Best Asics Running Shoes Right Now

NOTE: This is an ongoing list and is constantly updated to reflect our current opinion.

American running companies seem to dominate the landscape nowadays, but it’s tough to top the long and storied history of Asics. Launched initially as Onitsuka Tiger, the Japanese shoe company has over 70 years of experience packed into its laces. That’s good news for you, as there’s an extensive list of shoes to fall in love with.

Especially since Asics has really turned the corner over the last couple years. For awhile, Asics was a ho-hum brand with seemingly the same shoes every year; however, they’ve now morphed into one of the best across-the-board brands in running. With fresh looks and designs and the performance to back it up, Asics is leading the way in giving runners what they want. We’ve run a ton of miles in all of these shoes, and can tell you that these are the best they have.

And while our recommendations are packed with plenty of new hotness, we can’t forget a few of the workhorses that got Asics to where it is today.

Here are our picks for the best Asics running shoes to get you pounding out the miles.

Sometimes you get a shoe and you’re like, “Yeah, this is nice, but whatever.” And then you wear it more and more and find yourself reaching for it each time you head out the door. That’s the Asics Superblast, which has slowly come to be our favorite shoe in the Asics lineup. Not for any specific reason, but for a variety of them. Essentially, this is the ultimate do-it-all shoe.

Featuring a top layer of Flytefoam Turbo and a stack height of 45 mm in the heel and 37 mm in the forefoot, there is plenty of cushion to go around. But it’s not an unstable shoe, because it has a wide platform and your foot sits between the sidewalls. It’s also a pretty peppy shoe at only 8.4 ounces, able to pick up the pace and even be used as a race day option if you really need it to. Throw on some Ahar Plus rubber on the outsole and you have all the best things in one shoe.

So yes, while the price point is high, it covers all the bases you need in your running. Truly, one shoe to do it all.

Well, it’s official: the Novablast 4 has reached the rarified air of being a shoe that can do it all. Sure, Thomas would rather build a rotation of Asics’ best running shoes, but he’ll readily admit that this one works for just about any run. It’s light, bouncy, and damn if it doesn’t look good — though the previous option looked more like an anime character’s hair, which was slightly cooler.

Anyway, Asics kept the same sweet bed of FlyteFoam Blast Plus underfoot, but this time it’s the Eco version. It’s essentially the same good stuff but now incorporates about 20% bio-based content. The new mix did come with a few extra grams in tow — the Novablast 4 picked up about a tenth of an ounce, not too bad. You also get a new AHAR Lo midsole to work with, which is less dense and softer but still just as durable. We didn’t have any complaints about the previous grip, though this new mix is definitely tackier.

To top it all off (literally), the Novablast 4 features a color-blocked knit upper with a ton of great color options and just the right amount of breathability. We’ve always loved how Asics designs uppers, and this one is no exception.

Alright, so we heaped plenty of praise onto the Nimbus 25, and some might say it’s still the better shoe. However, Asics is on version 26, so it’s time to update the list. This version of the max-cushion daily trainer is a little bit firmer than its predecessor, but we’d say it holds onto most of the good stuff. It’s got a fat stack of FlyteFoam Blast Plus (the same Eco mix as in the Novablast) and just a few styling tweaks to simplify the upper a bit.

There’s once again no visible Gel (though a small section of PureGel remains embedded in the heel), nor are there obtrusive overlays, praise be. Instead, Asics is rocking the slimmed-down knit it introduced last year and the outsole coverage comes courtesy of a patch of Ahar Plus rubber. This is now the definition of a max cushion shoe with loads of comfort designed to keep your legs feeling fresh for miles on end. It did get a bit heavier and a bit firmer over version 25, though, which some will appreciate and others will hate.

Did we mention that it still looks really, really good?

Asics hasn’t quite figured out how to make stability sexy just yet, but at least it’s found a way to make it reliable. The GT-2000 12 sounds more like it belongs in a sci-fi movie, but it’s actually a running shoe with a fully revamped 3D Guidance System for stability. Thankfully, that support is paired with a bed of FlyteFoam Blast Plus that ensures Asics’ stability trainer still has some bounce to it.

Our resident stability expert, Sam Sheldon, went so far as to call it his stability trainer of the year (at least so far). It’s surprisingly similar to the Kayano Lite, but picks up a ton of additional stack over its own predecessor. Asics pumped it all the way to 36 mm in the heel and 28 mm in the forefoot but somehow found a way to make this shoe lighter than its standard Kayano cousin.

Sam also praised the move to active stability with the 3D Guidance System, which uses a flared midfoot, heel clip, and geometric cutouts to guide your foot rather than a stiff medial post.

We’ve finally moved on from the clunky stability shoes of old, moving into a new era of light stability that still provides some structure, but keeps a low-profile when it comes to the overall design. Perhaps nothing exemplifies that ethos as well as the all-new Gel-Kayano 30.

Our stability crew absolutely loves this update to the iconic stability shoe, and for good reason. We have a ton of updates, including a Flytefoam Blast Plus Eco midsole, the removal of visible Gel (there’s still a section of PureGel in the heel area inside the midsole), and a well-structured heel counter. Altogether, it’s more of a neutral daily trainer, with just the right amount of stability elements. And the value is there– with a generous outsole, this shoe will last you hundreds of miles.

The first two versions of this shoe were lackluster, to say the least. But in version 3, Asics nailed it. Maybe it’s the bouncy top and bottom layers of Flytefoam Blast+ in the midsole, maybe it’s the full-length carbon fiber plate sandwiched between them. Maybe it’s the upper that feels remarkably similar to the race ready shoes that cost nearly $100 more.

Whatever it is, we’re into it. This is a lightweight, versatile trainer for those speedier days and can easily double as a budget race-day shoe that both looks and feels great.

Our trail team enjoyed the first version of the Trabuco Max, but the newest version takes it to a whole different level. Literally. With a 43 mm heel stack of Flytefoam Blast+ foam (the same foam found in the Novablast 3), this thing is the most max cushion trail shoe we’ve tested to date. It’s also one of the best iterations of Asics Flytefoam Blast and we wouldn’t hate to see this in an actual road shoe.

Usually, that type of stack height in a trail shoe spells disaster, since a larger stack height means increased instability. But not here. With a wide base covering a large area of ground, you just get a ton of cushion in a shoe that can go any distance. That goes for terrain as well. The Asicsgrip outsole provided surprisingly good traction on creek crossings and deep mud, allowing us to bomb downhills while others were forced to walk.

In short, this is a monster truck for trails, and you’ll want to go full Gravedigger once you get your feet in it.

I mean, what list of Asics shoes would be complete without the cream of the crop? This pair is probably what you’ve been waiting for, and now it’s time to dig in. Let’s get one thing straight, though — this should really be the Metaspeed Sky 3 and Edge 3 because they’re the third generation of shoes. Instead, we have a fitting tribute to the upcoming Olympic Games.

Both shoes actually have the same amount of bouncy FlyteFoam Tubro Plus in the midsole, a barely legal 39.5 mm in the heel and 34.5 mm in the forefoot. Think of a Fast & Furious NOS-turbocharged version of the same foam used in the Novablast line. It’s light, bouncy, and smooth, and it’s as close to the Alphafly feeling as you can get. Asics has also toyed with the carbon fiber plate itself, moving it higher in the stack of the Sky Paris for even greater compression and bounce. On the Metaspeed Edge Paris, Asics moved the plate lower to assist in stabilization and provide more of a kick forward.

The AsicsGrip outsole is, well, super grippy and excels in wet conditions. The quality rubber outsole pairs perfectly with the wild midsole for a tame ride. The thin, one-piece mesh upper breathes incredibly well. It’s light on the foot and the environment, as it’s made of 100% recycled material. This environmentally conscious racer is here to save the world and shatter PRs.

How We Make Our Picks

All of our recommendations come directly from our feet to your screen. We test countless running shoes here at Believe in the Run, and we let our reviews guide our decisions. However, we also consider other reviews and our BITR community, as not every runner has the same experiences. We also aim to stick with shoes that are currently available so you can give our recommendations a try.

Want to learn more about how our review process works? Check out this guide.