ASICS SONICBLAST 2   Review

Forefoot energy return is very good, contributing a livelier response at the front of the shoe than at the heel. It provides a useful rebound as you push off, although it returns a smaller share of the energy than the original ASICS SONICBLAST and falls short of an explosive response.

Heel energy return is adequate and significantly lower than in the original ASICS SONICBLAST. The heel takes in a similar amount of energy in our test, but loses more of it as it compresses and recovers, leaving less to spring back. This can be caused by a different tuning of the midsole or slightly different layering of the two compounds, with more FF BLAST MAX under the heel than in the previous iteration.

The heel has a relatively soft feel, with a little more initial resistance than the original ASICS SONICBLAST. It becomes firmer as you press deeper into the foam, but remains comparatively forgiving under heavier landings. This gives it some softness underfoot without the solid support of a particularly firm heel.

The forefoot is much softer than on the original ASICS SONICBLAST, giving it a more yielding feel under the ball of your foot. It gains resistance as you push harder, but remains relatively soft under heavier loads. This may feel less secure if you prefer a firm platform beneath the front of your foot.

The ASICS SONICBLAST 2 uses a three-quarter-length plastic plate to reinforce the midsole and help maintain its rocker shape. The image also shows the two foam layers: FF BLAST MAX sits beneath the plate and is more prominent in the heel and near the toe, while a large section of FF TURBO² sits above the plate and extends to the bottom of the midsole under the forefoot. This also explains why the forefoot is much livelier than the heel. The plate now has a pronged design to accommodate the FF TURBO² foam pod under the forefoot. 

Cushioning under the heel is outstanding, providing strong protection across the range of forces we tested. It handles lighter landings well and remains highly protective as impacts become harder, making it useful for heel strikers across different body weights and running paces. The improvement over the original ASICS SONICBLAST is mainly at lighter and moderate forces.

The forefoot provides outstanding cushioning, with almost identical impact absorption to the ASICS MEGABLAST. Protection remains exceptional across lighter and harder landings, giving runners plenty of cushioning under the ball of the foot, including during faster efforts or at higher body weights.

This model is among the most protective we've tested so far over the 50km simulated long run, with outstanding cushioning that remains excellent as the distance builds. The ASICS SUPERBLAST 3 edges it, while the Nike Vomero Premium provides even more protection.

The heel offers a reasonable amount of compression, though lighter landings don't sink especially far into the foam. It compresses more under harder landings. Combined with adequate energy return, this produces a relatively restrained bounce.

The forefoot compresses a decent amount, creating noticeable movement beneath the ball of your foot as the foam compresses and springs back. Combined with very good energy return, it provides some bounce without a pronounced trampoline-like sensation.

The forefoot returns a very good share of the energy stored as it bends, helping it spring back during toe-off. However, its moderate bending stiffness limits how much energy it stores, so that return doesn't produce an especially forceful snap.

Forefoot bending resistance is decent overall. It takes a good amount of force to bend the shoe, but resistance builds only modestly as it flexes farther, limiting how forceful toe-off feels. The forefoot bends more easily than the original ASICS SONICBLAST, even though the rocker still strongly resists flattening.

The forefoot rocker does a good job of rolling you forward through toe-off. The toe is noticeably raised, but the curve itself has a fairly moderate angle, so the geometry isn't especially aggressive. Its shape remains broadly similar to the original ASICS SONICBLAST.

The rocker is exceptionally stiff, resisting flattening much more than unplated shoes like the ASICS SUPERBLAST 3. The plate helps the midsole hold its curved shape and roll you forward through the stride. That pronounced rolling action works well at faster training paces but can feel less natural during very relaxed runs.

There's a substantial amount of foam under both the heel and forefoot, keeping your foot well above the ground. The heel sits a little lower than on the original ASICS SONICBLAST, but this remains a very tall shoe with limited ground feel.

The heel rocker is great, with a steeper curve and a more lifted rear edge than the original ASICS SONICBLAST. This creates a smoother roll forward for heel strikers, making the transition feel less abrupt.

The shoe runs slightly long, but the difference is small enough that we still consider it true to size. Stick with your usual size, as there's no need to size down based only on this.

Vertical toe room is only adequate, with a relatively low ceiling over the toes. The shoe can fit true to size in length while still feeling snug from above. If your toes tend to press against the top of your shoes, this shape may feel restrictive.

The upper has good breathability, allowing air to pass through and helping heat escape during warm-weather runs and longer workouts. However, it doesn't provide as much airflow as more ventilated performance shoes like the ASICS METASPEED SKY TOKYO.

The drying performance of this shoe is excellent, with moisture escaping quickly after a soaking. The shoe dried in less than a day in our test, making it practical when you need the same pair for your next day's run.

The shoe does an outstanding job of limiting water absorption. It picks up relatively little extra weight when soaked, helping it remain manageable during rainy runs instead of becoming heavily waterlogged.