Asics Superblast 2 vs Asics Novablast 5:
Which to Choose

September 5, 2026 | updated at September 9, 2026

Verdict

These two shoes wear the same Asics "Blast" family name and share a handful of specs, but they serve different runners. Choose the Superblast 2 if pace is your priority — it's a legitimate performance trainer capable of doubling as a race shoe. Choose the Novablast 5 if daily mileage comfort is your priority — it's a cushioned, energetic trainer that earns its keep at moderate effort across long weeks of training. The decision hinges on how fast you run and what you're asking the shoe to do on your hardest days.

Asics Superblast 2

149.95 USD

Asics Novablast 5

129.95 USD

Pace

5 of 6

Cushioning

6 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

Pace

4 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

4 of 6

Drop

8 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

Asics Superblast 2Asics Novablast 5

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Asics Superblast 2

The Superblast 2 suits intermediate-to-experienced runners who want a single shoe to cover tempo work, uptempo long runs, and even race day without stepping into a carbon-plated racer. If your training regularly dips under 4:30 min/km and you want a shoe that rewards that effort with a genuinely energetic, propulsive return, the Superblast 2's PEBA-blend stack delivers in a way the Novablast 5 cannot. It's also the right call for half and full marathon racing at moderate-to-fast goal paces, where its taller, firmer foam outperforms most traditional daily trainers.

Choose

Asics Novablast 5

The Novablast 5 is the better fit for recreational runners building consistent weekly mileage who prioritize comfort and a lively, fun feel over outright pace capability. If most of your runs sit in the 5:00–5:45 min/km range and you want a shoe that remains protective and bouncy across long training runs without demanding you run fast to enjoy it, the Novablast 5 hits that mark well. Runners coming from a more traditional, lower-stack daily trainer who want more cushion without going fully into max-cushion plush territory will also land here comfortably.

Head-to-Head

The sharpest dividing line is the foam. The Superblast 2 runs a two-layer PEBA-blend stack — FF Turbo Plus on top of FF Blast Plus Eco — that produces a firmer, more propulsive rebound optimized for sustained faster efforts. The Novablast 5 uses FF Blast Max, a POE-based foam that delivers a softer, more trampoline-like bounce tuned for comfort over speed. That difference in foam character shows up in how the two shoes feel underfoot: the Superblast 2 is snappier and more energetic when the pace lifts, while the Novablast 5 is plusher and more forgiving at moderate and easy speeds.

Stack height compounds this distinction. The Superblast 2 carries roughly 45mm at the heel; the Novablast 5 sits at 41.5mm. Both are tall platforms, but the Superblast's extra height is paired with a firmer, faster foam that keeps the stack from feeling wallowy — whereas the Novablast's somewhat lower but softer stack leans into cushion over precision.

On pace, the gap is real and not trivial. The Superblast 2's optimal window sits around 3:50–4:40 min/km (6:10–7:30 min/mile), squarely in tempo and race territory for many runners. The Novablast 5 shines at 4:45–5:45 min/km (7:40–9:15 min/mile) — relaxed to moderate training efforts. Both can handle 10K through marathon distances, but the Superblast 2 is genuinely capable of being a race-day shoe for many runners, while the Novablast 5 is most at home as a high-mileage daily trainer.

Both are neutral and unplated, both carry an 8mm drop, and both share the same quirk: that tall stack can feel slightly unstable or floaty at a very slow shuffle before the geometry settles into rhythm. Stability ratings are identical (4/6), and both rely on a wide, flared base rather than any medial post or guide rail. Weight is broadly similar for the two models, so neither has a meaningful advantage there.