Weight: 240g (unisex)
Heel-to-toe drop: 8mm
Type: Neutral/max-cushioned
The shoe
Designed for ‘long runs, tempo runs and everything in between’, the Asics Superblast are the do-it-all lovechild of the Novablast 3 and Metaspeed Sky/Edge racing models. Cushioned to the max (45.5mm in the heel and 37mm in the forefoot), it features a combination of both shoes’ midsole foams – FF Blast Plus cushioning from the Novablast and FF Blast Turbo cushioning from the Metaspeeds – to create what Asics’ hopes is the perfect balance of comfort, softness, responsiveness and efficiency – crucially, without a carbon plate.
So, is the Superblast too good to be true? Spoiler: it isn’t – but your pockets will need to be deep enough. Read on to find out how we found running in them.
How does the Asics Superblast fit?
The Superblast fits true to size, with a toe box that’s within the ‘normal’ range, bordering on slightly narrow – likely due to its Metaspeed performance heritage. It’s got a jacquard woven upper with a slightly padded (but otherwise flat) gusseted tongue that feels snug against the foot, without feeling restrictive or causing any rubbing. There’s also a heel stabiliser to help lock your foot in.
Despite the shoe’s humongous stack height, it’s surprisingly stable. This is largely thanks to the slightly wider midsole and outsole, which also eliminates that ‘cloppy’ feeling you get with traditional high-stack Published: 29 August 2023.
What’s it like to run in the Asics Superblast?
I wore the Superblasts for an 18km long run straight out of the box and found them to be an utter dream in the comfort department, with absolutely no rubbing or hotspots. They’re nicely cushioned, but not squishy-Gel-Nimbus level cushioned, which means they retain a good amount of firmness that allows them to work at pretty much any speed – tempo runs, easy jaunts, long runs, you name it.
Despite the lack of carbon plate, there’s some rigidity through the forefoot, which helps to propel you forward at toe-off. In this sense, the Superblast definitely feels like a step up from the incredibly versatile Novablast 3, which offers fantastic energy return for tempo or progression runs, but perhaps isn’t a shoe you’d pick for race day.
That being said, if you’re buying these with the goal of chasing down a PB, I’d argue you’re still better off with a pair of the Metaspeeds. Because at £195, the Superblasts aren’t much cheaper than Asics’ dedicated racing models (the Metaspeed Edge and Sky both retail for £220), both of which still have the edge (or sky...) when it comes to energy efficiency and propulsiveness.
So really, the Superblast is a solid long-distance race shoe for beginners or those who don’t really want a carbon plate. For everyone else, it’s a reliable and peppy daily trainer – but one that will cost you.
RW verdict
The Asics Superblast has quickly become one of my favourite running shoes – the kind that is comfortable and forgiving on weary, tired legs, but also capable of pushing you along on harder efforts.
It definitely warrants a spot in my new favourite category of shoe – the elevated daily trainer – alongside the likes of the NB SC Trainer v2, Best Adidas running shoes for going the distance We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. These are best described as shoes that borrow premium foams and tech from their brand’s fastest shoes (in the Superblast’s case, we’re talking about the Metaspeed Edge and Sky), but are more adapted to daily training.
The con is that these shoes still come with a premium price tag. And that’s my main issue with the Superblast. There’s no denying that it’s a fantastic shoe, but it’s a luxury one – the kind you’d splurge on if you already own two or more pairs (an easy shoe and a carbon plate, for example), or if you’re a total beginner and want one shoe that can do a bit of everything.
If you can justify it, though, you won’t be disappointed. The Superblast is a max-cushioned dream; springy, smooth and stable. It’s certainly cemented its position in my shoe rotation.
