ASICS GEL-1130: The Complete UK Guide

August 17, 2026

Most people who leave with the ASICS GEL-1130 came in asking about the Kayano 14. They pick the Kayano up, look at the price, then pick up the 1130 sat next to it and notice it is the same idea in a lower, quieter shape for £30 to £60 less. That is the whole story of this shoe.

This is the guide for the UK buyer deciding on a GEL-1130: where it came from, what the tech does, why the lower profile matters, how it fits (honestly, including the snug midfoot), the three colourways at Tempo with prices and sizes, how it compares to the Kayano 14 and GEL-NYC, and how to wear it with a set. Each section links to a longer post if you want more.

Already decided and just need a size? Go straight to the ASICS trainers collection and come back for the detail later.

Why the 1130 is the quiet favourite

The GEL-1130 was released in 2008 as the more accessible running option beneath the GT-2160 and the Gel-Kayano 14. It borrowed the Kayano's design language, the swept lines and layered overlays, and its tech. What it did not borrow was the Kayano's price or its height.

That positioning is exactly why it came back. When ASICS reintroduced the 1130 in 2021, retro runners were everywhere and the Kayano 14 had already made the jump into fashion. The 1130 arrived as the version you could actually buy, in easier colourways, at a price that did not need thinking about. It does not get the Kayano's attention and does not need it. People who own both tend to reach for the 1130 more often. The longer version is in our history of the GEL-1130.

What makes it a GEL-1130 (the tech, plainly)

Two systems do the work underfoot, and both are lifted directly from the Kayano 14.

GEL cushioning at heel and forefoot. Silicone-based pads set into the midsole where you land and where you push off. They take the sting out of pavement and give a soft, slightly springy feel. GEL at both ends is what separates the 1130 from retro runners that look similar and feel flat.
TRUSSTIC support system. A rigid piece bridging the arch under the midsole. It stops the shoe folding through the middle and is where the 1130's reputation for arch support on long days comes from.
The build. Suede and mesh upper on the colourways we stock, a chunky midsole that sits lower than the Kayano's, and a high-abrasion rubber outsole that keeps its tread long after the uppers have picked up character.

We do not publish stack heights, drops or weights because ASICS does not put them on the box and we will not guess. For a proper assessment of comfort, build and who the shoe is for, the GEL-1130 review goes through it section by section.

The profile, and why it works under a hem

Put the 1130 next to the Kayano 14 and the difference is not the upper, it is the height. The Kayano's midsole is raised and sculpted and makes the shoe look bigger on the foot. The 1130 keeps the chunky retro shape but sits lower and cleaner: less midsole showing, a slimmer line from heel to toe.

That matters more than it sounds. A tall retro runner fights with the bottom of a trouser, pushing the hem up and bunching the fabric. The 1130 slips under a hem. Straight jeans, a tapered jogger, the woven pants from an ASICS set, all fall over the shoe rather than perching on top of it. If you wear trousers at a normal length, the 1130 is the ASICS Gel trainer that works without changing how you dress. Eight worked-out looks that make use of this are in how to style the GEL-1130.

How it fits and sizing (honest)

Tempo lists the GEL-1130 as true to size, and for most people with a normal-width foot that is the right call. Order the UK size you wear in most trainers. Half sizes are stocked across all three colourways.

The honest addition: the independent consensus is that the 1130 fits slightly snug and narrow through the midfoot. The suede overlays hold the foot firmly and the TRUSSTIC stops the middle spreading, so wide-footed wearers commonly go half a size up. If you have a wide foot or a high instep, or have gone half up in other ASICS before, do it here too. Average feet, stay true to size.

All ASICS trainers at Tempo are men's UK sizing. Converting from EU or US, use the Tempo sizing guide. For the edge cases, thick socks, orthotics, one foot bigger than the other, the GEL-1130 sizing guide takes each one in turn.

The colourways at Tempo

Three colourways, all built on the suede and mesh upper, all easier to wear than a pure white shoe. Prices correct at time of writing.

Colourway	Price	Sizes stocked	Best with
Asics 'Sharkskin' Gel-1130	£169.99	UK 7 to 11	Black set, Smoke Grey set, dark denim
ASICS 'White Silver' Gel-1130	£149.99	UK 7 to 11	Black set, navy, anything you want the shoe to lift
ASICS 'Cream Black' Gel-1130	£139.99	UK 7 to 10.5	Cream set, Brown Stone, earth tones

Sharkskin is grey suede and mesh, the most textured and the one that hides wear best. White Silver is tonal white with silver, the classic retro-runner look and the one that goes with the most. Cream Black is warm cream with black hits, the cheapest and for many the best-looking. If you are torn, the GEL-1130 colourway comparison puts all three side by side, including which shows dirt first.

On value: at £139.99 to £169.99 you get GEL at heel and forefoot, TRUSSTIC support, a suede and mesh upper and a high-abrasion outsole. That is the Kayano 14's underfoot package at £189.99 to £199.99, in an easier shape. Nothing on our ASICS wall does as much per pound. The full case is in why the GEL-1130 is the best-value ASICS trainer.

1130 vs Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC in brief

GEL-1130 vs Gel-Kayano 14

Same year, same GEL heel and forefoot, same TRUSSTIC. The Kayano 14 has the raised, sculpted midsole, a mesh upper with leather and synthetic overlays, and a wider footbed that wide feet get on with at true size. The 1130 has the suede and mesh upper, the lower profile, and the snugger midfoot. The Kayano is the fuller-cushioned, more structured shoe with the fashion history. The 1130 costs less, disappears under a hem, and does not announce itself. Average feet and you want the look for less, buy the 1130. Want the fullest cushioning and the wider fit, and the extra £30 to £60 does not bother you, buy the Kayano. The full breakdown is in Gel-Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130, and the Kayano has its own complete Kayano 14 guide.

GEL-1130 vs GEL-NYC

The GEL-NYC is the newer, more expensive shoe: a 2023 hybrid built from a Gel-Nimbus 3 upper, elements of the Gel-MC Plus V, and the sole of the Gel-Cumulus 16, at £189.99 in the Cream White. It sits low to the ground and feels firmer underfoot, and its toe box runs tight in both height and width, so wide feet go half a size up. The 1130 is softer underfoot, its tightness is in the midfoot rather than the toes, and it is £20 to £50 cheaper. The NYC wins on newness and the leather and suede mix. The 1130 wins on cushioning, price and being easier to size. Read GEL-1130 vs GEL-NYC for the honest version, or the GEL-NYC UK guide if you are leaning that way.

Still weighing all three? Which ASICS Gel trainer should you buy was written for that exact decision.

Wearing it with ASICS sets

The 1130 is the easiest of the three to pair because it is the least loud. Two sets first. The ASICS Black Core T-Shirt Set makes Sharkskin and White Silver both look sharper, and the black woven pant falls cleanly over the low profile. The ASICS 'Cream' Core T-Shirt Set is the natural home for Cream Black, tonal from shoulder to shoe with the black on the trainer doing the contrast. Keep the trouser straight or slightly tapered and let the shoe show under the hem.

Every set colour against every 1130 colourway is in the GEL-1130 with ASICS sets. For the wider view across all three shoes see which ASICS Gel trainers go with which set, and if you are starting from the set rather than the shoe, how to style an ASICS set has eight full fits. Ready-made combinations are grouped in full fits.

Looking after suede and mesh

Suede is the part people worry about and the part that needs the least. Brush it dry with a suede brush, in one direction, before anything wet. Most marks come off that way. The mesh takes a soft brush and diluted washing-up liquid; blot rather than soak so the suede stays dry. Midsoles scuff and go off-white in sunlight, so a gentle scrub after a muddy day and drying away from radiators keeps them clean for longer. Never machine wash: the suede will not recover and the GEL and glue do not enjoy it either. The step-by-step, including laces, insoles and stubborn oil marks, is in how to clean the GEL-1130.

Quick answers

Is the ASICS GEL-1130 true to size?

Tempo lists it true to size and most people should order their normal UK trainer size. The consensus is that it runs slightly snug through the midfoot, so if you have a wide foot, go half a size up.

Is the GEL-1130 comfortable for everyday wear?

The widely reported experience is yes. GEL at heel and forefoot and TRUSSTIC support through the arch give it the same underfoot feel as the Kayano 14, in a lower and lighter-looking shape.

Which GEL-1130 colourway is best?

White Silver if you want the classic look that goes with the most. Sharkskin if you want texture and a shoe that hides wear. Cream Black if you want the warmest colour and the lowest price.

How much is the GEL-1130 at Tempo?

Between £139.99 and £169.99 depending on colourway. Delivery is free on UK orders over £100, orders before 2PM ship the same day, and Klarna and Clearpay are available at checkout.

Where to start

All three colourways are in the ASICS trainers range. If you are building the whole outfit, the ASICS sets collection has the black and cream pairings above, and the full ASICS range covers everything else we carry from the brand.