QUICK TAKE
After years of running in Hoka Cliftons, I switched to Asics when the newer Clifton versions changed what I loved about the original. The transition wasn’t seamless — Asics shoes ride differently and take some getting used to. But the Novablast 5 and Superblast 2 have earned their way into my permanent rotation, and I’m not looking back.
I was a Hoka Clifton loyalist. Not in a brand-evangelist way — more in a “this shoe works and I don’t want to think about it” way. The Clifton 8 gave me everything I wanted in a daily trainer: max cushion, a low 5mm heel-to-toe drop that felt natural, and that signature Meta-Rocker geometry that made easy runs feel smooth. I logged 300 miles in them and would have bought the same shoe again without a second thought.
Then Hoka changed the formula. The newer Clifton versions — the 9 and 10 — increased the heel-to-toe drop, and the overall ride character shifted. The low drop was a big part of what drew me to Hoka in the first place, and when that changed, my automatic loyalty broke. For the first time in years, I was shoe shopping with an open mind.
Why Asics
If you’ve paid any attention to running communities in the last year or two, you know Asics has been having a moment. The Novablast and Superblast lines specifically have been generating the kind of buzz that Hoka used to own. Runners on Reddit, YouTube, and every shoe review site were raving about the new FF Blast foam technology. I kept seeing the same names come up in “best daily trainer” and “best super trainer” lists. So I decided to try both.
The adjustment period
I’ll be honest: Asics shoes feel different from Hokas, and it took some getting used to. The Clifton’s Meta-Rocker creates a smooth, rolling motion that almost guides your foot through the stride. Asics shoes don’t do that — they have a flatter platform that lets your foot move more naturally but requires more from you as a runner.
The Novablast 5 was the easier transition. It’s soft, cushioned, and immediately comfortable — the closest thing to the Clifton’s plush ride, just with a different geometry. The 8mm drop is slightly higher than the Clifton 8’s 5mm, but it’s still lower than most Nike or Brooks trainers, so it felt like a reasonable middle ground.
The Superblast 2 was a bigger leap. It’s firmer, stiffer, and felt almost rigid on my first few runs. Coming from soft Hokas, the Superblast’s FF Turbo Plus foam felt like running on a firm mattress instead of a cloud. But once I stopped expecting it to feel like a Clifton and let it do its own thing, the ride clicked. It’s built for speed and longer efforts, and the firmness is a feature, not a bug — it returns energy instead of absorbing it.
What I gained
Better foam technology. Asics’ FF Blast Max (Novablast) and FF Turbo Plus (Superblast) foams are a generation ahead of the Clifton 8’s midsole. They’re lighter, more responsive, and more durable. The Novablast 5 at 200 miles still has more life in the foam than my Clifton 8 did at the same point.
A real rotation. With Hoka, I just ran in Cliftons for everything. Now I have the Novablast 5 for easy/recovery days and the Superblast 2 for workouts and long runs. Having purpose-built shoes for different efforts has made a noticeable difference in how my legs feel day to day.
Range. The Superblast 2 can handle everything from tempo runs to marathon race day — something the Clifton never could. Having one shoe that bridges the gap between daily trainer and racer means I don’t need a dedicated race shoe (yet).
What I miss
The Meta-Rocker. Nothing else replicates that smooth rolling feeling. The Asics shoes are more neutral underfoot, which some runners prefer, but I genuinely miss the guided stride of the Clifton.
The simplicity. One shoe, every run, no thinking. There’s something nice about that approach, and the Clifton 8 handled it well. A rotation is better for performance, but it’s more to manage.
The 5mm drop. Both Asics shoes run at 8mm, and while I’ve adapted, part of me still prefers being a little closer to the ground.
The verdict
What I loved
- Asics foam tech is a real step forward from older Hoka midsoles
- Having two shoes for different purposes beats one shoe for everything
- The Superblast 2 opened up speed and race-day capabilities I never had
- Both Asics shoes have held up well at high mileage
Worth knowing
- The transition takes adjustment — Asics rides differently than Hoka
- The Superblast 2 feels almost stiff at first if you’re coming from soft shoes
- You’ll miss the Meta-Rocker geometry — nothing else feels quite like it
- Going from one shoe to a rotation costs more upfront
The Sunny One says: If you’re a Clifton runner who’s been eyeing the Asics hype, it’s warranted. The shoes are genuinely good, the foam technology is impressive, and the range between the Novablast and Superblast covers more ground than any single Clifton could. Just know that it takes a few runs to adjust — the ride is different, and that’s okay. Different can be better once you stop expecting it to feel the same.
The shoes mentioned
- Asics Novablast 5 — $140 (my easy/recovery shoe)
- Asics Superblast 2 — $200 (my workout/long run shoe)
- Hoka Clifton 10 — $145 (the current Clifton, for those who want to stay)
Disclosure: Links above are Amazon affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. I bought all shoes with my own money. See our full policy.