ASICS Superblast 2 (Men's) Review

1. I have harsh mechanics
2. I am a neutral runner 
3. I have a standard to narrow, accommodating foot shape
4. My left foot turns out slightly (slight toe out), which leads to an awkward flow of my left heel and tends to rub the ground when my mechanics get tired.  This leads to outsoles dying quickly in combination with my harsh overall mechanics. 
5. I am a pro level sweat machine.  This is one of the reasons I have a good rotation of shoes, I like to let them air out. 
6. I started running at an older age, no proper training and my steady pace is in the mid 9 minute per mile range. 

The upper has been upgraded from a comfort perspective from version 1.  I also have a hunch that part of the weight gain is also from the changes to the upper.  I had no issues with version 1, but have heard some people say it was scratchy.  It is definitely more plush, but I might have preferred the less weight. 

The tongue is semi-gusseted and I had no issue with tongue movement.  Length seems good and overall the upper disappears on foot during runs. 

The laces are solid.  Nothing special, but they are good laces that do the job and stay tied. 

Style: I do like the way the shoes look.  It may not be the colorway I would choose, but due to the popularity of the shoe I got what was available. 

To me this is the most significant upgrade on the current version.  They upgraded the rubber and added some groves into the molding to vastly improve the grip.  In my runs I have had no concerns with traction. 

A dual foam midsole set up. Turbo plus directly under foot with a base layer of blast plus eco for stability and protection. 

The foam is not a soft foam. It is a firm responsive foam.  It is the type of foam that those who put a lot of energy into the foam via their mechanics will get the best return benefits from.  It is also a stiff shoe, with the amount of stack in the shoe, there is not a lot of flexibility to the shoe

As a review done on the Women's version by Hollie S https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/3790/superblast-2-3790, the midsole is technically illegal for elite runners/competition.  They are normally done with their beers and food by the time I get to the end, so not worried about that.  

Step in feel is very comfortable.  If you are someone who is height challenged, these shoes can help on that front.  I have not had any hot spots, rubbing, blisters or pain related to the shoes in either version 1 or 2.  It is a high quality shoe all around, which is expected with Asics. 

if you are not used to uber stacked shoes, it may take some getting used to on the run.   I use the SuperBlast as my race day shoe because I have issues with plates.  My family bought me the version 1 last year for my birthday and version 2 this year for my birthday.  My version 1 is now my long run shoe, so Saturdays belong to the Superblast for me. 

My one challenge with the shoe has been getting comfortable with turnover at lower cadence.  Once I am in the running pocket, the shoe is great, I just find sometimes it is a little clunky due to the sheer size of the shoe when out of pocket. 

I did 1 short run, 2 medium long runs and then ran the Shiner Beer run Half Marathon (Review found here for run: https://www.weeviews.com/reviews/3810/2024-shiner-beer-run ) in them.  I set my second fastest Half time while also taking precautions on a discomfort I have developed in my Piriformis over the past 2 weeks.  The shoe allowed me to put in a strong effort, kept me protected and feeling fresh at the end. 

I have been recommending this shoe to people who are looking for non plated race day shoes who are not going to be at top speeds.   They are a fantastic long run shoe and the longer you may be on your feet running, the more I would recommend the shoe.  The cost is something to take into consideration, but if you consider shoes that may be direct non-plated competitors (Puma MagMax, Brooks Glycerin Max, New Balance Balos) the shoe in my opinion still is unique to all of them and would be my first choice for my use case.