ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL for Walking (First Impressions)

Updated: June 16th, 2022

Update June 16th, 2022: ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL

Ok, it's been a few months now since I purchased my Asics Gel-Excite 8 AWL running shoes for walking. I have created a new YouTube video below. I give a quick overview, try them on, the pros & cons, take them out in the water, ice and snow, and give my final thoughts if I would purchase them again.

Asics Gel-Excite 8 AWL (Update) on YouTube

You can check out the Asics Gel-Excite 8 AWL's on my Amazon shop. May spring up some walking gear ideas.

I became an Amazon affiliate in May 2022. If you click through the link above and purchase items on Amazon, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Why the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL?

I was looking for a water-resistant pair of walking/running shoes to replace my Shadow softshell waterproof shoes from Mountain Warehouse. I found the Mountain Warehouse trail shoes were too clunky, no big deal, still a good pair of trail shoes.

Do You Have Any Additional Photos After Using the ASICS Men’s Gel-Excite 8 Awl?

Yes, I took additional photos after two months from April 2022. Scroll down to the end of this post to check them out. There are four photos. The side view, toe box area, back, and tread.

ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL for Walking Pros and Cons

Pros

Comfortable
Bright reflectors
Good tread
Good fit
Well made

Cons

Not very water-resistant
Top of toe box lets in water (my experience)

How Comfortable Are the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL for Walking

After going for a thirty-minute walk on my treadmill, I found the ASICS Gel-Excite 8 AWLs were a little less cushiony than my ASICS Gel-Excite 7s. Check out the video below for more details. Update: April 16, 2022. I've had the chance to walk out on sidewalks, gravel roads, grass, you name it. So far, the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs for walking have been comfortable on all surfaces. I did get some rocks in my shoes which was expected. All the trails and sidewalks I was walking on were in my city. I didn't take them out to the mountains. In saying that, I probably wouldn't take the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs too close to the mountains, maybe just walking around in town.

Water Resistant ASICS Gel-Excite 8 AWL Running Shoes (YouTube)

What's the Appearance Like? And What’s the Difference Between the ASICS Men’s Gel-Excite 8 Awl and ASICS Gel-Excite 7?

The outers are water-resistant with two prominent yellow reflectors on the front and side. It looks like the tread is a bit beefier than my ASIC Gel-Excite 7s.

For the difference between the ASICS Men’s Gel-Excite 8 Awl and ASICS Gel-Excite 7, check out the YouTube video below.

Asics Gel Excite 7 vs 8 AWL (Mens - YouTube)

How Do the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL Fit?

The toe box feels fine, not too wide on my feet. I find the ASICS brand fits smaller. I've bumped up half a size for the last three pairs I've purchased.

Putting on My Men's ASICS Gel-Excite 8 AWL with Sweatpants (No Talking)

In this video above, I'm trying on the ASICS Gel-Excite 8 AWLs with sweatpants over top of them. I do like the low-cut look. I like to have some flexibility in my ankle area. As for the outer look, they are nice. The navy blue, white, grey, and yellow across the runners look good.

Where Did I Get My ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs?

I purchased them from ASICS Canada's website.

What Was It Like Purchasing From the Asics Canada Website (Desktop)?

Overall it was fine, I noticed some of the shoes were out of stock. The ASICS Canada website was a bit complicated to navigate through. Mission accomplished though, shoes got ordered, and it was done.

How Long Did Shipping Take To Get My ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL to My House?

The shipping time was around five days give or take.

What About Returns? Can You Return the Asics Men’s Gel-Excite 8 Awls if It Doesn’t Work Out?

At the time of the video, they offer free returns but I'm no expert, here is ASICS Canada's return policy. I didn't get a tracking number for this shipment, I'm not sure why. Finding my size was ok.

How Much Did the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs Cost?

They were $126.00 CAD all-in including tax and shipping. Of course, the price may change since the time of this post.

A little snippet of the digital receipt of the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL running shoes with the price, tax, and shipping.

Concerns - ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL

I'm a little concerned about the breathability since they are water-resistant. The thirty-minute treadmill walk wasn't enough. I'll take them out in the wild soon.

How Water Resistant Are the ASIC Gel-Excite 8 AWLs for Walking?

How Water Resistant Are ASICS Gel-Excite 8 AWL Running Shoes? on YouTube

Update: April 16, 2022. Well, unfortunately, the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs are not very water-resistant. I took them out for a walk in the afternoon during the good old melting season. The sidewalk was full of melting ice and water. When I first started walking, the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs were in great condition. It wasn't until I got to the deeper cold Canadian puddles that the icy water penetrated the toebox and gave my feet a cool hello. In the video above was the first walk. I took the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs out again a few more times and the water got through to my feet each time.

So, I'm a bit disappointed, I purchased the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs with the intention they would be able to hold the water out if I was going through a puddle. That was not the case, (Shoulder Shrug). I'm not completely cold-hearted though, I still love these shoes, they are comfortable and fit my feet well. I'll have to use these in the summer months on drier days.

Would I Buy the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWLs Again?

Unfortunately, No, but I will buy other ASICS shoes no problem.

Conclusion

Overall, I'm happy with the purchase and the first impressions. If you're looking for running shoes for city walks, you may find the video below useful. Update: April 16, 2022. Aside from the ASICS Men's Gel-Excite 8 AWL not being very water-resistant, they are still comfortable.

My Running Shoes for Walking Outside | Mistakes | Wet Conditions

Till the next walk

Ryan