The Asics Gel-Lyte III was first released in 1990 . Special feature: its unique split tongue . As an individual component, it has become the trademark of this shoe over the years and with this conspicuity ensured that it did not get lost in the crowd of retro runners . But why this strange tongue? The split tongue was designed to replace a traditional tongue that is located in the middle of the shoe but often tended to slide to one side when running. Not only did the novel tongue not slip, it also offered a well-padded, foot-hugging feel and an all-encompassing, comfortable fit. This atypical look helpedGel-Lyte III to prove itself and turn it into a true classic among running shoes. Of course, it has to have more than one fancy tongue in order to be successful and sought after as a running shoe in the long term. But the overall design of the shoe is just too good not to be kept in your head (or on your foot), with or without the slightly different tongue. Nowadays the Gel-Lyte III is one of the most popular of all running shoes . He owes this not only to the many new colorways and material combinations , but also to the large range of sneaker shops who put their own stamp on the shoe with limited editions in recent years - which not least made it a coveted collector's item in the world of sneaker enthusiasts and earned it a place in the Hall of Fame for retro running shoes . The Asics Gel-Lyte III - a masterpiece with a split tongue.