ASICS Megablast vs Nike Vomero Premium

Ride profile: maximal cushion , neutral stability .

• A truly great, highly versatile super trainer that delivers lively, energetic performance at all paces — the reviewers' pick over the Hyperboost Edge despite the higher price.

  Ride:Big stack with lots of road protection yet feels connected compared to the Hyperboost Edge. Bouncy, responsive, energetic ride with a marathon/tempo pace sweet spot; runs well across all paces. Can feel a bit soggy at the slowest paces and slightly less stable than the Hyperboost Edge but stable enough for daily training.

  Fit:True to size with a roomy toe box that tapers slightly but has no restriction; internal heel pads hold well with no slipping. Simple, unfussy, comfortable fit.

  In their words: "bouncier, more responsive, more energetic" · "marathon pace sweet spot" · "more immediate for me"

  — The Run Testers , 130 mi tested , source

• Nate found the Megablast extremely lightweight and smooth across a wide pace range, with increasing responsiveness at faster efforts. He sees it as a versatile workout-to-racing option that slots in faster and lighter than the Superblast.

  Ride:Smooth heel-to-forefoot transition with a moderate early-stage rocker. Felt firmer at slower paces (around 9 min/mi) and became progressively more responsive and bouncy at faster efforts (down to 6:30 pace). Very stiff underfoot suggesting a possible embedded plate.

  Fit:Snug around the forefoot with excellent lockdown throughout. Upper is very thin — you can see your sock through it. Not uncomfortable but definitely a locked-down feel.

  In their words: "extremely lightweight on foot" · "really responsive" · "smooth throughout"

  — Doctors of Running , 5 mi tested , source

• The lightest ASICS trainer with a wild, bouncy ride that excels at pace, though the upper lockdown and minimal outsole coverage make it less versatile than the Superblast 3.

  Ride:More wild bounce versus the Superblast 3; feels closer to a 10mm drop than 8mm; encourages mid- to forefoot landing

  Fit:Thinner upper material especially in the toe box; even with serrated laces, the reviewer had to stop and retighten a few times to get proper lockdown

  In their words: "more Wild Bounce in the Mega Blast" · "more like a crazy horse" · "works a little bit better for me"

  — EDDBUD , 62 mi tested , source

• Steve finds the Megablast extraordinarily bouncy and light with the most cushion of the family, best for easy/long runs but almost too bouncy to control at faster paces.

  Ride:Bounciest shoe in the Blast family, single-material midsole, very airy and light, but bounce feels vertical and harder to control at speed

  Fit:Wide and forgiving; upper feels somewhat bunchy

  In their words: "for me, it's almost too bouncy" · "very cushy, very wide, forgiving" · "an unbelievably cushion experience"

  — Run Moore , source

Ride profile: maximal cushion , neutral stability .

• A wild, pillow-soft, ultra-bouncy max-stack jogging shoe that nails its niche brief but is extremely heavy, expensive and offers no versatility beyond easy and recovery runs.

  Ride:An unprecedented bouncy, pillowlike ride from the dual Air Zoom pods encased in ZoomX — feels like running with springs underfoot; surprisingly stable for the stack but very heavy, very soft, with a noisy waffle outsole and good wet grip.

  Fit:True to size in Nike sizing; pretty wide so most runners are fine without a wide option; thickly padded tongue and no slipping or hot spots.

  In their words: "really only suitable for jogging" · "supremely comfortable" · "increased risk of rolling an ankle"

  — Ben Parkes , source

• Reviewer's favorite of the group with over 50mm stack and two Air Zoom units, but acknowledges at over £200 it's hard to justify over the cheaper Vomero Plus.

  In their words: "It's ridiculous, but I love it" · "I can do everything in this shoe" · "you don't need to buy this shoe"

  — FORDY RUNS , source

• A fun, bouncy, premium max-cushion shoe with dual Air Zoom units that delivers a uniquely propulsive recovery-day ride, though at 12.8 oz and $220 it is heavy and expensive with significant use-case overlap with the Vomero Plus.

  Ride:Dual Air Zoom pods in heel and forefoot act independently, giving a trampoline-like bouncy, propulsive sensation. Wide base provides stability despite the 55.5mm stack. Not a 'running through sand' max cush feel — shoe flows with stride and can pick up the pace.

  Fit:Wide fit with highly padded tongue and collar; Thomas had to cinch laces down for lockdown, Megan found it true to size with plenty of toe splay room. Upper can feel warm due to multiple layers.

  In their words: "true max cushion upper" · "looks and feels like a premium shoe" · "great for recovery"

  — Believe in the Run , source

• The Vomero Premium nails its brief as one of the best easy-run shoes on the market, pairing a huge, soft ZoomX midsole with enough bounce and stability to also work as a relaxed-paced daily trainer.

  Ride:Massive, soft ZoomX-dominant stack that lets the foot sink in at the back of the shoe, with Air Zoom pods adding a touch of stability and bounce back. Feels smoother than its 10mm drop thanks to the rocker and soft heel.

  Fit:True-to-size fit with a wider platform than the Pegasus Premium; plenty of room in the toebox and heavily padded collar that did not irritate the Achilles.

  In their words: "luxurious feeling of comfort" · "perfect easy recovery shoe" · "great for easy runs"

  — The Run Testers , 62 mi tested , source