Detailing more new running shoes available in February, including ASICS Superblast 3, Brooks Glycerin 23, Saucony Endorphin Pro 5, Skechers Aero Razor, and Salomon Aero Glide 4.
ASICS Superblast 3
- 46.5 mm/38.5 mm (8 mm drop)
- US M9: 8.4 oz (239g) | US W8: 7.5 oz (213g)
- $210 – Available Feb. 28
Are you having fun yet?! ASICS certainly hopes so. They’ve based their entire identity on telling everyone just how “fun” their shoes are. You know what they say, if you have to say you’re the fun one, you’re definitely the most mind-numbingly mundane one.
With the introduction of the Megablast and Sonicblast last year, ASICS’ “blast count” is up to four, following the Superblast and OG Novablast. Well, five, if you count the budget-friendly Dynablast, which no one does. Four’s not much of a body count, but it’s four too many when it comes to shoes named “blast.”
The biggest update to the Superblast is the replacement of FF TURBO PLUS with ASICS’ most energetic foam, FF LEAP. The responsive foam found in the Metaspeed series joins FF BLAST PLUS in a dual-density midsole and slightly taller stack height (46.5 mm/38.5 mm). The shoe also managed to shed 10 grams, thanks to the lighter FF LEAP.
Y’all can have the Superblast 3; they don’t make it in my size. I, for one, am much more excited about the Nuclearblast. Now, this will truly be a blast for everyone. And if the current state of the world is any indication, we can expect the Nuclearblast to hit sometime before the end of 2026. Rumor has it, it’ll be a surprise drop. That’s right: it could hit us any day now. And this is one blast you’ll definitely want to take cover from! On a totally unrelated note, the last U.S.-Russian nuclear pact expired this month. Huh. On to the next shoe!
Saucony Endorphin Pro 5
- 39.5 mm/31.5 mm (8 mm drop)
- US M9: 7.3 oz (206g) | US W8: 6.3 oz (178g)
- $240
No, wearing this carbon-plated racing shoe won’t make you an elite runner. That’s what Saucony’s Endorphin Elite is for, silly! Just kidding, neither of Saucony’s overpriced super shoes will elevate you to the next level. Nor will any shoe. Because shoes are merely tools. And a bad runner always blames shoes for their poor form, lack of determination, and bad genes. It’s human runner nature. I love my fellow runners to death, but we are delusional as hell. We place way too much emphasis on the shoe and not nearly enough focus on ourselves.
Shit, even Saucony doesn’t place much value on their highest priced shoes. They’ve adopted a biannual release schedule for the Endorphins—releasing every other year, instead of once a year. And not twice a year, like some overly ambitious companies.
For those that care, this racing shoe’s got not one, but two PEBA foams, PWWRUN PB and supercritical PWRRUN HG in the midsole. Redundant much? A new slotted carbon plate slots right into the midsole, with PWRTRAC rubber on the outsole for added durability. These sure sound like nice updates, but Saucony makes absolutely no mention of the upper. Very concerning. Proceed with caution.
Skechers Aero Razor
- 36 mm/ 32 mm (4 mm drop)
- US M9: 6.9 oz (196g) | US W8: 5.6oz (159g)
- $140
Believe it or not, Skechers makes running shoes. Well, not so much “running shoes,” as “shoes you can run in.” Yep, that Skechers. Yep, the brand with the godawful commercials featuring irrelevant celebrities. Yep, the company that was forced to pay $40 million to settle charges that they deceived consumers by making unfounded claims their “Shape-ups” would help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles. Yeesh.
After a self-imposed hiatus from the running space that no one noticed, the brand for naïve children and clueless boomers is back with the Aero Razor. Featuring a forefoot nylon H-wing plate and supercritical ATPU HYPER BURST PRO (WHY ARE WE YELLING?!) foam in the midsole, the Aero Razor is a lightweight, “energetic performance daily trainer built for speed and efficiency.”
That’s all well and good, but I couldn’t care less about Skechers nor the shoe. Skechers doesn’t even produce shoes in size 15. And their branding sucks. And they make light up shoes for booger eaters. What I’m far more amazed by is the non-running company’s record sales of $9 billion just two years ago. Ah ha! Joke’s on you! That’ll teach you to make fun of Skechers. But really, who’s buying their shoes? Are there that many naïve children and clueless boomers?
Brooks Glycerin 23
- 38 mm/30 mm (8 mm drop)
- US M9: 10.6 oz (300g) | US W8: 9.5 oz (269g)
- $175
In case you missed it, Brooks now has four variations of the Glycerin. I don’t know about you, but I miss the days when each shoe had its own unique name. Chalk it up to laziness, an utter lack of originality, a money grab, or all the above. Now, it’s all “Fierce Speeding Bullet, Fierce Speeding Bullet LITE, Fierce Speeding Bullet PRO, and Fierce Speeding Bullet X-TREME.”
Not much has changed from last year’s Glycerin 22. Case in point: the biggest update is a new engineered knit upper and a minor 2 mm foam increase in the forefoot. Yawn. Coupled with the added weight (0.4 oz) and higher price tag ($5 increase), Brooks is making it easy to choose the new Glycerin Flex over the OG Glycerin.
I have yet to run in the 23rd edition, but I’ve greatly enjoyed my early runs in the Flex. Plus, the Glycerin Flex is lighter, cheaper, and better-looking, aka the running shoe trifecta. They also share the same nitrogen-injected DNA TUNED foam. Besides, 23 isn’t even a special anniversary. Plus, have you seen the men’s colorways for this shoe? Holy uninspiring shit, Batman!
Salomon Aero Glide 4
- 41 mm/33 mm (8 mm drop)
- US M9: 9 oz (255g) | US W8: 8 oz (227g)
- $160
This website has become dramatically less relevant, hasn’t it? I mean, it’s truly gone to shit. Here I am, featuring yet another shoe not available in size 15. Three out of the five shoes on this list aren’t made in my size 15. Worse yet, just like Skechers, Salomon doesn’t make any shoes in size 15. Don’t blame me, blame the poorly planned release calendar that screws us big-footed freaks.
Of course, this isn’t just a site for mutants. Sure, I only review size 15 shoes, but that’s because I can’t run in any other shoes. If I wore size 14, you better believe I’d be lacing up some overrated On shoe stupidly named after a cloud. Like the Cloudsurfer…which makes no sense! Or the Cloudmonster…which sounds more like an underwhelming character from The Magic School Bus.
The anadromous-fish-adjacent-named company’s daily trainer features a high stack of OptiFOAM2, made of eTPU. “Designed after Salomon’s ski heritage, the curved midsole geometry helps you feel like you are floating over the ground.” Oh, brother. Salomon sure sounds a lot like On—who sure sounds a lot like ASICS with the Nimbus and Cumulus. Meh, all shoe companies are the same.
