Of the three ASICS Gel trainers we stock, the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 is the one people ask about by name. They ask for the Kayano 14, usually in one of the white colourways, and usually they already know it costs a bit more than the GEL-1130 sat next to it.
This guide is for the person about to spend around £190 to £200 on a pair and wanting to be sure. It covers where the shoe came from, what the tech does in plain terms, how it fits, the three colourways in stock at Tempo, how it compares to the GEL-1130 and GEL-NYC, and how to wear it with an ASICS set. Every section points to a longer post if you want to go deeper.
If you already know you want it and just need a size, skip straight to the ASICS trainers collection and come back for the rest later.
Why the Kayano 14 is the one people ask for
The Gel-Kayano 14 came out in 2008. It was designed by Hidenori Yamashita, the first Gel-Kayano not designed by Toshikazu Kayano, the man the line is named after. Yamashita's brief to himself was "flash", and you can see it in the shoe: the swept lines, the mix of mesh and shiny overlays, the low, forward-leaning silhouette.
That is why it came back. When ASICS relaunched the shoe in December 2020, Kiko Kostadinov had picked the 14 over the Kayano 13 because its design "made it look faster". Then on 26 August 2022 the JJJJound collaboration dropped and sold out, and that release is widely credited with cementing the Kayano 14 as a fashion trainer rather than a runner. Add the early-2020s Y2K revival, which made 2008 look current again, and you have a shoe that is genuinely iconic rather than one that just gets called it.
The full story, from Yamashita's sketches to the relaunch, is in our history of the Gel-Kayano 14.
What makes it a Kayano 14 (the tech, plainly)
Three things do the work.
- GEL cushioning in the heel and forefoot. Silicone-based pads set into the midsole at the two points where your foot lands and pushes off. They absorb impact and give the shoe that soft, slightly bouncy feel underfoot. Having GEL at both ends, not just the heel, is part of why the 14 feels more cushioned than a lot of retro runners.
- TRUSSTIC midfoot support. A rigid piece bridging the arch under the midsole. It stops the shoe twisting through the middle and keeps the sole feeling like one piece rather than folding. In practice this is where the Kayano 14's reputation for arch support comes from.
- The build. Mesh upper with leather and synthetic overlays, a chunky, raised retro midsole and a high-abrasion rubber outsole. The overlays give structure and hold the foot; the outsole is the reason well-worn pairs still have tread.
We do not publish stack heights, drops or weights because ASICS does not put them on the box and we will not guess. If you want a fuller assessment of comfort, build quality and who the shoe suits, read the Gel-Kayano 14 review. And if your main question is whether it holds up on your feet for eight hours, we answer that separately in are the Kayano 14 comfortable for walking all day.
How it fits and sizing
True to size. Tempo lists it true to size and the independent consensus agrees. Order the UK size you wear in most trainers. Half sizes are available across our colourways, so if you sit between sizes you can pick the one you would normally choose rather than rounding up.
Two things worth knowing. The footbed is on the wider side for a retro runner, which is one reason wide-footed customers tend to get on with it without sizing up. And the overlays hold the midfoot fairly firmly out of the box, so the first few wears feel more structured than a soft knit trainer would.
All ASICS trainers at Tempo are men's UK sizing. If you are converting from EU or US, use the Tempo sizing guide. For the edge cases, wide feet, high insteps, thick socks and the like, the Kayano 14 sizing guide goes through each one.
The colourways at Tempo
We stock three. All are white-based, which is deliberate: white is what the Kayano 14 is famous in and it is what pairs with the sets. Prices correct at time of writing.
| Colourway | Price | Sizes stocked | Best with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asics 'Fjord Grey' Gel Kayano 14 | £199.99 | UK 6.5 to 11 | Smoke Grey set, black set, anything grey |
| ASICS 'White Light Navy' Gel Kayano 14 | £194.99 | UK 6 to 11 | Black set, cream set, navy or denim |
| ASICS 'White Ivory' Gel Kayano 14 | £189.99 | UK 6.5 to 10.5 | Cream set, brown stone, all-white fits |
Fjord Grey is a white mesh upper with grey overlays, the closest to the classic look and the one that goes with the most. White Light Navy is a two-tone that reads a little sharper and adds contrast to a dark outfit. White Ivory is tonal, warm white on warm white, and the quietest of the three. If you are torn, our colourway comparison puts all three side by side, including which shows dirt fastest.
Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130 vs GEL-NYC in brief
Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130
The GEL-1130 was released the same year, 2008, as a more accessible option below the GT-2160 and the Kayano 14, and it borrowed both design language and tech from the 14. Same GEL heel and forefoot, same TRUSSTIC. The differences are the suede and mesh upper, a lower-profile midsole, and a fit that runs slightly snug through the midfoot, so wide feet often go half a size up. At Tempo it costs £139.99 to £169.99 against £189.99 to £199.99 for the Kayano. If you want the look at a lower price and your feet are average width, the 1130 is a sensible buy. If you want the fuller cushioning and the wider footbed, it is the Kayano. Full breakdown in Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130, and the 1130 has its own complete GEL-1130 guide.
Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC
The GEL-NYC is a different animal: a 2023 hybrid built from the Gel-Nimbus 3 upper, bits of the Gel-MC Plus V, and the Gel-Cumulus 16 sole. It sits lower to the ground and feels firmer underfoot, and its toe box runs tight in height and width, so wide feet should go half a size up. The Kayano 14 has more arch support and a wider footbed. Both are £189.99 at Tempo in their entry colourways, so price will not decide it. Shape will. Read Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC for the honest version, or the GEL-NYC UK guide if you are leaning that way.
Still undecided between all three? Which ASICS Gel trainer should you buy is written for exactly that.
Wearing it with ASICS sets
The Kayano 14 is a bulky, detailed shoe, so the sets that work best are the plain ones. Two we point people to first: the ASICS Black Core T-Shirt Set, which makes any of the three white colourways pop, and the Smoke Grey Core T-Shirt Set, which sits tonally with Fjord Grey and looks considered rather than matchy. Keep the leg of the trouser straight or slightly tapered so the shoe shows.
Eight worked-out looks, from a set and a jacket to jeans and a plain tee, are in how to style the Gel-Kayano 14. For a wider view across all three shoes and every set colour, 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 it
The mesh takes a soft brush and diluted washing-up liquid. The overlays wipe clean. The midsole picks up scuffs and yellows over time if left in sunlight, so a gentle scrub after muddy days and drying away from radiators keeps it white for longer. Never put the shoe in a washing machine; the GEL and the glue do not enjoy it. The step-by-step, including what to do about the laces and insoles, is in how to clean the Gel-Kayano 14 without ruining them.
Quick answers
Is the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 true to size?
Yes. Order your normal UK trainer size. Half sizes are stocked, and the footbed is wide enough that most wide-footed customers do not need to go up.
Is the Kayano 14 comfortable for everyday wear?
The consensus among wearers is that it is one of the more comfortable retro runners, thanks to GEL at heel and forefoot and the TRUSSTIC support through the arch. It is a firmer, more structured feel than a modern foam trainer.
Which Kayano 14 colourway is best?
Fjord Grey if you want the classic look that goes with the most. White Ivory if you want the cleanest, most tonal pair. White Light Navy if you want a little contrast.
How much is the Gel-Kayano 14 at Tempo?
Between £189.99 and £199.99 depending on colourway. Delivery is free on UK orders over £100, and Klarna and Clearpay are available at checkout.
Where to start
All three colourways are in the ASICS trainers range, and orders placed before 2PM go out the same day. If you are building the whole outfit, the ASICS sets collection has the black and grey pairings above, and the full ASICS range covers everything else we carry from the brand.
The full Kayano 14 guide series
- Sizing: how the Kayano 14 fits and when to size up
- Review: comfort, build and who it suits
- History: from 2008 runner to modern fashion trainer
- Styling: 8 Kayano 14 outfits that work
- Colourways: Fjord Grey vs White Light Navy vs White Ivory
- Comparison: Kayano 14 or GEL-1130
- Comparison: Kayano 14 or GEL-NYC
- Cleaning: mesh, overlays and white midsoles
- Walking all day: how the Kayano 14 holds up
- The three-way decider: Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC vs GEL-1130