The differences among ASICS running shoes come down to role and sole material. The pick for each role: cushion, NOVABLAST 6; stability, GT-2000 15; speed, MAGIC SPEED 5; racing, METASPEED EDGE TOKYO. I lined up the weight, stack and price of the current 11 by official numbers.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
First pair: the GT-2000 15. If you add a second, the MAGIC SPEED 5. The GT-2000 15 is 46g lighter than the Kayano 33, which has the same stability role, and the stack differs by only 2mm. Add the 196g carbon-plated MAGIC SPEED 5, and the 56g gap becomes the difference between a "slow day" and a "fast day."
Key points
- The official division is 4: CUSHION, STABILITY, BOUNCE and SPEED. This article splits race shoes out separately
- FF LEAP is, in ASICS' explanation, a material about 15% lighter than FF TURBO PLUS. Which layer it goes in differs by model
- The METASPEED Sky and Edge have the same stack, drop and price. What differs is the order the materials are stacked
With ASICS, "thick shoes are heavy" does not hold
The shortcut to reading ASICS model differences is the material, not the stack. Thick shoes are heavy: line up the official numbers on that assumption and you get it wrong. The SUPERBLAST 3, with a stack of about 46.5mm, is 239g. The GEL-KAYANO 33, about 40mm, is 298g. The one that is 6.5mm thicker is 59g lighter (298 − 239).
What sets weight is the kind of material in the sole, more than thickness. ASICS gives its materials names like FF BLAST, FF TURBO and FF LEAP, and builds models apart by which goes in which layer.
So in this article I put the 11 in a table of numbers and then choose using the material names as clues.
How to choose ASICS running shoes: the conditions I used
What I lined up are 11 road shoes whose price and stack are on the ASICS Japan official product pages I opened on Oct 13, 2026. They are not in order of sales.
ASICS divides running shoes into 4: CUSHION, STABILITY, BOUNCE and SPEED. In this article I pull BOUNCE toward "cushion" and split SPEED into "shoes for fast training" and "race-day shoes," making these 4 roles.
| Role | What you prioritize | Official category |
|---|---|---|
| Cushioning | Softness and stack | CUSHION, BOUNCE |
| Stability | A build that limits wobble on landing | STABILITY |
| Speed | Lightness. A price you can also use in training | SPEED |
| Racing | The official writes "racing for top athletes" | SPEED |
I chose the pick for each role by putting "light" and "cheap" on top within the same role. Only the 2 race shoes, where the numbers do not separate them, are decided by the official descriptions.
Quick table of 11 ASICS running shoes
| Model | Stack height | Drop | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cushioning | |||
| GEL-NIMBUS 28 | About 43.5mm | 8mm | JPY 22,000 |
| NOVABLAST 6 | About 41.5mm | 8mm | JPY 17,600 |
| SUPERBLAST 3 | About 46.5mm | 8mm | JPY 26,400 |
| MEGABLAST | About 46mm | 8mm | JPY 27,500 |
| Stability | |||
| GEL-KAYANO 33 | About 40mm | 8mm | JPY 22,000 |
| GT-2000 15 | About 38mm | 8mm | JPY 16,500 |
| Speed | |||
| MAGIC SPEED 5 | About 37.5mm | 7mm | JPY 19,800 |
| EvoRide Speed 3 | About 34.5mm | 5mm | JPY 15,400 |
| TARTHER RP 3 | About 31.5mm | 10mm | JPY 16,500 |
| Racing | |||
| METASPEED SKY TOKYO | About 39.5mm | 5mm | JPY 29,700 |
| METASPEED EDGE TOKYO | About 39.5mm | 5mm | JPY 29,700 |
Drop is the difference between heel and forefoot stack. It is a number that affects how you run. The 6 cushion and stability shoes are all 8mm, and only the 5 speed and race shoes differ.
The model differences show in the sole material names
ASICS' sole materials fall into roughly 3 lines. A short summary of the official descriptions.
- The FF BLAST line: the TARTHER RP 3 page describes FF BLAST as a material that "provides lightness and rebound." Its derivative FF BLAST PLUS is "light with excellent cushioning and stability" (EvoRide Speed 3), and FF BLAST MAX is "soft and comfortable" (GT-2000 15). It is the base of the shoes you wear every day.
- The FF TURBO line: the NOVABLAST 6 page calls FF TURBO SQUARED a "high-rebound material." The METASPEED uses FF TURBO PLUS.
- FF LEAP: per the METASPEED feature page, the lightest and most resilient material ASICS has had so far. Compared with FF TURBO PLUS it is stated, with numbers, to be about 15.0% lighter, with about 13.7% more rebound and about 30.0% more cushioning.
What readers rarely know comes next. FF LEAP goes in different layers depending on the model.
| Model | Upper layer | Lower layer |
|---|---|---|
| METASPEED SKY TOKYO | FF TURBO PLUS | FF LEAP |
| METASPEED EDGE TOKYO | FF LEAP | FF TURBO PLUS |
| MAGIC SPEED 5 | FF LEAP | FF BLAST PLUS |
| SUPERBLAST 3 | FF LEAP in the upper layer | |
| NOVABLAST 6 | Two layers of FF BLAST MAX and FF TURBO SQUARED | |
In other words, a race-day material has come down to the MAGIC SPEED 5 in the speed role and to the training-oriented SUPERBLAST 3. The SUPERBLAST 3 comes in at 239g despite being the thickest because its upper layer is this light material.
So I look at whether FF LEAP is in it before the model name. If it is, you can guess it leans toward lightness; if it is FF BLAST only, an everyday shoe.
Cushion pick: NOVABLAST 6
Why this one: Of the 4 cushion shoes, it is the cheapest and 28g lighter than the NIMBUS 28 (281 − 253). The stack differs by only 2mm (43.5 − 41.5).
It claims a "soft landing feel and bouncy rebound" with a 2-layer sole and a forefoot design inspired by a trampoline. The sole rubber at the forefoot is ASICSGRIP. The feature page recommends it from daily running to marathon training. It is the one with the widest coverage.
What to watch: The official cushioning scale is High, one step below the NIMBUS 28's Maximum. People who put softness first are on firmer ground choosing the NIMBUS 28.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS NOVABLAST 6
The lowest price on Rakuten was JPY 13,200 (as of 10/13). It ranges up to JPY 22,000 depending on the shop. Prices move daily. Try shoes on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit differs by brand, so read the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanThe NIMBUS 28 is about 20g lighter than the previous model (27.0cm per shoe). The sole has FF BLAST PLUS and PureGEL. Together with the knit upper that wraps the foot, it is the one of the 4 that leans most toward "comfort."
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 15,015 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 25,300 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanNOVABLAST 6 vs SUPERBLAST 3
| NOVABLAST 6 | SUPERBLAST 3 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 253g | 239g | 14g |
| Stack height | About 41.5mm | About 46.5mm | 5mm |
| Official price | JPY 17,600 | JPY 26,400 | JPY 8,800 |
| Midsole | FF BLAST MAX+FF TURBO SQUARED | FF LEAP in the upper layer | — |
The SUPERBLAST 3 is 5mm thicker and 14g lighter. The reason is FF LEAP, which follows the METASPEED line. The feature page recommends it for long runs and marathon races.
- Mostly daily jogging → NOVABLAST 6. You cannot use up the premium.
- 30km runs, or running a full marathon in a plateless shoe → SUPERBLAST 3.
- Short runs once or twice a week → not the SUPERBLAST 3. You do not run far enough for the difference to show.
What changed when FF LEAP went in the upper layer is lined up against the previous generation in the SUPERBLAST 3 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS SUPERBLAST 3
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 26,400 (as of 10/13). Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it at Super Sports XebioSee it on Rakuten IchibaThe MEGABLAST has a sole of FF TURBO SQUARED at about 46mm, advertised as "responding to various speeds and distances." But the product page shows no weight, so I cannot compare it by numbers with the SUPERBLAST 3. Until weight is published, I will not pick it.
Stability pick: GT-2000 15
Why this one: It is 46g lighter than the Kayano 33, also STABILITY (298 − 252), with the stack only 2mm different. On the official "pronation" field, both show the same "Maximum Stability."
46g is the difference for one foot, one time. Assuming a 1m stride in a full marathon, that is 42,195 steps. One foot leaves the ground about 21,098 times. 46g × 21,098 = the total lifted per foot changes by about 970kg.
The GT-2000 15 made the sole 2mm thicker than before and added FF BLAST MAX. The 3D GUIDANCE SYSTEM limits wobble on landing. The feature page recommends it from daily running to training for finishing a full marathon.
What to watch: The official cushioning scale is High. The Kayano 33 is Maximum. For sole softness, the Kayano 33 is one step above.
How it got lighter despite being thicker is dug into in the GT-2000 15 review, for this one shoe.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GT-2000 15
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 11,550 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 19,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanGEL-KAYANO 33 vs GT-2000 15
The Kayano 33 is an upper-tier shoe called "one of the flagship models." The difference lies in the wobble-control mechanism and the number of sole materials.
- Mechanism: The Kayano 33 has FLUIDSUPPORT, which the official says works to match changes in movement while you run. The feature page names "tired hours when form tends to break down." The GT-2000 15 has the 3D GUIDANCE SYSTEM.
- Material: The Kayano 33 has 2 kinds, FF BLAST PLUS and FF BLAST MAX. The GT-2000 15 has FF BLAST MAX.
- Who it is for: The Kayano 33 is "especially for those aiming to finish a full marathon." The GT-2000 15 is "training" toward that.
For stability late in a full marathon, after you tire, the Kayano 33. For runners up to 10km or the half, and those who want lightness, the GT-2000 15. If rolling in does not bother you, choose neither and pick from the 4 cushion shoes for a lighter result.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GEL-KAYANO 33
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 15,600 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 43,300 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanSpeed pick: MAGIC SPEED 5
Why this one: At 196g it is the lightest of the 7 compared, and has both a carbon plate and FF LEAP. The official price is exactly two thirds of the race-day METASPEED (19,800 ÷ 29,700 = 0.67 on the quick-table numbers).
It is about 50g lighter than the previous model (27.0cm per shoe). The heel stack also fell from about 43.5mm to about 37.5mm, 6mm thinner. A generation change that cut thickness to get lighter. The feature page recommends it to people trying a carbon-plated shoe for the first time.
What to watch: The insole is fixed and cannot be replaced. It does not suit people who use their own insoles.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS MAGIC SPEED 5
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 10,500 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 19,800. Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanIf you would like a shoe without a plate, there is the EvoRide Speed 3. It advertises "no carbon plate, light, with a feel of moving on your own feet." At 218g, it has the lowest price of the 11.
The TARTHER RP 3 has a sole of about 31.5mm, the thinnest of the 11, and a 10mm drop, the biggest. Its pitch is "sharpening the feel of kicking with your own feet." For someone used to thick soles, it is on the numbers a different vehicle.
Race pick: METASPEED EDGE TOKYO
The Sky and Edge have the same stack, drop and official price. Numbers cannot decide, so I decide from the official descriptions.
| SKY TOKYO | EDGE TOKYO | |
|---|---|---|
| Running style the official describes | Stride type (people who get fast by stride length) | Pitch type (people who get fast by turnover) |
| Where the FF LEAP is | Lower layer | Upper layer |
| Official description | Raises stability at the landing stage | Limits sinking from midfoot to heel |
| Rebound vs the previous model (PARIS) | About 18.8% up | About 21.4% up |
Why the Edge: The feature page describes the Edge as a shoe that "extends stride while adjusting pitch." Only the Edge's description touches on both turnover and stride. For anyone who cannot say which type they are, the Edge is less likely to miss. Its rebound gain over the previous model is bigger too.
If you know your stride stretches a lot when you speed up, the Sky. Otherwise the Edge. That is how I split them.
What to watch: Both are positioned "for top athletes." The insole is fixed. For someone who wants to confirm lightness in numbers before buying, the 196g MAGIC SPEED 5 is easier to buy with conviction.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS METASPEED EDGE TOKYO
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 26,070 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 92,258 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japan
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS METASPEED SKY TOKYO
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 29,700 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 126,811 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanPrice per gram shows what lightness costs
For the 7 shoes with published weights, I divided the official price by weight.
| Model | Weight | Official price | Per gram |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT-2000 15 | 252g | JPY 16,500 | About JPY 65 |
| NOVABLAST 6 | 253g | JPY 17,600 | About JPY 70 |
| EvoRide Speed 3 | 218g | JPY 15,400 | About JPY 71 |
| GEL-KAYANO 33 | 298g | JPY 22,000 | About JPY 74 |
| GEL-NIMBUS 28 | 281g | JPY 22,000 | About JPY 78 |
| MAGIC SPEED 5 | 196g | JPY 19,800 | About JPY 101 |
| SUPERBLAST 3 | 239g | JPY 26,400 | About JPY 110 |
Only the 2 shoes with FF LEAP go over JPY 100 per gram. The other 5 stay within JPY 65 to 78. You can see that the price pays for the lighter material.
The GT-2000 15 and NOVABLAST 6, my picks, are the top 2 in this table too. The 2 that are good value on the numbers became the role picks as they are.
Current models left out of the table
| Model | Official price | Official listing |
|---|---|---|
| METASPEED Ray | JPY 33,000 | About 129g (27.0cm per shoe). The lightest of the series |
| NOVABLAST 6 GTX | JPY 22,000 | The GTX version of the NOVABLAST 6 |
| GT-2000 15 GTX | JPY 19,800 | The GTX version of the GT-2000 15 |
In addition, the official feature pages list the GEL-CUMULUS 28, GLIDERIDE MAX 2, SONICBLAST 2, YOGIRI SPEED, GT-1000 15 and HYPERRACER.
Who is it for?
- If you have no complaints about your current shoes and your distance is not changing, you have time to wear them out. 6 models keep the same 8mm drop.
- The METASPEED is for racing. For training, the MAGIC SPEED 5 or SUPERBLAST 3, which have FF LEAP, fit.
- For events with disciplines other than running, like HYROX, how to read the sole's build changes, so choosing by the conditions in the HYROX shoes article fits better.
FAQ
Which ASICS running shoes come in wide?
6 pairs have WIDE, including the GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6. The official list shows WIDE and EXTRA WIDE for the GEL-KAYANO 33, and WIDE for the NOVABLAST 6, GT-2000 15, MAGIC SPEED 5, EvoRide Speed 3 and TARTHER RP 3. The 2 METASPEED shoes showed STANDARD.
Which ASICS running shoe should a beginner choose first?
If rolling inward bothers you, the GT-2000 15; if not, the NOVABLAST 6. Both are the 2 with the lowest price per gram among the 7 I compared. The METASPEED is a race shoe "for top athletes," so I leave it out of first pairs.
How do the METASPEED Ray and the Sky and Edge differ?
The Ray is for people who land on the forefoot and is the lightest of the series. The feature page calls the Ray the series' lightest at about 129g (27.0cm per shoe) and describes it as a racing shoe suited to a forefoot-landing stride. The upper material is MATRYX on the Ray, against MOTION WRAP 3.0 on the Sky and Edge. As the table above shows, its price is the highest of the 3.
How does ASICS differ from other makers?
One difference is how they give a guide for how many km a shoe lasts. PUMA writes an official estimate of "how many km it lasts" for each shoe. I listed them in the Deviate Nitro article. On's list is in the On shoes article.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- ASICS Japan official: GEL-KAYANO 33
- ASICS Japan official: GT-2000 15
- ASICS Japan official: GEL-NIMBUS 28
- ASICS Japan official: NOVABLAST 6
- ASICS Japan official: SUPERBLAST 3
- ASICS Japan official: MEGABLAST
- ASICS Japan official: MAGIC SPEED 5
- ASICS Japan official: EvoRide Speed 3
- ASICS Japan official: TARTHER RP 3
- ASICS Japan official: METASPEED SKY TOKYO
- ASICS Japan official: METASPEED EDGE TOKYO
- ASICS Japan official: METASPEED TOKYO Series feature
- ASICS Japan official: CUSHION feature
- ASICS Japan official: STABILITY feature
- ASICS Japan official: BOUNCE feature
- ASICS Japan official: SPEED feature
