Asics Gel-Kayano 33 vs New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15
Two shoes people weigh up against each other constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from the same database that drives the Shoe Finder quiz, with nothing added by hand. The short version: the Asics Gel-Kayano 33 has the higher heel at 8mm against 6mm, the Asics Gel-Kayano 33 is 46g lighter.
Side by side
| Asics Gel-Kayano 33 | New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £179.99 RRP | £150 RRP |
| Type | Support | Support |
| Support | Support | Support |
| Weight | 298g | 344g |
| Heel drop | 8mm | 6mm |
| Heel stack | 40mm | 40mm |
| Widths | Standard, wide and 4E | Standard, wide and 4E |
| Plate | None | None |
What the differences mean
Weight
The Asics Gel-Kayano 33 is 46g lighter, at 298g against 344g. As a rough guide every 100g costs about one percent in running economy, so 46g is worth a fraction of a percent. You will feel it more than it costs you, and it counts for more on a fast 5k than on a slow long run.
Heel drop
This is the real difference. The Asics Gel-Kayano 33 has a 8mm drop and the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15 has 6mm. A higher heel asks less of your achilles and calf and more of your knee, and a lower one does the opposite. If you get regular trouble at one of those, pick accordingly. If you get none, pick whichever is closer to what you already run in, because changing drop suddenly is the most reliable way to give yourself a new problem.
Feel underfoot
The Asics Gel-Kayano 33 is the softer ride. The other sits in the middle. Preference rather than performance.
Price
£150 against £179.99 at full price, so the New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15 is £30 less. Both are discounted often enough that the gap on the day may look nothing like this, which is worth checking before you decide on price alone.
Which should you buy?
Neither, until you have tried both on. Fit decides more than any specification on this page, and the two shoes above are close enough that a foot shape will separate them faster than a spreadsheet will.
Asics Gel-Kayano 33
The classic support shoe. Plush, stable and very hard to fall out with.
New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v15
Solid, supportive and heavy. Best if you want obvious control and a roomy fit.
Or let the quiz decide
This page compares two shoes. The shoe finder compares all 104 of them against your width, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute.