I was excited to try the ASICS Superblast.
Not Super Blast, but Superblast. I digress.
ASICS has had a lot of fun shoe names like the Magic Speed and now the Superblast. It really feels like they are coming into modern times with their technology. But yes, the Cumulus and Nimbus still exist.
I was very interested in curious why how the Superblast would sell. Why? It’s a $220 training shoe with no carbon plate. So wait, does the ASICS Superblast have a carbon plate?
No. But it does cost $220! That is a hard sell. After running several times in them, I was more than impressed, and I’ll probably be getting my second pair here soon.
I thought I took photos when I first got them, but I guess not. You can see by how dirty they are, I wear the Superblast a lot. I’ve put about 150 miles on them, with no signs of slowing down.
ASICS Superblast Quick Stats:
Weight: 8.4 oz
Drop: 8 mm
Price: $220
ASICS Superblast Intro:
As far as the current “super trainers” go, the ASICS Superblast is the lightest. That’s surprising since most of the time, ASICS running shoes are heavy. The shoe is designed for max stack height and can handle almost any type of run, from long runs to workouts and even daily miles. It’s also one of the better-fitting ASICS shoes recently. There is so much going on.
ASICS Superblast Fit:
ASICS usually fits more narrow, and the Superblast is no exception. ASICS claims the Superblast has a performance-oriented fit that will stretch during training. I didn’t find the ASICS Superblast as narrow as other ASICS models (yay!). I wish ASICS would get more true-to-size shoes.
As far as the upper goes, the tongue is thin and gusseted but stays in place. The rest of the ASICS Superblast is padded and premium, which it should be for a $220 training shoe. I believe the best-running shoe uppers disappear off your feet, and the ASICS Superblast does just that. There are no hot spots and nothing pinches or irritates my foot. I was worried about the tongue since it’s thin and sharp but it seems to do fine.
It’s super interesting that ASICS decided not to make men’s and women’s specific versions of the shoe. The ASICS Superblast is unisex. I typically wear between a women’s size 10-11 wide and found the 11 to fit well. I have to wonder because men’s/unisex sizing is slightly wider if that is why I found the fit better.
ASICS Superblast Ride:
The ASICS Superblast uses a full-length FF Turbo and a smaller layer of FF Blast+ foam. It does not have a carbon plate. I feel like I really cannot say that enough. I keep getting asked if the ASICS Super Blast has a carbon plate. Anyway, since I get asked about it often, I’ll include it several times in the review for people that skim, but there is no carbon plate in the ASICS Superblast.
Despite not having a carbon plate, the ride is much more firm and responsive than I expected. With that much cushion and stack height, I expected to run on a pile of mush. Maybe not as mushy as the Hoka Clifton, but I was expecting my foot to sink in. It was hard to imagine a shoe with that much stack height being anything more than a recovery run shoe. I’ve tried the New Balance Supercomp Trainer and found it just ok, but more clunky than I prefer. So with ASICS typically using gel cushioning, I expected the ASICS Superblast to be similar. It’s not.
The FF Turbo compresses under the foot, and you feel much higher off the ground. Being so far up, I thought I might trip and fall, but luckily, that didn’t happen. With how light it is, it’s easy to pick up the pace without feeling your feet are heavy.
Durability and Traction: Like almost every other shoe from ASICS, the Superblast has plenty of durability and traction. I’ve used it on sandy trails; inclement weather will have no issues. I’ve already put about 150 miles on it with no signs of slowing down; I expect I’ll get at least 400 miles with them.
I wasn’t sure how the ASICS Superblast would fit into my rotation.
Would it be a fast-run shoe?
An easy run?
An all around daily trainer like ASICS claims?
I do find it can do almost everything. I prefer it for long runs because my body feels significantly less beat up after. I’ve used it for all sorts of runs. I like something lower to the ground and faster for workouts like the ASICS Metaspeed Edge+. The Superblast is fine for recovery and slow runs, but my body appreciates the ASICS Nimbus more. The ASICS Superblast has quickly become the shoe I pack when I have no idea what kind of run I’ll do that day, but it’s my favorite for long runs.
ASICS Superblast Conclusion:
So what’s the downfall of the ASICS Superblast? The price, of course. Everything, minus how expensive it is, is excellent, and it’s already one of my favorite shoes. I haven’t liked an ASICS shoe this much in quite some time. In fact, I didn’t know it was possible to like an ASICS shoe this much. If you are looking for a shoe that doesn’t beat up your body as much, consider the ASICS Superblast.
My Current Shoe Rotation:
Easy/Daily Runs: New Balance 1080v12, Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo, Saucony Triumph 19, Mizuno Wave Neo Ultra
Speed Work: Hoka Solimar, Altra Vanish Carbon, 361 Flame, Nike Tempo Next%, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro, Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Reebok Floatride Energy X
Long Runs: ASICS Superblast
Trail Running/Hiking: Brooks Caldera 6, Saucony Peregrine 12, Hoka Torrent 2, Hoka Zinal Shoe, Speedland SL: PDX,
Races: Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Asics Metaspeed Sky, Hoka One One Rocket X, adidas Adizero Pro, New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%, Saucony Endorphin Pro 2, Reebok Run fast Pro
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Questions for you:
What is your favorite daily trainer?
Have you tried the ASICS Superblast?