ASICS GlideRide Review: THE ZOOM FLY KILLER
The ASICS GlideRide is a classic example of a company taking an existing product, making refinements and ending up with a better product than the one which was first to the market. The GlideRide is the shoe that I wish the Nike Zoom Fly had always been.
I bought the Zoom Fly 3 earlier this year and I was really disappointed. The midfoot was narrow and the arch poked into me, the foam was firm and lifeless and it was an overall uncomfortable shoe. Running in it felt unstable and the upper was too minimal.
The GlideRide takes all of the problems I had with the Zoom Fly and fixes them; it’s like a softer, more stable version of the Zoom Fly with a comfortable, plush upper. You still get the propulsive feel of the plate inside the shoe, but the Asics GlideRide feels like a more polished product.
The Asics GlideRide is the most fun shoe release of 2019. It’s the first plated shoe that I can wear daily as a trainer. It’s cushioned enough for long marathon distances and responsive enough for tempo workouts.
I have always thought of Asics as a boring company, sticking to their recipe of making small tweaks to their popular Nimbus, Cumulus, Kayano lines. Asics took a big risk with the GlideRide and it paid off. It’s now my favourite Asics shoe of all time.
Anyone who didn’t like the Nike Zoom Fly 3 should try the GlideRide because the GlideRide runs rings around the Zoom Fly 3. The GlideRide is softer, more stable, more responsive, more comfortable AND cheaper than the Zoom Fly 3.
For the next version, Asics needs to fix the bothersome seam on the inside of the shoe and to make the shoe a tad lighter. Bringing the price down by $10 also wouldn’t hurt.
The GlideRide is super fun to run in and it’s hands down the best plated running shoe on the market.