ASICS' Leather Dad Shoe Is a New (Balance) Kind of Sneaker
ASICS gave its popular GEL-1130 sneaker a new look. Now, this classic dad shoe is giving New Balance a run for their money.
The Japanese sportswear brand quietly released two new colorways of the GEL-1130 running shoe at Asian retailers like Taiwan's Zipper and Korea's MUSINSA and it looks... familiar.
This new GEL-1130 is a more low-key version of ASICS classic technical running shoe, replacing the synthetic leather overlays with organic suede.
Dare we say, the ASICS dad sneaker we've known is no more — it's gone full New Balance.
Not only do the material upgrades make a difference, but ASICS' cushy colorways make these running sneakers feel like a shoe I'd see on a buzzy Instagram page (i.e. a "dad" shoe) rather than on a middle-aged man hitting the home improvement store on the weekends (a dad shoe).
Really, the soft new fabrication makes these two GEL-1130 shoes look more akin to some of New Balance's signature silhouettes rather than ASICS'.
Offered in Dark Brown/Midnight and Olive Canvas/Smog Green colorways, the latest ASICS Gel-1130 invoke a more organic vibe than the coldly (if stylishly) technical previous iterations of the sneaker.
While the brand is still much-loved by runners and dads alike, ASICS is a certified hit with a younger, fashion-forward crowd. The updated GEL-1130 shoes are just the most recent example, though they're a left-turn from where the shoe usually ends up.
Earlier this summer, for instance, ASICS partnered with Toronto-based upcycling label Bentgablenits to upgrade the retro runner.
Bentgablenits infused ASICS's classically dad GEL-1130 sneakers with a bit of contemporary kitsch. The shoes were functionally identical besides the antique charms handsewn onto the back of each pair of each sneaker.
The result was quietly tasteful but almost indistinguishable from the existing model. That ASICS' new GEL-1130 channels New Balance's chunkily textural intrigue is a pretty solid departure from the norm.
