Superblast 3

The ride is soft and bouncy at every pace. It's happiest cruising on long runs, steady miles and marathon-pace blocks, where the foam takes the sting out of the later kilometres. Some testers liked it for uptempo work too, though one felt bogged down in the forefoot and never warmed to it. For a snappier, more direct feel in faster sessions, reviewers point to the firmer Megablast. One reviewer also found it a bit noisy and sloppy underfoot, and another says it needs a few runs to break in.

There's a lot of foam under you, and lab testing found exceptional shock absorption in the forefoot as well as the heel. Reviewers describe it as soft without going mushy, so your legs feel protected on a long Sunday run and the shoe still has some life in it. Runners who like to feel the road will find it too much shoe.

This is the shoe's weak spot. It's neutral with no guidance features, and the soft top foam makes it less planted than its firmer predecessor. The Run Testers found it a little wobbly, especially when fatigued, though the wide base kept it manageable over marathon distance. Another UK reviewer rolled an ankle slightly on a sharp corner, something that never happened to them in the old shoe, and a third review flagged a slight roll at easy pace that could build over a long block. One tester blamed an inward-tipping forefoot and a big heel flare for ITB soreness. Lab testing rated it stable, though, so a lot depends on your stride.

Reviewers consistently praise the engineered woven upper for comfort from the first run. New lacing lets the forefoot stretch a little, and the gusseted tongue and padded heel keep everything in place. Lab testing rated breathability as only middling, with most of the airflow coming through the tongue, so it may run warm on summer long runs. One tester worried the stitched-in lower eyelets could fail over time, although none did in testing.