Asics GT-2000 12 Review: Ready, Steady, Reliable

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Asics GT-2000 12

CHAD: I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that Asics has been absolutely killing it recently. The Novablast 3 was arguably the shoe of the year in 2022. The complete overhauls of the Gel Nimbus 25, Gel Cumulus 25, and Gel Kayano 30 were well received by the masses. So when I saw that Asics had dropped the GT-2000 12, the newest iteration of its stability model, I wanted to get my hands on it.

Asics claims that with the GT-2000 12, “stability has never felt better.” That’s bold. The revamped GT-2000 12 features a new stability setup that Asics calls its 3D Guidance System, which is designed to be more adaptive to your runs. Other new elements include the PureGEL technology that was included in the Nimbus, Cumulus, and Kayano and a full-length midsole of FlyteFoam Blast Plus that’s bumped up to a stack of 36mm/28mm. Not to mention that Asics has reduced the carbon footprint of this shoe to 9.9 kg/CO2e, 21% less than the industry average.

SAM: Sometimes in life, you just need to keep things simple. Occam’s Razor states that the simplest solution is usually the correct one. After years of making their phones bigger and bigger, Apple recently opted to release a model that is smaller, slimmer, and harkens back to previous models of iPhone but with newer technology in it. Despite what many expected, it was a hit.

Editor’s note: We have no idea what smaller iPhone Sam is talking about, the iPhone SE isn’t really a hit. Anyway…

The Asics GT-2000 12 follows the same route. In a day when stability trainers are getting bigger and bigger (I just recently reviewed both the Gel-Kayano 30 and the Hoka Gaviota 5), Asics went back to its simpler roots with this one. The Asics GT-2000 has always been a cult classic and the stability community, a shoe loved from the shadows and in dark alleyways where people meet for flat-foot support groups. Now this cult classic has an upgrade. Let’s talk about it.

What we like about the Asics GT-2000 12

CHAD: One thing is for sure, and that’s Asics knows how to make a comfortable shoe. The upper of the GT-2000 12 is plush, and the fit is true to size, really hugging the foot but not smothering it. Underfoot feels just as good as the upper, with the full-length FFBlast Plus midsole foam providing a good amount of cushioning.

On the run, the stability is noticeable without being intrusive. I felt like in every stride, I was staying right over the platform and had no medial or lateral wiggle. The shoe has a very wide base in both the heel and the forefoot, so the transition was very smooth. Another plus is that it feels relatively light for a stability shoe, at 9.5 oz. for a US M9. Most stability shoes these days (except for the Saucony Tempus) tend to weigh well over 10 oz.

SAM: Step aside Gel-Kayano 30, the GT-2000 12 is my new stability trainer of the year. I had a hunch after the Gel-Kayano 30 that this shoe would be solid, but I found myself blown away with it. It is very similar to Mercer and I’s all-time favorite stability trainer, the OG Gel-Kayano Lite. I would honestly say it is the Gel-Kayano Lite 4. The GT-2000 12 is light, fast, and stable and gets the job done for anything you need it to.

There are some big changes from the previous model. Contrasting with my initial analogy, this shoe has added 13 mm in stack from the previous model, from a 23 mm heel and 15 mm forefoot to a 36mm heel and 28mm forefoot (that’s the total stack and most likely isn’t an accurate figure). Yet it has lost 0.2 oz and is over a full ounce lighter than the Gel-Kayano 30. This has been a recent trend in shoes that I am a big fan of. Adding stack while losing or maintaining weight. An Asics stability trainer that is lighter than others yet still cushioned? Sign me up.

I talked about how it is light, and now onto how it is fast. The GT-2000 12 has a ride unlike any other Asics shoe I’ve tried recently. The GT-2000 12 has a 5 mm higher stack than the Novablast, but it has more ground feel and honestly feels like it has more pop to it than the trampoline-like feel of the Novablast. The full-length FFBlast Plus midsole works perfectly with the PureGel in the heel to give the shoe a soft landing, quick transition, and a firm and snappy toe-off. The spring you feel in the toe-off feels similar to a plated shoe, but without the firm landing that a plated shoe would have. I found this shoe completely suitable for easy runs, daily training, long runs, and uptempo work. I actually prefer it to the Novablast for doing speedwork as well. I am not sure what exactly it is about the shoe, but it just feels fast.

Finally, let’s discuss stability. The GT-2000 12 has Asics’ new 3D Guidance System, leaving it one D short of the 4D Guidance System in the Gel-Kayano 30. Asics has abandoned the LITETRUSS System, and I think that was an outstanding choice. This moves them further along the active stability spectrum in all of their shoes and away from the old style of forcing your foot over with a massive medial piece. The items that provide stability here are the pronounced heel bevel, wide midfoot, flared forefoot, heel clip, and geometric cutouts on the lateral side of the shoe that further guide your foot away from pronating. The missing D that separates this shoe from the Kayano is that it does not have an arch support piece.

Overall I think the stability here is outstanding. I love shoes that are naturally stable due to being a lower stack, and the GT-2000 12 plays off the low stack well with these subtle stability elements that do not take away from the fun ride of the shoe but add to it. I particularly love the wide forefoot, which makes the toe off stable and keeps me moving without having to think about my pronation. The fit of it is great as well, with the heel clip keeping your foot nice and snug in the shoe and the width, making sure every foot except Jarrett’s has room. I could go on forever about this shoe, but I’m trying to keep this review simple.

What we don’t like about the Asics GT-2000 12

CHAD: “I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed… but can you ever just be whelmed?” I feel like this quote from the movie 10 Things I Hate About You (RIP Heath Ledger) perfectly sums up my thoughts on the GT-2000 12. While the shoe performed well and did its job by keeping me stable throughout my runs in it, nothing about the shoe wowed me. It was nicely cushioned for a stability shoe, but it didn’t give me any more pop or bounce than other stability shoes on the market. When a brand makes a bold claim that “stability has never felt better,” I was hoping for a little more.

SAM: I have no cons for this shoe outside of one small gripe. The fatal flaw is that the outsole on Asics shoes remains disappointing. There are no markings for me to tell if it’s AHAR or AHAR+, but I have had a hard time running in the rain in the Novablast 3, the Gel-Kayano 30, and now the GT-2000 12. With Asics being my current pound-for-pound champ in the running company world, I do expect more from them as far as outsoles go. Could it be the bricks on the Baltimore boardwalk? Sure. Could it be all of the spotted lantern flies I have been stepping on? Maybe. Regardless, I should not have to think about those things because I am slipping when wearing a shoe, so this is my call to Asics to make it right.

Asics GT-2000 12 Conclusion

CHAD: If you’re looking for a shoe that provides good cushioning and stability in a relatively light package, look no further than the Asics GT-2000 12. I think the GT-2000 12 is an incredibly solid stability trainer that gets the job done, and at the end of the day, that is what’s important. I was easily able to lace it up, set a pace, and just cruise through my miles. Part of me was just expecting a bit more based on Asics’ claims. All that said, Asics continues to put out really good shoes.

SAM: I love this shoe. It’s lighter than most stability shoes currently and is only a smidge heavier than other daily trainers in the Asics line, like the Novablast and the Gel-Cumulus. Most notably, it’s a full ounce lighter than the Gel-Kayano. While the Gel-Kayano was my stability shoe of the year at the time of that review, the one drawback with it is that it felt clunky at times, and you could not run fast. Forget about that with the GT-2000 12.

This shoe is surprisingly fast for a stability-focused daily trainer. The light stability features and FF Blast Plus combine for a soft and snappy ride. Gel trainer? More like Gran Turismo. Active stability is a dream too. If you need heavy structure over stability, I would go for the Kayano, but for everyone else, I would highly recommend this shoe. It now takes over as my stability trainer of the year and might be a dark horse for my favorite daily training shoe for this year. Like they say in the Navy, keep it simple stupid. Asics kept it simple here and came out with a hit.

You can pick up the Asics GT-2000 12 for $140 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) using the buttons below.