REASONS TO BUY
Cheap
Decent traction
REASONS TO AVOID
Firm and dead cushioning
Poor quality upper
Asics Gel-Contend 9 Review
A passable budget trainer for runners who don’t log lots of miles
Credit: Natalie Kafader
RELATED: The Best Running Shoes for Men
Our Verdict
It's hard for a budget daily trainer to keep up with the best shoes on the market, and the Asics Gel-Contend 9 isn't able to. It's not a bad daily trainer, but it also isn't very good. The midsole foam is dead, with no real give or bounce. Forefoot cushioning is very limited. The upper runs pretty warm, and we experienced hotspots on the back of our heels every time we ran in the shoe for more than a few miles. This is a decent shoe if you only go for short runs once or twice a week. On the other hand, we would strongly recommend simply purchasing last year's model of one of our award winners, which can often be found for the same price as this shoe and will be far more enjoyable for your runs.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Asics Gel-Contend 9 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Running Shoes |  Excellent Performance without a Plate |  Best Shoes Under $100 | ||
| Price | $70 List $59.95 at Amazon | $134.99 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $140.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $120 List $64.95 at Amazon | $75 List $54.98 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A budget daily trainer that works, but is easily outclassed | A versatile and comfortable option we think most runners will love | Bouncy, responsive and well-cushioned, this shoe is performance-oriented but still versatile | Plush cushioning and a bit of pace in a budget shoe | A shoe that isn’t meant to handle daily mileage, but works for walks and daily wear |
| Rating Categories | Asics Gel-Contend 9 | Asics Novablast 5 | New Balance FuelCel... | New Balance FuelCel... | New Balance Fresh F... |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5.0%) | |||||
| Specifications | Asics Gel-Contend 9 | Asics Novablast 5 | New Balance FuelCel... | New Balance FuelCel... | New Balance Fresh F... |
| Sizes Available | 6-15 US, regular & extra wide | 6-15 US, regular & wide | 7-16 US, regular & wide | 7-18 US, regular & wide | 7-15 US, regular, wide & extra wide |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 33 mm | 41 mm | 30 mm | 38 mm | 28 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 9 mm | 5 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm |
| Plate Type | None | None | None | Full-length plastic | None |
| Rocker Angle | 25.0 deg | 25.0 deg | 19.5 deg | 19.0 deg | 25.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 65.6% | 56.0% | 62.2% | 68.3% | 61.7% |
| Measured Weight | 10.21 oz | 9.50 oz | 7.98 oz | 10.52 oz | 10.04 oz |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | Engineered jacquard mesh | FantomFit | Engineered mesh | Engineered mesh |
| Midsole | AMPLIFOAM+ | FF Blast Max | FuelCell | FuelCell | Fresh Foam |
| Outsole | Rubber | AHAR LO | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | Finger loop | Finger loop | None | None | None |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Not everyone needs a high-end daily trainer, and we fully recognize that. However, once you start to dip into the beginner/budget models, you're making sacrifices that will likely compromise your overall enjoyment of the run. The Asics Gel-Contend 9 is an excellent example of that. It works, but you're better served by finding an older, higher model marked down to the same price.
Performance Comparison
We cut apart the Gel-Contend 9 to further examine our conclusions from running in the shoe.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Landing Comfort
In our testing notes, we wrote that “this trainer feels like a mediocre daily trainer from the 2010s.” That isn't a compliment. Modern foams have come a long way, providing not only insulation but also more forgiving compression and resilience tuned for various paces. The foam on the Gel-Contend 9 is dead and lifeless. It has a firm feel, and while it insulates you from the ground, it isn't doing you any favors. We measured 33 mm of foam at the heel with a 9 mm drop.
We found the forefoot cushioning to be very limited, and it bordered on discomfort at faster paces. Overall, the shoe works, but it isn't particularly enjoyable. We also would not recommend it to runners who plan to log mileage consistently.
A moderate stack height works, but it's held back by firm foam.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Responsiveness
Thanks to the firm midsole, the shoe has some ability to pick up the pace. There isn't any noticeable help from the shoe in the form of highly resilient foam or rocker geometry. In that sense, it's old school. We think it works, but if you plan to run some workouts in the shoe, we'd recommend something more versatile.
The Gel-Contend 9 is a simple, old-school runnning shoe.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Upper Comfort
We had some issues with the upper of the Gel-Contend 9. First, we found it roomy, with good volume in general, and the padded tongue worked well. However, the lower-tier materials struggled in warm weather, leaving our feet sweaty. We also found that the shoes caused hotspots after a few miles in the same spot halfway up the heel on both feet. That was a repeated occurrence, regardless of what socks we wore.
We had consistent hotspots on the back of our heels in this shoe.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Stability
The firm midsole and wide base of the Gel-Contend 9 make it reasonably stable overall. If you're in the market for a budget shoe, value stability, and aren't willing to spend a little more for a higher-quality shoe on markdown, this might work for you. Still, the lack of forefoot support limits the potential audience to runners who land farther back on their heels.
The firm midsole and wider base make this a somewhat stable neutral trainer.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
The Gel-Contend 9 we tested in our lab weighed in at 10.21 ounces. That is right on par for a daily trainer, which is good to see. The shoe doesn't feel light, but thanks to the lower stack height, it does feel somewhat nimble.
We found the Gel-Contend 9 to be on par with the weight of most daily trainers.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
Traction is decent on the Gel-Contend 9. It's nothing special, but the exposed runner outsole does work well on loose surfaces and dry asphalt. We did notice that the shoe struggled a bit on wet surfaces, but not egregiously so.
The rubber outsole coverage is adequate.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Asics Gel-Contend 9?
While the shoe isn't terrible, we don't think it should make your list for running. At this price point, you should easily be able to find last year's model of some of our award winners, which will provide you with a much more enjoyable and durable shoe. This is not a shoe we would recommend for runners who log regular mileage, and its lack of versatility limits its overall appeal.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
Check out the Adidas Adizero SL2 or the Puma Velocity Nitro 3 for an affordable yet high-performing shoe. Both MSRP for significantly more than the Gel-Contend 9, but are easily found marked down. For better savings, check out the previous versions of both shoes. The Puma Velocity Nitro 3 was one of our favorite trainers of 2023 and can easily be found for a similar price to the Gel-Contend 9. Other good options include the Saucony Kinvara 15, which has a lower drop and lighter weight, and the New Balance FuelCell Propel v5, which is surprisingly comfortable and versatile for a budget shoe.
—Nathaniel Bailey
You Might Also Like
