Asics Gel Lyte III
18 OCT 2007
Launch price
£65.00
Stuff says
Hoardes of collectors have woken up to this design classic so invest now – or prepare to pay a hefty eBay mark-up
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Asics may take its running shoes seriously
but is also dabbles successfully in casual wear – just look at the
number of pairs of Onitsuka Tiger in your local student union. That
brand, which Nike used to import in its humble beginnings under the
Blue Ribbon Sports company name, may have cracked the mass market, but
those in the know have targeted a handful of cult classics like the
Gel Lyte IIIs.
The GT II runner had a successful re-release a few years back, and after
a retro of the Gel Lyte III hit the shelves two years ago connoisseurs
of the brilliant and obscure stocked up, alongside the lithe athletic types who mourned the shoe's discontinuation in the early
90s.
Gelling nicely
Asics’ Gel system offers genuinely
effective cushioning, and the lightweight build still holds its own
against competitors. But the true star of the Lyte IIIs is the visually
striking split tongue, which ups the comfort a notch and makes putting
a pair on a doddle.
There’s no need to stick to this slightly crazy colour scheme either.
Design agencies like Patta, Solebox and ALIFE are keeping interest bubbling
over with their own takes, but beware – all are bound destined to
sell out in the near future.