I run about 500 km a month and my marathon best is under 2:30, so I picked these myself. This is my call as of October 26, 2026. An ultramarathon shoe stays on your foot far longer than a marathon shoe, so I divided stack height by weight and lined them up. No. 1 is the ASICS SUPERBLAST 3, No. 2 is the Saucony Triumph 24 and No. 3 is the ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
For long runs, start with the SUPERBLAST 3. It weighs 239g and has a heel stack of about 46.5mm. Divide stack by weight and it scores highest of the five (46.5 ÷ 23.9 ≈ 1.9). There is no plate, and it costs JPY 26,400. A thick midsole you can wear light is the first thing I'd look at for a long day.
Key points
- Of the five, only the Cloudmonster 3 has a plate. Stack heights run from 35 to 46.5mm
- Stack per 10g: about 1.9mm for the SUPERBLAST 3, about 1.2mm for the Cloudmonster 3
- Width options: Clifton 11, GEL-NIMBUS 28 and Cloudmonster 3
You can't pick an ultramarathon shoe by extending your marathon shoe
An ultramarathon covers a longer distance than a marathon, over a longer time. You may wear the same pair for more than twice as long.
That makes it hard to decide on lightness alone, or on thickness alone. So I divided stack height by weight and lined up five shoes.
How I chose: criteria for ultramarathon shoes
| Criteria | Reason |
|---|---|
| ① Heel stack of 35mm or more | Your feet take landing shock for hours |
| ② High stack per 10g | A thick but heavy shoe costs you in the second half |
| ③ More than one width | You wear them so long that a tight fit adds up |
No brand calls any of these shoes an ultramarathon shoe. This is my reading of the numbers.
Five ultramarathon shoes compared
Scroll the table sideways →
| Shoe | Weight | Stack height | Per 10g | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASICS SUPERBLAST 3 | 239g | About 46.5mm | about 1.9mm | JPY 26,400 |
| Saucony Triumph 24 | 250g | 43mm / 33mm | about 1.7mm | JPY 25,300 |
| ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28 | 281g | About 43.5mm | about 1.5mm | JPY 22,000 |
| HOKA Clifton 11 | 282g | 42mm / 34mm | about 1.5mm | JPY 19,800 |
| On Cloudmonster 3 | 295g | 35mm / 29mm | about 1.2mm | JPY 24,200 |
No. 1 ASICS SUPERBLAST 3: thick and light
Why it ranks here: it is the lightest and the thickest of the five. The midsole has two layers, FF LEAP on top and FF BLAST PLUS below, and it is about 10g lighter than the previous model.
Against No. 2, the Triumph 24, it is 11g lighter (250 − 239) and the midsole is 3.5mm thicker (46.5 − 43). It costs JPY 1,100 more (26,400 − 25,300).
Watch out for: it comes in one width, standard. If you need more room, look at No. 4 or 5 first. More in the SUPERBLAST 3 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS SUPERBLAST 3
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 26,400 (as of 10/20). 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 IchibaOfficial store (US)Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
No. 2 Saucony Triumph 24: thick, and second per 10g
Why it ranks here: a 43mm heel at 250g is light for that much stack. The midsole is 6mm thicker than the previous model, and the shoe is 13g lighter. The 10mm drop reads as a build for runners who land on the heel.
Watch out for: sizes run 25 to 32cm, and the official Japan page lists no width options. The Triumph 24 review has the detailed numbers.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Saucony Triumph 24
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 25,300 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 58,260. 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 IchibaOfficial store (US)Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
No. 3 ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28: a soft 281g
Why it ranks here: you get a midsole of about 43.5mm for JPY 22,000. It is also about 20g lighter than the previous model. A PureGEL unit in the heel takes the edge off landing shock.
The men's shoe comes in standard and extra wide. The women's comes in standard and wide.
Watch out for: at 281g it is 42g heavier than No. 1 (281 − 239). The GEL-NIMBUS 28 review covers how it differs from the previous model.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 15,015 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 25,300. 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 IchibaOfficial store (US)Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
No. 4 HOKA Clifton 11: cheapest of the five
Why it ranks here: JPY 19,800 gets you a 42mm heel. It is the cheapest of the five, JPY 6,600 under No. 1 (26,400 − 19,800). Besides regular width, it comes in wide and extra wide.
Watch out for: at 282g it is 43g heavier than No. 1 (282 − 239). Wide comes in a limited set of colors. More in the Clifton 11 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
HOKA Clifton
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 17,325 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 24,750. 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 IchibaOfficial store (US)Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
No. 5 On Cloudmonster 3: a plated shoe that rolls you forward
Why it ranks here: its 35mm stack is the thinnest of the five, but a nylon-blend plate and a midsole with three layers of holes roll you forward. It comes in regular and wide.
Watch out for: at 295g it is the heaviest of the five, and its stack per 10g, about 1.2mm, is the lowest. If thickness and low weight come first, No. 1 to 3 fit better. More in the Cloudmonster 3 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
On Cloudmonster (check the generation in the product name)
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 24,200 (as of 10/25). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaOfficial store (US)Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
What the Numbers Say About Running Style and Pace
The five shoes have drops of 6 to 10mm. The Triumph 24's 10mm reads as a build for heel strikers. The Cloudmonster 3's 6mm suits a runner who rolls off the front of the foot.
None of these brands gives a fitness-level guideline for these five. My reading: for slow, long days, the stack of No. 1 to 4. For days you push the pace, the plated No. 5. A 40g gap (282 − 239) adds up over tens of thousands of steps.
Quick Guide: Which of the 5 Pairs?
| If you are | Pick |
|---|---|
| I want both stack and low weight | ASICS SUPERBLAST 3 |
| I land on my heel and want a thick midsole | Saucony Triumph 24 |
| I want a soft landing and width options | ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 28 |
| I want it cheap, with width options | HOKA Clifton 11 |
| I want a plate to roll me forward | On Cloudmonster 3 |
I cover how to think about max stack in the cushioned running shoe guide, and marathon shoes in the marathon pace shoe guide.
Who is it for?
- Good fit: runners going farther than a marathon at a steady, easy pace. Runners who want something left in the legs for the second half.
If you only want a plated shoe on race day, there are other ways to choose.
About the writer and sources
I run about 500 km a month, my marathon best is under 2:30, and I also race trail and triathlon. I'm the shoe nerd behind this site. Prices and release dates come from each brand's official page, read on October 26, 2026. Weight and stack were read on October 13. Last updated October 26. My foot is 25.0cm.
FAQ
How are ultramarathon shoes different from marathon shoes?
The brands don't draw that line. For this guide I looked at stack height divided by weight, and at whether the width comes in more than one option, since you wear the shoe for hours.
How do ultramarathon shoes fit?
Go with your usual size to start. The official Japan page for the Cloudmonster 3 says it fits true to size. On long days I pick a size 0.5cm larger for toe room. With a 25.0cm foot, that is 25.5cm for me.
Is a carbon-plate shoe right for an ultramarathon?
I included only one plated shoe, the Cloudmonster 3. For plated race shoes, see my max-stack carbon shoe guide.
Which of the five is cheapest?
The HOKA Clifton 11 at JPY 19,800. The most expensive is the SUPERBLAST 3 at JPY 26,400, a gap of JPY 6,600.
