Asics’ Iconic Line of Normcore Shoes Has a New, Futuristic Spin
September 23, 2022If you’re feeling like everyone and their mom is rocking Nikes, and are also a bit tapped out on Vans, it could be time to get dadcore, and consider a super fresh take on one of Asics’ classic styles. We’ve already talked about how the Asics Gel-1130 is the ultimate unisex, normcore-retro street shoe, sported by everyone from Deadheads to DJs to cool French girls. But now, Asics has dropped a shoe that looks not only to the past for inspiration, but also to the future. Behold: the Gel-Quantum 180 VII.
The Gel-Quantum 180 VII features a ton of super-technical details that allow for the comfiest fit, whether you’re training for a marathon or just perusing the farmer’s market for hotties seasonal gourds. The futuristic shoe features a scutoid shape, allowing for more natural movement, and advanced cushioning technologies developed at the Asics Institute of Sport Science (yes, a real thing), like the specialized gel sole created to improve shock absorption.
On top of being made for high-performance walking, jogging, or gym-hitting, these upgraded dad sneakers also look super-fresh worn with cuffed chinos or oversized denim. While we love the sleek, Matrix-esque all-black version, we are truly pining for the neutral “nature bathing” edition, in sage and feather gray that mix all of our favorite “cores”—norm-, gorp-, and cottage-. This colorway was inspired by the Japanese phrase shinrin-yoku, which translates to “forest bathing”, and the colors “symbolize the idea of spending time in the forest and enjoying the positive benefits it has on the mind.” There is also a hidden message on the interior sock-liners in katanka that translates to "tree" and "forest."
Who says retro and futuristic have to be mutually exclusive?The Gel-Quantum 180 VIIs are now available in men’s and women’s sizes for $140.
The Gel Quantum 180 VIIs are now available at Asics.
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