ASICS Dynablast 2.0 Review
Written By Contributor David Salas and Guest Reviewer Andrea Myers
The ASICS Dynablast 2 is a neutral daily trainer that utilizes FlyteFloam Blast for high amounts of cushioning in an affordable package. The shoe is very affordable compared to most daily trainers utilizing similar foams or designs. The shoe is a relatively soft riding shoe that provides a very traditional ride to the neutral category that many should enjoy.
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| Lateral view of the Dynablast 2.0. Women's purple upper seen with Asics logo across midfoot. Shoe on a ledge. |
Specifications (from Asics):
Weight: 8.9 oz men/7.5 oz women
Stack Height: Unknown
Drop: 8mm
Category: Neutral daily trainer
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| Medial side of the Dynablast 2.0. Midsole raises slightly in the rear heel. Slight rocker seen. |
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
Andrea: Asics calls the Dynablast 2 a “regular” cushioned neutral trainer. The
FF BLAST cushioning is soft without the marshmallow feeling of max
cushioned trainers. The rearfoot and midfoot are on the stiffer side
with mild flexibility in the forefoot. There is a moderate toe spring
and heel bevel. The shoe also has mild heel and forefoot sole flare, but
it is balanced medially and laterally. This results in a neutral shoe
that has some mild stability features. This is a comfortable, moderately
cushioned daily trainer for runners with neutral mechanics. The
stiffness of the midsole in combination with the gel-like cushioning
would also make this shoe a great choice for people who stand for long
periods of time.
David: The ASICS Dynablast 2 is a neutral daily training option that won't break the bank. The shoe utilizes FlyteFoam Blast to provide a high amount of cushioning for the neutral option without being in the maximum cushion category like the Novablast. The shoe rides familiar to most traditional neutral trainers while providing some new generation feeling cushioning throughout. For the price point this is a very appealing option.
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| Toebox of the Asics Dynablast 2.0. Standard toebox. Padded heel also seen. |
FIT (LENGTH / WIDTH / COMFORT)
Andrea: The Dynablast 2 fit true to size in my usual women’s 9.5. The forefoot
is on the wide side, which I appreciate, and the heel fits comfortably
without irritation. There is a somewhat flexible heel counter that runs
at the inferior aspect of the calcaneus (heel bone). The superior aspect of the heel
is very flexible and moderately padded. The FF BLAST cushioning has a
different feel as compared to New Balance Fresh Foam or Saucony PWRRUN.
It feels like there is a gel insole wedged between the actual insole and
the midsole. This is a very pleasant feeling during easy runs after
hard interval days. The Dynablast 2 has a circular knit upper which is
soft as opposed to stretchy. Runners like myself who tend to get
calluses from stiffer uppers will not have an issue with the Dynablast
2.
The knit material did feel warm on 80 degree days, but wasn’t so warm
that I would have chosen a different shoe. I experienced no heel or
great toe irritation in this shoe, which was a very welcome feature. The
tongue is not gusseted and I did initially experience some tongue
slippage until I got the lacing dialed in. I do not run sockless, but
the smoothness of the knit upper and the lightly padded tongue would
likely allow one to do so without irritation. The laces provide very
good lockdown without need for heel lock and the shoe overall has a
slipper-like feel. The outsole has a centralized cutout in the rear and
midfoot and an oval shaped cutout in the forefoot. Asics claims this
contributes to a more responsive toe-off. I am not sure if it is the
cutouts or the toe spring that achieves this feeling, but I certainly
appreciate the responsiveness of the forefoot.
David: The ASICS Dynablast 2 fits true to size in my normal 9.5. The shoe utilizes a light knit like upper throughout with minimal overlays. The upper breathes well throughout and has some stretchiness through the entire length of the shoe. This works well for natural foot swelling and different foot type accommodation. The shoe is normal width throughout without being overly wide or narrow in any specific region. The tongue is lightly padded and provides decent padding for lockdown of the laces. The tongue however did slip in a few of my runs and the laces bit into the dorsum of my ankle a couple of times. Other than that the upper is done pretty well and the security is pretty decent.
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| Forefoot of the Dynablast 2.0 up close. |
PERFORMANCE (RIDE / SPEED)
Andrea: I really enjoyed the ride quality of the Dynablast 2. It is responsive
while still having enough cushioning to make easy runs feel like
recovery for your feet as well as the rest of the body. I tend to not
like max cushioned shoes that feel like running on marshmallows. The
Dynablast 2 still gives the feeling of being in contact with the ground
due to the lower stack height, while the gel-like cushioning protects
the feet from the harshness of pavement.
As a midfoot striker, this shoe
felt like less than its 8mm of drop due to the compressibility of the
midsole. It actually felt like a firmer version of the Altra Escalante 2
and 2.5, which are shoes that I really enjoyed running in before
ramping up my weekly mileage, and subsequently finding that I needed
more foot protection from the road. The knit upper and softness of the
cushioning are similar between the two shoes. The balanced rearfoot and
forefoot sole flare does provide mild stability, but does not force the
foot in any direction of motion. The toe spring contributes to a
comfortable pushoff without feeling early or forced.
I have put 40 miles
on the Dynablast 2 and there is no visible wear on the outsole.
Traction is excellent, including when cornering and on wet roads. I
expect these to be 300+ mile shoes. I mainly tested this shoe for easy
miles, but I did use it for several sets of strides at the end of my
easy runs. I was concerned that they would feel too soft for strides,
but I was pleasantly surprised that they were responsive and did not
hold me back.
David: The ASICS Dynablast feels like an old dog that learned a new trick. The shoe has a very similar ride to most of the neutral training shoes throughout time like the Pegasus, Cumulus to some degree, or the Ride. The Dynablast utilizes the FlyteFoam Blast cushioning seen in the Novablast. While the same foam, the midsole difference does provide a different ride. The shoe has a soft feeling throughout from the heel to toe off. There isn't so much foam though that the ride feels overly soft. You still have a connection to the ground and good ground feel in this shoe. In a lot of ways it is a normal neutral shoe with some improved cushioning.
If you look at the outsole you will notice that there is a midline groove through the middle of the shoe and in the forefoot flex grooves that surround the medial and lateral aspect, making a little island of rubber in the middle. This is felt during the ride as well. You can feel the landing soften through this region, but this little island of high abrasion rubber stiffens up in the forefoot and gives some good ground feel and bounce off of the forefoot. The forefoot also has a pretty normal amount of flexibility. It will flex under load or with your hands, but it is by no means flimsy or rigid. Overall the ride is pretty balanced throughout. It doesn't provide anything other worldly, but the shoe performs as a consistent and steady neutral trainer.
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| Outsole of the Dynablast 2.0. Decoupled groove through the rear and midfoot, wrapping around an island of outsole in the forefoot. |
STABILITY
Andrea: As a runner with neutral mechanics, I normally avoid any shoes that are
labeled as having traditional stability features. As my colleagues here
at DOR have been discussing, there are many features of a shoe that can
provide stability outside of traditional medial posting. The Dynablast 2
is a good example of a truly neutral shoe that has some mild stability
features. These neutral stability features help keep the foot balanced
from initial contact to toe-off without actually preventing motion.
These stability features include the stiffness of the rear and midfoot,
the balanced medial and lateral sole flare in the rearfoot and forefoot,
and the moderate heel counter. These features result in a ride that I
really appreciate - responsive, cushioned, maintaining ground feel, and
neutral.
David: The ASICS Dynablast 2 provides pretty decent stability for a softer riding shoe at this price point. There isn't any major stability measures in this shoe but there are some sidewall incorporated at the transition point from the rearfoot to the midfoot both medially and laterally that extend through the midfoot. This does seem to help with some form of guidance on the soft foam. The full contact outsole along the edges of the shoe also seems to help with some stability, especially when taking it off of road conditions. The security of the upper is pretty decent as well and trustworthy, I just wish the tongue didn't slip as much.
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| Heel of the Dynablast 2 from the medial side. Flytefoam Blast seen with grooves cut it |
THOUGHTS AS A DPT / FOOTWEAR SCIENCE
Andrea: One of the features of the Dynablast 2 that contributes to its comfort
is the circular knit upper. Shoes with knit or mesh flexible uppers tend
to be the most comfortable for me, as evidenced by my current lineup of
the New Balance Beacon v3, Saucony Endorphin Speed, Asics Metaracer,
and the Nike Vaporfly Next%. Has the running research world looked into
why many runners find knit uppers to be more comfortable?
As is often
the case with running research, there wasn’t much to be found. An
article by Onodera et al (2015), “ The Influence of Shoe Upper
Construction on Plantar Pressure Distribution During Running,” was the
most relevant I could find regarding this topic. The authors compared
what they termed a structured upper versus a minimalistic upper, with
the minimalistic upper being “light mesh, synthetic pieces fused by
heat, light EVA on heel collar, few pieces sewed, without heel counter
and foam in the tongue”. The structured upper had “doubled mesh,
synthetic pieces sewed in the mesh, 15mm foam in the heel collar and
tongue heel counter.” The authors stated that they expected the
minimalistic upper to result in more evenly distributed plantar
pressures, but they found the opposite. The minimalistic upper resulted
in higher peak pressure but lower total ground contact time. They
postulated that this could be due to better congruence between the foot
and shoe with a structured upper.
I did not find that the knit upper of
the Dynablast 2 was sloppy in any way, but others may need a more
structured upper for better foot lockdown. The takeaway message is that
when looking at shoes with a less structured/softer upper, runners
should ensure that the upper provides sufficient lockdown on the foot.
The knit upper of the Dynablast 2 achieves this by being soft without
much stretch.
There are a couple of limitations to the
applicability of the above study. The subjects were 20 male rearfoot
strikers. It is likely that midfoot or forefoot strikers would have
demonstrated different peak pressures and ground contact time. The
exclusion of women as subjects also limits the applicability of the
findings. It is well documented in the literature that females
demonstrate different lower limb biomechanics in the frontal and
transverse planes and are at greater risk for bone stress injuries as
compared to males (see Ferber et al and Hollander et al). When analyzing
running research (or any clinical research), it is important to
consider the methods of the study to determine if the results are
applicable to you or to your patients.
References:
Onodera,
Andrea & Roveri, Maria & de Oliveira, Wagner & Sacco,
Isabel. (2015). The influence of shoe upper construction on the plantar
pressure distribution during running. Footwear Science. 7. S81-S82.
10.1080/19424280.2015.1038620.
Ferber, Reed & Davis, Irene
& Williams, D S. (2003). Gender differences in lower extremity
mechanics during running. Clinical biomechanics. 18. 350-7.
10.1016/S0268-0033(03)00025-1.
Hollander, K., Rahlf, A.L.,
Wilke, J. et al. (2021). Sex-Specific Differences in Running Injuries: A
Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression. Sports Med.
51, 1011–1039. 10.1007/s40279-020-01412-7
RECOMMENDATIONS
Andrea: I think Asics did an excellent job with the Dynablast 2. There isn’t
much I would change about it, but I would recommend making the upper
more breathable to make this a better hot weather running shoe.
David: I really like the Dynablast 2 but I do think the tongue can be refined. Overall the lockdown through the upper is fine, but the tongue slips around and I got some irritation to my ankle where the laces bit into it after a few miles (a couple of different times). I'm a big fan of the midsole, outsole, and ride of the shoe.
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| Dynablast stacked. Bottom pair shows outsole, top pair leaning over. |
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR (Conclusion)
Andrea: The Dynablast 2 is for runners with neutral mechanics who are looking
for a comfortable daily trainer that maintains some road feel. It is not
for runners who prefer max cushioned shoes with high stack heights.
While the shoe has some mild stability features, it does not provide any
motion control, which makes it a better option for those with more
stable mechanics. Neutral runners who prefer a wider toebox and knit
uppers will be very happy in this shoe.
As a neutral, moderately
cushioned daily trainer, it really hit a home run for me. The $100 price
tag makes it a less expensive option as compared to some of the premium
cushioned trainers that are out there. It will definitely stay in my
easy shoe rotation and may be my go-to when my mileage ramps up for the
Kiawah Marathon.
David: I actually really like the Dynablast 2. I was a big fan of the Novablast and this takes the technology in the Novablast 2 and applies to a lower profile neutral trainer that many can relate to. The Novablast for some can come off as too soft or bouncy, but the Dynablast actually feels really balanced throughout. It is soft and cushioned but also provides good ground feel and rigidity in other regions. This is a well balanced neutral daily trainer that provides a good amount of cushioning throughout. Like I said earlier it feels like an old dog that learned a new trick.
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| Dog excited about Asics Dynablast box!!! |
GRADING (SHOE CATEGORY)
Andrea
Fit: A (Fits true to size, toe box may be a bit wide for those with a narrow forefoot)
Performance: A- (Great neutral daily trainer, may not have enough cushioning for those who like max cushioned shoes)
Stability: B+ (Not a stability shoe, but its “neutral” stability features contribute to a smooth ride)
DPT/Footwear Science: A (A classically neutral shoe with some mild stability elements. Knit upper was secure and comfortable).
Personal: A (Checks
all the boxes for me: neutral, mild cushioning that maintains ground
feel, knit upper, drop 8mm or less, wider toe box, unintrusive heel
counter)
Overall: A (A great neutral daily trainer at an even greater price)
David
Fit: B+ (Solid upper throughout with decent lockdown and stretchy knit like material, tongue slips though)
Performance: A- (Nothing overly flashy but feels nice and balanced, good cushioning and gets the job done)
Stability: A- (Overall pretty stable throughout for a softer platform, upper lockdown could improve a little)
DPT/Footwear Science: A- (I like that they took Blast foam in the Novablast and made it to a more familiar and "normal feeling" trainer)
Personal: A- (Outside of the tongue issue which is quite annoying... I do really enjoy the shoe and get an itch to grab it for a lot of my daily runs)
Overall: A- (A very good daily training option in the neutral category for the price point, upper and tongue could be improved a little bit)
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
Find the Asics Dynablast 2 at Running Warehouse here. Using the link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
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Thanks for reading!
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WRITER PROFILES:
Dr. David Salas is a 135 lb male with notable PRs ranging from 3:54 in the 1500m to 1:08:36 for half marathon. He typically runs 60 to 70 miles per week and trains from about 7:30 recovery runs to fast shorter efforts at 4:30 pace. He normally prefers neutral shoes with a firmer ride, but is completely open to other types of shoes. He is a footwear enthusiast at heart and will always appreciate a high quality shoe when it comes around. For updates on training or testing,
Andrea Myers, PT, DPT, OCS
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Founder of BiciVita LLC Sports Performance and Bike Fitting at Class Cycles in Southbury, CT
Dr. Andrea Myers is a 5’7”, 130 pound female with PRs of 3:04:48 for the marathon and 18:41 for the 5k. She typically runs 35-60 miles per week with recovery runs at 8:00-8:30/mi pace and 5:30/mi pace for shorter efforts. She prefers firmer, neutral shoes with 4-8mm of drop and high volume toe boxes.
Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I am currently taking clients for running evaluations.
Contact us at doctorsofrunning@gmail.com
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