Like most sneaker brands, ASICS upgrades and evolves its designs over the years. Despite every modification and change, the Gel Nimbus continues to hold up—and I’m constantly impressed.

First off, the shoes are incredibly versatile. They’re designed for long or short runs (or even walking), so they can be worn for sprints, distance runs, and everything in between. That means, if you’re training for a race, you won’t need to purchase separate sneakers for speed training and heavier mileage.

I’ll admit that I did purchase a separate pair for walking (because, hey, hot girl walks), but my primary reasoning was that I didn’t want to wear out the sneakers before I took them for a spin in Berlin.

Regardless of the activity I’m tackling, I’m constantly impressed by the design’s impact protection. The sole has enough cushioning for a soft landing but not so much that it feels heavy. I mean it when I say I could barely feel these on my feet during the marathon (although by the end, I couldn’t feel much of anything). 

There’s truly not much worse than when your feet start feeling hot during a long run—but the mesh upper on these shoes is breathable and lightweight. During the summer, I regularly tested them out in 90+ degrees Fahrenheit temperatures and my feet stayed cool and breezy. (And yes, they’re great in the snow, too!). Plus, I love knowing that at least 30% of the upper is made from recycled materials.