ASICS Super Blast 2 Review: A Better Long Run Shoe, Not Just a New Upper

Introduction

With how successful the original Super Blast was, ASICS could easily have shipped a minor refresh and called it a day. Instead, the Super Blast 2 gets meaningful changes to the outsole, the racing foam, the training foam underneath it, and the upper. The question is whether all of that improves the shoe or fixes something that was not broken. After putting real miles into it, the short answer is that this is a thoughtful update that makes a good long run shoe better.

Specs and Construction

The Super Blast 2 uses a 45 mm stack height at the heel with an 8 mm drop, putting the forefoot at 37 mm. The bulk of that midsole is FF Turbo Plus, the updated version of the racing foam also found in ASICS premier racing products like the Metaspeed Sky Paris and Metaspeed Edge Paris. Underneath that racing foam sits FF Blast Plus Eco, the brand’s top-end daily training foam also used in the Novablast 4, which includes 24% recycled bio-based content.

There is no carbon plate or stabilizing shank anywhere in the shoe, just as with the previous version. The outsole footprint stays roughly the same, but the rubber layout changes slightly, the composition switches to ASICS grip, and there is a bit more rubber placement overall, which should help durability as well as traction. Another welcome change: the exposed midsole foam along the bottom of the shoe has been redesigned, so you no longer get pebbles stuck in the crevices the way the original allowed.

The upper sees the biggest everyday improvement. The original used a version of Motion Wrap that held the foot well but felt scratchy and stiff on longer runs. The Super Blast 2 moves to a woven upper that is stretchier and noticeably softer, which makes it more comfortable over long distances. The tongue stays thin with a small amount of padding to relieve lace pressure, and the heel cup keeps the same restrained foam construction. All of this comes together at a respectable 8.7 oz (250 g) for a shoe this size.

Ride Experience

The Super Blast 2 remains a fun, fast long run shoe, especially when your long run includes some workout miles. At marathon pace and anything between easy and moderate, it is an absolute dream to run in. The move from FF Turbo to FF Turbo Plus matters here: both foams are responsive, but the bounce-back timing in FF Turbo Plus is slightly more dampened, which suits a shoe you want to run fast-ish in while staying comfortable, plush, and shock-absorbing underfoot.

Underneath all that racing foam, the FF Turbo Plus presses against FF Blast Plus Eco rather than a carbon plate, and that daily training foam further tunes the compression and decompression speed for longer miles. Compared with the original, the Super Blast 2 is notably better at very easy paces. Many runners used version one as a max-cushion long slow distance shoe; the update now genuinely delivers at that end of the range too, feeling almost like a soft Nimbus even at very easy efforts, while still stretching up to marathon pace.

The one limitation comes when you push faster than marathon effort. From half marathon down to 10K-type efforts, the lack of a carbon plate for the foam to press against makes the shoe feel a little mushy. That said, this is not really what the shoe is for. It is not a track workout shoe or a 5K PB weapon, and the plate-free design widens the sweet spot for its actual job: long runs with a mix of paces. That trade-off feels fair.

Where It Fits in the ASICS Lineup

Within the ASICS range, the Novablast 4 is the daily trainer for most of your weekly miles. The Metaspeed Sky Paris, with its FF Turbo Plus foam and carbon plate, is the marathon racer. The Magic Speed 4, which combines regular FF Turbo in the forefoot with FF Blast Plus and a carbon plate, slots between the two. The Super Blast 2 sits alongside them as the long run shoe: more comfortable over long distances than the Novablast 4, capable of easy and recovery runs, but also usable when a long run includes faster pace work.

ASICS also runs a parallel set of shoes for different preferences. The Cumulus lines up against the Brooks Ghost as a daily trainer, the Metaspeed Edge Paris serves as that line’s racer, and the Nimbus fills the traditional max-cushion, low-and-slow role. If you lean toward the Novablast 4, Magic Speed 4, and Metaspeed Sky Paris side of the lineup, the Super Blast 2 is very likely to work for you. It can even slot into the other set as a long run option on the opposite end of the Nimbus.

Buying Advice and Alternatives

The Super Blast 2 launched July 5th, with pre-orders available beforehand, and retails for $200. That is where the original eventually settled too, and the same sentiment applies: $200 is probably fair, but a slightly lower price would make this segment leader even easier to recommend.

Two alternatives frame that price. The Mizuno Neo Vista, at $180, targets a similar use case: a super squishy long run shoe that can also handle faster paces. Its full knit upper is excellent, but a substantial glass fiber reinforced nylon plate makes it a harder shoe to run in for some gaits, so consider how your foot strike lines up. The Nike Invincible 3, also $180, is built almost entirely from Zoom X foam with a wide footprint for stability, aimed squarely at long runs and recovery days. At $200 the Super Blast 2 remains a strong recommendation, but closer to $180 it would be the outright king of this segment.

Conclusion

The Super Blast 2 improves on its predecessor where it counts: softer and more comfortable upper, better-behaved foam at easy paces, more grip, and an outsole that stops trapping pebbles. It gives up some sharpness at faster-than-marathon efforts, but for a long run shoe with genuine range, that is a trade worth making. If the original was already on your shortlist, this update should move it to the top.