ASICS Megablast v1 vs On Cloudmonster v3

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: high cushion , firm_responsive feel , moderate energy return , neutral stability , aggressive rocker.

• Returns to what made the original Cloudmonster great: a stable, comfortable, poppy daily trainer — the reviewer's pick of the two over the Hyper 3.

  Ride:Needs a few runs to break in — pods feel firm at first then soften to a poppy, bouncy, stable ride; feels closer to the original Cloudmonster than the stiffer v2 did.

  Fit:Improved heel counter and slightly padded tongue versus v2; runs true to size.

  In their words: "a real stable workhorse of a shoe" · "the more comfortable option for me" · "took a little bit more breaking in"

  — Ben Is Running , 62 mi tested , source

• A high-cushion performance trainer that outperforms expectations — the reviewer's favorite shoe so far this year thanks to its stiff, snappy feel with genuine long-run protection.

  Ride:Stiffer high-cushion ride rather than plush — lets the reviewer stay snappy on track and up-tempo runs while still protecting on long road miles; not a soft quagmire.

  Fit:Runs true to size in US 12; good forefoot width despite the brand's reputation for narrow fits; tongue is a touch short and slightly puffy.

  In their words: "stiffer high cushion shoe" · "ran some snappy miles" · "high cushion trainer"

  — Run Moore , source

• A dated, overpriced max-stack daily trainer whose EVA CloudTec tech no longer competes with modern foam rivals; one to avoid.

  Ride:Removing the speedboard made the ride worse; lifeless EVA foam, no propulsion, feels unstable and dated versus modern PEBA/TPEE competition.

  In their words: "it's just starting to feel very dated" · "There's no propulsion in it" · "the stability in this thing is not great"

  — FORDY RUNS , source

• A refined, characterful daily trainer that leans responsive and stable rather than plush, working best at steady to tempo paces.

  Ride:Responsive and stable rather than overly soft; characterful compression from Helion foam with rolling feel from the nylon Speedboard

  Fit:Foot-hugging upper, fits narrower feet well; wider version also available

  In their words: "more on the responsive side" · "nice forward rolling sensation" · "soften up over those initial miles"

  — EDDBUD , source