Three colourways, one shoe, and a £30 gap between the dearest and the cheapest. That is where you are once you have settled on the GEL-1130 and opened the product pages. The ASICS GEL-1130 colourways at Tempo are Sharkskin, White Silver and Cream Black. Same GEL cushioning at heel and forefoot, same TRUSSTIC support, same suede and mesh upper. What changes is the colour, the price, and which sizes are on the shelf.
If you have not yet decided on the 1130 itself, start with our complete UK guide to the ASICS GEL-1130 and come back. This post assumes the shoe is chosen and the only question left is which of the three goes in the basket.
Same shoe, three answers
Start with what does not change. Every GEL-1130 we stock has the same build: suede overlays on mesh, a chunky midsole that sits lower than the Gel-Kayano 14, and a high-abrasion rubber outsole. Fit is identical. Tempo lists all three true to size, and the wider consensus is that the shoe runs slightly snug through the midfoot, so wide feet commonly go half a size up. If that sounds like you, read the GEL-1130 sizing post before you pick a colour, because it may narrow your options.
That last point matters more than it sounds. Sharkskin and White Silver run UK 7 to 11. Cream Black stops at UK 10.5. If you are a UK 11, or a 10.5 who needs the half size up, the cheapest colourway is off the table before you start.
The price ladder is £169.99 for Sharkskin, £149.99 for White Silver and £139.99 for Cream Black (prices correct at time of writing). Same shoe, three prices, three answers.
The three GEL-1130 colourways at Tempo, up close
Sharkskin (£169.99, UK 7 to 11)
The 'Sharkskin' GEL-1130 is grey suede over grey mesh, and the name is fair. It is a mid grey with a slightly cool, dusty cast rather than a flat concrete grey.
How loud: the quietest of the three. Grey suede reads as texture, not colour, from across a room.
What it goes with: nearly everything in the sets range. The 'Smoke Grey' Core T-Shirt Set gives you tonal grey from shoulder to floor. The Black Core T-Shirt Set gives you black-and-grey, which has been the safe answer for as long as anyone has been wearing trainers with sets. It also sits well under the Maroon set, because grey suede calms maroon down.
Who should pick it: the person buying one pair to do everything, and the person who does not want to think about keeping trainers clean.
White Silver (£149.99, UK 7 to 11)
The 'White Silver' GEL-1130 is tonal white with silver detailing. Silver here means the overlays and trims catch the light with a faint sheen rather than reading as grey.
How loud: medium. A white trainer is always more visible than a grey one, but there is no second colour, so it does not shout. It is the smart tonal option, the one that looks chosen rather than default.
What it goes with: the Black Core Vest Set for the sharpest contrast, and the 'Cream' Core T-Shirt Set if you want soft neutral on soft neutral. White and silver lean cool, so keep them away from brown.
Who should pick it: the person who already owns a grey or dark pair, wants a clean white one for lighter outfits, and is prepared to look after it.
Cream Black (£139.99, UK 7 to 10.5)
The 'Cream Black' GEL-1130 is a warm cream upper with black hits. Cream suede, cream mesh, black on the details. It is the only one of the three with a genuine second colour, and that black outline is what makes it look like a retro runner rather than a plain trainer.
How loud: the loudest of the three, but only relatively. It has contrast, so the eye goes to it, but nobody is going to stop you in the street.
What it goes with: the Black Core Tracksuit, because the black on the shoe ties straight into the top and bottom. Also the Brown Stone Vest Set, where the cream upper picks up the warmth in the fabric.
Who should pick it: anyone at UK 10.5 or below who wants the lowest price in the ASICS trainer range at Tempo, and anyone whose wardrobe already runs warm.
GEL-1130 colourways compared
| Colourway | Price | Sizes | Upper | How loud | Best with | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharkskin | £169.99 | UK 7 to 11 | Grey suede and mesh | Low | Smoke Grey, Black, Maroon sets | Hides most |
| White Silver | £149.99 | UK 7 to 11 | Tonal white with silver | Medium | Black, Cream sets | Shows most |
| Cream Black | £139.99 | UK 7 to 10.5 | Cream suede and mesh, black details | Medium to high | Black tracksuit, Brown Stone, Cream sets | Warm cream forgives more than white, but suede is suede |
How each one wears and marks
All three are suede and mesh, so all three dislike rain and benefit from a protector spray before the first wear. Beyond that, they behave differently.
- Sharkskin hides most. Grey suede darkens a shade with wear and dust simply blends in. The mesh collects grime evenly, so the shoe looks lived in rather than dirty.
- White Silver shows most. The silver overlays are fine. The white mesh at the toe box is where it goes first, picking up a grey tinge, and the pale midsole shows every kerb. This is a pair that wants a routine, not a rescue. Our GEL-1130 cleaning guide covers suede, mesh and midsoles separately, because they need different treatment.
- Cream Black sits in between. Warm cream is more forgiving of dust and light scuffs than pure white, and the black details hide anything near them. But suede is suede. Water spots and dark rub marks on the cream panels are visible, and cream suede is harder to brush back than grey.
If you know you will not clean trainers, buy the grey. If you will, the other two are open to you.
Which GEL-1130 colourway to buy first, and which second
First pair: Sharkskin. It costs the most, but if it is going to be your only 1130 it needs to work with everything and shrug off neglect. Grey does both. It goes with every set we stock, hides marks, and runs the full UK 7 to 11. Put the grey suede Sharkskin pair at the top of the list unless the price rules it out.
The smart tonal option: White Silver. If you already have a dark trainer in rotation and want a white one that is not the same white trainer everyone else has, the tonal White Silver is the answer. It is £20 less than Sharkskin and looks more considered than a plain white shoe.
The best value in the whole ASICS trainer range: Cream Black. At £139.99 it is the cheapest ASICS trainer we sell, and you are not giving up any of the tech to get there. We have written up the case for the shoe as the best-value ASICS trainer in a separate post; the cream and black colourway is that argument at its strongest. The catch is sizing. If you take a UK 11, it is not an option.
Second pair logic is simple. Own Sharkskin already? Add Cream Black, because it gives you the warm side of the wardrobe for the least money. Own Cream Black? Add Sharkskin, or White Silver if you want the two pairs to feel further apart. Once you have chosen, our eight GEL-1130 outfits show each pair doing its job.
Two more references worth having open. If you are weighing the 1130 against its bigger sibling, the Gel-Kayano 14 colourway comparison follows the same grey, white, cream logic at a higher price. And for the set side of the equation, every Core set colourway, ranked tells you which tones we would build around first. New colourways in either category land in new arrivals before anywhere else.
Quick answers
Which GEL-1130 colourway is cheapest?
Cream Black at £139.99. It is stocked in UK 7 to 10.5 only, so check your size before you count on it.
Which GEL-1130 colourway hides dirt best?
Sharkskin. Grey suede and grey mesh absorb dust and light scuffs without looking dirty. White Silver shows the most, Cream Black sits between the two.
Do all three colourways fit the same?
Yes. Same last, same suede and mesh upper, listed true to size at Tempo, with a slightly snug midfoot that pushes some wide-footed wearers half a size up.
I am a UK 11. Which can I buy?
Sharkskin or White Silver. Cream Black tops out at UK 10.5.
Pick your colourway and pair it up
All three GEL-1130 colourways are in stock now in the ASICS trainers collection, in men's UK sizing, with same day dispatch on orders before 2PM and free UK delivery over £100. Klarna and Clearpay are at checkout if you want to spread it. Once the shoe is sorted, the ASICS sets collection has the Smoke Grey, Black and Cream sets mentioned above, ready to go with whichever pair you chose.