Just in time for the Singapore leg of the ASICS Relay, ASICS Singapore recently sent me a media drop.

And the package had comprised of a pair of the brand’s latest HyperGEL-SAI running shoes in white colour, as well as four ASICS Relay tee shirts in my size in various colours, a pair of ASICS shorts as well as an ASICS running backpack.

Balance of style and technology

For the HyperGEL-SAI shoes, these are designed with a fashion casual athletic upper together with performance-driven features, making them the perfect choice of footwear – regardless of whether you are heading for a morning workout or casually hanging out with your friends over brunch.

Explained series designer Takayuki Ueda, “The ASICS HyperGEL series was designed as bridge between sport and street cultures. HyperGEL-SAI and HyperGEL-Kan are ‘genre-less’ in that they’re adaptable and easily fit into either sport or street setting.”

Comprising of the HyperGEL, which is the latest generation of ASICS® signature GEL®, offer runners premium cushioning, a responsive ride and exceptional durability during their workouts, according to ASICS.

Beautiful and elegant design

Taking the shoes out of the box, my first impression was that the design was beautiful and elegant. So I can definitely foresee using these shoes both for my workouts as well as when I am walking around in the malls as they would not look out of place in either setting.

Another thing that I had noticed about the shoes too, was their unique asymmetrical lace design, which, according to ASICS, has been designed to reduce the potential for irritation and at the same time, improving the comfort and fit when wearing these shoes. 

And I had thought that this had been very interesting and creative at the same time.

According to the brand, the eye-catching design was inspired by the ASICS TIGER GEL-MAI, which is one of their lifestyle shoes.

Reflective Heel Patch

As well, in terms of the design elements, each shoe also consist of a heel patch of Japanese Kanji symbols. 

Apparently the one on the left foot translates to ‘Mind’ while the one on the right foot stands for ‘Body.’ Together, they stand for the ASICS credo, that is, ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body.’

These heel patches are also reflective, which is good for runners who like to clock their miles before dawn or after dusk.

Trying the ASICS HyperGEL-SAI shoes on

 So as such, I could not wait to slip these beautiful shoes on and take them out for a spin, when I had received them.

According to ASICS, it is actually recommended by the company to get half a size bigger than your usual size for these shoes because of the slimmer cutting as compared to their other shoe models.

But I found that this was not the case for me. I usually take an ASICS Women’s Size Eight, but when I had tried on the slightly larger shoes (Size Eight and a Half), they had felt exceptionally floppy and too roomy for my liking. So this meant that I had decided to go with my usual size instead.

My Size Eight HyperGEL-SAI shoes are definitely more snug around the ball of my foot – as compared to my other ASICS brand shoes at home. 

And because the mesh upper of the shoes seems to be made of quite a firm material, the moment you slip the shoes on. 

On the other hand, the toe box area is still quite roomy though, with more than a thumb’s width of space left between my big toe to the top of the shoe. 

So this probably means that I had picked the correct size, then.

For me, they are still good enough to wear for my walks or runs and they have not caused me blisters or bunions so far, but I have to point out that this model is perhaps not suitable for people who have wide feet.

Nevertheless it would have been good if there was a built-in feature to be able to loosen the shoes up a little, though, to cater to those who prefer their shoes to be a little more roomy.

But that said, the material that had been used to make the shoes does feel very durable and solid, so they will probably last through many kilometres of wear and tear while running or walking.

Breaking into the shoes

In terms of running, I have tried out the HyperGEL-SAI shoes on several outings now, with the longest run being about 10km – as I am hoping to break into them in time to use for the upcoming ASICS Relay, where I will be running 10km for my team.

Hugs the feet like a sock

And during my runs so far, I have found that the shoes fit very snugly, possibly due to the MONO-SOCK® feature, which means that the tongue is built into an upper sleeeve and the shoe hugs to the feet like a sock, to prevent unnecessary movement or distractions. 

The good thing about this is that this meant that the shoes does not slip and slide as I am running, so I can concentrate fully on my run without having to worry about re-fitting the shoes on my feet.

However, if you are going for runs longer than 10km though, the feet may expand when you are running, so this may mean that the tightness of the shoes may work against you. I cannot comment on this myself though because I have not taken this out for my long runs.

Cushioning and responsiveness

As well, the shoes, according to ASICS, are said to have a midsole with rebound and cushioning for all-day support, thus providing 30 per cent more bounce than usual.

And I could definitely feel this cushioning at work as I was running.

I find that sometimes when I am running with shoes that are reaching the end of their shelf life, I can feel the impact of the ground on my knees and shins due to the lack of cushioning, and this sensation thus makes my running very uncomfortable and sore.

But this was not the case at all with the new ASICS HyperGEL-SAI shoes, thanks to the cushioning which seemed to help absorb a significant amount of the impact, thus helping me to run comfortably. Having ample cushioning is quite important for me as a marathon runner, in terms of clocking the miles so the HyperGEL-SAI is good in this aspect.

As well, the shoes proved to be quite springy to run with. Thanks to the rebound support in the midsoles, I was able to feel the bounce as I ran and to some extent, this seemed to help somewhat with my toe-off and my striding.

Even towards the end of my run, the shoes had still remained bouncy and they did not lose the springy sensation at all, thanks to the ability of the rebound midsole to restore its shape faster than other midsole materials. 

And I think that this feature too, is good for endurance runners like myself, as the shoes can continue to keep their legs and feet protected even towards the end of a longer run.

Where to get the shoes

The HyperGEL-SAI shoes are currently available at all ASICS retail stores across Singapore, that is, at Paragon, Velocity, Bugis, WestGate, Suntec City, Plaza Singapura, NEX as well as VivoCity. 

And they have a retail price of SGD $159.