

Love, love, love these Asics! I wear a size 7 M and this shoe in that size seems fine for me though I understand why some may need to go up a half size as there’s perhaps not as much extra room in the toe box as compared to other styles/brands. I’m looking forward to covering a lot of ground in these exceptionally good looking kicks!

I have worn Kayanos forever. I have seen them through their various "fit" issues, and after reading that the 26s were back to a more old-school fit (and for me, the wide toe box was the initial appeal to this shoe, among other things), I was excited to give them a try. I am not an avid runner, so I don't buy every new number/model that comes out. My last pair was a 24, and I am comparing those to these new 26s. First, I always have bought a half size up from my normal street shoe size (wear 8s in general but always 8.5 in Kayanos), and per usual I bought the half size up. With my 24s, I had to purchase in a WIDE since the toe box had been compressed and I wanted more space. I purchased the new 26s in a normal/medium width. I agree that the toe box in the 26s are back to being wider, but the overall shoe is shorter. It seems that the 26s are slightly less tapered at the very end of the toe, so I think they are going to still be ok, even if the shoe length is shorter overall. I am including a photo with my heels against the wall, and you can see a noticeable "length" difference between old and new. I have only worn them to run once, and they had the same feel as the 24s did = I initially feel some minor discomfort in my heels, but within a couple miles they feel good. I do like this colorway MUCH better than any I have gotten in recent years (midnight/almond) which is a dark blue with gold-ish accents (and a pinkish undertone beneath the mesh). I think these are going to do the job, but time will tell.

These shoes are RFID chipped!! What the actual hell????????????

I used to buy this show is the narrow width. I tired it in the regular width since they are not making narrows anymore. It was a bit too wide for my foot. The toe box was huge on me. This shoe didn't feel like it had much cushion. I had to send it back and try some different brands.

I like the looks of the shoes, but overall they just do not fit correctly. I ordered the size I normally wear for the first pair; they were too short. I reordered a second pair a half size larger, and they also are not large enough and they are just not comfortable. I'm sorry to say I am returning them..

To get this shoe to work for me, I had to go a full size bigger then add cushioning insoles. Was going from a gel Kayano 22 that I 'd worn for four years. The Kayno 26 had very little cushioning. I first tried the size I wore in the Kayano 22, which was 9.5. In the 26, it was too small. I returned those and got a size 10. Still too small, felt tight. Finally went to 10.5 (!) My actual shoe size is 9. The 10.5 were slightly too large, but once I added cushioning insoles , the shoe finally felt pretty similar to the Kayano 22, which had felt great from the moment I put them on. Asics, are you paying attention to these reviews? Put the cushioning back in, stop making them smaller than normal for their purported size.

What happened??? These are not the Gel-Kayanos I’ve faithfully worn for two decades. The sizing is off, toe box too narrow, and the cushion is just: missing. Wow. My feet ached after wearing these. I hope ASICS gets their act back together after this disaster. So glad for Zappos return policy. These are awful.

I only wear Kayano. I love the 22s and also have the 24s. I normally size up for athletic shoes and had to size up even more for the 26s, as other reviewers have said. Finally Asics has gone back to a wider toe box, which I need.

I love the color of these shoes and I've purchased ASICS in the past, but these shoes were so tiny! When I pulled them out of the box, I thought I mistakenly ordered the children's size. I checked the box...7 1/2....right size. I tried them on hoping that they somehow just appeared small, but they began to cut off my blood circulation. I don't recommend these shoes. I love the color, so I may order a size 8, but what a disappointment that you can't simply order a shoe in your size and know it will fit out of the box. Seems to be the issue lately with ASICS.

Ordered a 1/2 size larger than usual as I heard these run small. Still too small. Need to order a full size larger than normal. ASICS get a ruler!

Very nice! I have been desperate to find a replacement for the Gel Nimbus 15 that I can longer find anywhere. Took a chance with these and am happy! The ankle cradle is a little shallower than I want for a running shoe, but I love the cushy feel right out of the box. Also, the toe box is nice and wide, even on the regular width, to feel comfortable. Plus, the violet color is great! Fun, but not over the top bright.

I have buying these shoes for a long time. These do not disappoint. The are both soft and supportive and accommodate my high arch. I wear these shoes from morning until night. I run in them, walk the dogs in them and teach fitness classes in them. I would buy again.

I did a previous review in which i was very happy with the fit - no break-in time. Walked 2 miles in it right away, with no blisters or sore spots. However, now that I've been wearing them for 8 weeks, I realize that there is a problem. The finishing material which hits right below my ankles is all worn off in a 1-1.5" section! I wore the previous model for at least a year and that section still looks brand new.

Been wearing the Kayano for eons first time I've had to return a pair to try a 1/2 size larger. Toe was hitting the front...disappointed!

I’ve bought Kyanos for years. In fact I bought the same exact shoes in a different color 3 months ago. They were great. These however caused me to have severe planters facitis.

Something is very wrong with the sizing. I've been wearing this shoe for 25 years! Same size. My Kayano 25 is dramatically different, at least a full size larger than this Kayano 26. Returning for a larger size, but jeez I've never worn a 10 or 10.5!