Asics Gel Resolution 6 Review

Comfort - Score: 4.7

From the initial try on to the end of the playtest, our playtesters were impressed with the comfort of the Gel Resolution 6. Chris felt totally comfortable moving around from the first ball. He said, "These were very comfortable shoes from the first wear to the last. They didn't require any break-in, and I liked the way the uppers flexed with my feet from the get-go. I have come to expect only the best from Asics when it comes to cushioning and these shoes did not disappoint. I found that perfect blend of comfort and court feel. While my feet felt protected from the abuse of hard court play, I never felt too elevated or disconnected from what was going on underfoot. Much like the Gel Resolution 5s, these shoes offer a really nice flex through the vamp, which makes them very comfortable to sprint around in."

Andy was also extremely impressed, saying, "I'll start the love affair by raving about the comfort. The uppers are soft, plush and move naturally with each step. There's tremendous cushioning underfoot for relief against harsh landings and long days on court. Even the tongue feels like a little pillow strapped to the top of my feet. They're easy to slip on and off, and I was looking forward to each time I got to wear them throughout the course of the playtest. Near top marks for me!"

Granville really enjoyed the plush cushioning. He said, "The soft materials make these Gel Resolution 6s very plush and comfortable shoes all around my feet. The cushioning is excellent and provided a soft bed for my feet. At first it seemed like my feet sat a bit higher off the court than in previous versions, but that may have just been the great cushioning I was feeling."

Ventilation - Score: 4.4

Every tester took note of all the mesh used in the upper of the Gel Resolution 6 and how it provided more than enough breathability during play. Granville said, "The ventilation is adequate, largely due to the mesh over the top of the forefoot and toes."

Andy praised, "The ample use of mesh in the upper provided more than enough breathability for even the hottest days on court. My feet never got overheated, and I was never in a rush to get these shoes off my feet after a playing session. Lack of ventilation was never an issue during the test."

Even while wearing two pairs of socks, Chris was quite pleased with the breathability during the test. He said, "There was more than enough mesh throughout these shoes to let the hot air out and the cold air in. My feet never felt overheated in these shoes despite the fact I like to play in two pairs of socks."

Arch Support - Score: 4.4

The Gel Resolution 6 continued to impress our testers when it came to arch support. While it may not be a perfect fit for everyone, these were close to ideal for Andy. He raved, "One of the things I love about Asics performance shoes is their excellent support through the arch, and this update to the Gel Resolution is no exception. I like having the support, otherwise my feet begin to ache, but some people may find the arch in the shoe to be a little too imposing. For me, the pressure under the arch along with the rigidity of the midfoot makes these a near perfect fit for my arches."

Chris also appreciated the supportive fit through the midfoot that allowed the shoes to flex in the right places. He shared, "Theses shoe are built around a very solid chassis design. The midfoot offered excellent lateral stability, which helped protect my arches. There was also enough stiffness in these shoes to push the flex point up under my toes and prevent any strain to my arches on fast sprints toward the net."

Granville didn't use the aftermarket insoles like he normally does, but he still wishes that a little more care and attention would be paid to the stock insoles. He critiqued, "This is the first shoe that I did not add insoles to from the get-go. Alas, the insole is an afterthought. It's very meager and just about worthless for anything other than the added cushioning it provides."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.3

For the most part, our testers found the support and stability to be excellent in the Gel Resolution 6. Andy thinks the Gel Resolution 6s are better than the version they replace. He said, "Support and stability are among the strengths of this shoe, and I found better support and stability in the Gel Resolution 6 than I did in the Gel Resolution 5. For starters, the ride was slightly lower to the ground than it is in the Gel Resolution 5, providing a more stable base for aggressive movements. Secondly, the uppers don't soften up quite as much as they did in the previous version, so my foot wasn't sliding around inside the shoe as much. I felt much more locked in during this playtest and felt total confidence moving around the court as quickly as I could."

Granville liked the wider fit through the toe box for a more stable base. He shared, "Stability is good. There is ample room in the toe box for my feet and toes, and there was no pinching or tightness. I'd go so far as to say the forefoot is rather roomy. But with two pairs of socks, like bucket seats in a sports car, these shoes fit just right."

Chris liked the support through the forefoot, but he had a bit of a fit issue with his narrow feet that was most likely caused by the rigidity of the midfoot shank. He offered, "I scored these shoes a 4 for support and stability. The midfoot stability was excellent, and the shoes also supported me well in the forefoot. However, the super stiff midfoot shank and heel counter didn't let the shoes transition as well from heel to toe as I would have liked. The result was some heel slippage throughout the test. I tried to dial out the slippage by lacing the shoes tighter around the top eyelet and by using a runners knot. In the end I found it to be a fine line between getting the shoe to feel more supportive in the heel and lacing them too tightly to be comfortable. However, the rest of the support and stability was top notch."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

All of our test pairs of the Gel Resolution 6 held up quite well throughout the duration of the playtest. Granville's pair showed very little wear after use on the hard courts. He praised, "I've got five or six matches in these shoes, and I'm not finding much wear! Deep cut grooves in the outsole offer what seems to be a substantial rubber sole. I wish I had gotten out on the clay with these shoes, since the deep tread makes me think that these would be great on that surface. Overall, they seem very durable -- among the best in recent memory."

Chris found the durability of this update to be an improvement over the previous iteration. He said, "I didn't do as much damage to the outsoles with this update as I did to previous version of the Gel Resolution. I usually blow through shoes under my right big toe, but these held up better than expected. I have some wear in that area, but nothing close to my usual amount. The rest of the outsoles are holding up very well, too. I would still be exercising the six-month durability guarantee here, but it would be later in the durability window than the previous models."

While the Gel Resolution 6 wasn't the most durable shoe he's tested, Andy certainly found enough resiliency in the outsole for him to give his stamp of approval. He shared, "The Gel Resolution is supposed to be Asics' more durable performance shoe, and it certainly succeed in that regard. Even elite level players will take some time wearing through the outsole of this shoe. With that said, this isn't the most durable shoe on the market, and the Barricade quickly comes to mind as one that beats it out in that regard. I wore these shoes a lot during the test (20-30 hours), and I am starting to see some balding under the ball of my foot. The durability will certainly be more than adequate for almost any tennis player, but it may get out-performed here by a couple of heavier, sturdier options."

Toe Durability - Score: 4.7

The team was even more impressed by the durability of the toe area on the Gel Resolution 6. They held up great for Chris, our toughest toe dragging playtester. He appreciated not only the durability, but also the design. He raved, "The toes held up well on these shoes. Asics has done a great job of keeping the tip of the shoe both light and comfortable, while also making it durable. Some shoes with durable toes are also stiff and uncomfortable, but these flexed really well and felt soft on my toes even when I was coming to an aggressive stop."

The toe area held up extremely well for Andy as well, and he shared, "There was no chance I was wearing through the toe area of these shoes. That area is built up with plenty of rubber, and I couldn't do any sort of damage to it. I would have a hard time believing that even a big time toe dragger (like Chris) would get through the protection on these shoes."

Traction - Score: 3.8

Our testers found the traction of the Gel Resolution 6 to be a tad on the slippery side, although this wasn't as much of an issue as one would think. Andy liked the slicker feel for when he wanted to slide on the hard courts. He explained, "I found the traction to actually be a little on the slick side, but this wasn't a big thing for me. While there were a couple instances when I 'spun my wheels' a little bit on an aggressive first step, for the most part I liked the 'slipperiness' because it allowed me to slide aggressively on the hard courts without having to worry about the shoe sticking to the court. For players who like to utilize the modern 'aggressive hard court slide,' these are going to be a great fit."

Granville found the shoes to be a bit too slippery at first, but that fixed itself as the test wore on. He offered, "Right out of the box I noticed some slippage on the court. Nothing major, but I noticed. After a few more sets it was all fine. Now that I've removed the 'top' layer of rubber, the shoes feel just right."

Chris appreciated the little bit of give because it took pressure off his joints when making aggressive cuts on court. He shared, "I liked the traction of these shoes. I found some controllable slide when stopping laterally, but the shoes gripped well on forward sprints. I felt like I could cut and move well in them, while the slide when I stopped took some strain off my aging knees and ankles."

Weight - Score: 3.9

Although the Gel Resolution 6s are durable, stable shoes, the weight never got in the way of our playtesters' movement on court. Chris offered, "I really didn't feel the weight of the Gel Resolution 6s on court. They don't feel light and fast, but they aren't heavy or clunky either. I'd say the weight is positioned well in these shoes so it's not as noticeable when moving around. Weight usually comes with this kind of durability and stability, so the shoes fit my expectations. I liked the secure feel I had from the midfoot forward, and I felt like I was moving well in them."

Offering a similar opinion was Andy, who offered, "While not being the lightest performance shoe out there, the weight of these shoes is certainly hidden in areas that don't really affect their performance. I never felt inhibited by the weight of the shoes in any way, and I appreciate the little added weight there is for better stability and durability."

Granville felt there was a slight increase in weight over the previous version, but he also found them to be more comfortable. He said, "These feel a little heavier than I remember from earlier versions. They also feel more padded and comfortable, so that seems to be the trade-off. Still, they remain less than a pound per foot, and I'm good with that."

Overall - Score: 4.5

Playtester Foot Types:
Chris - Narrow width / High arch
Granville - Narrow width / Low arch
Andy - Medium width / Low arch

Review date: February 2015. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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