ASICS Continues Tech Runner Dominance With The GEL-CUMULUS 16

SPONSORED BY As we stared down a new decade in the late 2010s, suddenly sneakerheads and fashion-forward dressers were instead looking backwards. The unassuming performance... © Sneaker News, 2025. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us The post ASICS Continues Tech Runner Dominance With The GEL-CUMULUS 16 appeared first on Sneaker News. The post ASICS Continues Tech Runner Dominance With The GEL-CUMULUS 16 appeared first on Sneaker News.

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As we stared down a new decade in the late 2010s, suddenly sneakerheads and fashion-forward dressers were instead looking backwards. The unassuming performance models of the 2000s were suddenly some of the sneaker world’s hottest commodities, the centerpiece of outfits and objects of fascination on the secondary market.

ASICS was both one of the biggest drivers of that trend and one of its biggest benefactors, able to meet the moment with its sturdy stable of era-accurate footwear. Now, a few years removed from that genesis moment, the Japanese giant’s position at the top is undeniable, best exemplified by the ubiquitous GEL-KAYANO 14. However, watch passerbys on city streets and you’ll see there’s plenty of love to go around for the brand’s work. They’ve bolstered their foothold with silhouettes old and new, cooking up fresh models that reinterpret the energy of the aughts or outright revisiting it by bringing back the era’s biggest hits.

To that end, ASICS teased its next chapter earlier in 2025, enlisting Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen to reintroduce the GEL-CUMULUS 16. Introduced in 2014, the sneaker’s origin story is unassuming; a jack-of-all-trades running option that delivered on comfort and performance in any environment you took it through. With that collaborative intro out of the way, the era of the ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 16 is about to start in earnest.

Scroll ahead to find out why the GEL-CUMULUS 16 is a welcome addition to the ASICS catalog and a perfect one to fill out your personal rotation. The model’s first two colorways release on August 15th before another two join on August 22nd, all clocking in at $140.

TECH HERITAGE

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No doubt, the performance notes were the primary focus when the ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 16 touched down a decade ago, carrying FLUIDRIDE tech for a breezy, light wear that doesn’t lose the springy quality you expect from any retro runner. Consistent with many ASICS favorites, forefoot and rear pods featuring GEL technology flash that classic sportstyle aesthetic on top of locking down the shoe’s cushioning.

Of course, as the model steps back into our modern world, it’s now the aesthetic notes that take center stage. Many of ASICS’ biggest hits excel with a sense of visual depth, but the varied textures on the GEL-CUMULUS 16 help it rise above even its catalog peers.

A ribbed cage branches across the quarter, textured synthetic leather outlines the eyelets, and sporty graphic layers spread out across the toe. To ensure the same summery appeal seen throughout the ASICS universe, breathable closed mesh paces the design underneath.

Aimed at making a bold first impression, the first two pairs of the ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 16 set to drop on August 15th break from expectations with heavy tropical tones. For full statement flair, reach for the “Cream/Ivory,” threading can’t miss purple and green atop a sturdy white base. A bit more understated but no less eye-catching is the “Cloud Grey/Bisque,” offering a sleek smattering of blues that comes to a head in the exposed GEL tech.

The brand will then return to familiar territory with two neutral pairs set to drop on August 22nd. Either one champions the metallic shades synonymous with trendy footwear, offering a warm “Cream/Clay Grey” with a stripe of sunny yellow at the heel, and a cooler “White/Ironclad” that leans into the aquatic side of the color wheel.