Asics Gel-Kayano Ace Shoe Review

Asics Gel-Kayano Ace Shoe Review 

Since partnering with Srixon late in 2019, Asics has made a nice splash in the golf shoe market and is now out with its most recent release, the Gel-Kayano Ace. I recently had the chance to test the new Gel-Kayano Ace and came away impressed, as this looks to be one of the best spikeless golf shoes of 2022.

First off, this shoe is visually impressive. It has a modern, athletic look, which is no surprise given Asics’ strength as a brand when it comes to aesthetics. The Metropolis/Gunmetal colorway that I tested was especially stylish along with being versatile in terms of the various colors it could be worn with. Three additional options exist as well to suit anyone’s color preferences, each of which looks equally sharp.

Aside from my initial impressions of the Gel-Kayano Ace from a looks standpoint, the other thing that stood out right away upon taking the shoes out of the box was how light they were. In fact, they were so light in hand that I initially had reservations about how supportive and stable they might be when swinging a golf club. Those concerns, however, were quickly erased once I got to the golf course. More on that shortly.

In terms of fit, the Gel-Kayano Ace fits like a high-end running shoe, and it's worth noting that the Gel-Kayano name was first used in conjunction with a popular series of Asics running shoes. More specifically, the Gel-Kayano Ace has a wider toe box that allows the toes to move freely, but the fit in the midfoot and heel is quite snug, a design approach that is intended to provide optimal support.

As far as sizing is concerned, I wear a size 10 almost exclusively in any golf shoe and had no issues from that standpoint with the Gel-Kayano Ace. But for golfers who more frequently fall in between sizes in various shoes, I would encourage them to go up in size as opposed to down in this particular shoe given its design characteristics.

Upon getting the shoes out on the golf course for the first time, the snug fit in the midfoot and heel was noticeable and took a short amount of time to get used to. There was no discomfort at all, rather just a different feeling initially during use than what many other golf shoes offer. After playing a couple of holes, however, that feel faded and the Gel-Kayano Ace really began to shine in terms of both comfort and performance.

 As mentioned previously, the lightweight design of the Gel-Kayano Ace left me initially concerned about how much support this shoe might provide while both walking and swinging a golf club. In that regard, however, it exceeded all expectations, and I don’t just mean my initial expectations for this particular shoe. It exceeded what I would expect from any golf shoe in terms of the support and stability it delivered.

Yes, that stability and support came with a feel that was a bit unique and slightly rigid right out of the box, as design features such as a TPU Heel Cradle and strategically positioned rubber wraps were implemented to keep the foot firmly in place. But after a few holes, the comfort and flexibility that I would want from a golf shoe were clear and present. Equally important was that there were no issues after playing. If anything, my feet felt more refreshed following rounds given the amount of support provided by these shoes and just how light they are.

While stability and support were standout features of the Gel-Kayano Ace, as is the case with all of the best golf shoes, equally impressive was how much traction its spikeless sole provided. I typically wear spiked golf shoes given that my footwork can get a little loose at times, but this spikeless design was exceptional on the slippery, dormant grasses and in the wet conditions that have been prevalent at my home course in recent weeks That’s a credit to Asics, which developed its Flex Groove sole specifically for the golf swing by positioning small rubber spikes and channels where they need to be to optimize traction. 

Lastly, the Gel-Kayano Ace is fully waterproof and features a waterproof mesh upper as well as a waterproof lining. While I didn’t get to test these shoes in the rain, it was quite damp on one of my testing days and my feet stayed completely dry. It was also unseasonably warm on another of the days that I was able to test and the Gel-Kayano Ace exhibited excellent breathability, as my feet stayed cool and experienced no issues with sweat.

In summary, there is a lot to like about Asics’ latest golf shoe, which has a suggested retail price of $169 and will be available starting April 1. The Gel-Kayano Ace provides golfers with the best performance attributes of a high-end golf shoe and a high-end running shoe, delivering a combination of stability, traction, and support that would seem unlikely in what is such a lightweight design. If you’re looking for a spikeless golf shoe that will give you more of those key attributes while still providing comfort, the Gel-Kayano Ace is definitely worth a look.