Asics goes big with the new SuperBlast trainer

Asics made some big waves with the launch of its Metaspeed line up in 2021, which was then revamped this year with the Metaspeed Plus. Now the company is taking training flats to an entire new level with the introduction of the new SuperBlast trainer – an all-around training wonder that might even become a popular Ironman race shoe for triathletes. It’s easy to see just how much cushioning is packed into this shoe, but the incredibly light weight is every bit as impressive.

With a monstrous stack height of 45 mm in the rear and 37 mm in the forefoot, this shoe has the highest midsole Asics has ever created. The midsole uses a combination of FF Blast Plus and FF Blast Turbo cushioning, the same materials that have made the Metaspeed shoes so popular with road runners and triathletes thanks to the lightweight and energy return properties. The Metaspeed shoes are so fast that lots of non-sponsored pros are using them, including Chelsea Sodaro, who wore them to her impressive Kona win last month. All that cushioning makes for an incredibly smooth feel, but the shoe is far from “cushy.” Asics has managed provide a firm ride to ensure you feel like you are getting the most out of each stride. While there’s no carbon plate, the shoe almost feels too stiff when you first start running, but once you break it in you’ll enjoy the feel of the shoe.

While there is an 8 mm drop in this shoe, which helps when you want to pick up the pace, you really don’t notice that until you start trying to run a bit faster. This really is an impressive all-around shoe – it feels firm and supportive when you’re running easy, but as you dial the pace up you start to feel the rebound from the FF Blast Turbo. At just 253 g it really is a super-light shoe – it’s just hard to believe how much cushioning Asics has managed to jam into this lightweight package.

Snug fit

The SuperBlast appears to fit true to size and the engineered mesh upper provides a snug fit that you can dial in thanks to the Tongue Wing Construction. There’s lots of cushioning in the heel, which definitely contributes to that snug, comfortable fit. The outsole appears to be extremely durable – we’re too early into our time running in the SuperBlast to make any definitive statements, but in our first few forays the shoe has shown no wear at all on the sole. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of arch support, so this might not be a great option for those with big pronation issues, certainly not without orthotics, anyway.

As we’ve mentioned, this is a great all-around shoe that will serve most triathletes for virtually any of their runs. For those who tend to crank up the pace for a few of their efforts every week (hitting the track, fast interval sessions on the trails or roads), a more flexible shoe with less cushioning probably makes sense, with the SuperBlasts doing the trick for longer and easier efforts. It will be interesting to see if any triathletes gravitate to the SuperBlast for their Ironman marathon runs. There is lots of support, and all the cushioning will be very much appreciated over the last third of the 42 km effort. For those who aren’t cranking out super-fast km splits for the marathon, the SuperBlast might be a better option in an Ironman than one of the Metaspeed options. You won’t be able to use the SuperBlast shoes in a regular marathon, though – the stack height is 5 mm higher than World Athletics regulations permit (for elites, anyway). Triathlon has not adopted any rules on that front as of yet, so the SuperBlast is fair game for us multisport types.

Super Trainer

It was just a matter of time before we started to see all the technology that has helped fuel a raft of fast marathon splits at Ironman races over the last few years start trickle down to the shoes we train in. Asics has done a great job of incorporating a lot of that technology into the SuperBlast, creating a real all-rounder that remains light, responsive and very protective. At $280, all that technology comes at a price, but you’ll certainly get a lot more miles out of the SuperBlast than you will from the Metaracers. Your body will also really appreciate all that extra midsole foam.