- The GT-2000 14 delivers excellent stability in a relatively lightweight and fun package.
- Moderately tall stack heights offers the right amount of cushioning and stability.
- The streamlined upper and thin tongue give this stability shoe a sporty feel.
Stability is a four-letter word. It kind of always has been, though. A decade ago, runners who required stability shoes were often relegated to clunky bricks that had hard, stiff heels and came in one color—gray. Then, stability nearly disappeared, as a lot of brands started experimenting with different ways to provide support other than via a medial post (the firm wedge of foam under the arch and inner heel). But the GT-2000 proves that you can make a shoe with a fun underfoot feeling that still offers plenty of guidance to runners who seek it.
Pros
- at Free People
- Testers found the cushioning to be just soft enough
- A redesigned outsole gives plenty of grip but improves the ride
Cons
- Heel design leads to bumpy landings
- Wavy patches of rubber offer good grip
| Type | Stability Trainer |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9.5 oz. (M), 7.9 oz. (W) |
| Drop | 7.4 mm (M), 6.6 mm (W) |
| Heel Stack Height | 35.8 mm (M), 34.8 mm (W) |
| Forefoot Stack Height | 28.4 mm (M), 28.2 mm (W) |
| Midsole Foam | Nutrition - Weight Loss |
While technically this is the 14th iteration of the GT-2000, dating back to 2012, variations of the shoe existed long before—Asics incremented the model name by 10 every year, ending at “2170” in 2012. Consistency has been in place since then, both in the naming and what this shoe delivers: Versatility and stability in a relatively lightweight and responsive shoe.
If you want a more plush ride with softer cushioning, look to the Kayano. But the GT-2000 14 delivers enough cushioning and stability without feeling clunky or stiff. If you feel frisky during a run, you can pick up the pace easily, but it’s not a shoe designed for speedwork. It’s also proven to deliver a good value; in an age of rising shoe prices, the GT-2000 14 costs just $140.
Upgraded Cushioning Makes the Forefoot Especially Soft
The most notable change to the 14th version of the GT-2000 is an upgrade in the midsole foam. Previously, Asics used a layer of FF Blast+, but the new model gets boosted to Nutrition - Weight Loss—foam naming conventions give me “these go to 11” vibes. But, names aside, the Max really is softer and bouncier than the plus formulation, which our testers noted.
However, that softer foam doesn’t bottom out. One of our testers has been experiencing some back issues and worried that he’d squish the heel too much, leading to greater impact in his back. That never materialized during his testing. “The transition from heel to pushoff was soft and smooth,” he reported. “There wasn’t a dead spot in my turnover.”
The foam package should not have any substantial difference on the weight, but we have not weighed the individual components. Overall, the GT-2000 14 is slightly heavier than its predecessor, with the men’s shoe gaining a tenth of an ounce in our lab measurements and the women’s going up .3 ounces. It’s not a huge jump, but worth noting. Even so, the shoe remains relatively lightweight and snappy for a stability shoe.
New Rubber Configuration Improves the Ride
The 13th version had big slabs of rubber in what appeared to be more of a traditional outsole configuration—flex grooves spanned the forefoot from side-to-side. But the new shoe gets rubber patches that are designed in a shape that brings to mind flames. You still get steady footing on all types of surfaces, as our testers discovered, and the rubber lends to the shoe’s overall stability.
Look at the medial side, under the arch, where you’ll see a single piece of rubber spanning the length of the shoe from heel to big toe. That limits the amount of flex the shoe experiences in that area and helps to keep the foam from moving too much, boosting stability. On the opposite side of the shoe, smaller patches are segmented to encourage more flexibility on the outside edge of the shoe.
Asics added one oval shaped patch directly under the midfoot as “a bouncy, trampoline-inspired forefoot pod,” saying it is, “strategically placed in the outsole, delivering an amplified toe-off with added stability.” Our testers found that it gives a lively feeling—one even wore the shoe during a track workout—without sacrificing any grip.
Stability Is Top-Notch, Once Your Foot Is Firmly on the Ground
Asics still calls its approach to stability “3D Guidance System.” The 3D lacks a medial post, the firm wedge of foam under the arch, which is found on a “4D” system in the Kayano. Instead, stability is delivered through geometry and how the foam compresses. In the case of the GT-2000 14, the medial sidewalls rise to give you a gentle nudge, while the waist of the shoe is plenty wide to provide an excellent base below your foot.
The stack height also can help contribute to the shoe’s overall planted feeling. In an age where most shoes are towering right up to, if not blowing past, the 40mm mark, the GT-2000 14 tops out at 35.8mm in our lab testing. More foam means more squishiness and less stability. Our testers appreciated the more moderate thickness for its slightly firmer feel.
But, not all is perfect. If you’re a heel striker, you may notice you clip the back portion of the shoe as you come in to land. That’s because the bevel, the outer edge at the back of the heel, isn’t quite as gradual as found on the 13. A good bevel can help smooth the landing and reduce rotational forces as you come down on your heel and progress forward. But, in the 14, you can see the back of the shoe rises more steeply and the rubber outsole patches are positioned further back. This makes for a more harsh initial contact with pavement.
If you have just a slight heel strike, like one of our testers who regularly runs in Saucony Guide and Brooks Adrenaline GTS, you might not be bothered by that extra rigidity at the back of the shoe. Those with a more extreme heel strike will feel the change.
The Verdict
The Asics GT-2000 14 continues to impress runners with its budget-friendly combination of performance materials and high level of stability. If you’re seeking a stable shoe but want something that’s more fun and feels faster than a traditional stability shoe with a medial post, the GT-2000 14 is a strong contender.
Buy Men’s at asics.com Buy Women’s at asics.com
More Running Shoes We Recommend
The 10 Best Running Shoes for Women Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).
