Asics Gel Resolution 5 Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.5

Our playtesters agreed that the Gel Resolution 5 might be the most comfortable Gel Resolution yet, with an improved softer upper offering a better fit. Spencer found this version of the shoe fit him the best. He said, "The 5 is the most comfortable Gel Resolution I've worn. The update to the upper in the forefoot has worked well for my foot shape. I didn't have any discomfort from the get-go. I particularly paid attention to the narrowing width into the toe box, because in the past versions they were too narrow and I experienced some discomfort on my pinky toes. The 5 seems to offer a little bit wider fit, which is great."

Chris also enjoyed the update and found the Gel cushioning to be wonderful, as always. He offered, "I really liked the comfortable fit and feel of this latest Gel Resolution. I thought the fit was one of the most improved aspects of the shoe over the version it replaces. I found the shoe to fit true to size and I was able to get a very comfortable fit. As expected, the Gel cushioning was top notch. I never felt any undue jarring when wearing this shoe, even on tough landings. The uppers broke in faster in this version of the shoe and I found the toe box to be more comfortable. There was more flex through the vamp of the shoe and it made the shoes feel not only more comfortable, but also faster at toe-off."

Jason also found the uppers more comfortable than past versions. He said, "I've worn all the previous Gel Resolution shoes and I feel like this one is on par with them, if not a bit better. The uppers on these latest Gel Resolution are very soft and supple, even more so than past models. I thought the cushioning was responsive and more than adequate for not-so-soft landings.

Being a fan of the Gel Resolution line for years, Andy was impressed with the comfort once again. He explained, "I've loved the fit and comfort of every generation of the Gel Resolution line, and this one is no different. The new uppers (softer and more supple than the previous versions) sits nicely around the top of my foot. I love the low-profile design of the Gel Resolutions because it doesn't feel like you have a whole lot of shoe wrapped around your foot. I did find the midsole and outsole to be a little more beefed up and rigid compared to the previous version, making them not quite as soft and cushioned. Other than that, the 5s are ready to go right out of the box."

Ventilation - Score: 4.2

The Gel Resolution 5 provided more than enough ventilation for our playtest team. Spencer had no issues, saying, "There is plenty of mesh through the vamp and tongue to offer enough ventilation. I never felt any extra heat or lack of breathability throughout the test."

Andy also enjoyed the breathability that he has come to expect from the Gel Resolution line. He said, "Like previous versions, this shoe provides more than enough breathability. There is good use of mesh all around the upper, so there's ventilation for all areas of the foot."

Chris found plenty of ventilation, although the shoe didn't stand out to him in this category. He explained, "The level of venting in this shoe was pretty solid. My feet never got overly hot in them even though I wear two pairs of socks when I play. I couldn't feel the air flow through them like I can with a shoe like the adidas adiZero CC Feather II, and they didn't feel as light and airy as the Gel Solution Speed, but the venting was adequate enough to keep my feet comfortable."

Jason had no issues with breathability, as he said, "Pretty standard results here. I didn't feel my feet overheat at any point during this playtest so that was a good sign. There is a lot of mesh in the upper to provide the ventilation needed."

Arch Support - Score: 4.4

Like previous versions, there is plenty of arch support in the Gel Resolution 5 to keep your feet happy and comfortable. "This is a great feature of the shoe!" Andy exclaimed. "You feel some solid pressure up into your arch as you put on the shoe - not too much to where it's uncomfortable, but a good amount to where you feel tons of support when moving around. The fit of the arch helps in the support category, as well as the comfort/fit."

Chris liked the arch support for the fit as well as the stability it offered. He said, "The arch support felt pretty middle of the road to me and I expect it should fit a variety of arch types without issue. I have slightly higher than medium arches and the shoes fit comfortably. The level of lateral support is exceptional through the arch area. I never had to worry about the shoes twisting too much and straining my arches. The midfoot shank was also stiff enough that it pushed the flex point of the shoe perfectly towards the forefoot, which had my arches feeling well protected on fast sprints towards the net."

Spencer felt plenty of support as well. He said, "The medium arch support worked well for my medium arches. The proper placement and comfortable feel allowed me to focus on tennis, not on my arches."

The medium arch of the shoe was not ideal for Jason's flatter feet, but the shoe fit him better than previous versions. He said, "The arch seems to be a bit lower than the arch of the 4, but there's still some support (not necessarily good for me, but it is for most players)."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.2

Asics saw no reason to try and fix something that's not broken, as the Gel Resolution 5 proved to have the same great support and stability as previous versions. Other than a slight fit issue in the heel, Jason felt good moving around in these shoes. He said, "This is an area the Gel Resolution line has always excelled at. I felt confident moving with these shoes on, whether I was going side to side or running after a drop shot. My feet felt well supported, as there was no sliding at all within the midfoot and forefoot of the shoe. My one slight knock would be heel slippage. It wasn't bad or detrimental to my movement, but I would've preferred it if my heels were 100% locked down. Other than that, no complaints."

Even with a slightly different feel, Spencer found more than enough support when moving around the court. He explained, "Though this version does feel a tad bit higher off the ground, I was happy with the lateral stability when planting and changing direction. No surprises here. This is what I would expect from a Resolution, and the 5 is no exception. The fit also added a supportive feel. I liked the hugging feel of the upper around my feet."

Chris felt confident enough in this shoe to make it one of his go-to choices. He said, "This version of the Gel Resolution is not as stiff in the forefoot as the 4, but I think it is all the better for it. I still found adequate support around my toes and forefoot to keep me feeling locked in on fast lateral cuts. I also liked the faster feel of the shoe as a result of that added flex. Towards the rear of the shoe things seemed relatively unchanged, and I found the same excellent level of support that I found with the previous version. I liked the level of support and stability so much that these quickly became my go to shoes whenever I was heading out for a hard training session or tough match."

Holding the shoe to the highest of standards, Andy liked the stability but also thought it was not as stable as past iterations. He explained, "The stability is good for a shoe that is this low-profile, but I felt like this is one area that is not as good as previous versions due to the softer upper. They are softer and more comfortable, but at the same time my foot would slide around a little too much when making an aggressive lateral cut. Compared to other shoes the stability is good, but compared to the previous version I think they've taken a step backwards."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

Asics made the outsole thicker on the Gel Resolution 5 in order to improve durability, and for the most part our playtesters thought that the goal was achieved. "Asics claimed to have beefed up the outsole material to increase durability, and it shows," Jason said. "I felt like these stood up better than previous models. I put about 18 hours of court time on these and they still showed plenty of life. The first signs of tread loss happened on the medial forefoot and heels."

Andy did what he could to wear through the shoe, but to no avail, as he said, "The outsole is noticeably thicker, which makes the ride a little higher off the ground but also improves the durability nicely. I wore these shoes a lot since I enjoyed the test so much, so I really put them to the test. Up until the last few hours they were showing very little wear. Even as I write this there is only minimal wear under the big toe, which is where I normally beat up my shoes."

Spencer saw no excessive wear and tear with these shoes. He said, "I'm not one to quickly wear out my outsoles, but I would say these held up rather well. I had the usual wear patterns under my big toes."

On the contrary, Chris thought that they didn't do enough to improve the durability. He said, "The one area I found that needs continued improvement would be durability. I know Asics has taken steps to improve the durability of this shoe, but I still wore a hole through the outsole during our month-long test. I did put a lot of hours on the shoe since I enjoyed playing in them so much, but I would definitely be exercising the six-month durability guarantee with every pair of Gel Resolution 5s I bought. While the durability was decent, it was still a step under that of an adidas Barricade 7 or Nike Air Court Ballistec 4.3. I wore through my shoes under the big toe of my right foot after about 17 hours of play."

Toe Durability - Score: 4.6

Chris was our lone toe dragger on this playtest, and he found that the toe held up much better than the outsole did on his pair of Gel Resolution 5s. He said, "I was impressed again by the level of toe durability in the Gel Resolutions. While these are not quite as beefy as the previous version, the toe durability was solid. The uppers were well protected and Asics has put drag protection in all of the needed areas. While the outsole is toasted, the toes are still ready to rock on my pair of Gel Resolution 5s."

Traction - Score: 4.7

Traction proved to be one of the standout features of the Gel Resolution 5. They performed in typical Gel Resolution fashion for Andy, who said, "I've always felt more comfortable moving around the court in Gel Resolutions than in any other shoe, and it's due mostly to the level of traction. It enables me to slide when I need to slide, and also grab the court when I need to make an aggressive cut. Asics got the rubber compound right once again in this latest generation of the Gel Resolutions."

Chris also thought the level of traction was perfect, saying, "The level of traction was great in these shoes and I scored them a perfect 5. I found that perfect level of grip and give. There was all the traction I needed to make a quick start, stop or change of direction. I also found the give needed to slide out of an aggressive lateral lunge, and that helped take some stress off my joints. It also prevented the shoe from grabbing the court too much and rolling over."

Jason also had no issues with traction, as he said, "I expected nothing less from a high performance shoe and I was not disappointed. The pivot points and modified herringbone design provided excellent traction on the hard court. There was very little slippage."

In agreement was Spencer, who said, "The traction offered a nice amount of tack, yet allowed some give when necessary. I never experienced any slips or slides that I wasn't expecting."

Weight - Score: 4.4

The Gel Resolution 5 is a touch heavier than the previous model, but it never affected our playtesters' movement on court. "Again, a perfect score from me. The level of support and stability and the fast feel made these shoes feel perfectly weighted," Chris said. "Are they Nike Vapor fast? No. But they are also far more durable. I really liked the feel of them on my feet. They felt solid and stable, yet I also felt like I could move very well in them. With the Gel Resolution 4 and 5, Asics has found that rare combo of speed and stability.

Jason didn't mind the extra weight, adding, "This new version feels a bit bulkier and more substantial than before, but I didn't mind the weight at all. I still felt like my movement was not hindered."

Spencer thought the balance between heft and support was right on. He said, "I like the combination of weight and stability. The Gel Resolution 5s have a lightweight feel, but still offer a safe, stable feel when zipping around the court. To me, this is ideal."

Andy also had little issue with the added weight, saying, "It feels heavier than previous versions, but it's still not a clunky-feeling shoe. The outsole is beefed up so you feel the shoe a little bit more on court, but the design is such that it really molds to the foot well, keeping the weight of the shoe hidden. You definitely feel light and fast in them."

Overall - Score: 4.5

Playtester Foot Types:
Chris - Narrow width / Medium arch
Spencer - Medium width / Medium arch
Jason - Wide width / Low arch
Andy - Medium width / Low arch

Review date: April 2013. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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