TEST: ASICS Sonicblast 2 – They did it: ASICS created the impossible 2nd

ASICS' Blast shoes got a cousin with a plate last year: a shoe I used frequently, as it fulfilled my big wish: ASICS Sonicblast was firm enough for hill intervals and intensity like on 5,000 meters, yet still focused on comfort.

The shoe has had a complete overhaul, which made me a bit worried, as I was really fond of the first generation. But I must admit, this year's updates make last year's model pale a bit.

This year, the shoe is once again among those I choose when training should be fun. Is it the best running shoe of the year?

Play

Sonicblast 2 is the last of the three shoes that RunningXpert recommends for your training towards a half marathon and long distances.

Thomas, who works at RunningXpert, is training for a half marathon on September 20, where the World Championships in road running are held in Copenhagen. He hopes for a time under 1.20. Thomas has a personal record of five kilometers in 18 minutes and 33 seconds. In the half marathon, Thomas has run 1.23.31 and in the marathon 2.59.40.

For each shoe we recommend, we ask Thomas the same three questions so you can decide if the shoe makes sense in your training:

When do you use the shoe?

I have used the shoe for intervals and on days when I want to get my run over with without using unnecessary energy. The shoe's energy makes it easy to get going, even when it feels like a big struggle.

What is the best thing about the shoe?

The FF Turbo Squared foam material is the best. It gives the shoe a feeling that it only really activates at an intensity around half marathon pace. Once you activate it, you don't stop again.

Who can use the shoe?

You can, if you're interested in all the best from race shoes combined in a package that can withstand everyday miles.

ASICS Sonicblast 2

Specifications are based on standard size and may vary slightly between colors/models.

ASICS Sonicblast 2 ­– The Sum of Details

In my review of the first generation I praised the upper. However, I would say that if there was something about the shoe that didn't quite fit the otherwise clear message behind Sonicblast, it was the upper.

The midsole was so excellent from the start that the choice to pair it with a very basic upper seemed a bit awkward. Yes, the upper was comfortable and did no harm. But when everything else about the shoe feels like a masterpiece, a standard upper stands out. This year, this has been addressed.

The new and updated Engineered Mesh upper has more finesse.

This is felt, among other things, in the rounded heel cap, which now spares the Achilles tendon. The tongue is attached to the sole, and the material used is soft: worthy of a race shoe. Even the laces have been upgraded. These small things together contribute to the feeling that we are dealing with a shoe that means business.

And the sum can be measured: The shoe is about 10 grams lighter than its predecessor, which was already a light shoe in the super trainer category. For that is the category the shoe belongs to. Now even more than last year.

ASICS Sonicblast 2 Redesigned Midsole ­- Are We Approaching Speed?

Everything is, as mentioned, updated. Looking at the midsole now, something stands out to me: The sole resembles ASICS' faster shoes more. The first generation had the Blast midsole with the characteristic triangular geometry in the design.

This (and of course the name) made the shoe part of the Blast series. With its plate and fast foam, Sonicblast positioned itself as the fastest shoe in the series. Perhaps ASICS has actually realized that the shoe is too fast for the series.

The new midsole at least indicates that the shoe fills the gap between Novablast and Magic Speed . They are two cousins, and the latter's focus is clear from the name. When I write that Sonicblast's new midsole design indicates a shift, I mean that the geometry on the surface more closely resembles Magic Speed's. And it doesn't just resemble Magic Speed. The speed is there too.

The speed was, to be fair, never something I missed in the predecessor. The then-new FF TURBO Squared delivers pop on its own, and combined with the pebax plate ASTROPLATE, it gives you enough speed for intensity like on 5,000 meters. But actually, ASICS has improved the propulsion, which I already experienced as excellent. They have done this through the midsole's design.

Yes, the shoe has become more than 10 grams lighter compared to last year. But where the shoe really moves is the way the midsole is shaped. It is shaped in the same way as Magic Speed and ASICS' even faster shoes. A shape that is noticeably more aggressive.

Not only that: The aforementioned ASTROPLATE has been redesigned and now splits around the forefoot. This has led to a brilliant solution where ASICS has used the trick from the Novablast series and created a cushion under the forefoot. It creates a wild feeling underfoot because it activates the forefoot in a delightful way. The feeling is even more pronounced than in Novablast, as the plate simultaneously works with you.

The midsole again this year combines the extremely energy-returning FF TURBO Squared with FF BLAST MAX foam. The combination provides an excellent roll, just like in last year's model. Although the stack height is the same as last year (46mm foam in the heel and 38 in the forefoot), the shoe feels higher due to the sole's geometry. Comfort is still not forgotten.

Sharp Turns and Wet Asphalt? No Problem

The clearly more aggressive midsole gives more speed. On my first run in the shoe, I thought it could also make the ankles more exposed in turns. However, I can report that the shoe passes the test with top marks even in turns at half-marathon intensity.

The same morning I write this, I ran 4 x 1,000 meters in the park by the office on a 500-meter route. On each lap, I had to maneuver through two sharp turns. The shoe handled it excellently.

As if the turns weren't enough, the asphalt was also wet after the rain. These are two things that can make intervals challenging – especially in a new and fairly high shoe.

It was not a problem!

Under the layer of FF BLAST MAX, you again find ASICSGRIP this year. In a super trainer, it is crucial that you don't feel exposed, so you can get your training done without worries. That morning started with worries. But they didn't become more than that.

Who is ASICS Sonicblast 2 Made For?

It's actually quite simple: Are you training for a race of five kilometers or longer, and do you want to get the most out of the race? Then Sonicblast 2 is for you.

The shoe is fast enough for you to race in it, but also comfortable enough for you to train your intervals in it. That's one duality.

The other duality is that the shoe easily takes you from half-marathon intensity to intensity like on five kilometers. If you use the shoe for the former, you need to keep yourself in check not to end up in the latter.

More from ASICS?

Need something else? You can find all our running shoes from ASICS here . And here you'll find all running apparel from ASICS.