ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 vs. 18 review

Learn more about the difference between ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 and ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 to find out which running shoe is best for you.

The suggested retail price of the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 is US $150 compared to US $140 for the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17.

Because ASICS has made a few key improvement on the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18, which you may or may not like, you may want to stock up on the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 before it goes out of sale if you are a big fan of it.

In a previous article I compared ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 vs. ASICS GEL-Kayano 16. In this running shoe review, we will take a closer look at the differences and similarities between the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 and 18.

The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 is the new version of the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17, but if you are a long-time fan of the ASICS GEL-Kayano, you may want to consider the improvements made to the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18, since they may affect the way the shoe feels on your feet when you run.

The first difference between the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 and ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 is the weight. The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 is much lighter than the ASICS-GEL Kayano 17, due to the difference in the midsole post used to provide stability and stop overpronation.

The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 has what's called Dynamic DuoMax in its midsole, which is more or less the same as DuoMax in the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17, but which weighs an ounce lighter and is differently shaped. However, both running shoes should provide you with a similar amount of stability and support where the midsole is concerned.

While the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 already had Soft Top DuoMax like the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 does, the Soft Top DuoMax, which is a layer on top of the running shoe platform to increase comfort, has been made gender-specific in the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18. So male runners should get firmer yet still comfortable support, while female runners should get a much softer feel due to this added softer layer of density on the platform.

The final improvement made to the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 vs. 18 is the heel support. The heel support, which was previously located inside of the running shoe has been moved to the outside of the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 to reduce the possibility of friction or irritation. This change is a big change, which may take a bit getting used to.

While the uppers of the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 and 18 have remained largely the same with a combination of mesh and synthetic overlays around the heel and midfoot areas, there are a couple of added overlays in the forefoot area around the bunions. This means that the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 could provide you with less freedom of movement in the inner toe area than the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 would have provided you with.

The outsole of the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 now features Guidance Line all through to the heel. In addition, the placement and configuration of the crash pads in the heel have changed a bit in the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18.

The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 now has a prominent crash pad at the back but slightly to the outside, while this crash pad was located 100% at the back on the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17. This means that the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 should be better suited for runners who land on the back of their heels, but have the tendency to use the outer heel more than the inner heel when they land.

Despite all this, the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 should provide you with a similar amount of shock dissipation and attenuation in the heel as the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 did. The configuration of the flex grooves and crash pads in the rest of the outsole has not changed, so the amount of flexibility provided by both running shoes in the forefoot area should be the same.

It is clear that ASICS had improved comfort and lightness in mind when they designed the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18. But with those improvements also come a slight shift in your running and the feel of the shoe on your feet, so you may or may not like the new ASICS GEL-Kayano 18.

The ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 weighs 9.7 oz (275 grams) and the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 weighed 10.4 (295 grams), so the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 is 0.7 oz (20 grams) lighter than the ASICS GEL-Kayano 17.

The ASICS GEL-Kayano 17 retailed for US $140, and the ASICS GEL-Kayano 18 costs US $150, so is US $10 more expensive when you compare women's running shoes by price.

Disclaimer: This running shoe review on womensrunningshoesreviews.com is based on personal research and analysis, and is not claimed to be accurate and/or complete. While the information presented in this review is intended to help you better understand the differences between running shoes, we shall not be held liable for any purchasing decisions you make based on this information. Please use your own good judgment before making a purchase. The owner of this website receives a small compensation whenever you buy a product after clicking a product link on this website; that's how we keep this site online. Read our full disclaimer.