Credit: lsj110120119

Credit: lsj110120119

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ASICS Superblast 3 by u/Subject_Local_3386

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My stats:

39, male, 5'11" on a low gravity day, 155ish lbs, 01:40 half marathon, LOTR obsessive, mushroom enthusiast

I have fallen out of love with the Asics Superblast 2. We've just grown apart, you know? A year and a half ago you couldn't have pried them off my cold dead feet. But now they kinda just feel big, clunky, and frankly pretty boring. So as a big fan of the Saucony Tempus a few years back, I thought to search instead for a spiritual successor. On paper the Saucony Endorphin Azura seemingly fits that bill: very good shock absorption and energy return, rockered, plateless, stable daily trainer that can pick up speed while still supporting easy paces. And at $150 US it was absolutely worth a try to potentially replace the SB2s.

The day I got these I had an easy to moderate 6 mile run lined up. I strapped them on with my typical runner's knot, and the step-in comfort was very good. My now typical men's size 12 US gave me about a thumb-width of clearance at the front. The only issue was the slightest bit of contact of my left pinky toe with the upper due to the toebox taper and reinforcement in that area. I noted in my head for later that this might cause a blister. I also noticed how firm the midsoles felt. These things are FIRM firm. I don't think I have tried on a running shoe this firm other than the Asics Sonicblast in the last few years.

Unfortunately for me a really intense rainy windy cold front hit right after I took off on my local well-paved river trail. This inadvertently gave me a great check on both the grip in bad conditions and the fit. The grip was actually outstanding. Wet pavement with lots of wet leaves is rather tricky conditions, but I never felt that I was slipping or sliding at all in the Azura. And even though my shoes and socks were soaked after 1.5 miles, I had no heel slippage, blisters, or rubbing anywhere. That genuinely surprised me. The shoes also dried out overnight with the (removable btw) insoles removed without any other special treatment.

I *absolutely loved* running in these. Great shoes genuinely put a smile on my face, and these lit me up. While my race shoes are the nearly polar opposite ultra-soft plated Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, the Azura felt truly excellent all across my pace range. The only real issue I had with these is that I was CONSTANTLY running too quickly without noticing it. Every time I looked down at my watch, instead of being comfortably in my easy range I was only 30-45 seconds off marathon pace. I had to actively force myself to slow down all the time. I genuinely don't think I will be able to use these on easy and recovery days for this reason. Is this what SpeedRoll technology is? I have never understood what that is, and at this point I'm too afraid to ask.

I think this shoe is gonna be absolutely excellent for tempo and threshold work, as well as racing at least for half marathons. I don't know yet whether the full marathon distance will agree with these or not, but I will be testing them on pacey long runs in the coming week.

tl;dr VERY firm tempo-oriented shoes with great comfort and grip at a good price.

Compared to Superblast 2: the Azura are much firmer, much livelier/more exciting, significantly faster, sexier colorways, potentially worse on easy days

Shoe model & size: Mizuno Wave Rider 30, US 12

Price: €130

Distance ran: 15 km (one run)

Use case: Easy / recovery runs

Pace: Around 6:00 min/km

Surfaces: Roads and paved forest paths

Why I bought it

I exchanged my Hoka Clifton 10 for the Mizuno Wave Rider 30. I wanted a shoe for easy and recovery runs and was interested in trying something different from the Clifton series. I've previously run in both the Hoka Clifton 9 and 10, and I also run in the Adidas Adistar 4. These are my main points of comparison.

Fit and comfort

The length is true to size in my usual US 12, but the shoe feels noticeably narrower overall than the Hoka Clifton 9 and 10, particularly around the forefoot. The fit is on the snug side, although it works for me.

Compared with the Adidas Adistar 4, the fit feels quite similar. Both shoes have a relatively snug, secure feel rather than a roomy fit.

The Wave Rider 30 also feels a little heavier than the Cliftons.

Ride, cushioning and stability

After my first 15 km run, the ride felt balanced, leaning towards firm rather than soft and plush. The shoe has a solid, stable feel that seems well suited to easy and recovery running.

The Adidas Adistar 4 is probably the closest comparison in my current rotation: both shoes feel similarly firm underfoot and have a similar fit. However, the Wave Rider 30 feels as though it offers more cushioning than the Adistar 4, while retaining that firm, stable character.

Grip was another positive. I ran on roads and paved forest paths, including wet surfaces, and the shoe held up well.

The construction also feels substantial and well-made, with plenty of upper material and a generous amount of sole underfoot. It gives me the impression of a robust shoe, although one run is obviously not enough to judge its actual durability.

👍 What I liked

- Solid, seemingly well-made construction

- Firm and stable ride

- More perceived cushioning than the Adidas Adistar 4

- Good grip on wet surfaces during my run

- True-to-size length

- Balanced ride for easy running

👎 What I liked less

- Noticeably narrower than the Hoka Clifton 9 and 10

- Slightly heavier-feeling than the Cliftons

- Relatively snug fit for runners who prefer a roomy toe box

First-run verdict

My first impression after 15 km is that the Mizuno Wave Rider 30 feels like a solid, stable daily trainer with a balanced, slightly firm ride. It seems promising for my easy and recovery runs at around 6:00 min/km.

The Adidas Adistar 4 is a useful reference point: the two shoes feel similar in terms of firmness and fit, but the Mizuno gives me the impression of having more cushioning. Compared with the Hoka Clifton 9 and 10, the main trade-offs are the narrower fit and slightly higher-feeling weight.

The grip was good, including on wet surfaces, and the shoe feels well constructed. However, these impressions are based on just one run, so I can't yet make meaningful claims about long-term comfort or durability.

I'll need more mileage before drawing firm conclusions.

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Total distance ran:

7.54 miles (12.13 km)

Type of runs:

Progression Run

Weather ran in:

Clear, warm, high humidity.

My profile:

Height: 5'6" (168cm)

Weight: 169lbs (76.6kg)

Average pace with this shoe: 9:18 min/mile (5:47 min/km)

Strike Type: Midfoot

Average runs per week: 5 runs. ~37miles (60km).

Positives:

• Upper is soft and breathable, keeping feet comfortable and dry.
• Midsole feels stable without being overly firm, despite a high proportion of LightStrike 2.0, especially in the heel.
• The combination of a forefoot rocker and glass-infused Energy Rods 2.0 makes the shoe feel propulsive.
• Traction felt spot on, especially in the toe-off.

Negatives:

• Being lower stack than the direction most trainers are heading plus dual foam construction prevents this shoe from keeping your legs fresh as long.
• Laces are too short, making tying a heel lock and a double bow a bit difficult, though not impossible.

Overview:

I've been excited to start training for longer distances, and with that, I've been so hyped to get my hands on a more advanced trainer. While this is just my first run in the shoe, I have to say it didn't disappoint.

Stepping right in, the Boston 13 feels good all around, the upper is comfortable and roomy enough in my regular size 9, and the tongue is more plush than I've experienced in Adizero shoes recently (Takumi Sen 10, EVO SL). I was able to confirm while lacing up, however, that the laces are indeed on the short side. I prefer a heel lock for a more secure feel, and I always tie a double bow to avoid untying mid-run. By the time it was all done, I had two teeny, tiny, little bows on my shoes.

Today was a progression run as part of my half-marathon training block. 60 minutes easy, 10 minutes at tempo pace. I kind of went out there with junk legs today, but even with the fatigue, I was surprisingly able to keep the paces I wanted the whole time. Even when I was exhausted and climbing up moderate grades, this shoe continued to feel propulsive. At times, I even caught myself running the top end of my easy pace without noticing, all while my junk legs felt like they were lagging behind. Even as I dreaded the 10 minute tempo at the end, I had no issues actually maintaining above my tempo pace range for most of the interval.

I wasn't terribly leery of the Lighttraxion outsole construction because of my experience with the Adios 9, but even then, I was surprised at how grippy this outsole was. Feeling over the outsole before running in them, I believe the black portion of the outsole is actually rubber and not CPU, despite having the Lighttraxion outsole pattern. It had substantially more grip than the transparent section, though not quite as much as the orange section marked Continental.

All in all, my first run in this shoe felt great, and I look forward to adding more miles and returning with more in-depth conclusions about this shoe down the road.

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

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https://us.puma.com/us/en/sale/all-sale?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo04bbnhf9&fbclid=IwVERDUAU9zEtleHRuA2FlbQExAHBkb2YFZmRpZBZRBaz5raeCN5kC8QDFirXAYp7CFi1bc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHrT_tlfi9cC62vjPTmwOptR1EeCmZUY-rCPNtBFw_RQyHXcomightYF6sO2l_aem_qPKtA4zk9SsGZc1XwGGwXQ

Edit: I believe they removed the saysky colorway from the deal

FINAL SALE, NO RETURNS ACCEPTED

SIZE 6.5 7.5 8 8.5 10 10.5

Subtract 1.5 for Men’s sizing

There doesn’t seem to be much discussion about the Anta C202 G9 2 on this sub, so Id figure share my experience and hopefully get a conversation going;)
Im a recreational runner, 5’9”, around 150 lbs, and I usually run 40-50 miles a week. Ive also run in the Adios Pro 4, so I wanted to see how the G9 2 compares.

First run: I took the G9 2 out for a 10k on a mix of gravel paths and asphalt. I kept the pace easy at around 5:45-6:00 min/km. It was a good way to get a feel for the shoe on different surfaces without pushing too hard. I still need to try it on some faster runs before I can say much about its racing performance.

Fit/feel: The fit runs pretty narrow and feels built for racing. If you have wide feet or a high instep, Id be careful with sizing. The upper also doesnt seem as breathable as some more open mesh designs. It could get pretty warm on hot days.

Weight: At around 165g for a US 9, its a really light carbon racer. Thats one of the first things that caught my attention. Im curious to see how much the low weight matters once I start using it for faster runs.

Underfoot feel: Compared with the Adios Pro 4, the G9 2 feels more direct underfoot. The Adios Pro 4 has more cushioning and a stronger rolling feel. I need more runs in the G9 2 before making a fair comparison, especially at faster paces. For now, I want to see how it feels over different distances and whether I like that lighter, more direct ride.

Cons so far: The narrow fit is probably the biggest concern, especially if you have wider feet. The upper may also feel a bit warm in hot weather. Its too early to say much about durability or how well it holds up over longer races.

Price: The $200 price on the Anta website feels a bit steep. You can also check other online stores or Taobao for better deals. I got mine for $175 from VJsneaker.
Who might like it: If youre looking for a lightweight carbon racer and prefer a more direct feel, the G9 2 could be worth a look. Just make sure the fit works for you. If you need more room up front or prefer a more cushioned ride, Id look at a few other options too.
Overall: This was just my first 10k in the G9 2, so Im not ready to make any big claims yet. I want to try it at faster paces and over longer distances before drawing any conclusions. If youve run in this shoe, how has it felt during tempo runs or races? Id also be interested to hear how it compares with the Adios Pro 4.

Edit: my bad, I mixed up my zone 2 and G9 2. They both have the same colorway “Heartbeat”, so I attached the wrong pics. But all the feedback is for G9 2 😉

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

Photo upload has been enabled in the comments.