Put a Gel-Kayano 14 next to a GEL-NYC and the first thing you notice is that they are not really the same kind of shoe. One is a 2008 running shoe brought back exactly as it was. The other is a 2023 mash-up of three older runners that never existed until ASICS built it. Yet the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC question comes up more than almost any other in our inbox, because the two sit within £10 of each other and both end up in the same basket.
This is the honest version of that comparison. We are not going to crown one shoe. We are going to tell you which one wins for which foot, which wardrobe and which budget, using the same points we would run through on the shop floor. If you want the full background on the Kayano before you compare, our complete Gel-Kayano 14 UK guide covers it in depth.
Two very different shoes that get cross-shopped anyway
Both are ASICS, both are chunky retro runners, both use GEL cushioning and a TRUSSTIC unit, and both cost roughly £190. Rule out the cheaper GEL-1130 and these are your two options at Tempo.
But their intent is different. The Kayano 14 was a premium stability runner in 2008 and it still carries itself like one. The GEL-NYC was designed in 2023 as a lifestyle shoe from day one, using running-shoe parts. Our GEL-NYC complete guide goes into how that came about. That difference in intent explains almost every difference that follows.
Origins: one revival, one hybrid
The Gel-Kayano 14 was released in 2008 and designed by Hidenori Yamashita, the first Kayano not drawn by Toshikazu Kayano himself. The design concept was "flash", which you can see in the colours, the lines and the silhouette. It was relaunched in December 2020, Kiko Kostadinov having chosen it over the Kayano 13 because its design "made it look faster". The JJJJound collaboration in August 2022 sold out and cemented the shoe in fashion, helped by the Y2K revival.
The GEL-NYC arrived in March 2023, after an Awake NY collaboration in January of that year. It is a hybrid: the upper is based on the Gel-Nimbus 3, with elements of the Gel-MC Plus V, all sitting on the sole tooling of the Gel-Cumulus 16. It is named for New York City. It became ASICS' second best-selling shoe after release, which is remarkable for a design with no archive year to point to. We tell the full story in how three runners became the GEL-NYC.
Does authenticity matter? If you want a single documented history, the Kayano 14 has it. If you only care how it looks on foot, the NYC's origin is a non-issue.
Comfort and fit: support versus a lower ride
The Kayano 14 has GEL in the heel and forefoot, the TRUSSTIC system through the midfoot, and a chunky, tall midsole. The consensus among wearers is that it has noticeably more arch support and a wider footbed than the NYC. It fits true to size, and Tempo lists it that way. Half sizes are available. Wider feet and long days standing both favour it. Our Kayano 14 sizing guide covers the details.
The GEL-NYC uses GEL and a TRUSSTIC unit too, but the Cumulus 16 tooling sits lower to the ground and the widely reported experience is that it feels firmer underfoot. Tempo lists it true to size, and for narrow-to-normal feet that holds. The catch is the toe box, which runs tight in both height and width. Wide-footed customers commonly go half a size up. There is more on this in GEL-NYC sizing and the toe box question.
Which is more comfortable?
- Wide feet, high arches, all-day standing: Kayano 14.
- Narrow feet, prefer to feel the ground, want a lower profile under trousers: GEL-NYC.
- Somewhere in between: the Kayano 14 is the safer bet, because a wider footbed forgives more than a tight toe box does.
Materials and how they age
The Kayano 14 upper is mesh with leather and synthetic overlays. Mesh breathes well and the overlays wipe clean. The trade-off is that white mesh shows dirt fast. The high-abrasion rubber outsole holds up.
The GEL-NYC is different. The original release used suede overlays, which is unusual for a retro-style shoe, and the Cream White colourway we stock combines leather and mesh on the upper. Leather and suede age with more character than mesh and take a knock better, but they need a brush and a protector spray if you want the cream to stay cream. The NYC rewards care; the Kayano rewards cleaning.
For the same comparison against the cheaper option, read Kayano 14 vs GEL-1130 and GEL-1130 vs GEL-NYC.
Looks and what they do to an outfit
The Kayano 14 is the technical one. Silver panels, sharp lines, a tall midsole with visible GEL. It reads as equipment, even in tonal white. On foot it adds bulk, which works with wide-leg trousers and track pants and fights slim jeans.
The GEL-NYC is softer and rounder. The Nimbus 3 upper gives it a fuller shape, the leather calms the tech look down, and the lower tooling keeps it close to the floor. Cream White goes with almost anything neutral. In earth tones and cream the NYC disappears into the outfit, in a good way. The Kayano 14 never disappears.
Both pair well with our ASICS sets. Our post on which Gel trainers go with which set matches each colourway to the sets we stock, and the ASICS sets collection has everything in one place.
Price and what Tempo stocks
On price there is very little between them. The Gel-Kayano 14 at Tempo runs from £189.99 to £199.99 depending on colourway. The GEL-NYC is £189.99 (prices correct at time of writing). Neither is the budget option, that is the GEL-1130.
Where they differ is choice. We stock three Kayano 14 colourways:
- Fjord Grey Gel-Kayano 14, £199.99, white mesh with grey overlays, UK 6.5 to 11.
- White Light Navy Gel-Kayano 14, £194.99, two-tone white and light navy, UK 6 to 11.
- White Ivory Gel-Kayano 14, £189.99, tonal white, UK 6.5 to 10.5.
The GEL-NYC is one colourway only: the Cream White GEL-NYC, £189.99, leather and mesh upper, UK 7 to 11. If you take a UK 6 or 6.5, the Kayano is your only option here. If you want cream rather than white, the NYC is.
Gel-Kayano 14 vs GEL-NYC: the comparison table
| Point | Gel-Kayano 14 | GEL-NYC |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Single 2008 design, revived December 2020 | 2023 hybrid of Nimbus 3, MC Plus V and Cumulus 16 |
| Cushioning | GEL heel and forefoot, TRUSSTIC midfoot | GEL, TRUSSTIC unit |
| Ride | Taller, more arch support, wider footbed | Lower to the ground, firmer underfoot |
| Toe box | Roomier | Tight in height and width |
| Sizing | True to size | True to size for narrow-to-normal feet; half up if wide |
| Upper | Mesh with leather and synthetic overlays | Leather and mesh (Cream White); suede on the original |
| Look | Technical, silver, chunky | Softer, rounder, lifestyle |
| Price at Tempo | £189.99 to £199.99 | £189.99 |
| Colourways at Tempo | Three | One (Cream White) |
| Sizes at Tempo | UK 6 to 11 across colourways | UK 7 to 11 |
Which one for which person
No overall winner. Winners by use case.
You have wide feet or high arches. Kayano 14. The wider footbed and extra arch support win outright, and you will not need to gamble on a half size.
You want the shoe with the story. Kayano 14. One designer, one year, a documented relaunch, a documented sell-out collaboration.
You dress in cream, stone and earth tones. GEL-NYC. Cream White is built for that palette and the leather and mesh upper looks more grown up than open mesh.
You want a lower-profile shoe that does not shout. GEL-NYC. It sits closer to the ground and the rounder shape hides under trousers better.
You want the most choice. Kayano 14. Three colourways against one, and the widest size run.
You have narrow feet and like a firmer ride. GEL-NYC. The tight toe box that troubles wide feet is a snug, secure fit on narrow ones.
Still torn, or wondering whether the GEL-1130 should be in the conversation? Which ASICS Gel trainer should you buy puts all three side by side.
Quick answers
Is the GEL-NYC more comfortable than the Gel-Kayano 14?
Not by default. The Kayano 14 has more arch support and a wider footbed. The NYC sits lower and firmer with a tighter toe box. Wide feet will find the Kayano more comfortable; narrow feet may prefer the NYC.
Do the Kayano 14 and GEL-NYC fit the same size?
Both are listed true to size at Tempo. The difference is the NYC's toe box, which runs tight, so wide-footed customers commonly go half a size up in the NYC but not in the Kayano.
Which is more expensive?
Barely any difference. The Kayano 14 is £189.99 to £199.99 depending on colourway and the GEL-NYC is £189.99.
Is the GEL-NYC a real retro?
No. It is a 2023 design that borrows the Nimbus 3 upper, MC Plus V details and Cumulus 16 sole. The Kayano 14 is a genuine 2008 shoe brought back.
Shop both at Tempo
All three Kayano 14 colourways and the Cream White GEL-NYC are in stock in men's UK sizing in the ASICS trainers collection. UK delivery is free on orders over £100, orders placed before 2PM ship the same day, and Klarna and Clearpay are available at checkout.