ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 vs New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15

Two popular shoes in the same category, compared on measured geometry. Each cell carries a provenance badge; open a shoe for sources.

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ASICS Gel-Nimbus 2843/35 mm · toe rocker 33 % · heel bevel 12 %
New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v1538/32 mm · toe rocker 31 % · heel bevel 11 %

Illustrative profiles, not photographs: drawn from published stack heights and photo estimates of the unloaded shoes on a common length (300 mm), heels aligned, toe to the left; dots mark where each toe rocker starts; the dotted vertical line is under the heel bone (12 % of length), so a heel curve reaching past it is a bevel in front of the heel bone. Dotted lines use typical values where a shoe has no measurement. Exact values are in the table below.

Which suits you

If you want	Pick	Because
A smoother roll at toe-off	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	33.4 vs 31.5 % toe rocker; 44.8 vs 35.8 mm toe tip
More cushioning under the heel	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	42.5 vs 38 mm heel stack
More under the forefoot	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	34.5 vs 32 mm forefoot stack
A lower drop	New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15	8 vs 6 mm drop
A stiffer, snappier forefoot	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	80 vs 37 /100 stiffness
A firmer, more stable feel	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	71 vs 3 /100 firmness
A wider base under the forefoot	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28	119 vs 108.9 mm forefoot base

From the values below, with differences inside measurement noise shown as about the same. This describes the shoes, not what is right for your feet; comfort in the first few runs decides.

Metric	ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 Max cushion · Road	New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15 Max cushion · Road
Heel-to-toe drop	8 mmStated	6 mmDerived
Heel stack	42.5 mmStated	38 mmMeasured
Forefoot stack	34.5 mmStated	32 mmMeasured
Weight	281 gStated	261 gStated
Toe rocker	33 %est.	31 %*est.
Rocker radius	39 %est.	48 %est.
Rocker rise angle	32 degest.	28 deg*est.
Rocker angle at toe	62 degest.	53 degest.
Toe tip over ground	45 mmest.	36 mmest.
Visible rocker lift onset	75 %est.	76.6 %est.
Toe spring (relative)	21 %est.	16.8 %est.
Heel bevel length	11.9 %est.	10.9 %*est.
Heel bevel height	25 mmest.	18 mm*est.
Midsole width (forefoot)	119 mmMeasured	108.9 mmMeasured
Midsole width (heel)	99.1 mmMeasured	91.4 mmMeasured
Interior forefoot width	97.6 mmMeasured	94.8 mmMeasured
Toebox width	72.5 mmMeasured	73.2 mmMeasured
Longitudinal stiffness	80Derived	37Derived
Midsole firmness	71Derived	3Derived
Plate	No plate	No plate
Primary foam	FF Blast Plus	Infinion (supercritical TPEE/EVA blend)
List price	$170	$170

Key differences

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28's heel-to-toe drop is 8 mm, 2 mm higher than New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15's 6 mm.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28's heel stack is 42.5 mm, 4.5 mm thicker than New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15's 38 mm.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28's forefoot stack is 34.5 mm, 2.5 mm thicker than New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15's 32 mm.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28's weight is 281 g, 20 g heavier than New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15's 261 g.
Toe rocker is about the same: 33 % of length for ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28, 31 % of length for New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15.

Read more about both shoes

We measure the shape. For how they feel over many miles, and for lab tests of cushioning, grip and fit:

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28

Believe in the Run · tester review
RTINGS · lab test
RunRepeat · lab test

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15

Believe in the Run · tester review
RTINGS · lab test
RunRepeat · lab test

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ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 details · New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15 details · Add more shoes

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 vs New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v15

Which suits you

Key differences

Read more about both shoes

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