Asics Gel-DS Trainer 22: Speedy trainer-racer gets major midsole upgrade

The Asics Gel-DS Trainer 22 gets a major midsole upgrade and the result for the speedy trainer-racer hybrid is impressive.

This lightweight stalwart of the Asics stable is the next shoe to get a FlyteFoam upgrade, the Japanese shoemaker’s new midsole technology. Flytefoam is Asics’s answer in the ongoing arms race to produce a softer, speedier ride. The first shoe to see this new technology was the DynaFlyte, which seems like a beefier version of the new Gel-DS Trainer. We really liked the DynaFlyte. It delivered Asics’s signature gel-like feel upon ground contact with a snappy return. Asics also significantly upped their game in the style department with the DynaFlyte, and that is continued with the Gel-DS Trainer 22.

The essentials:

Release date: Spring 2017
Type: Lightweight trainer
Heel-to-toe drop: 10 mm
Weight: Men’s: 8.0 oz., Women’s: 6.6 oz.
Listed price: $160

The Gel-DS Trainer 22 is perhaps oddly named because it would make an ideal uptempo running shoe for many. Because of its firmness it feels incredibly responsive and fast, making it a great choice for any distance all the way up to a marathon. The shoe is tricked out with a really firm, grippy material that resembles DynaRide, a material New Balance has used in its crazy light racing flats. The Gel-DS Trainer is a slightly more more conservative and versatile shoe, but it’s got the heart of a speed demon.

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Our testers found that Flytefoam gives this otherwise very firm and stiff shoe a bit more bounce and a softer impact than the previous iteration, which featured traditional EVA (the material that almost all running shoe midsoles have been made from for years now) and, of course, Asics’s patented “Gel” technology. So far, it’s safe to say that Flytefoam is a strong improvement on the Gel.

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Its 10 mm drop is pretty widely user-friendly, and even lighter forefoot strikers should find the DS Trainer a very agile option. This upgrade also sees a sharp set of colourways introduced, revealing Asics’ push towards bolder designs and forward-thinking technologies. The Gel-DS Trainer 22 is one of the most exciting shoes we’ve seen from Asics (or any other brand, for that matter) so far this year.

Look for the Gel-DS Trainer 22 online soon or shop nearby by checking out Canadian Running’s list of local retailers.