| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| + Pebax plate + Dual-density midsole + Bouncy/responsive + Lightweight | – None |
“Take cover! The latest ‘blast’ shoe from ASICS has blasted onto the scene, and this is one pair you won’t want to seek shelter from! You’ll have a blast running in the Sonicblast at full blast!” Mediocre marketing copy aside, find out why ASICS’s newest plated pair is a…well…blast, in this ASICS Sonicblast review. “Ready to blast off?!”
ASICS Sonicblast Review
| STACK HEIGHT | WEIGHT | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| 46/38 mm (M) 45/37 mm (W) (8 mm drop) | M9: 9 oz/256 g W8: 7.7 oz/218 g | $180 |
Intro
ASICS introduced its Sonicblast and Megablast in tandem, as the latest additions to its BLAST SERIES, also known as “Bounce” shoes. ASICS says the shoes are for runners who want more spring in their step. Nice try, ASICS. That describes literally every runner, and no shoe is for everyone — despite what running stores will have you believe about the Brooks Ghost.
This brings ASICS’s “blast count” — not to be confused with body count — up to four, following the Superblast and OG Novablast. Although, I really don’t consider the Novablast to be in the same league as the three others. Hell, they’re not even in the same sport. The Novablast is about as bouncy as a plastic bag in a hurricane. Unfortunately for big-footed freaks like me, only the Sonicblast and Novablast are made in size 15.
ASICS outlines differences between the shoes:
ASICS plated shoes
The Sonicblast is yet another ASICS plated shoe. I didn’t think it was possible, but ASICS might have too many plated pairs (five). I’d say it’s a good problem to have, but the company risks confusing clueless consumers who struggle to differentiate between them. Luckily for ASICS, I’ve delineated the differences:
- Glideride Max (EVA plate) – Daily trainer
- Sonicblast (Pebax plate) – Speed-focused “super trainer” for speed workouts or daily training
- Magic Speed (Carbon plate) – “Super trainer,” could be used for speed workouts or as budget/beginner race shoe
- Metaspeed Edge (Carbon plate) – Racing “super shoe” for stride runners who increase stride length as tempo increases
- Metaspeed Sky (Carbon plate) – Racing “super shoe” for cadence runners who increase steps per minute as tempo increases
Surely one of them will be discontinued soon?
The Megablast is plate-less and has full-length FF TURBO² (squared) midsole for what ASICS calls a high-performance trainer with a featherweight of 8.1 oz for a size 9.
“Sonicblast”
Clearly ASICS didn’t do their research on the shoe name. Forget the unoriginal “blast” naming convention, the Sonicblast already exists in pop culture! In multiple instances! You smell that? That’s the unmistakable scent of a fresh, juicy lawsuit incoming. It’s quite pungent, isn’t it?
ASICS is going to sit in their ivory tower and assert they’ve never indulged in Sonic’s delicious Sonic Blast?! Right. And I’m sure they’ve never masturbated, either. Folks, hold your McFlurry. The Sonic Blast is candy and cookie pieces and real ice cream the way they should be. All mixed up. Oreo, Butterfinger, M&M’S, Snickers, Reese’s, BOOM.
And apparently, ASICS is claiming they’ve never played a second of the greatest video game ever created. Sure. How could anyone forget 1996’s Sonic Blast developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Game Gear! You play as Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna, venturing through 15 rousing levels to stop Doctor Robotnik from using Chaos Emerald shards to fortify his base!
Of course, I’m a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to naming things — the title of this review doesn’t even make sense. A “sonic boom” is a sound resembling an explosion produced when a shock wave formed at the nose of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speed reaches the ground, according to Merriam Webster. But I digress.
Midsole
I’ve never met a running shoe with two foams I didn’t like. Because even if one sucks, the second foam is always there to “pick it up.” In fact, that’s kind of the point. Just like a non-toxic marriage, the foams complement and support each other. Awww! Monogamy for the win!
That trend continues with the Sonicblast’s dual-density midsole featuring FF BLAST™ MAX and FF TURBO² (squared). Only, this time, both foams are winners — which is great, because there’s a gigantic 46/38 mm stack height (men) and 45/37 mm for women. ASICS sure loves to promote shoe gender inequality!
One of ASICS most energetic foams, FF BLAST MAX™ is olefin-based cushioning suited for daily training. It’s light, soft, and responsive—the triple threat of midsole foams. It’s the same foam used in the Novablast 5 and Glideride Max. In the Sonicblast, it helps to stabilize the top layer of the slightly firmer, more responsive FF TURBO². ASICS’ newest featherweight foam is made of aliphatic TPU (ATPU). ASICS claims its 32.5% bouncier, 9.6% softer and 2.8% lighter than original FF Turbo. And I’m 100% positive ASICS is comprised of a bunch of bed-wetting nerds.
As if the two-layered foam wasn’t enough, there’s a Pebax ASTROPLATE™ sandwiched between the foams. It’s a stiff plate that provides both momentum and stability to the ride.
Ride
Springy, light, and efficient, the Sonicblast lives up to its billing as a speedy daily trainer that can handle a variety of paces. The two foams pair very well with the Pebax plate, providing great bounce and energy return with each stride. Although the plate is rigid, there are soft underfoot landings. It’s a very stable ride for a plated shoe.
Without a carbon plate and at a heavier weight for a plated shoe, it’s not a shoe I’d ever race in, but it can handle speed work quite well. I used it for a couple speed workouts and it shined for tempo runs around 6:40/mile marathon pace. It’s soft and responsive, making it an excellent choice for long runs, too. This will be one of my go-to pairs for marathon training for a variety of runs.
Even with tired legs, when I was low on energy, the Sonicblast kept me going strong until the end of my runs. The Pebax ASTROPLATE helps propel me forward with ease.
The ride reminds me a bit of the similarly stacked Brooks Hyperion Max 3 (46 mm/40 mm) which has a nylon plate and PEBA foam. It’s about an ounce heavier than the Sonicblast and perhaps a bit more propulsive. It’s a toss-up between the two pairs, for me.
Staying within ASICS, it’s obviously a much more lively, fun ride than the EVA-plated Glideride Max. And it feels somewhat reminiscent of the carbon-plated Magic Speed 4—a shoe I couldn’t accumulate enough miles in because of heel chafing. Goes without saying, the Sonicblast is miles ahead and above the $150 Novablast 5.
The energetic FF TURBO squared is stellar — I can only imagine what the Megablast’s full length FF TURBO2 midsole feels like. It’s a shame ASICS hates people with big feet.
Upper
Up top is an engineered mesh made of 75 percent recycled polyester. It’s a minimal, very breathable upper that provides great comfort from the first mile to the last.
There’s a thin gusseted tongue and some padding in the heel collar for added comfort and support. It’s incredibly easy to get a secure lockdown and the upper hugs my feet tightly, but not overly so. Overall, it’s one of the best-fitting plated shoes I’ve run in.
Outsole
The ASICSGRIP™ rubber on the outsole offers great durability and solid traction. It’s the same rubber used in the Superblast and Megablast. As a shoe that’s meant for speed, thankfully ASICS didn’t overload it with too much underfoot to slow you down. The broad outsole base helps add stability to the ride.
Weight
Although they have very different rides, the Sonicblast has a near identical weight to the Novablast 5, at 9 ounces (256 g) for a men’s size 9 and 7.7 oz (218 g) for a women’s size 8. It’s an excellent weight for a speedy trainer with two foams and a plate. The Megablast weighs about an ounce less, the Superblast 2 comes in at 0.4 ounces lighter, and the Glideride Max weight roughly an ounce more.
Outside ASICS, the comparable, nylon-plated Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 comes in at 8.3 oz (237 g) for a men’s size 9 and 7.2 oz (204 g) for a women’s size 8.
The nylon-plated Hyperion Max 3 weighs 9.9 oz (280 g) for men’s size 9 and 8.8 oz (250g) for women’s size 8.
Price
With two foams (one a super foam), 46/38 mm stack height, and a Pebax plate, $180 is not a bad price for this super trainer. It’s just $5 more than Saucony’s Endorphin Speed, and much more reasonable than the $200 Hyperion Max 3 super trainer. It’s enough of a price difference to sway runners to ASICS. The Superblast 2 also sells for $200.
It’s just $10 more than the carbon-plated Magic Speed 4 and the EVA-plated Glideride Max despite being a far superior shoe.
Aesthetics
It seems like 2025 has been the year of milquetoast shoe designs and colorways: every shoe either resembles milk or toast. But not when it comes to the Sonicblast. Its sleek, modern design stands out among a deep, dark sea of “meh.”
My “Cream/Blue Fade” colorway is the most unique of the three options, artfully pairing white with accents of purple and red.
Conclusion
Featuring a Pebax plate and dual-density midsole, the Sonicblast lives up to its billing as a speedy daily trainer that can handle a variety of paces. ASICS further bolsters their impressive lineup with one of the most fun shoes of the year.
The Sonicblast is available on the ASICS website, or wherever you buy shoes.
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ASICS graciously provided this shoe to me for wear testing. I was not compensated for this ASICS Sonicblast Review and they didn’t get an opportunity to see this ASICS Sonicblast review before I published.
