ASICS review
Updated September 30, 2026 · ThriveCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
ASICS has built running shoes since 1949 and covers road, racing and walking, so it suits runners who want a single brand across training and racing. Trail and spike runners should look at Sportwerk (road, racing and trail) first, and price shoppers should note that entry prices across this category start at €8.76.
Key facts
- Best for
- Road runners and racers who want training and racing shoes from one established maker.
- Legal entity
- ASICS Corporation (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Japan (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 1949 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Road, Racing, Walking
- Official website
- asics.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- The range covers road, racing and walking, so road trainers, racing flats and walking shoes all come from the same maker.
- Founded in 1949 and run as ASICS Corporation, so the name carries decades of shoe making rather than a recent relaunch.
- A help centre is the standard support route in this category, at 100%, with email close behind at 64.3%.
- Free returns are the norm on most listings here, at 81.8%, which makes a wrong fit cheaper to undo.
- Most sellers in this category are the brands themselves, at 90%, so sizing advice and returns stay with the maker.
Cons
- The range stops at road, racing and walking, as road, racing and walking shows, while Sportwerk also lists road, racing and trail and picks up trail and spikes.
- Compared with Academy, which pairs road with hiking boots at road and hiking boots, the ASICS list is thinner for anyone moving between road and light trail.
- Worn returns sit at 12.5% across this category, which makes the condition of a returned pair a detail to check on the specific listing.
- Category entry prices stretch from €8.76 to €2,385.95, so the specific model carries as much of the decision as the label does.
Ready to try ASICS?
Who it suits
- Road runners and racers who want road, racing and walking covered by a single established brand (road, racing and walking).
- Return-conscious buyers, since free returns run at 81.8% here while worn returns sit at 12.5%.
- Shoppers who prefer a written help centre over live chat, with help centres at 100% against chat at 35.7%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Trail and spike runners, who should look at Sportwerk (road, racing and trail).
- Hiking boot buyers, who need Academy (road and hiking boots).
- Bargain hunters who want trail alongside road, since Decathlon covers road, trail and racing and category entry prices start at €8.76.
The company behind it
The shoes are sold under the name of the company behind them, ASICS Corporation. That company was founded in 1949 and has its head office in Japan. A brand of that age has normally settled on its lasts and its sizing and carries them across models, so a road trainer and a racing flat from the same line tend to sit on the same foot. It also means the range on sale is the range the company decided to make rather than a reseller's edit, and a problem with sizing goes back to the maker. For a buyer, the maker name is one input among several: it tells you who stands behind the shoe, how long they have been building them and where the product decisions are taken. Price, fit and the return window still decide the rest.
How ASICS compares
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of shoes does ASICS make?+
The range covers road, racing and walking. That is a narrower mix than Sportwerk (road, racing and trail) or Decathlon (road, trail and racing), since neither trail nor spikes appear on the ASICS list. Runners on mixed surfaces are better served by one of those two.
What do running shoes cost at the entry point?+
Across this category, entry prices start at €8.76, sit near €49.08 at the lower quartile and reach €128 at the upper one. The spread runs to €2,385.95, so the model you pick matters as much as the label.
How long do returns last?+
Return windows in this category run 14 to 60, with 30 at the midpoint. Check the window on the specific pair before ordering, particularly if you plan to race in them first.
Do I have to pay to send shoes back?+
Free returns are the norm on most listings here, at 81.8%. Worn returns are the exception, at 12.5% for sellers that accept them, so a pair already run in may not be refundable.
Which widths are available?+
Regular fit dominates this category at 88.9%, with wide at 22.2% and extra wide at 22.2%. Narrow fits are listed at 11.1%, so buyers who need something snug should search early.
How do I get help after buying?+
A help centre is the standard route, at 100%, with email at 64.3% and phone at 57.1%. Live chat is less common, at 35.7%, and community boards sit at 14.3%.
Am I buying from the brand or a retailer?+
Brands sell most shoes in this category themselves, at 90%, with retailers covering the rest at 10%. Buying direct keeps sizing advice and returns with the maker, which matters when a model fits differently from the rest of the line.
How long has ASICS been making shoes?+
The company behind the brand is ASICS Corporation, founded in 1949 and headquartered in Japan. A history of that length usually means sizing stays consistent across models, so a road trainer and a racing flat from the same line tend to fit the same foot.
Sources
- corp.asics.com/en checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded, Legal entity
“Since its founding in 1949, ASICS has been committed to promoting the physical and mental well-being of people”
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASICS checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Products
“headquartered in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture”
Compiled from 2 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price from.
Related by the facts
ASICS
Road runners and racers who want training and racing shoes from one established maker.