Asics Gel Nimbus 19 £145

When you a) charge an above-average price and b) make changes to a much-loved model, you need to be sure that what you produce hits the bullseye. That was not the case here. This iteration offers the familiar stable, pillowy, no-fuss ride for neutral runners, and the lighter Flytefoam cushioning material went down well with our testers. But an ‘improved fit’ was the opposite, with a new heel clutch failing to do its job, the toebox being a tight squeeze and the midfoot section not wrapping the foot adequately.