Comments about ASICS GEL-Extreme33 Men Black/White/Electric Lime:

I just got a pair of these shoes in the mail today and was eager to take them out for a test run. My immediate thoughts are that they are are a fine, lighter-weight daily trainer with an average (maybe even above average) volume when it comes to fit. Folks comfortable with a neutral shoe with more responsive cushioning (not plush or pillowy) should feel right at home with these.

Fitwise, the platform is fine for me. But the upper is a little roomier than I'd prefer in both the heel and the toebox. I should say though that I am 150 lbs, prefer to wear socks which are as thin and light as possible, don't have high-volume feet, and have a normal arch. Most problematic for me was the extra room in the heel which required me to really tighten up the top laces in order to prevent significant heel slippage. That said, I do agree with others here who mentioned the shorter laces. But since my feet aren't extraordinarily large and I prefer really cinching down the upper for a tighter fit, I am still able to double-knot them.

Other than that, the only other notable thing worth mentioning is that these shoes, being a lighter-weight model, have about a few millimeters less midsole material than your average daily trainer. In other words, less midsole material means less material to absorb impact. The upside of this is that,in combination with the Speva midsole material, the ride of these shoes accommodates faster turnover and pace. The downside is that this is true only if your body can handle the greater amount of stress. Oh, and if you're also somebody who is trying to transition from heel-striking, then these shoes also have about an 8mm heel-toe drop according to a competitor's website. That's kind of in the middle of what you'll find with most running shoes nowadays. Not zero drop. But not your typical 12mm differential that's traditional.

In closing, I'll just say a few more words about the midsole material Asics has used. The Solyte midsole material introduced by them a few years back has clearly supplanted Speva as the go to midsole foam used in their running shoes. Lately, there have been fewer and fewer options for you to chose from in the Asics line if you prefer Speva; this Gel-Extreme33 model happens to be one of them.

As a runner who prefers to pick up the pace and not have to fight as much against a more heavily cushioned shoe, I can appreciate the qualities Speva brings to the table which include--but are not limited to--better responsiveness and "bounce-back". However this model appears to have been discontinued as it no longer shows up on the Asics website; nor are there any press releases stating an updated version coming down the pike. So with the departure of the Extreme33, Speva enthusiasts are left with just one option at the moment and are--to my knowledge--limited to the upcoming Lyte33 version 2. Note, the Excel33 version 2 may use it. But it's a hybrid Speva/Solyte model.

If you're reading this, Asics, then hopefully you're taking notice that there are still people--folks who run a lot of miles and buy a LOT of shoes--out there who still want models with Speva included. It may be a little heavier than Solyte is. But some of us out here are fine with that given the benefits that it brings to the table.

As there are only 8 miles on these shoes at the moment, I can't speak to their longevity. But I'll try to remember to update this after--hopefully--another few hundred miles.

Cheers and happy running, people.