Max-Cushion Crusade: Saucony Triumph vs ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
It's like the Statue of Liberty vs Leaning Tower of Pisa. Everest vs Kilimanjaro. A Cadillac Escalade vs Jeep Grand Wagoneer. You can't go wrong either way in these comfort wars.
.png)
With the move toward max-cushion cruisers, brands are dropping 40mm stack behemoths left and right. But none have quite perfected the formula like Saucony and ASICS (we see you, New Balance More v4, but better luck next year). The Saucony Triumph and ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 are two of the softest, cushiest, marshmallow-iest running shoes on the market today. Here, we compare them head-to-head to let you know which one is best for you (or just get them both, like we did). Let's get into it.
Saucony Triumph vs ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25: Overview
Both the Saucony Triumph and ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 are max-cushioned shoes designed for comfort over the long haul. The Triumph is positioned by Saucony as a versatile everyday running shoe that has cloud-like cushioning and pop. ASICS' marketing team took a similar approach with the Nimbus 25, calling it the "most comfortable running shoe" and even getting a lab in Australia to verify this with a blind study. (No joke. There's even a press release for it.)
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
.png)
The Saucony Triumph 20 was released in summer/fall 2022, with a mild update to the upper for the 21st iteration in 2023. Since the update was so minor, we're going to consider the 20 and 21 together in this review. See below for specs on both shoes.
Saucony Triumph 21
Similarities of Saucony Triumph and ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
The Triumph and Gel-Nimbus are about as similar two shoes from different brands can get. They're comfort-oriented shoes with max stacks of soft foam midsoles. They both have comfortable uppers and decent rubber outsole coverage for durability. Because they're crafted for comfort and not speed, neither of them are the lightest in their class, with the Nimbus coming in at 10.2 ounces for a US mens size 9 and the Triumph coming in at 9.7 ounces for that same size.
Triumph vs Nimbus Midsole: Saucony PWRRUN+ & ASICS FF Blast Plus ECO
The Triumph and Nimbus use different foam compounds in their midsole to accomplish the same mission of comfort. The Triumph uses a full layer of Saucony's PWRRUN+ foam, which is a beaded TPU similar to the Boost foam that's found in the Adidas Ultraboost series. Currently, PWRRUN+ is exclusive to the Triumph, but it's also coming in the soon-to-be-released Kinvara Pro, which will have PWRRUN+ and PWRRUN PB.
The Gel-Nimbus uses an EVA blend called FF Blast Plus Eco, which is a bunch of words strung together by the naming experts. It's also a fantastically soft foam that's stable, plush and forgiving at slower paces and transforms into being responsive and compliant at faster paces. The Nimbus 25 also has a gel unit in the heel which adds some support and impact absorption for heel strikers.
In general, the Triumph's PWRRUN+ has a bit more bounce to it than the Nimbus' FF Blast Plus ECO at slower paces. However, the ASICS foam is more responsive to pace changes and can handle pickups and faster speeds with more ease than the PWRRUN+.
Both Nimbus and Triumph are max stack shoes, with the Nimbus topping out at 41.5mm of foam in the heel and the Triumph at 37mm. That extra 4.5 mm of foam can definitely be felt out there on the road, as the Nimbus feels like a lot of shoe if you're not used to maneuvering a yacht-like trainer.
Upper & Fit: Saucony's Snug, Nimbus Skews Wide & Warm
Both Triumph and Nimbus have knit uppers with a decent amount of padding around the heel collar. The Nimbus has a slightly wider and more generous fit, so it's likely a better option for wide-footed runners. The material in the Nimbus' knit construction is almost like your favorite worn-in cotton t-shirt from college, which is great for comfort and not so great for hot summer days, where your foot can get quite warm in the ASICS cruiser.
The fit of the Triumph is narrower than the ASICS Gel-Nimbus, especially in the heel and midfoot area. The platform is shaped like a figure eight, where the middle of the foot is particularly snug compared to other shoes we've tried in its class. The Triumph fits normally in the toebox and general volume of the upper, so it's a strange choice for them to have made the midfoot so cramped. Such is life.
Ride: ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 vs Saucony Triumph 20/21
The Triumph has a soft and bouncy ride that's smooth as butter. The Gel-Nimbus has a cushioned and stable ride where squishiness reigns the day. Both shoes are most at home at slower everyday aerobic running paces or on true recovery efforts. Because they're designed for comfort, they're also both great for walking around town.
The platform of the Nimbus is wider, so it has some inherent stability that's missing from the Triumph platform. On certain efforts, we found the heel of the Triumph to feel disconnected and squirrelly. We noticed this to be more connected to footstrike than pace, where in certain gait patterns landing on the heel area of the Triumph felt unstable.
The Nimbus also has a more aggressive forefoot rocker that helps the legs glide along on recovery runs. The Triumph has a slight rocker, but the Saucony designers reserved the more rockered curvature to the Endorphin line siblings. Look to the Endorphin Shift 3 or Speed 3 if you want a comfortable rockered ride.
Who They're Best For
In our own training, we use the Triumph for longer runs where we know we're not going to push the pace, while the Nimbus is better for short to medium length recovery efforts (more than 10 miles and the Nimbus starts to drag). If you're looking for a long run shoe that can soak up the miles and keep you comfortable and fresh, go for the Triumph. If you want a shoe to pull for on those mornings after a tough 4 x 1 mile session—or after that aforementioned long run—then get the Nimbus.
Runners who have stability needs should also choose the Nimbus over Triumph, as the wider base of the Nimbus helps provide more stable landings. The Triumph has a tighter upper in the midfoot section as well so is best for narrow- or medium-width footed runners. The price and durability of the two are roughly similar (both $160 and should last 300 to 400 miles), so make your choice based on the ride and fit.
Both the Triumph and Nimbus are great for runners who already have a daily trainer in their rotation and want something to use when recovering from harder efforts. Max-cushioned recovery running shoes like these are best for runners who are hitting the roads multiple times a week, taking on structured workouts and racking up high-mileage. If you're looking for something to run in everyday, consider building out a rotation first with a versatile daily trainer.
Final Thoughts
The Triumph and the Nimbus are top of their class in the max-cushioned cruiser category. It's like the Statue of Liberty vs Leaning Tower of Pisa. Everest vs Kilimanjaro. A Cadillac Escalade vs Jeep Grand Wagoneer. You can't go wrong either way in these comfort wars.
Find your next running shoe
Answer a few questions to find the best shoe based on your preferences and goals
