REASONS TO BUY
Extremely versatile
Comfortable
Well cushioned
REASONS TO AVOID
Expensive
Slightly short tapered toe box
Asics Superblast 2 Review
One of the best all-around max-cushioning shoes out there, this shoe will handle anything you throw at it, and keep you comfortable doing it
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
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Our Verdict
The Asics Superblast 2 is a max-cushioned, ultra-premium daily trainer. Thanks to the FF Turbo + midsole foam — the same foam that you'll find in our favorite racing shoe, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris — this daily trainer can be a one-stop shoe for some runners. The ride is a little firmer than you might expect from a max-cushioned shoe, but it's comfortable nonetheless. It's soft and fun for easy cruises. It's bouncy and responsive at marathon pace. It's a great long run shoe. Our only minor complaint comes from the upper — the toe box has a tendency to rub our pinky toe if we choose thicker socks. That's thanks to the slightly short, tapered fit. If that minor fit issue doesn't bother you, we think this shoe is one of the best choices for serious runners who want a versatile and comfortable daily trainer.
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 This Product
Asics Superblast 2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Running Shoes for Uptempo Training | Best Overall Men's Running Shoes |  Excellent Performance without a Plate |  Best Bang for Your Buck | |
| Price | $200 List Check Price at Amazon | $167.95 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $109.97 at Dick's Sporting Goods Compare at 3 sellers | $140.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $135 List $135.00 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A high performing, versatile and max-cushioned daily trainer | An all-around standout that can handle easy days as comfortably as hard workouts | A daily trainer that can handle most runs, the Novablast 4 is fun and extremely comfortable | Bouncy, responsive and well-cushioned, this shoe is performance-oriented but still versatile | A daily trainer that blends comfort and versatility at a reasonable price |
| Rating Categories | Asics Superblast 2 | Saucony Endorphin S... | Asics Novablast 4 | New Balance FuelCel... | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5.0%) | |||||
| Specs | Asics Superblast 2 | Saucony Endorphin S... | Asics Novablast 4 | New Balance FuelCel... | Puma Velocity Nitro 3 |
| Measured Weight | 9.49 oz | 9.03 oz | 9.76 oz | 7.98 oz | 10.07 oz |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 46 mm | 38 mm | 43 mm | 30 mm | 38 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 10 mm | 11 mm | 7 mm | 7 mm | 11 mm |
| Plate Type | None | Nylon | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 25.0 deg | 25.0 deg | 22.5 deg | 19.5 deg | 18.0 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 73.2% | 67.7% | 66.5% | 62.2% | 66.7% |
| Style | Max-Cushioning | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | Engineered mesh/knit | Engineered woven/knit | FantomFit | Engineered knit |
| Midsole | FF Turbo Plus, FF Blast + | PWRRUN PB | FF Blast + Eco | FuelCell | NITROFOAM |
| Outsole | AsicsGrip | Rubber | AHAR Lo | Rubber | PumaGrip |
| Heel Tab Type | Finger loop | None | Finger loop | None | None |
| Sizes Available | 3.5-13 US, regular | 7-15 US, regular | 6 - 15 US, regular | 7-16 US, regular & wide | 7 - 14 US, regular |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
We'd classify the Superblast 2 as a super trainer thanks to the slab of FF Turbo + foam in the midsole. While it doesn't have a plate like most other supertrainers, it retains the versatility at faster paces. It's hard to argue with the performance of this shoe.
Performance Comparison
The Superblast 2 is aptly named for a super trainer.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Landing Comfort
The foam is what makes this shoe. As we already mentioned, this shoe uses the same foam that you'll find in Asics' top-tier racing shoes, stacked on top of a thinner piece of FF Blast + Eco. As a result, the shoe has good bounce underfoot with great insulation and energy return. The Eco foam feels like it firms the ride up a bit, bringing the underfoot feel a bit closer to the Novablast 4 versus the softer feel of the Metaspeed Sky.
Here you can see the two types of foam. The FF Blast + Eco is the pink foam closest to the outsole.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
There's 46 mm of foam under your heel in this shoe. Asics claims an 8 mm drop, and while we measured it at 10 mm, running in this shoe feels like a pretty average drop for a road shoe. All that foam results in a shoe with very little ground feel, which we don't mind but some runners may dislike.
The thick 46 mm of foam underfoot makes for a well-insulated ride.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
The Superblast 2 is one of the only recently tested shoes that significantly changed after about 30 miles of running. The foam felt noticeably softer underfoot after that initial period. That might be a result of the foam actually softening up or a result of the shoe losing a bit of the initial stiffness; we're not sure which. Runners who land midfoot or farther back are likely to find that the transitions onto the forefoot are a little clunky at easy paces. The shoe does seem to smooth out at more moderate clips.
After about 30 miles, we noticed that the forefoot, in particular, began to feel a little softer.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Responsiveness
While the Superblast 2 is designed to handle lots of mileage very comfortably, it also can pick up the pace well. It actually scores on par with some of the more speed-oriented trainers in our lineup for responsiveness. The shoe feels happiest between threshold and marathon pace. At those paces, the bounce in the forefoot is noticeable, and the shoe smooths out. While it isn't propulsive like the best speed trainers, it's plenty fast for long sessions on the roads. We have run mile pace workouts in the Superblast 2, and while it absolutely can do it, the massive amount of foam and general size of the shoe aren't ideal.
This is a versatile shoe that likes uptempo running more than it likes easy days.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Geometry-wise, the rocker feels pretty subtle on this shoe, making it comfortable for easy runs. We think the general responsiveness of the shoe makes it an excellent option for runners who are training for a half or full marathon. Some runners might even find it to be a comfortable race option.
This shoe might make a great marathon racer for some runners who value comfort more than pure performance.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Stability
For a max-cushioned shoe with high energy-return foam, this shoe has surprisingly good stability. Thanks to a wide platform, the Superblast 2 helps prevent a wobbly feeling. There are pronounced sidewalls along the heel and through the midfoot to help provide a bit of additional support. While it isn't a stability option, this shoe does stand out among max-cushioned shoes for the amount of support it provides. For some runners, it might be a decent marathon race shoe that provides more support than a super shoe.
Thanks to the wider base and decent sidewalls, this shoe feels planted.
Credit: Nathaniel Bailey
Upper Comfort
The upper on the Superblast 2 is relatively lightweight and breathable. It's comfortable, and we never had issues with rubbing in the heel area. Lockdown is solid as well.
The upper is lightweight and breathes easily.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
However, we did consistently run into issues with the shape and size of the toe box. The shoe runs a touch short, and the toe box starts to taper a little earlier than in most of Asics' other offerings we've tested. That resulted in rubbing on our pinky toes when we wore mid-weight socks. If you are on the larger end of your typical size, it might be worth trying on a half-size up before you buy.
We consistently got rubbing on our toes in the area of the dark upper material in this photo.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Weight
The Superblast 2 is decently light for a bulky shoe. Our US men's size 10.5 weighed in at 9.49 ounces. That's on par with our favorite daily trainers and just about right for a shoe designed to eat up lots of mileage.
While it's not a lightweight shoe, the Superblast is about right for a daily trainer.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Traction
The Superblast 2 has mediocre traction on pavement, and below average on anything looser. The AsicsGrip outsole does grab well on dry pavement, regardless of pace. However, the lack of lugs is extremely evident on looser surfaces like crushed gravel paths or dirt roads. This isn't your best option if you like to take your road shoes onto looser surfaces or light trails regularly.
We found the AsicsGrip struggles a bit during cold, wet runs, as well as on loose substrates.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Should You Buy the Asics Superblast 2?
If you're a serious runner who wants a shoe that can handle lots of mileage at a range of paces, this is a shoe to consider. We think it's best for runners who are training for long road races. It's a great long run shoe and can handle long efforts at marathon paces. On the other hand, it's expensive for a daily trainer, and while it outperforms most daily trainers in most categories, we're not sure the bump in performance is worth the price. We think most runners will be better off purchasing a daily trainer for mileage and a speed trainer for those faster efforts. But if cost is no object, there are very few shoes we like more than the Superblast 2.
What Other Running Shoes Should You Consider?
The Asics Novablast 4 is an excellent all-around daily trainer. It doesn't have quite the performance of the Superblast 2, but it costs $60 less. The most comparable shoe in our lineup is the Mizuno Neo-Vista, another max-cushioned super trainer. While the Neo Vista isn't quite as responsive, it's equally comfortable for long runs and has one of our favorite uppers.
—
Nathaniel Bailey
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