About this deal
When I opened the box my first thought was for a budget-friendly shoe they look more like a higher-end shoe. After trying the shoes on I was nicely surprised by how comfortable they felt right away. Are planning on doing regular, long runs. Protect yourself and your joints with some more advanced cushioning like Hoka Clifton 8 For the price, you can’t ask for everything. With the Gel Contend 7, apart from the squeaky outsole and limited midsole, the laces are a real let down. In testing it took just 8.6N of force to slip them from their knot.
Of course, not everything is perfect at this price: the rubber is basic, and a bit noisy, the upper can cause rubbing, and the cushioning is a bit stiff. Nevertheless, overall, the value for money is good. The best thing is to see the Contend as a complementary shoe to alternate with your regular shoes and get your feet used to a different configuration. While this is quite a big limitation for a shoe (in a perfect world you can buy one pair of shoes that will do everything), it comes at such a low cost that it’s still a perfect shoe for those starting out, or short recovery runs. I have run in the Hoka One One Elevon’s for a while and they have some similarities to the Gel-Contend 7’s. Both have the all-over mesh on the upper and a very cushiony midsole. In addition to this, Asics also has put GUIDANCE LINE technology in the Gel-Contend 7. This helps the runner to develop a more natural and consistent stride. There’s also minimal arch support in the midsole which some might find uncomfortable. “Excuse me, you’re shoe’s squeaking”I have been a runner for the past 15 years and this lower-end shoe has opened my eyes to adding the not so “fancy” running shoes into my weekly mileage.
When I got the ASICS Gel Contend 7 I knew that they promised very little beyond the price tag, which meant I was extremely happy with the result. Supportive, well-built, and comfortable, there’s little else you can expect from this shoe.This shoe offers a lot of great features for a steal. I would recommend this shoe for any introductory runner who doesn’t want to get near the triple digits at price. The Gel-Contend 7 is a solid choice that won’t let you down. Another added benefit of the simplified design of the Contend 7 is that it’s a great all-rounder, so it could be perfect for: I took these shoes out in the rain a few times and did end up getting wet. They didn’t seem to hold on to water and dried out almost completely by the next day.