Asics has introduced the Superblast 3, an updated version of its popular super trainer. The company’s Global Senior Product Manager, Paul Lang, discussed the new model during a visit to Marathon Sports Boston for product testing with local runners.
Lang explained that the Superblast line began as an effort to bring premium racing foams into everyday training shoes. “The Superblast is kind of the shoe that started the super trainer craze, if you will. There was the idea of bringing premium foams from the race world, but optimizing them for everyday training,” he said.
The latest iteration features several updates aimed at enhancing performance while maintaining familiar characteristics valued by runners. “We’ve introduced a new foam. We’ve introduced a completely new upper structure. And because of this, we are going to produce about 15% more bounce. We’ve gotten lighter weight by almost 10 grams, but we’ve still got that control, protection, and familiarity that runners loved in the Superblast,” Lang stated.
When asked about balancing innovation with continuity in design, Lang described how feedback and thorough testing informed decisions on which features to retain or modify: “We got really excited when the first new Metaspeed series of racing shoes came out. We saw FF Leap, this new super racing foam, and thought ‘okay, how can we optimize this into an everyday training shoe’? And so, through some really thorough testing and ideation, we were able to build a chassis that optimizes that foam on the top layer, while still maintaining a bottom layer that gives a sense of security, control, and confidence on the long run.”
He further detailed the composition: “We’ve got the FF Leap, that super foam, across the top layer, and FF Blast Plus on the bottom layer. They’re gonna work together with an enhanced version of the bounce pod… The idea on Superblast 3 was to reduce the weight, increase the bounce, but maintain that control that Superblast is known for.”
Addressing concerns about changes between models potentially alienating loyal users, Lang noted their approach to sizing: “Superblast was initially built on a unisex sizing scale… We test through the entire process, both men and women… We built it from a 3.5 men’s all the way to a 15 men’s – that’s adding a 14 and 15 for the large footers… So we’re pretty confident based off of the feedback of our testers that the sizing scale really works for runners of all gender, size, and speed.”
Lang also described how Asics positions its products within different categories for various runner needs: “We kind of break our product into three silos. We’ve got our plush silo, our energy silo, and our race silo… For long run energy, we’ve got Super Blast. So this is going to be that premium racing foam but with a little bit of control. Cushion and confidence that lasts from mile 1 to 20…”
On aesthetics versus function in shoe design Lang said: “We are a performance running company… That’s our most important thing… But obviously, the aesthetics are a big part of that as well.” He explained inspiration behind recent designs: “Our designer was kind of living in a celestial interstellar space around the Blast series… This came from the idea of temporal fold…”
A distinctive feature highlighted by Lang is what he called their “love letter” to fans: “There’s one part that I really love… We called this our love letter to SB runner… And what we found is… as they unbox Superblast… typically takes them from road…to finish line…and then…elation or celebration…we’ve documented right on back as special little love letter.”
The Asics Superblast 3 is now available at Marathon Sports locations.
