The Asics Superblast 2 and Hoka Skyward X are two max stacked, super trainers we’ve enjoyed running in. These are two pretty pricey shoes that promise to be ones you can use for easy and fast runs and for going long. If we had to pick one though, which would we go for?
Testers Nick and Mike have spent plenty of running time in both to tell you how they compare and help you decide which of these enjoyable super trainers is the best fit for you.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Price and key differences
01:15 – How do they fit?
03:17 – The Run Test
09:38 – Verdict
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Hey this is mik from the Run testers and In this video we're going to be giving You a multitester take on how the Hawker Skyward X there it is there compares to The ax super Blast [Music] 2 so here's a quick rundown of what you Need to know about the ASX super Blast 2 And the Hawker Skyward X these are two Max stack super trainers designed to Have the qualities of faster shoes and Daily training and easy shoes all in one Package the scorex is the cheaper of the Two by £5 in the UK and $25 in the US Weightwise the super Blast 2 is the Lighter of the two shoes with the two Offering different drops and the sky X Offering more stack height at both the Heel and the 4 foot at the midso both Use a combination of Midol Foams with The hawas shoe also adding a carbon Plate into the mix which you don't get On the super Blast 2 in the upper Department asex uses an engineered woven One compared to the mesh on the skyex Which does offer a more padded fit Overall the outsoles are built for long And regular runs with asex using one of Its ahar plus hybrid outsoles and Hawker Employing a high abrasion [Music] One so it comes the fit of the two shoes Both of them fit me really well in my Normal UK size which is a nine but it's
Worth noting that's a US 9.5 in the Hooka and then a us10 in the aex I think The super blast has a slightly closer Fit than some of asx's other shoes in Particular particular shoes like the GEL Nimbus or the gel Cayo it's more in line With the fit of something like the metas Speed in terms of the amount of length You have there it's got a fairly dialed In toe box but you know in the perfect Way for me as someone who was slightly In between sizes in general so I was Happy in my normal size for both of These Brands but I would say the super Blast probably is a little bit closer Fitting and I had no concerns with Either shoe about the fit around the Midfoot or heel so in terms of fit I've Had a good experience on both of these Shoes I've got them both in a UK size Eight that is my typical running shoe Size and I would say say from the toe Boxes they're both very accommodating on Both of these shoes you know the kind of Kind of room that you'd want if you're Going to run a little bit longer in These shoes and it hasn't been a problem For me I would say maybe the skyrex is a Touch more kind of spacious but I really Don't think there's a huge amount in it Between the two shoes when you get into The midfoot again very similar in terms Of that experience I think then the Hacker shoe feels more typically Hawker
In the sense that it kind of Narrows a Little bit more hugs a little bit closer That I found but again it's a similar Kind of feeling for me on the super Blast 2 I think mainly the skyex just Has a little bit more material there and That kind of get extends to what you're Getting in the tongue it's a little bit More padded than the super Blast 2 one Um and you're just getting something That just fits a little bit more snug Around your feet you get back to the Heel collar and then you're getting a Little bit more of a protection on the Skyward X there's a bit more kind of Guarden Defense there to keep things Controlled at the back where you're Getting a little bit less but the level Of padding around the hill collor is Very similar so yeah for me going Through to size has been absolutely fine I would say similar space up front of The toes similar holder at the mid foot Bit more padding in general or bit more Of a padded field in the Skyward X if That's something you prefer then that's What it's going to give you over the Super Blast 2 which has been very Comfortable and accommodating for me as [Music] Well so in terms of my running time in These two shoes I've done a fair bit More running in the Skyward X and I have Done the super Blast 2 I've done over 50
Miles in this shoe now I have done just Over 30 miles in the super Blast 2 but What I would say overall in my time is That both of these shoes have been Really great to running really enjoyable And I think in terms of fitting that Profile of being Max stack super trainer Shoes so for me shoes that you can run Easy in but it's going to give you that Kind of level of cushioning and Protection over longer miles and give You that scope to run quick and I think Transition between those two kind of Slower and kind of quicker Paces these Are the two best examples that I have Used personally but I do think there are Some differences that are going to maybe Influence which one is going to be a Better fit for you I think the first Thing for me Is the weight now this is significantly Lighter than the Skyward X and is this Is closer in something like a kind of Standard daily trainer something like The Nova blast in terms that way to give You a sense of how much lighter it is This is around 300 G grams for me in my UK size8 but what I would say that Unlike shoes or Max stack super train Shoes that weighing around the same as This this handles that weights a lot Better than those other shoes that I've Kind of tested and I felt like have felt Heavy and cumbersome to kind of running
I don't feel like that's been the same Case for me I'm quite skinny in terms of My build but I haven't found this a Heavy shoe to run or too much of shoe to Kind of run with or run a little bit More Up Tempo in now in terms of the Makeup of these two um super trainers or Maxx super trainers both have kind of Dual density midsoles this has got kind Of PE bur kind of Eva frame this has got Um kind of the midsoles from or Foams From The Meta speed range but also the Nova blast as well Too that really kind of dictates the Kind of feel you get here and how well They work now what I would say about the Skyward X now this has a common plate This doesn't I don't think that makes a Massive difference in terms of what They're like to run faster in but what I Would say is this is definitely the more Plush feeling of the midsoles think you Sinking a little bit more in it but There is some snap there is a bit of a Nice rocker in there as well too I think What is the difference with this shoe When you want to run a little bit more Tempo in it is you really have to kind Of do the work to get that the magic out Of this shoe at slightly more Tempo Paces now I have found I've been able to Go easy moderate and even uptempo in the Shoe and it's felt fine for me and as I Said earlier that transition between
Going from kind of slow to fast and Fast Slow I think it does a very good job of That it's very smooth it's very stable And I've never felt it was kind of out Of control to run in this shoe and I Think that's you know a real thing That's kind of stood out for me on the Skyward X now with the um super Blast 2 It feels a little bit more effortless to Run a little bit quicker in this shoe And I would say for faster runs this Would be the shoe that I would be going For I think ultimately you're getting in The mid so here compared to the Skyward X is something that is a little bit more Bouncy a little bit more aggressive in Terms of that kind of rocker it's not as Aggressive as a metas speed but there's Definitely some elements of the metas Speed shoe in the super Blast 2 to make It feel like a shoe that can can roll Through really nicely when you've got it At that kind of weight I have found when I've run quicker in this shoe in the Super Blast 2 it's felt a lot nicer to Do I found when I've got Up Tempo in the Shoe that's where it's kind of maxed out For me but I think if I wanted to go Faster than that then this is the shoe That can work and do that From an outsole point of view you're Getting kind of the focus of that kind Of outsole in the same areas you know Slightly different designs in terms of
Those outso as I said I've done kind of Over 50 miles in the Skyward X I'm not Seeing any terrible signs of where there Is some exposed areas of the phone but Ultimately I think there's enough Protection in the right areas and the Grip and traction for me has been very Good same story with the um super Blast 2 um out Sal been very good for me has Been very solid so yeah two very good Experiences I think two Max stack super Shoes that really kind of stand out for Me for the right reasons I do think There's one that probably is going to be Better fit for some people and it's Better fit for other people but Definitely two that I've really enjoyed Running in so done a lot of running in Both of these shoes and they're two Shoes I have liked a lot like with the Super Blast 2 that wasn't a surprise Like I really like the super last one I Think the super last 2 is mostly more of The same you maybe get a little bit more Pop from the midell phone but in general It feels like a very similar shoe which Is to say an incredibly versatile shoe That's comfortable fast like Unbelievably lightweight for the amount Of cushioning and bounce you have here Like a shoe that really is good for a Bit of everything was a bit more Surprised by the sky deck which was not A shoe I really expected to like cuz it
Was just so big pretty heavy it felt Like you know a very expensive shoe that Would just be useful for cruising around In and that is kind of what it is but it Is so much fun to cruise around in that It did win me over quite a lot like it's Really bouncy it's surprisingly stable It's very comfortable it is a shoe that You can tick over in at a pretty good Pace as well despite the fact it is Quite a big and heavy shoe you've got a Reasonable rocker there nice bouncy foam It runs lighter than it is for sure Short and I did enjoy doing long runs in This and Recovery runs during marathon Training it was a great shoe for eating Up loads and loads of miles it's Certainly a little bit better at that Kind of easy run I would say than the Super blast which is a really nice shoe For doing long runs in but I think it is A bit more geared up for faster stuff so It's a shoe that makes picking up the Pace a lot easier than you can do in the Hoker like I was doing something like an Easy to steady run which is a pretty Staple part of my training like in the Super blast moving through the gears Feels pretty effortless it makes running Slightly faster speeds feel like it's Taking less effort less out of you and It is like I have a heart rate that kind Of thing when running in the shoe when I Start to push the pace up a little bit
Not not to All Out Express race Paces or Anything like that but just moving Through the gears it's very easy to do In the super blast you're a lot more Aware of the Skyward X and the size of It when you start to run out speed like You can do it a little bit but it's not A shoe that I think is really built for That it disappears in the foot fairly Nicely actually when you're doing long Runs or slower runs without really Thinking about the pace you can tick Over in it quite well you get that nice Bouncy Sensation that really protective Feeling but if you do try and up the Pace it's not really what it's for I'd Say so super L I think is the more ver Shoe in terms of my run test but when it Comes to just eating up loads and loads Of miles if you're doing lots of easy Running the skyex has a slightly more Comfortable and relaxed feel about it One thing I noticed when I was running In B shoes at the same time is that the Actually super Bloss feels almost a bit More stiff and propulsive even though it Hasn't got a plate and there is you know A plate of some sort in the Sky Deck Know it's got gaps in it and that kind Of thing but actually it feels a more Flexible relax shoe than the super blast Which is a little bit stiff and I quite Like that at easy Paces but I do think It's one reason some people wouldn't
Like the super l so much just for Relaxed runs and that it is quite a Stiff Sho that feels like it wants to Move a bit quicker whereas you can Really ease into runs with the skyex and Just enjoy them at very slow [Music] Paces comes to the verdict of picking Between these shoes it might depend a Little bit on what you're looking for But the price is certainly a factor of Both of these shoes these are incredibly Expensive shoes and I think you're Really going to want them for a specific Purpose to even consider making the Outlay required here like super blast I Think lives up to its price t a bit more Because it is so versatile if you pick It up you can really I think dispense With two shoes at least in your rotation And just buy the super blast and will Cover off those jobs really well like I Love it as a daily trainer I love it for Slightly fast runs I like it for Long Easy runs as well even if you don't love It so much just for that was really easy Run you're still going to get a lot of Use out of the super blast it does its Job really well that's SC X I think is Much more focused on those easy runs and If you are doing loads and loads of Miles in particular and you want a Protective shoe to eat up those miles And feel good and enjoy those miles it
Brings more fun to those miles for sure Scalex is really good at that and it's Probably better than the super blast for Doing that just for if I picked up skull Deck I would probably then have two more Shoes in my rotation as well so I'd you Know buy a speedy trainer as well for Faster runs interval sessions that kind Of thing and then a racing shoe whereas With the super blast you could just pick This up and a racing shoe and I'd be Very happy with a really good two shoot Rotation there so the price then feels a Little bit more realistic perhaps but if Money is no concern at all then I would Look at the Hocus SC X for easy runs as One of the best easy Run shoes on the Market personally I'm very happy to do That kind of run in a much cheaper shoe And I don't really feel the need to go And buy this but it is certainly very Fun and it is something a bit different So you're paying a lot of money here but You are getting something for that money In terms of a shoe that is fun to run in Feels a bit different to other shoes It's very bouncy still very stable just A really good shoe to run in so Sometimes if you're going to spend 200 You can end up with shoes that I think Aren't really much different to shoes That you could buy for1 but with both of These you are getting something a little Bit special in certain ways but for me I
Value the versatility of the super Blast 2 as its special feature a lot more than I value the kind of fun Comfort fre easy Runs of the Skyward X so I would get the Super blast out of these two I think it Just does a lot more But yeah like I say skex has got the Edge if you're just looking for a very Fun and bouncy shoe for running a lot of Easy miles in so my take whether you Should go for the Haw scar X or the ax Super Blast 2 now the way I look at it Is these are two of the best Max stack Super trainer shoes that kind of deliver That experience slightly different ways Now if I was looking for a shoe like This that could I could run easy in I Can run moderate Paces in I can run long In and I could potentially even maybe Race in as well too which one would I Pick I would be spending a little bit More money on the super blast too I just Think it has that more natural kind of Faster feel to it despite not having a Plate in it compared to something the Skyex that does but I do think that at Faster Paces it does do a better job in That front and I think even when you Ease off it doesn't feel awkward to do That either now on the Skyward X I think It's a shoe that you go for if you Prefer something that feels a little bit More comfortable at easier Paces feels a Little bit more plush in terms of that
Overall feeling but can handle some Quicker Paces again as I said it is the Heavier of the two shoes but I do think It handles that weight very well and I Think if you wanted something that kind Of really had a slim between you know Kind of running easy to moderate and Slightly more Up Tempo then I do think This is a shoe that can do it and I Think it's going to be a good fit for a Lot of people but ultimately if it was Me if I had to pick between the two Shoes and I wanted that kind of Allrounder style of shoe in that kind of Max stack super trainer category I would Be going for super blast too but I've Had a very good time running the skyex And I think this is going to be a good Fit for a lot of people as well to okay So there you have it that is our take on How the Haw Sky compared to the ax super Blast 2 now if you've got any questions About this video or these two shoes do Let us know in the comments if you want To see other comparison videos with Either of these shoes do let us know About that as well too as always like And subscribe hit that little bell to Find out about our latest videos and Yeah we'll see you next time test this Video [Music]