ASICS isn’t usually a brand we are necessarily expecting something very new and even innovative from, but the Novablast is super hot and color us impressed. In a world of models like the Nimbus, Kayano, Cumulus, etc who could have expected a super high cushioned road shoe with a totally new upper design all coming in around 9oz? Who would have expected a Hoka level competitor from ASICS? Not us, but we got one and it is pretty solid if not a touch overly aggressive.
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weighs in at 9.2oz or 261g for a US Men’s 9
- Has 32mm of cushion and a 10mm heel/toe drop
- Retails at $130.00 USD
- Comes in 4 colors for Men and Women
Run Test
The ASICS Novablast is really hard to describe in many ways. It feels absolutely nothing like any other ASICS shoe you have tried not only in the upper, but in the new FLYTEFOAM midsole. The upper is super breathable having these crazy littler holes which look like pockets to let air escape. The midsole is light, but super responsive which provides a lot of bounce and energy return.
In run, we found the Novablast to be a really easy run. The 10mm drop is pretty aggressive and does force you a bit more forward than we would have liked and encourages you to be over your toes more often than not. Some runners just love this, but we tend to find the sweet spot somewhere in that 5 to 8mm range. The cushion itself is just unbelievable and we are really fans of a nice big landing pad and the Novablast delivers.
The bottom line here is the Novablast feels like nothing we have seen from ASICS, at least in a while. The cushion is amazing and the upper is comfortable and breathable. The biggest drawback is that big offset, but other than that
Construction: Upper
The upper on the Novablast is an engineered mesh built in a multi-directional patter which allows for greater ventilation while also creating some structure. It is a trip to look at up close and impressive in its design.
Heel cup and view of the tongue Double layered mesh and clear ventilation Lacing box and reinforced eyelets Asics Novablast from the front Asics Novablast from the back
Construction: Midsole
The Novablast midsole is made of their FLYTEFOAM BLAST which is another EVA derived tech. There is 32mm of it on here so you get a ton of plushness, but their design still remains responsive and allows for efficient energy transfer through the footstrike.
Midsole – Lateral rear Midsole – Lateral front Midsole – Medial front Midsole – Medial rear
Construction: Outsole
The outsole uses a proprietary rubber compound ASICS calls AHAR Plus. This compound is supposed to be more durable than standard rubber and through our tests it does seem highly durable. They have placed this rubber in key areas where the foot tends to impact highest.
Outsole overhead
Style & Aesthetics
The Novablast sports a very interesting profile, looking like a traditional ASICS in the upper, but the midsole is clearly a bit crazy and angled. The version we got to test was this super fun Tokyo orange, but they come in 3 other colors as well.
Overall Conclusion
We really fell in love with the ASICS Novablast and truly never expected to. It really eschewed everything we expected from ASICS and it showed us something new in terms of both design and tech. The upper is comfortable and breathable and that 32mm of cushion is just amazing. Our biggest drawback is obviously that aggressive offset of 10mm, but it will really depend on personal preference and honestly most ASICS shoes are similar. So if you are an ASICS traditionalist, it might be worth a shot. If you like a big offset and want an alternative to Hoka in the cushioning world, then the Novablast is worth your time.
Learn more on the ASICS website
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
