ASICS GT-1000 11 Review: Affordable Mild Stability
By Matthew Klein
While many running shoes have continued to jump in price, there are several standbys that have continued to maintain decent, affordable prices. The ASICS GT-1000 11 is one of the more, if not most, affordable stability shoe(s) on the market. It can easily able to be found for less than $100 (I found it for $64.99 on Amazon), making it an excellent shoe for those on a budget who still want medial stability. While the shoe has traditional methods of stability, it also continues to add some new-age ones (sidewalls, full ground contact outsole, etc). This is a great example of ASICS accepting and integrating new ideas into their footwear even down to the affordable options.
Price: $99.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.4 oz, 266 g (men's size 9), 7.9 oz, 220 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: Not Provided (more traditional)
Drop: 8 mm
Classification: Mild Stability Daily Trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The ASICS GT-1000 11 is a budget stability shoe with some surprisingly high-level features. A snug upper sits up top that will fit those with more narrow feet while those with normal-width feet may want to size up a half size. An updated sole continues to provide a medial post in the heel and midfoot, but uses a full ground contact sole, sidewalls and other methods consistent with providing mild stability from a variety of measures. The GT-1000 11 continues to drop weight, making it a borderline lightweight stability shoe. A traditional amount of stack height provides a balance ride between soft and firm, making it a great option for those wanting a no-frills and super-affordable (if you look in the right place) lighter mild stability shoe.
SIMILAR SHOES: Brooks Launch GTS 8, Nike Zoom Span 4
FIT
The ASICS GT-1000 11 fits small in my normal men's US size 10. The width is also snug, so those with narrow feet may be able to stay true to size, but for most people I would encourage going up a half size. I have tried a half size up and it fit much better, with adequate room but still a slightly snug fit in the forefoot. The engineered mesh is on the lighter side with some mild stretch up front. The midfoot features a moderately thick, ungusseted tongue. I did not experience slippage, which I attribute to the laces being attached to the full length of the tongue. The midfoot is slightly snug to normal in width and stays secure thanks to ASICS's classic midfoot logo overlays. The heel fits normal in width with a large amount of heel collar padding and a stiff heel counter. As the padding compressed I did notice the counter, so those who want a stiff counter will like this shoe and those who are sensitive to them may want to steer clear. As mentioned, the whole upper is secure and I did not have to lace-lock the shoe. Sockless running is possible given the inner material is fairly smooth, however the inner aspect of the front portion of the tongue did cause a little rubbing on the top of my foot without socks. So I would advise socks with the GT-1000 11.
PERFORMANCE
The ASICS GT-1000 11 is a traditional stack height and traditional riding ASICS shoe. The midsole features full-length Flytefoam cushioning. This provides a balanced underfoot feel that sits between soft and firm. There is an 8mm drop listed, which is exactly what this shoe feels like. As expected with a stability shoe, the rearfoot is a little stiff, but is lightly cushioned. There is a heel bevel, though landing at the back is a little clunky unless you hit the exposed gel in the right spot. Once through the heel, this transitions nicely into a smooth and stable midfoot. The forefoot is fairly flexible, making for an easy transition that will require adequate motion from your toe joints.
Purpose wise the GT-1000 11 is meant for easy runs from short to moderate distances (although many will be able to take it longer distances). The lighter weight and solid forefoot transition makes it a great choice for those who want a mild stability trainer that can pick up the pace for fartleks and strides. While not the best option out there, it can handle other uptempo workouts like tempo runs and mild intervals. However, I would highly suggest looking at a different shoe like the ASICS Hyper Speed 2 for those kind of paces.
The outsole has provided solid traction on a variety of road and light trail surfaces. The extensive rubber has little wear after 30 miles of use and I expect to get an average number of miles out of a training shoe from the GT-1000 11. The traction is decent on wet road and average for a road shoe on mild trails. I would not take this shoe on any technical trail, but for well-groomed smooth trails this will be fine.
STABILITY
The ASICS GT-1000 11 is a mild to moderate-level stability shoe. A medial post (LiteTruss) sits on the inner side of the heel and midfoot. This was not noticeable at first, but became more apparent pressure-wise on me feet as the midsole broke in. Those that like the pressure from a medial post will like this shoe. There are also mild sidewalls on the medial and lateral sides of the posterior midfoot. The outsole is full ground contact with a midfoot that does not narrow too much. There is mild sole flare in the heel and forefoot. The majority of stability sits on the medial side of the heel and midfoot, so those need a mild level there will do best in this shoe.
Thoughts as a DPT: Evolution of the Stability Shoe
By Matthew Klein
We talk a great deal about stability here on Doctors of Running. Not everyone needs this, but for those that do, this term was often singular yet confusing. Stability used to refer to the presence of a medial post (more dense material on the inner side of the sole compared to the rest of the shoe) that was supposed to control or stop pronation. Pronation, which really describes a complex movement at the foot, was believed to be a major source of a majority of injuries in both walking and running. We now know that pronation is again simple a motion and those who actually need a true stability shoe with medial stability are those that have had a history of pronation-related injuries (Malisoux et al., 2016). These do NOT cover all injuries, but instead are related to a few including Achilles tendon issues, posterior tibialis muscle/tendon problems and some forms of shin splints, often associated with anterior tibialis muscle/tendon problems. So those with a history of those injuries that have extra motion into pronation that they have difficulty controlling may want to consider a stability shoe.
That said, one of the best predictors we have right now of whether a running shoe will work for you is by how comfortable it is (Nigg et al., 2015). Looking for all the biomechanical details can be complicated, especially for the newer runner. So to keep things simple, if you have a history of injuries that have been linked to some degree to pronation (see above), you may want to consider a stability shoe. If you put one on, test it and its comfortable, it is more likely that it will work for you. That still requires learning what your body likes and what shoes work best, but using the comfort scale may help both simple things and provide runners the freedom to experiment and try things!
Editors Note: For more information, check out our stability shoe guide here.
Sources:
Malisoux, L., Chambon, N., Delattre, N., Gueguen, N., Urhausen, A., & Theisen, D. (2016). Injury risk in runners using standard or motion control shoes: a randomised controlled trial with participant and assessor blinding. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(8), 481-487.
Nigg, B. M., Baltich, J., Hoerzer, S., & Enders, H. (2015). Running shoes and running injuries: mythbusting and a proposal for two new paradigms:‘preferred movement path’and ‘comfort filter’. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(20), 1290-1294.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The ASICS GT-1000 series has always been great for its price. The continued improvements in lighter weight, more rounded stability methods (post, sidewalls, full ground contact outsole) are all solid improvements. The next step for ASICS is to fix the sizing issue and continue to refine the heel bevel. The GT-1000 11 is going to be on the feet of a large number of newer runners. Having a well-designed heel bevel can reduce the rate of forces at impact, which may be quite helpful for newer runners or those getting used to the impacts of running. ASICS did a great job with this on the Nimbus 25 (review soon) and many other shoes, so I am excited for this same progression to occur in other shoes like the GT-1000.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
The ASICS GT-1000 11 is budget mild stability shoe for those who want a traditional medial post with a snug fit and lighter ride. The fit is snug and many should consider going up a half size unless they like a shorter fit. The ride is more traditional with a mildly clunky heel and a solid, moderately flexible transition through the forefoot. The stack height is lower compared to most shoes out there, which also makes this shoe lighter and able to pick up the pace for basic uptempo runs. The stability is also traditional in parts with a medial post but does have a few other methods that rounds this shoe out well. Best for those on a budget that still want a solid mild stability shoe for running, the ASICS GT-1000 11 continues to evolve at a great price.
GRADING
Matt
Fit: B- (Snug/secure fit but fits a half size small. Go up a half size)
Performance: B+ (Lighter mild stability shoe that can handle some pace changes and short to moderate distance runs)
Stability: A- [Mild Stability] (Medial Post in heel/midfoot with sidewalls, full ground contact outsole)
DPT/Footwear Science: B+ (Solid combination of traditional and newer elements of stability. Still need to work on angle of heel bevel for smoother rearfoot transitions. Take some notes from the Nimbus 25))
Personal: B (A solid, simple stability shoe. Not one that I would keep in my rotation, but great for $65)
Overall: B/B+
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FURTHER READING: MORE STABILITY
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Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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