Four New Running Shoe Releases Worth a Look: Asics, Nike, adidas and ACG

Introduction

After a quiet start to the year, a wave of new running shoe releases arrived all at once. Four of them stand out: a new cushioned Asics daily trainer, a fully customisable Nike version of a familiar cruiser, an adidas Ultra Boost designed to be sent back and recycled, and a weatherised ACG trail shoe. Here is how each one shapes up and who it might actually suit.

Asics Glide Ride 3

The Glide Ride 3 is the most interesting of this batch. Asics is bringing its newer FF BLAST PLUS foam into the midsole, the same foam family seen in the Gel Nimbus 24. Its position in the stack raises the question of whether it sits as a soft top layer over a firmer, more resilient foam underneath, essentially an added layer of comfort on top of the ride.

Visually, the upper is practically identical to the Glide Ride 2, and the outsole rubber layout also looks very similar. That consistency matters here: the previous versions were enjoyable, well-rounded shoes, and the new foam could make this a stable, plush long-run roller. There is even a resemblance to a more stable take on a layered cushioning concept, with soft foam on top and firmer foam beneath. For runners tired of super shoe after super shoe, this feels like something a little different, and it earns a place on the shortlist.

Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 3 By You

The By You edition of Nike’s daily cruiser has surfaced on the Nike website with a full set of customisation options. You can choose colours for the knit collar, swoosh and heel clip, swap the laces for a toggle-based system, and pick between three outsoles: the standard version, the all-weather Storm Tread, or the classic waffle lugs made famous on old-school Nike running shoes.

The idea is genuinely appealing, and customising a daily trainer sounds like fun. But at £169 it is a hard sell for a shoe whose midsole and outsole have stayed the same for three iterations, with a very similar upper as well. Paying a premium to personalise a familiar daily shoe is a stretch, and the price is the main reason this one is easy to pass on.

adidas Ultra Boost Made to be Remade

This shoe finally dropped on the adidas website for members, and the sustainability angle is the headline. adidas can take the shoe back once you have finished with it, grind it up and turn it into new products, possibly new shoes or other goods. Underfoot you still get the classic stretched Continental rubber and the standard Ultra Boost midsole from the v5 DNA.

The trade-off is weight and price. The sample size weighs 352 grams (12.4 ounces), which would push close to 400 grams in a UK size 11, and the stack is fairly low at around 22 mm in the heel and 12 mm in the forefoot, which narrows the use case. The snug stretchy knit upper looks comfortable but is not Primeknit, which is likely what makes the recycling process possible. At £160, with the standard Ultra Boost DNA coming in lighter at 328 grams in the same sample size, the intent is admirable but the everyday maths is hard to justify if you already own shoes in this category.

Nike ACG Mountain Fly Low Gore-Tex

This is a weatherised update of the Mountain Fly, featuring a React midsole and, unusually, a carbon fibre plate of the kind associated with the Four Percent racing shoe. The chunky waffle outsole creeps up the side walls of the midsole and toe box, and there are reflective elements plus a Gore-Tex application that should make it a genuine winner in wet weather.

Two things give pause. First, the pale sea-glass green colourway will not stay clean for long on real trails, and it is a strange choice for a shoe this muck-prone. Second, there is an unusual lacing system that loops around the heel and criss-crosses over where the tongue would be. Carbon plates in trail shoes remain unconvincing here; rock plates exist for protection, but that does not seem to be the intent. At £165 there is a hint of style over substance, which the ACG line is sometimes guilty of.

Overall Buying Advice

Of the four, the Asics Glide Ride 3 is the clear pick for runners after a fresh cushioned daily trainer with new foam to try. The Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 3 By You is worth considering only if customisation genuinely matters to you and the premium feels justified. The adidas Ultra Boost Made to be Remade suits buyers motivated by recyclability who accept the weight and price trade-offs. The Nike ACG Mountain Fly Low Gore-Tex is best for those who want a weatherproof lifestyle-leaning trail shoe and like the ACG aesthetic.

Conclusion

Four very different releases, one clear winner for most runners: the Glide Ride 3, which combines proven comfort with new midsole technology. The rest are interesting ideas, but price, weight, or design choices make them situational picks at best.