The SONICBLAST 2 is a plated shoe for runners who want to cover fast training and sub-4-hour full marathon races in one pair. The plate is a resin that is easier to handle than carbon; at 242g it is about 14g lighter than the last generation, with a 46mm stack. Released Sep 2026 at JPY 22,000, in one width only: standard.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
Buy the SONICBLAST 2 as a plated shoe that got 14g lighter without a price change. Subtract 14 from the previous generation's release weight and you get exactly the 242g on the official product page. ASICS also states where it cut: the plate was changed to a forked shape, and rebound material was run through the freed space. I read it as a generation change where the reason for lightening and the reason for adding rebound sit in the same 1 place.
Key points
- Japan's release says only "lighter than the previous model." The figure of about 14g is in the English announcement, comparing men's US 9 to US 9
- Stack is 46mm (heel) and 38mm (forefoot). That is 4.5mm thicker than the plateless NOVABLAST 6 and 11g lighter
- About 5.3g per mm of thickness. With a plate, yet close to the plateless SUPERBLAST 3 (about 5.1g)
What "lighter than the previous model" meant was written in another announcement
The Japanese release for the SONICBLAST 2 says only "lightened from the previous model" about weight.
The English announcement for the same shoe had a number: about 14g lighter than the previous generation, comparing men's US 9 to US 9. ASICS' New Zealand official product page also lists the weight and stack directly.
Line up those 3 official documents and this shoe can be described in numbers. Here I read just the SONICBLAST 2. The other new 2026 shoes are lined up in the article on 6 new ASICS shoes.
SONICBLAST 2 weight and stack? The official numbers
| Item | SONICBLAST 2 |
|---|---|
| Release date | Sep 3, 2026 (early release at the official online store) / Sep 10 (directly operated stores and stores nationwide, in stages) |
| Official price | JPY 22,000 |
| Weight | 242g |
| Stack height | 46mm (heel) / 38mm (forefoot) |
| Drop | 8mm (calculated) |
| Width | Standard only |
| Plate | Yes (resin ASTROPLATE) |
| Colors | Men's 2 colors / women's 2 colors |
| Sizes | Men's 24.5–29.0cm, 30.0, 31.0 and 32.0cm / women's 22.5–26.5cm |
Made in Vietnam. The upper is engineered mesh, with the knit and hole size changed by area. The rubber that meets the ground is ASICSGRIP, for grip.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS SONICBLAST 2
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 12,900 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 41,200 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 Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japanvs the original SONICBLAST: what changed from the previous generation
The original SONICBLAST came out in Sep 2025 as one of the TOKYO COLLECTION shoes. I put that release next to the 2's release.
| Item | Original | 2 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official price | JPY 22,000 | JPY 22,000 | JPY 0 |
| Weight | About 256g | 242g | −14g |
| Plate | Resin ASTROPLATE | Same resin, new forked shape | Shape changed |
| From early release to general release | 14 days | 7 days | −7 days |
| Official recommended audience | For speed training | Speed training plus sub-4-hour full marathons | Widened to races |
Weight: Subtract the English announcement's about 14g from the original release's about 256g and you get 242g (256 − 14). It matches exactly the 242g on the New Zealand official product page.
Plate shape: Here is a mechanism few readers know. The SONICBLAST sole has 2 layers, and a dimple-like structure is built into the forefoot of the upper layer. The 2's plate has become a forked shape that wraps that dimple from both sides.
The English announcement even gives the reason for the fork. With the plate split left and right, the rebound material FF TURBO SQUARED can run deeper into the sole and connect to the trampoline-like part of the forefoot. In other words, a bouncy material was added where the plate was trimmed to save weight.
Price: Unchanged. The NOVABLAST 6, which changed generation the same year, went up JPY 1,100, and the SUPERBLAST 3 went up JPY 2,200. Getting 14g lighter without a price move is a favorable generation change within this year's ASICS.
Who it is for: The original's release said "for speed training." The 2 adds people aiming for a sub-4-hour full marathon. The positioning has widened from a training shoe to one you also use on race day.
How it differs from the NOVABLAST 6 and YOGIRI SPEED
I line it up against the NOVABLAST 6, which uses the same materials, and the YOGIRI SPEED, which names the same "sub-4-hour" runner.
| SONICBLAST 2 | NOVABLAST 6 | YOGIRI SPEED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plate | Resin | None | Carbon |
| Weight | 242g | 253g | About 227g |
| Stack height | 46mm | About 41.5mm | About 39.5mm |
| Official price | JPY 22,000 | JPY 17,600 | JPY 24,200 |
| Per gram | About JPY 91 | About JPY 70 | About JPY 107 |
| Width | Standard | Standard / wide | Standard |
vs the NOVABLAST 6: The 2 materials are the same (FF TURBO SQUARED and FF BLAST MAX), but they are placed the other way round. The NOVABLAST 6 has the rebound material in the forefoot only. In the SONICBLAST 2, the upper layer is that material, and a plate is added too.
In numbers, the SONICBLAST 2 is 4.5mm thicker and 11g lighter (46 − 41.5, 253 − 242). Plate added, thicker, and still lighter. The price gap is JPY 4,400 (22,000 − 17,600).
- Mainly daily jogging, want wide → NOVABLAST 6
- Want one pair for fast training and race days → SONICBLAST 2
vs the YOGIRI SPEED: Both are shoes for sub-4-hour runners, and the dividing line is the plate material. The YOGIRI SPEED is carbon, 15g lighter (242 − 227), with a sole 6.5mm thinner (46 − 39.5). The SONICBLAST 2 suits people who want a "plate that's easier to handle than carbon."
- Want a plated shoe for races where certified records are involved → YOGIRI SPEED (within 40mm)
- Want to avoid the stiffness of carbon and use it every week in training → SONICBLAST 2
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS YOGIRI SPEED
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,200 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 24,200. 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 JapanThe MEGABLAST, from the same TOKYO COLLECTION, has FF TURBO SQUARED across the whole sole, and the release gives a weight of about 230g (27.0cm, one shoe). No plate is mentioned. It is 12g lighter than the SONICBLAST 2 (242 − 230), and its price is in the "price and buying" table below.
What I like
Light for its thickness. Dividing weight by stack gives about 5.3g per mm (242 ÷ 46). The NOVABLAST 6 is about 6.1g (253 ÷ 41.5), the SUPERBLAST 3 about 5.1g (239 ÷ 46.5). Even with a plate, it comes close to the SUPERBLAST 3, the most efficient plateless shoe.
The place they cut has a reason. They did not just thin the material; they changed the plate's shape to lighten it and ran rebound material through the freed space. A design change that goes after both lightness and bounce at once.
The plate material suits training. The New Zealand official page lists the plate material as Pebax and explains that it balances drive and flexibility so you can use it for daily training.
On my yardstick of running 500km a month, if you rotate a plated shoe through training, you don't need to step on a plate as stiff as a race shoe's every day. A resin plate fits that role just right.
Things to watch
- The stack is over 40mm. World Athletics' road limit is 40mm, and this shoe's heel is 46mm. If you enter races where certified records are involved, the rules section of the entry guide decides how it is treated. What the rule says is written in the article on 10 thick-soled carbon shoes.
- Only one width. Standard only, no wide. If you wear ASICS wide, this is where it drops off your list.
- The weight number comes from an overseas official page. The 14g gap is a US 9 to US 9 comparison. Keep this margin in mind when comparing with other shoes at the 1g level.
Who is it for?
- It suits: runners aiming for a sub-4-hour full marathon who want to use a plated shoe in training. Runners who find carbon plates stiff and are looking for a plate one step softer.
If you have wide feet or want a shoe for a race chasing certified records, there are other ways to choose. If a plateless shoe is enough, the NOVABLAST 6 is JPY 4,400 cheaper. If you have no complaints about the original, you have time to wear it out first (same sole material, same price).
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| SONICBLAST 2 | JPY 22,000 | JPY 12,900–41,200 |
| SONICBLAST (original) | JPY 22,000 (at release) | JPY 12,900–35,000 |
| NOVABLAST 6 | JPY 17,600 | JPY 13,200–22,000 |
| YOGIRI SPEED | JPY 24,200 | JPY 21,200–24,200 |
| MEGABLAST | JPY 27,500 (at release) | JPY 17,940–34,200 |
Because the official price is the same, the dividing line between the original and the 2 is only shop prices. If the original has dropped a lot, you can decide for yourself what to pay for the 14g difference. If the gap is small, there is no reason not to choose the 2.
To tell them apart in a shop, look at the "2" in the product name and the model number. The gap from early to general release was 7 days, earlier than the original's 14 days, so it reached shops sooner. The 2's model numbers are 1011C244 for men's and 1012C009 for women's.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS SONICBLAST 2
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 12,900 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 41,200 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 Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanImage: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS SONICBLAST (original, previous generation)
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 12,900 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 35,000 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 Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
How does the SONICBLAST 2 fit?
The clues for choosing a size are the size steps and the standard-only width.
Men's run 24.5–29.0cm in 0.5cm steps, then 30.0, 31.0 and 32.0cm. Women's run 22.5–26.5cm in 0.5cm steps. If you currently fit an ASICS wide, the NOVABLAST 6, which uses the same materials and comes in wide, is the shorter path on the size chart.
Can the SONICBLAST 2 be used in races?
Races aiming for a sub-4-hour full marathon are the intended use. But the stack is 46mm, 6mm over World Athletics' 40mm road limit (46 − 40). How it is treated is set race by race in the rules section of the entry guide. How shoes divide by target time is laid out in the pace-based shoe article.
How does the SONICBLAST 2 differ from carbon-plated shoes?
The difference is the plate material. The SONICBLAST 2's ASTROPLATE is resin, a plate that balances drive and flexibility. ASICS' carbon-plated shoes are the YOGIRI SPEED and MAGIC SPEED 5 on the training side and the METASPEED for racing. Numbers for the carbon shoes are compared in the article on 10 carbon thick-sole shoes.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten Ichiba
Sources
- ASICS news release: SONICBLAST 2 (Aug 26, 2026)
- ASICS announcement (English, SONICBLAST 2; about 14g lighter than the previous generation)
- ASICS New Zealand official: SONICBLAST 2 (weight, stack, plate material)
- ASICS news release: TOKYO COLLECTION (Aug 13, 2025; original SONICBLAST and MEGABLAST)
- ASICS news release: NOVABLAST 6 (Jul 2, 2026)
- ASICS news release: YOGIRI SPEED (Sep 3, 2026)
