ASICS
Superblast 3
My best shoe of the year: very soft and the most fun I've had running
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Overall
8.67/10
Ride
9.0/10
Extremely soft and squishy with good responsiveness, and the most enjoyable ride I had all year, though less energetic than the Megablast.
Design & Comfort
9.0/10
True to size at UK 8 with a snug, plush woven upper, but the forefoot is narrower than the Superblast 2 and the exposed midsole wears quickly.
Value
8.0/10
At ₹22,000–23,000 you could buy four value shoes, but nothing else at this price gives the same fun factor.

My verdict
If money is no issue and you want one shoe that makes you love running, the Superblast 3 is the one I recommend. No other shoe this year gave me this much fun, though the soft exposed midsole wears quickly.
Specs
- Category
- Max cushion
- Heel stack
- 46 mm
- Forefoot stack
- 38 mm
- Drop
- 8 mm
- Weight
- 230 g (UK 8)
- Foam
- FF Leap + FF Blast Plus
- Outsole
- ASICS hybrid high-abrasion rubber
- Support
- neutral
- Fit
- narrow
- Sizing
- true to size
How it was tested
Pros
- Most fun shoe of the year
- Extremely soft FF Leap + FF Blast Plus midsole
- Fit true to size at UK 8, snug and secure
- Plush woven upper with gusseted tongue
- Light at 230 g for a 46/38 mm stack
- Stability improved once I'd done a few runs
Cons
- Exposed midsole wears and cracks quickly
- Outsole rubber wears fast
- Narrower forefoot than Superblast 2
- Expensive at ₹22,000–23,000, rarely discounted
- Can feel clunky for lighter runners
- Less energetic than the Megablast
⚠ Avoid if
Avoid it if you have ankle pronation and need a stability shoe, or if you have wide feet and can't size up or get the wide version.
Full review
I have run 50 km in it, including a half marathon, and of all the shoes I have tried this year it is my best of the best. ASICS has turned it into a max-cushion daily trainer, almost a souped-up Novablast. The upper layer is FF Leap and the carrier foam below is FF Blast Plus, and this is the softest FF Blast Plus I have felt. The ride is extremely soft and squishy rather than extremely energetic: for energy return I would give the Megablast 9 out of 10 and this one 7. Still, every step makes running feel fun, and no other shoe at this price gives that kind of enjoyment. It fit my usual UK 8 perfectly and is snugger than the Superblast 2, which many people found loose. The woven upper is soft and plush, with a thin gusseted tongue, soft heel padding and a semi-rigid heel counter. The toe box is tall, but the forefoot is narrower than on the Superblast 2. I had no rubbing, but if you have wide feet, go half a size up or get the wide version. It weighs 230 g in my size, with a 46/38 mm stack and an 8 mm drop. On my first runs it felt like running on an uneven mattress, but the longer I ran, the less stability bothered me. On longer runs past 15 km I didn't need any extra support. I weigh 70–72 kg. Heavier runners will compress the foam more and should feel more stable, not less. If you have ankle pronation and need stability, please choose a different shoe. The weak point is durability on the road. Traction is OK, but the rubber wears quickly and the exposed soft midsole wears and cracks even faster; I can already see cracks. Even so, I'm confident the fun factor will last at least 800 km, and Reddit reviewers say the same. I will post a follow-up after another 100+ km. In India it costs ₹22,000–23,000 and offers are rare. For that money you could buy four good-value shoes, so I won't call it the best shoe at ₹22,000. But for fun, softness and making you want to run, nothing else matches it. It suits beginners who want their legs protected, experienced runners who need a recovery or easy long-run shoe, and anyone doing relaxed 5–10 km runs. Lighter beginners under about 70 kg (around 50 kg for women) may find it clunky.
Alternatives
Other shoes worth considering. For a personal pick, try the shoe matcher.

Max cushion
ASICS
Gel-Nimbus 28
For heavy beginners, walk-runners and recovery days, it is one of the most comfortable shoes in the world. With ₹17,000 in hand I would not buy it again: I'd buy a discounted Nimbus 27 and a lighter daily trainer.

Budget
Red Tape
Pegasus / Flow+
Half-marathon racing at this price: a durable, responsive TPU midsole with a wider forefoot.

Budget
Red Tape
Pegasus / Flow+ 3
The perfect half-marathon shoe: an improved Flow+ with a normal upper, better lockdown and a runner's-knot eyelet.
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