Most people looking at the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 have already seen it on someone else's feet. Silver panels, a big layered midsole, and a shape that looks like it belongs on a start line. The question is whether it holds up once you own it, and that is what this ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 review is for.
We are a retailer, so this is not a wear-test diary. We have handled a lot of pairs, we know what customers say when they come back for a second colourway, and we know what the wider consensus among wearers is. If you want the full background first, our complete Gel-Kayano 14 guide covers the story from 2008 to now. This post is the verdict.
The verdict up front
The Gel-Kayano 14 is the most cushioned and most substantial trainer we stock, and it looks like a proper running shoe rather than a fashion piece dressed up as one. It is also chunky, it sits high, and the white mesh versions need looking after. If you want a padded, supportive trainer with real presence, it is the one to buy. If you want something low and clean that hides under a hem, it is not.
Short version:
- Comfort: the strongest point. GEL in heel and forefoot, with more arch support and a wider footbed than the GEL-NYC.
- Build: layered mesh and overlays that hold their shape, on a high-abrasion rubber outsole.
- Looks: the "flash" design language, silver-heavy panelling, reads as a runner.
- Fit: true to size.
- Price at Tempo: £189.99 to £199.99, the top of our ASICS range.
Comfort: GEL heel and forefoot, and why it works all day
ASICS put GEL cushioning in both the heel and the forefoot on the Kayano 14, with the TRUSSTIC system through the midfoot for support. That combination is why the widely reported experience is that the shoe stays comfortable long after most retro runners start to feel flat. The heel takes the impact, the forefoot has some give when you push off, and the midfoot does not fold in on itself once you have been standing for hours.
The comparison customers ask about most is with the GEL-NYC. The Kayano 14 has more arch support and a wider footbed. The NYC sits lower to the ground and feels firmer underfoot. If you have a higher arch, or you just prefer a shoe that cradles the foot rather than one that keeps you close to the pavement, the Kayano 14 is the better pick. We go through this properly in our Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC comparison.
The honest caveat is that all that structure means the shoe never disappears. You know you are wearing it. If you like a minimal, barely-there feel, this is the wrong shoe. If your main use is long days on foot, we have a separate post on whether the Kayano 14 is comfortable for walking all day.
Build and materials: how the upper holds up
The upper is mesh with leather and synthetic overlays layered over it. That layering is the reason the shoe keeps its shape. A single-piece mesh upper creases and slumps at the toe within weeks. On the Kayano 14, the overlays act like a cage. The toe box stays rounded, the heel counter stays upright, and the panels around the midfoot stop the lacing from pulling the mesh out of line. Pairs that have been worn hard still look structured from across the room.
The trade-off is cleaning. Where the mesh sits between overlays, dust gathers along the seams, and on white-based colourways it shows quickly. It cleans up fine, but you do need to do it. Our guide on how to clean the Gel-Kayano 14 without ruining it covers the mesh, the overlays and the midsole separately, because they want different treatment.
Underneath, the midsole is the chunky, elevated retro type. It gives the shoe its height and its stance. The outsole is high-abrasion rubber, the underrated part. It is a running outsole, so it wears slowly on pavement and grips in the wet in a way flat lifestyle soles do not.
How it looks on foot
The Kayano 14 was designed in 2008 by Hidenori Yamashita, the first Gel-Kayano not designed by Toshikazu Kayano, and the concept was "flash". You can see it in the colours, the lines, the materials and the silhouette. When Kiko Kostadinov picked it for the December 2020 relaunch over the Kayano 13, it was because the design "made it look faster". That is still what it does on foot.
The silver-heavy panelling is the biggest part of that. Even on the tonal 'White Ivory' Gel Kayano 14, the layered overlays catch light and break up the shape, so it never reads as a plain white trainer. On the 'Fjord Grey' Gel Kayano 14 the grey overlays over white mesh give the most classic runner look of the three. The 'White Light Navy' Gel Kayano 14 is the one people pick when they want some contrast without going dark.
The point to be clear on: this reads as a proper runner, not a fashion trainer. It has a running shoe's height, heel shape and detail density. The JJJJound collaboration in August 2022 and the Y2K revival pushed it into fashion, but the shoe itself has not been softened for that. It does not tuck under a straight-leg hem the way a lower shoe does. It sits on top of the trouser and makes a point of it. Our post on which ASICS Gel trainers go with which set is the place to start if you are building the rest of the outfit around it.
Sizing in brief
True to size. Tempo lists it true to size and the independent consensus agrees, so buy your normal UK size. Half sizes are available. All our ASICS trainers are men's UK sizing, and the sizes stocked vary by colourway, so check the product page for what is in. If you are between sizes or have wide feet, our Gel-Kayano 14 sizing post covers when it makes sense to move up.
Price and value at Tempo
At Tempo the Kayano 14 is £189.99 to £199.99 depending on colourway. The 'White Ivory' is £189.99, the 'White Light Navy' is £194.99 and the 'Fjord Grey' is £199.99 (prices correct at time of writing). That puts it at the top of our ASICS trainer range, above the GEL-1130 and level with or above the GEL-NYC.
What you get for it is the most cushioning, support and build of the three. If it is going to be your daily shoe for a year, the comfort and outsole life make the case on their own. If it is a weekend shoe, read the Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130 comparison before you commit, because the 1130 gets you the same tech family for less.
Orders over £100 get free UK delivery, orders placed before 2PM go out the same day, and Klarna and Clearpay are both at checkout if you would rather split it. For anything on returns, see our refund policy.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
Buy it if:
- You want the most cushioned, most supportive trainer we stock, and you will be on your feet in it.
- You like the look of a real running shoe: height, silver panels, layered detail.
- You have a higher arch or a wider foot and the GEL-NYC felt tight or firm.
- You want a shoe that holds its shape after months of wear.
Skip it if:
- You want a low-profile, clean trainer that sits under a hem. Look at the GEL-1130 instead. Same GEL and TRUSSTIC family, lower midsole, and it starts at £139.99 at Tempo.
- You want a suede lifestyle shoe rather than a technical runner. Look at the GEL-NYC, which uses suede overlays and sits lower and firmer.
- You do not want to clean white mesh. The Kayano 14 colourways we stock are all white-based.
- Your budget is closer to £140 than £200. The 1130 covers that; the Kayano 14 does not.
Both alternatives sit in our ASICS trainers collection alongside the Kayano 14, so you can compare on one page.
Quick answers
Is the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 comfortable?
Yes, and it is the shoe's strongest point. GEL in the heel and forefoot with TRUSSTIC midfoot support is why the consensus among wearers is that it stays comfortable through long days.
Does the Gel-Kayano 14 run true to size?
Yes. Buy your normal UK size. Half sizes are available.
Is the Kayano 14 a running shoe or a fashion trainer?
It was released in 2008 as a running shoe and it still looks and feels like one. Its fashion status came later, through the 2020 relaunch, the JJJJound collaboration and the Y2K revival.
How much is the Gel-Kayano 14 at Tempo?
£189.99 to £199.99 depending on colourway. Free UK delivery applies, and Klarna and Clearpay are available.
Shop the Gel-Kayano 14 at Tempo
All three colourways are live now, in men's UK sizing, with same day dispatch before 2PM. See every ASICS trainer we stock, or browse the full ASICS range if you want a set to go with them. If you have read this far and the "skip it if" list did not put you off, it is the right shoe.