Asics Superblast 3 vs Hoka Clifton Pro:
Which to Choose

September 28, 2026

Verdict

It comes down to where your paces actually live. Pick the newer Superblast 3 if you want the lighter, taller, more versatile trainer that shines when you push into tempo and half-to-marathon efforts; pick the Clifton Pro if you want the firmer, rocker-smooth, more stable and durable everyday cruiser for steadier miles. Both are excellent, plateless neutral shoes in the same distance range — the Superblast rewards speed, the Clifton rewards consistency.

Asics Superblast 3

205.00 USD

Hoka Clifton Pro

165.00 USD

Pace

5 of 6

Cushioning

6 of 6

Responsiveness

5 of 6

Stability

3 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

Stable Neutral

Plate

None

Distances

10KHalfMarathon

At a Glance

Asics Superblast 3Hoka Clifton Pro

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Asics Superblast 3

Choose the Superblast 3 if you want a single pair that genuinely covers easy miles, steady training and honest tempo work without swapping in a race shoe — and if you value low weight and a springy, deep ride that gets livelier the faster you go. It's the better fit for the neutral runner logging tempo-to-marathon efforts around 4:00–4:45 min/km who wants maximum cushioning that still feels quick, and who's comfortable managing the exposed-foam upper with a little care.

Choose

Hoka Clifton Pro

Choose the Clifton Pro if most of your week is easy and long running at steadier paces (roughly 4:45–5:45 min/km) with the occasional pickup, and you prefer protection that stays moderately firm rather than soft and sink-in. Its rocker-driven, more stable-neutral platform and fuller rubber coverage make it the more grounded, hard-wearing daily trainer — ideal for recreational and intermediate runners who want one dependable cushioned shoe and don't need the extra top-end speed.

Head-to-Head

Both shoes share an 8mm drop, run without any plate, and lean on supercritical foam plus midsole geometry rather than a stiff insert for their pop — so the headline difference isn't the recipe, it's the tuning. The Superblast 3 sits on a taller 46mm heel / 38mm forefoot platform yet weighs just 235g in a men's US 9, versus the Clifton Pro's lower 43mm / 33mm stack at about 264g — so the Asics is both taller and nearly 30g lighter, a genuinely unusual combination that explains why it feels far quicker than its size suggests. Underfoot the personalities diverge: the Superblast's FF Leap A-TPU-over-FF Blast+ midsole is soft-but-lively and rewards pressing into it, coming alive as you accelerate, with a smooth rolling transition that can feel slightly tippy at very slow paces given its towering platform. The Clifton Pro's ProGlide+ supercritical EVA is deliberately moderately firm rather than pillowy, and its aggressive MetaRocker does the work of tipping you forward — transitions feel quick and mechanical, though that rocker can feel insistent when you're shuffling. Pace ranges tell the same story cleanly: the Superblast 3 is optimized for roughly 4:00–4:45 min/km and stays effective down to about 3:50–4:15, while the Clifton Pro is dialed for a more relaxed 4:45–5:45 min/km and works best down to about 4:20. On stability, the Clifton Pro's wider, stable-neutral platform (4/6) edges out the Superblast's stable-but-unreinforced 3/6, and near end-to-end rubber makes the Hoka the more durability-forward pick, whereas the Superblast's exposed foam sidewalls trade some longevity for that low weight.