Best Fast Training Shoes: Asics Superblast, New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer and Saucony Endorphin Speed 3

Introduction

Fast training shoes have quietly become their own category: more cushioned and forgiving than a race shoe, but livelier than a daily trainer. The tricky part is that three shoes can share that label and still feel completely different underfoot. Here is how the Asics Superblast, the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer and the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 stack up for tempo runs, long efforts and everything in between.

Asics Superblast: Bouncy and Quick, With a Price to Match

The Superblast is a daily training shoe that clearly leans towards faster and longer efforts. At £210 or $220, it weighs 248 grams (8.8 oz) in a men’s size 8, with an 8 mm drop and a 45.5 mm heel stack tapering to 37.5 mm at the forefoot. The midsole combines FF Blast Plus foam with a layer of FF Plus Turbo, the same speed-focused cushioning found in Asics’ faster racing shoes, topped with a thin Asymmetrics mesh upper, a heel stabilizer and AHAR Plus outsole rubber with a trampoline-inspired design for added bounce.

The dual-layer foam is the standout. The shoe feels bouncy from the first step, compressing nicely and returning energy in a way that genuinely propels you forward. On a mixed 11k test run spanning fast, easy and slow paces, it came alive at consistent tempo speeds, holding a fluid pace comfortably. At easy paces it stayed pleasant, if unremarkable, but at slow paces it felt counterproductive, as if the foam was trying to do something it simply was not built for.

Fit is the first thing to resolve. The shoe runs slightly long, and sizing down half a size is often suggested, but the midfoot is already snug, so going down makes it tighter still. Many runners will be better off sticking true to size and accepting the extra room up front. The upper is a less happy story: the lightweight mesh feels rigid and slightly plasticky, closer to a race shoe than a daily trainer, which is disappointing at this price. Grip held up fine on wet pavement, even with only a fair amount of outsole rubber.

New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer: A Bargain If You Find It

The FuelCell SuperComp Trainer launched at a similar price to the Superblast but has dropped dramatically across most UK retailers, from around £200-plus to just over £100. As a marathon training shoe or a training partner for a race-day shoe, it makes a compelling case at that discounted price. It is, however, a fairly limited shoe, and it does not feel as capable over long distances as the Superblast does.

If you can find it near its current street price, it is arguably the superior value for marathon-specific training. At its original launch price, the calculus changes considerably, and the Superblast feels like the stronger all-round fast trainer.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 3: The Versatile All-Rounder

The Endorphin Speed 3 skews towards faster training and even racing, but it is the most versatile of the three. Plenty of runners use it as their only shoe, doing easy runs, daily training and racing in it. It runs comfortably at slower paces, something the Superblast cannot claim, and it still delivers when the pace lifts. It is also considerably cheaper than the Superblast.

The nylon plate gives it a slightly more rigid feel, and it does not quite match the Superblast’s plush bounce, but the Superblast is itself a fairly rigid shoe, so the gap in ride quality is smaller than you might expect. The older Endorphin Speed 2 remains available at an even lower price and is worth a look if the budget matters.

View more details for Saucony Endorphin Speed 3

Buying Advice

If you want a single shoe that can handle easy days, tempo sessions and the occasional race, the Endorphin Speed 3 is the most sensible pick, and its lower price removes a lot of the risk. If your focus is marathon training or long tempo work and you can find the FuelCell SuperComp Trainer discounted, it is excellent value in that role. The Superblast is the most enjoyable of the three at pace, and it would make a strong marathon training shoe, but £210 is a lot of money for a training shoe, especially when top-tier carbon-plated racers sit at the same price point. It also overlaps awkwardly within Asics’ own range with the Magic Speed 2 and the Metaspeed Sky Plus.

Conclusion

All three shoes earn their place in the fast-trainer conversation, but they suit different runners. The Superblast rewards runners who consistently train at tempo pace and are willing to pay a premium for that lively ride. The SuperComp Trainer is the value play when discounted. The Endorphin Speed 3 remains the safe, versatile choice for almost everyone else.