ASICS Superblast 2 Review: Prepare for Blast-off

The ASICS Superblast 2 is one of the year’s most anticipated releases. Heralded by avid Redditors as the “shoe of the year” in 2023, the Superblast gets a few notable updates in its second iteration.

ASICS released a limited batch of special edition colorways on July 5, with more colors coming September 1. Two of our reviewers, Brandon and Heather, were lucky enough to get the Superblast 2 on their feet early.

Can the Superblast 2 blast off with our hearts the way it did last year? Or will it fail to launch? Read on to find out.

The original Superblast was lauded for its ample amounts of cushioning and ultra-smooth ride. It was, in Brandon’s opinion, the best shoe of 2023.

“I’ve tested hundreds of shoes but none of them ticked all of the boxes like the Superblast did,” he says. “I loved it so much I ran two marathons in it–Boston and Tokyo. It was high in stack height [the distance in height between the ground and your feet while wearing the shoe], had premium tech without a carbon plate and felt stable and extremely lightweight.”

Despite the Superblast’s seemingly perfect ride, ASICS wasn’t satisfied. As most runners can relate, they wanted to see just how much further they could push themselves into the stratosphere of greatness. They did this by making two changes to the midsole.

First, their FF TURBO PLUS foam replaces the FF BLAST TURBO used in the previous iteration. The new foam offers a softer ride, making this a great choice to go the distance. And if you loved the Superblast for its balanced blend of plushness and responsiveness, don’t be deterred by the softer foam.

“The Superblast 2 is still that fun, fast and peppy ride I’m used to, but this time with softer foam,” Brandon says. “The softer foam will definitely save my legs during the later half of long runs and marathons.”

The ASICS Superblast 2 uses the same woven mesh upper as the previous model. A thin, gusseted tongue and minimally padded heel collar create a lightweight, performance-oriented fit.

Just like the last version, the Superblast 2 comes in unisex sizing, so women should order a size and a half down (for example, if you wear a women’s size 8 you would order a men’s size 6.5).

Brandon thought the shoe ran a little big, but Heather found her perfect fit in the Superblast 2.

“This shoe fits me like a dream, which is not always the case with unisex sizing. My foot feels secure in the shoe–not too tight, not too loose. I have a high instep and have enough depth in the shoe for my foot to be comfortable, but not sloppy.”

Maybe you have a high instep like Heather and can also find your perfect fit in the Superblast 2. Or maybe you’ll need to go a half size down, like Brandon. The best way to find out is by heading into your local Fleet Feet.

Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

Brandon and Heather agreed that the second iteration of the Superblast is a significant improvement, despite loving the original version.

The biggest changes you’ll see are the slight drop in weight and stack height, although it’s worth noting that this is the second tallest shoe we’ve tested this year.

Swapping out the dual-layer midsole foams, FF BLAST TURBO and FF BLAST PLUS, for ASICS’ newer and arguably better foams, FF TURBO PLUS and FF BLAST PLUS ECO, create a slightly softer and bouncier ride.

The redesigned outsole improves upon the only flaw we found in the first version–the lack of reliable traction.

We took a look at some comparable models to see how they stack up against the ASICS Superblast 2. Here’s what we found.

The ASICS Superblast 2, New Balance SC Trainer v3 and HOKA Skyward X are all what we categorize as “supertrainers”–a training shoe with all of the premium technology and foams you’d see in a carbon-plated shoe, but built for durability and comfort that can stand up to daily training miles. The added durability adds more weight, due to the additional materials used (i.e. more rubber on the outsole, more padding in the upper, etc.)

Supertrainers don’t always have a plate, as is the case with the Superblast 2. But we think it feels just as responsive as the SC Trainer v3 and the Skyward X, which both have carbon-fiber plates.

The ASICS Superblast 2 was built for runners who revel in a thick stack of cushioning that feels simultaneously soft and bouncy. If you don’t like to feel the ground beneath your feet and would rather float through the miles instead (remember the miniature trampolines Heather referenced?), this shoe is for you.

Because the shoe is only offered in unisex sizing, it can be tricky for female runners to find their perfect fit. Unisex shoes are typically wider and more voluminous than women’s shoes. This is why Heather, who has a high instep, enjoyed the fit of the Superblast 2. But if you have lower volume feet (feet that don’t take up a lot of space within the shoe), you might want to go a half-size down.