The Monday Shakeout: ASICS Superblast 3 vs On Cloudmonster Hyper 3
By Andrea Myers
In today's shakeout, we're shaking things up with a comparison article on two recent super shoe releases. Andrea compares On's new Hyper 3 to ASICS' towering Superblast.
The beginning of 2026 has seen a number of new super trainer releases, and the ASICS Superblast 3 and On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 couldn't be more different. For me, the On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 is my clear favorite, due to its firmer, more responsive midsole and more refined rearfoot geometry, which allows it to perform at a wide variety of paces for me.
ASICS Superblast 3 | Review
Price: $200
Weight: 8.4oz, 239 g men's size 9
Stack height: 46.5mm/38.5mm
Drop: 8mm
On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 | Review
Price: $220
Weight: 8.9oz, 252g men's size 9
Stack height: 39.5mm/33.5mm
Drop: 6mm
How Do These Fit?
Both shoes feature a wider than average toe box, both of which I found wide enough to be comfortable. They also fit true to length, providing a full thumb's width from the front of the shoe to the end of my big toe in my usual women's 9.5. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 has a little more width than the Superblast 3, particularly at the MTPs. The midfoot of both shoes feels normal width, but the upper of the Superblast 3 is less structured, which makes it feel looser in the midfoot. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 has a thin, stiffer mesh upper that holds its shape even when not on my feet. The Superblast 3 upper is a thicker, softer mesh that requires more security from the laces. The tongues of both shoes are quite thin, but the Superblast 3 has well-placed padding to protect the dorsum of the foot from the laces. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 could use a little more padding, particularly closest to the ankle. I have to be careful to not overtighten the laces in this region because it does cause discomfort on the dorsum of my foot. Both shoes also feature a semi-rigid heel counter with a medium amount of internal padding. While I liked the fit of both shoes, I prefer the fit of the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 due to its wider toe box and more structured upper.
Comparing Rides
For me, the Superblast 3 and Cloudmonster Hyper 3 provided completely different ride experiences. The Superblast 3 has FF LEAP top layer and a FF BLAST bottom layer, which provide an extremely compliant, but not particularly resilient midsole feel. The compliance was particularly noticeable in the medial forefoot, and I felt like my transition to push off was delayed as I had to climb out of the midsole in this region. It also features a large posterior sole flare, which in combination with its 8mm drop made midfoot landings feel clunky for me. These design features limited my enjoyable runs in the shoe to easy runs, as the feeling of getting stuck in the medial forefoot worsened the faster I tried to run.
In contrast, the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 features a Helion HF top layer (On's PEBA foam) and a CloudTec bottom layer, which provide a firm, but responsive ride that I have used for paces ranging from recovery paces to strides at 800m race pace. At easy paces, the midsole feels firm and moderately bouncy, but the responsiveness increases with an increase in pace. While the weight of Cloudmonster Hyper 3 would keep me from using it for a full interval workout, I had no issue using it for mid-run pickups at marathon-threshold pace or for fast strides. While Superblast 3 is half an ounce lighter than Cloudmonster Hyper (8.4oz vs 8.9oz for a men's 9), Cloudmonster Hyper feels lighter on foot due to its more responsive midsole.
Are They Stable?
The Superblast 3 is a neutral shoe with a small heel bevel, large posterior sole flare, a moderate forefoot rocker, and a medially biased forefoot. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 sits squarely in the stable neutral category due to its firmer platform, better designed rocker geometry, and balanced sole flaring. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 has a larger heel bevel and an earlier forefoot rocker, which contribute to a more propulsive ride. The large posterior sole flare of Superblast 3 makes the heel feel clunky for midfoot landings and will cause heel strikers to land further back on their heel, putting more stress on the tibialis anterior muscle and potentially causing shin pain. In contrast, the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 feels perfectly natural for midfoot landings due to its 6mm drop and better designed rearfoot geometry (larger bevel and minimal posterior sole flaring). The more structured upper of Cloudmonster Hyper 3 also does a better job of stabilizing the foot in the shoe, which is important for shoes with such a tall platform.
Which to Choose?
While the ASICS Superblast 3 and On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 are both in the super trainer category, they couldn't be more different in terms of ride quality and performance. The Superblast 3 will be best for those who prefer a highly compliant midsole for easy and uptempo paces. The Cloudmonster Hyper 3 is best for those who prefer a firmer, more responsive midsole feel and more aggressive rocker geometry. For me, the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 has been a great shoe for easy runs that also include short pickups or strides. The geometry of the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 will be better for midfoot or forefoot strikers due to its lower drop, larger heel bevel, and minimal posterior sole flare. I loved the On Cloudboom Echo 3 for 1 mile-10k racing, and the Cloudmonster Hyper 3 feels like an ideal super trainer companion for that shoe.
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