The short version: Two of the biggest names in cushioned daily trainers drop new versions on the same day. The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 29 ($170) and the Brooks Glycerin Max 3 ($200) both release Dec. 1, 2026, and both are on preorder now. The Nimbus gets a new FF LUXE PLUS foam and a slightly lighter build; the Glycerin Max gets nitrogen-infused DNA RISE TUNED foam, a rocker and a 6 mm drop. That timing lands right as Texas runners start the long-run block for January and February marathons.
Side by side
| ASICS Gel-Nimbus 29 | Brooks Glycerin Max 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $170 | $200 |
| Release | Dec. 1, 2026 (preorder) | Dec. 1, 2026 (preorder, ships Dec. 1–6) |
| Midsole | FF LUXE PLUS foam, PureGEL in the heel | Nitrogen-infused DNA RISE TUNED foam |
| Weight | About 9.8 oz men’s 9, 8.4 oz women’s 8 (retailer listings) | 10.7 oz men’s, 9.6 oz women’s (Brooks) |
| Drop | 8 mm (retailer listings); stack unchanged from the 28, per ASICS | 6 mm (Brooks); about 45/39 mm stack (Runnea) |
| Ride | Wave-pattern sole for extra compression | Rocker for heel-to-toe transition |
| Outsole | HYBRID ASICSGRIP (ASICSGRIP and AHARPLUS) | Not detailed on Brooks’s page |
| Widths at launch | Standard on the page we checked | Medium only (men’s D, women’s B) on the page we checked |
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 29: a new foam, same geometry
ASICS calls the Nimbus its high-cushion daily trainer, softer than the Gel-Cumulus and lighter than the Gel-Slowcush. For the 29, its own “what’s new” post lists four changes:
- FF LUXE PLUS foam: the first Nimbus with it. ASICS says it is more plush than the FF BLAST PLUS foam in the 28, and its product page says it rebounds more than plain FF LUXE.
- A redesigned sole with a wave pattern that lets the midsole compress more, for a softer feel.
- A new engineered mesh upper with a knit tongue, ribbed collar and reflective details.
- Slightly lighter: about 2 g less in men’s and 4 g less in women’s sizes than the 28.
What stays: PureGEL in the heel (ASICS says it is about 65% softer than its standard GEL), the HYBRID ASICSGRIP outsole, and the same stack height and drop as the 28. It is built for neutral runners. If you already like the 28, ASICS is promising the same shape with a softer foam.
Brooks Glycerin Max 3: new foam, lighter, and a rocker
Brooks pitches the Glycerin Max 3 for your longest runs and calls its foam “our most luxurious nitrogen-infused cushioning.” The foam is DNA RISE TUNED, which Brooks has its own technology page for. Brooks’s spec list: a high stack of plush cushioning, rocker technology for heel-to-toe motion, a flat knit collar and tongue, and a 6 mm drop.
- Weight: 10.7 oz (303.3 g) men’s and 9.6 oz (272.2 g) women’s, per Brooks. Runnea lists the Max 2 at 320 g and 289 g, so the new version is roughly 17 g lighter.
- Stack: Runnea reports 45 mm at the heel and 39 mm at the forefoot. Brooks’s product page doesn’t list a number.
- Widths: the U.S. product pages we checked offered Medium only.
- Price: $200 in the U.S.
Which one for a Texas winter marathon build?
- Training for Houston, Austin or Cowtown: both ship in early December, which leaves time to put real miles on them before the Houston Marathon (Jan. 17), the Austin Marathon (Feb. 14) or Cowtown. Don’t debut either one on race day.
- Price: the Nimbus 29 is $30 less.
- Lower drop and a rocker: the Glycerin Max 3 (6 mm). The Nimbus is listed at 8 mm by retailers.
- Wide feet: neither showed a wide option on the pages we checked, so try them on at a Texas running store before you preorder.
- On a budget: new versions usually push the previous model into sales. Black Friday is Nov. 27, so watch for the Nimbus 28 and Glycerin Max 2, the same way we suggested with the Adrenaline GTS 25.
- Not for speed work: both are easy-day and long-run shoes. For tempo days see the Endorphin Speed 6 or Sonicblast 2, and keep easy runs easy with our Zone 2 guide.
