ASICS Women's Gel-Kayano 23 Running Shoe

I agree with many other reviewers - what was Asics thinking? I have been a devout Kayano fan for almost 20 years, and now I need to find a new shoe. The Kayano 22 gave me horrible blood blisters on my toes and heels, and I was hopeful that for the Kayano 23 Asics would go back to the classic Kayano shape and fit - but to no avail. The made the toe box wider than the 22, but now the shoes are short. I'm returning these immediately, ordering a pair of Kayano 21's, and will have to find a new running shoe after 20 years. So bummed!

Been running in gel kaynos for years. The 23 feels like a design change. They are narrower. My feet hate the 23's. Just did my 2nd run. They are going to goodwill.

I'm a die hard Asics Kayanos fan. I have moderate overpronation and also need a lot of cushioning in the forefoot and Kayanos seem to work the best for me without overkill. I've been wearing them for about 12-13 years now. I can always wear them right out of the box. I was curious about the Kayano 23s because a lot of the reviews said they were too narrow in the toe box area and width compared to the past year's Kayanos. From my personal experience, the Kayano 21s and 22s had gotten too wide in the toe box area. I stuck with them and just laced my shoes as tight as I could even though my forefoot seemed to move too much in them because I need the cushioning and arch support; however, I didn't love them, just liked them. I've only had these 23s for a day and am already digging them over my 21s and 22s because they feel just like my 18s and 20s. I've actually continued to wear my 18s and 20s even though they are totally worn out because they fit me better than my 21s and 22s. My 19s ran a little wide like the 21s and 22s. I almost sent my 22s back for a narrow last year and I've never worn a narrow shoe in my life. Anyways, sorry to ramble, but the 23s have gone back to the true Kayano style - they fit you like a glove and your foot doesn't swim around. Length-wise, I'm a 10.5 in previous Kayanos and there's no difference for me in the 23s - still a 10.5.

I have worn the Gel Kayano for years and years and it has been a great running shoe. I have always ordered a size 11 in my running shoe (normal foot size is 10-11 depending on the brand). This has never failed me - until I received my Gel Kayano 23. My toe is at the very end and I can feel it hitting the top of the shoe. I thought maybe my foot grew, so I slipped my 22s back on (which are the exact same size) and nope, they don't do that. I am really disappointed. I read the reviews on the 23 Lite and thought those were the ones that were running too narrow, not the non-Lite. I am not even going to try these out for fear they will give me blisters and then I won't be able to return them. So, I'm sending them back unworn and re-ordering the 22s. If ASICS doesn't go back to their original design I'll have to start looking for a new brand - which really disappoints me.

There is a trick to the new Kayanos - they are VERY NARROW. I have been a loyal Kayano wearer for many years, and Asics clearly made them very narrow in the toebox. But if you buy them in the size wide, they fit like the medium width shoes of before and they are terrific!!!!

These ASICS don't even feel like Asics. They certainly don't feel like Kayanos, and they certainly don't feel like the $160 Kayanos. At best, these are like low-cushioned, light support, poorly designed $60 running-ish shoes.I'[ve run in Kayanos for years. I buy them 3-4 times a year. I've never been disappointed, and I'm terribly disappointed this time. My posture is off, my knees hurt, my arches hurt, the forefront of my feet hurt- these shoes are terrible. Do not buy them. They are the absolute worst ASICS I've ever owned and not worth the price tag. I have wondered if they're knock-offs...I've never until today written a seething review of a running shoe, but after a month with these shoes (outside the return window), and it's been the same experience 15 miles a week for a month, I'm giving up and buying a new pair from a different seller. Definitely disappointed.

Arch support has been removed. I have been buying a pair of Kayano running shoes every year for 6 years for my flat feet and over-pronation, same size. Always a perfect fit and great arch support in the past. Not this year. The arch support is gone from the model 23 and the fit is tighter in the toe and top of the foot. Because of the tighter fit, I could not fix it with adding an arch support insert. Asics has been my savior in the past allowing me to exercise in comfort. Now I will have to take up the search again. I am giving 3 stars because they are still well made and have good padding and heel stability. I can possibly wear them for short, low intensity or mat workouts. I intend to check out model 24 but will be trying them on in a retail store first. Wish they wouldn't have changed from previous models.

I knew the toe box width on the Kayano 22 and 23 were not as wide as previous models and I usually wear 1 size larger than my street shoe size 7 so I bought 8 1/2 - 1 1/2 size larger than street shoe size and it was a perfect fit. I've worn the GT2000 prior but the cushion of the Kayano is unbeatable. It is worth the $$. Especially for long runs. Also, the color of the shoes is much more vibrant and stunning than in the photo online.