Saucony Triumph 22 vs ASICS Gel Nimbus 26: Two Max-Cushion Cruisers Compared

Introduction

Max-cushion easy-day trainers have become the comfort-first corner of the running shoe market, and two of the biggest names there have both just been overhauled. The Saucony Triumph 22 and the ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 are big, heavy, cushioned cruisers with wide bases for stability, and on paper they look remarkably similar.

Saucony has moved the Triumph in a distinctly plush direction, while ASICS has refined a design it already committed to with the Gel Nimbus 25. We spent time running in both to see which one delivers the better easy-day experience.

Saucony Triumph 22: A Softer, Wider Rebuild

The Triumph 22 costs £170 or $160, weighs 306g (10.8oz) for men in a size 8, and has a 10mm drop. It is a major rebuild of the line, headlined by a new Power Run PB foam midsole, a Pebax-based material replacing the Power Run foam found in the Triumph 21. The same family of foam is used in the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 and Speed 4, though the version here is modified and feels different, softer at the heel with less snap.

There is also an updated upper designed to be plusher and more comfortable, and a noticeably wider base across the full length of the shoe to improve stability. The outsole gets a generous layer of rubber for grip and midsole protection, and it performs very well, with no issues in testing.

The trade-off is versatility. The Triumph 20 and 21 were much-loved for being comfortable and genuinely versatile, the kind of single pair you could take on holiday and use for intervals, fartleks, and long runs. The Triumph 22 has largely lost that. The foam feels soft if you land on the heel, but presses into the midsection of the shoe and does very little. There is no real turnover or bounce, which makes it a shoe almost exclusively for easy and recovery runs. It is protective and comfortable for that job, just not much else.

ASICS Gel Nimbus 26: Refinement of a Max-Stack Comfort Shoe

The Gel Nimbus 26 costs £180 or $160, weighs 301g (10.6oz) for men in a size 8, and has an 8mm drop. It is a max-stack cushion shoe focused on comfort for easy days and long runs. Where the Gel Nimbus 25 brought sweeping changes, the 26 is more of a refinement: modifications to the upper, improved outsole rubber, an added rocker, and a slightly firmer midsole.

The ride combines a thick layer of FF Blast Plus Eco foam with ASICS’ PureGel technology to reduce impact, and the new breathable upper and collar construction aim to improve fit and step-in comfort. The updated outsole rubber is designed for grip and durability, and it holds up well in use.

Compared with the Nimbus 24, which was firmly in the cushion-only camp, the 26 shows a little more bounce in the midsole and slightly more versatility as a comfortable daily shoe. The main complaint is noise: the outsole rubber is noticeably harder than the Triumph’s, and the shoe is very slappy at foot strike, producing a loud sound that can get annoying on longer runs. As a heel striker, that slappy sensation comes through harder on the forefoot, which slightly reduces the comfort compared with the Saucony.

Fit and Sizing

Both shoes fit true to normal running shoe size, with plenty of wiggle room and a spacious feel typical of big flagship cushion shoes. Runners with slightly wider feet should be fine in either. The heel and midfoot hold is good, with generous padding around the collar, arguably slightly more than ideal around the Achilles, though no significant irritation in testing. Some testers felt they could have gone half a size down in the ASICS, but staying true to size worked well for both brands.

Which One Should You Buy?

These are two easy-day shoes designed firmly for cushioned, relaxed running. Both are comfortable, stable, and protective, and both lack the turnover or responsiveness for faster sessions. There is not a lot between them, and they feel strikingly similar when run in together: soft at the heel, reasonably smooth rolling onto the forefoot, and little bounce at toe-off.

If forced to pick, the Saucony Triumph 22 edges ahead slightly. It is a bit more comfortable for long runs, and it avoids the slappy foot strike that makes the ASICS annoying on quiet roads. The ASICS Gel Nimbus 26, however, offers slightly more versatility, with a touch of bounce that makes it a genuinely pleasant all-around comfort shoe.

Worth noting before you buy: if you want one shoe for everything, neither of these is the answer. The New Balance More V4 offers a nicer turnover for anything from easy runs to marathon training, and the New Balance Rebel V4 is a far more versatile daily shoe that handles easy runs and speed sessions while still keeping soft, bouncy cushioning. Both of these alternatives may serve a one-shoe runner better than either flagship here.

Conclusion

The Saucony Triumph 22 and ASICS Gel Nimbus 26 are both big, cushioned, protective easy-day cruisers that do a similar job in a similar way. The Triumph is the marginally more comfortable pick for long runs and quiet rides, while the Nimbus brings a bit more versatility and bounce but a slappier ride. Choose based on whether plush comfort or a touch more snap matters more to you.