ASICS Novablast 6 Multi Tester Review with 9 Comparisons: Passe Partout!

Article by Sally Reiley, Sam Winebaum, and Stephen Mirarchi

ASICS Novablast 6 ($155)

Tester Verdicts

• Stephen (Score: 9.0/10): "Offers an enticing, uptempo alternative at a competitive price."

• Sam (Score: 9.2/10): "More exciting and easier to live with... gains in versatility, looks and performance."

• Sally (Score: 9.1/10): "ASICS took a popular daily trainer and made it better... bouncier and more fun."

Analysis by Gemini

Introduction

Sam: The Novablast was the most tagged shoe on Strava in 2025, going past the venerable Pegasus in the standings. And it is no surprise as this light and lively reasonably priced trainer has been a great all arounder for speedier neutral runners. Originally targeted at a “younger” hip running crowd it has become widely popular with all types of runners. So why not seek to improve its ride platform with a new shaping and front A-TPU insert while giving it a modern “sneaker” look and colors with a woven almost canvas like upper and yet more plush collars. 

On top of that and ASICS is very proud of this, they kept the weight within 1 gram of its predecessor at a light 8.92 oz / 253g US9  at a now mini max stack height of  41.5 mm heel /  33.5 mm forefoot for the men’s (unchanged). So how does the sort of “gentrification” of the ASICS wild child turn out? Read on to see what we thought.

Stephen: I’ve put 386 miles on various Novablast models over the years, my favorite being v2, which just slightly tamed the instability of the original while maintaining its notable springiness for a daily trainer. Over the last two versions, the Novablast has become the highly stacked, lighter weight, bouncy daily trainer to beat, though some of us found the fully FF Blast Max midsole (a polyolefin blend foam) in v5 not quite as fun at slower paces. How does the forefoot insert of FF Turbo² affect the shoe in v6?

Sally: The Novablast has a large fan base because it has been an affordable yet dependable highly cushioned energetic daily trainer, especially suitable for neutral runners who enjoy an uptempo ride. I have enjoyed running in several iterations of this shoe, and so of course I am curious to see what Asics might have changed in this new V6. 

And full disclosure: I have become a real Asics fangirl, loving the new Megablast and Sonicblast but REALLY loving the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, my race day shoe of choice. As a senior veteran runner (translation: I am in my 60s) I have raced four major marathons this year wearing the Metaspeed SkyTokyo with results above expectations, even hitting some PRs. In my opinion, Asics is crushing innovation and is creating some amazing running shoes. So let’s see how they have upgraded the Novablast!

Pros:

• “Passe Partout”  (fits in anywhere): Plush high performance with lifestyle looks: Sam/Sally/Stephen

• Still very light for a big stack daily trainer with increased top to bottom comfort: Sam/Sally

• Improved smoother toe off due to softer more rebounding A-TPU front insert: Sam/Sally/Stephen

• Versatile energetic ride that excels at uptempo but can also do moderate paces: Sally/Sam

• Improved midfoot hold over previous version: Sally

• Solid value for a highly cushioned and peppy daily trainer: Sally/Sam

Cons:

• Yet more plush collars and canvas like woven upper look and feel cool but likely add weight: Sam/Stephen

• Soft forefoot aggravates my existing neuroma underfoot (personal problem!): Sally

• FF Blast Max not for easy / recovery paces, especially for lighter runners: Stephen

Stats

Spec. Weight: men's  8.92 oz / 253g US9 :: women’s 7.59 oz / 215g    

Sample Weights: 

       men’s  243g / 8.6oz US8.5 / EU42 (8.5 oz / 242g US8.5) / 293g / 10.35oz (US12)

       women’s:  212 g / 7.4 oz  (US W8)

Stack Height (unchanged):

men’s       41.5 mm heel /  33.5 mm forefoot, 8mm drop 

women’s  40.5 mm heel /  32.5 forefoot, 8mm drop

Platform Width

NB6: 85 mm heel /  73 mm midfoot  / 115 mm forefoot  

NB5:   90mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 115 mm forefoot US8.5

Available July 1, 2026. $155

Novablast 6 Video Review

First Impressions, Fit and Upper

Sam: The upper is a new thin and densely woven mesh that gives a casual canvas sneaker in my “champagne rose” colorway. 

Immediately noticed are the very plush ankle and achilles collars which are even more plush than the Novablast 5’s. 

The bulging and cool looking angular midsole side walls to the rear of the shoe remind of the promised performance of the Novablast. And are more than just looks as they are carefully designed to reduce weight and increase rear stability.

Not to worry: this is a high performance upper with the thin and dense woven mesh providing both plenty of support but comfort and room from heel to toe. 

As before there are no overlays at all here. The woven mesh is about the same thickness as before but denser and somewhat stiffer and with more structure provided. Breathability is adequate but not outstanding. 

Starting with the heel we have a very rigid heel counter with the ankle area embedded into the angular rising midsole feature. 

The achilles and ankle collars are very visibly and prominently cushioned with deep, relatively soft pads that fortunately do not end up with a wide opening or any looseness.  My heel, and I think many shaped heels (narrow or wide) will slide into this well held and very comfortable “cockpit” and with noticeable softness of hold but one without compromises or looseness. The v5’s pull tab is eliminated (and not needed) for a cleaner rear look.

The tongue is very similar to the prior, a soft mesh with lace tie pads and with perforated areas further forward with the only real difference being dual lace pads vs a single cross one. The tongue gusset continues. 

The midfoot hold is excellent, balancing a “comfort” type fit with enough hold for performance with the fit true to size and on the broad side, and slightly broader than v5.

Stephen: Sam describes the upper very well, including the elegantly rendered “champagne rose” color, which I have to admit I’d never have considered a counterpart to a light citrus yellow-green outsole, but aesthetically it works! 

Sam also points out what I immediately noticed: a more built-up ankle collar and a stiff heel counter to help stability, likely necessary with the springiness of the midsole. As we saw in full usage in the Kiprun Kipstorm Tempo, the NB6 features hidden or integrated eyelets for the first two loops before coming outside for the rest of the traditional eyelets (see photo). 

Fit in my US men’s 12 is true to size in terms of length and also in terms of width with standard thickness running socks.

Sally: The NB6 is immediately comfortable underfoot and fits nicely true to size in my W8 (note: I find some of the high performance Asics shoes - the Metaspeed Sky, the Megablast, and the Sonicblast - run a bit short in the big toe for me and I am more comfortable sizing up half a size). It has a nice well cushioned step in feel and a secure hold in the midfoot without too much lace adjustment. I find it more secure than the V5 for my slightly narrow woman’s foot. The lacing system with the hidden lace loops as described by Stephen works well and makes fine tuning easy. The gusseted tongue is a bit longer and higher on top of the foot than V5, and has additional padding under the center of the lace where you will be tying your knot. And I love this subtle but neutral champagne rose colorway, much better than the purple mauve colorway of my OG V5. 

Midsole & Platform

Sam: The platform continues with the same mini max stack height of 41.5 mm heel /  33.5 mm forefoot, 8mm drop and platform widths.  

The main outer carrier continues with FF Blast Max and OBC non supercritical foam. What is new is the addition of a front insert of A-TPU FF Turbo Squared foam. This highly energetic foam is used as the entire midsole of the Megablast and as a layer in the Sonicblast.

Center forefoot insert-FF Turbo Squared A-TPU foam

With version 5 ASICS tried to have a front trampoline effect at the center of the midfoot through carving of the midsole and outsole. It was there, but IF ASICS hadn’t mentioned it as a feature I likely wouldn’t really have noticed. That changes in Novablast 6.

The front A-TPU Turbo Squared insert is in a gradient expanding to a larger surface at the foot level to create a trampoline lift off effect. The insert is quite soft to pressing and in run feel It is for sure noticed as a softer rebounding surface. I also felt V5 was quite stiff at forefoot, and in particular didn't roll the foot that well at slower paces. This is improved in the 6 as I could clearly feel my foot plunging down more to toe off and rolling easier along with having a more flexible feel even if to hand flexing the 6 is stiffer with its flex point further back, I confirmed this during an A/B run with one of each on opposite feet.I imagine due to the glue to hold the insert which will stiffen a sole. Lost is a bit of firm response but I don’t miss.

Overall the new midsole and platform mellow the ride a touch, gives it more forward roll making slower paces more pleasant while not adding weight or reducing the faster pace capabilities. Bottom line along with the upper changes is a more versatile daily trainer than before for me.

Stephen: You can see from the photo that the oval-shaped FF Turbo² insert (which surrounds the central forefoot pad) constitutes more than a “dropin” as we saw in the original adidas adizero SL, but does not form its own layer, as has become common practice in many dual-foam shoes (e.g., adidas Boston 13, ASICS Magic Speed 5, etc.).

Thus, the NB6 offers a distinct experience from dual-foam setups common in supertrainers and of course from single-foam constructions standard in daily shoes. During easy or recovery runs I was hard-pressed to tell any difference between the foams, but once I began picking up the pace a bit I began to sense the extra springiness in the forefoot. That extra energy increased the faster I ran. I ended one easy day, for instance, with a quick half-mile cutdown from 7:30 / mile to about 5:40 / mile, and the NB6 truly showed off its fast shoe pedigree at that time–mostly in the forefoot, naturally. 

As I implied above, the NB6, like its immediate predecessor the NB5, does not work particularly well at easy or recovery paces for me, a lighter runner (70kg). The FF Blast Max foam formulation in these shoes requires some compression to take advantage of its best characteristics, and as more of a pendulum-style strider I tend not to press down very hard at easier paces.

Sally: The softness of the FF Turbo Squared ATPU foam pod under the forefoot was immediately and easily felt. I am a lightweight runner (105 pounds/48 kg) and a forefoot striker, so I feel as though I land right on the pod. My first few runs were challenged by a return of a painful neuroma under my 2nd and 3rd toes, most likely caused by an existing bunion on that left foot. I can wear carbon plated shoes all day and not feel it, but the softness of the NB6 clearly aggravated the inflammation. But a trip to a podiatrist this week resulted in a first ever cortisone shot, so today’s run was delightfully painfree. 

Beyond the FF Turbo Squared trampoline pod under the center of the forefoot, there is once again a high stack of FFBlast Max foam underfoot, again with an intriguing but now slightly different angular carved geometry. There is plenty of bounce and energetic return beyond the foot pod, and also a nice smooth forward roll. I find the changes to the V6 make it a more versatile shoe that does well at both easy paces and uptempo paces.

Outsole

Sam: The outsole is composed of ASICSGRIP rubber at the front and high abrasions  AHAR LO at the heel. Previously the entire outsole was AHAR LO. The feel of the outsole is a bit softer and a bit less responsive than before and strangely also with a bit more slappy noises, likely due to the stiffer to bending forefoot.

As shown below the rear coverage is reduced but covers all essential areas. The rear cavity is shallower contributinng to what I felt was increased stability during an A/B test run.

ASICS emphasized the reduced central forefoot coverage whose goal is to accentuate the trampoline effect of the central FF Turbo Squared insert. I could clearly feel the difference during my A/B run

Stephen: I tested the NB6 on asphalt, tarmac, broken asphalt, light gravel, and even brick; the outsole performed well under all conditions. The thickness of the rubber does seem to be made for endurance, and I found the hardness of the rubber well suited to the overall transition of the shoe (unlike the Superblast 3, where the contrast between the two rubber applications led to slapping for me and other reviewers).

Sally: The ASICSGRIP rubber does its job well, gripping nicely on wet or dry surfaces with excellent traction. I run on coastal roads that tend to have a lot of loose gravel, and the V6 outperforms the V5 in the sense that it no longer collects small stones in the many tiny grooves of the rubber. Not the quietest shoe on the road, but not terribly noisy either. I would expect good durability from this rubber. And as Sam points out, the break in the rubber placement on the outside of the ATPU pod accentuates the effectiveness of the spring-like pod.  

Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations

Stephen: The Novablast 6 improves on its predecessor by offering a more dynamic toe-off and thus a notably more exciting and performance-based ride. In my US men’s 12, the NB6 weighs in slightly lighter than previous versions (about 4 grams shaved off) and offers better stability as well as the aforementioned increased fun factor. In a market somewhat glutted by higher stack daily trainers with single midsole foam setups, the NB6 offers an enticing, uptempo alternative at a competitive price.

Stephen’s score: 9.0 (works very well for its intended use case, though not for easier paces for lighter runners) 😊😊😊😊 (4 out of 5 smiles)

Sam: ASICS takes the now most popular shoe for Strava runners, increases the upper comfort while giving it a clean modern almost lifestyle look, adds front rebound and a smoother flow while keeping the weight the same. Exciting? Let’s just say more exciting and easier to live with and roll along with upper comfort, something that often gives in shoes in its price range, a key highlight for me.

The changes are very likely to make it a yet more popular shoe with a yet wider audience without alienating long term fans. Could they have chosen the path of lightening it further with an all supercritical foam midsole and a more streamlined upper? Maybe but with Megablast, Superblast, and Sonicblast also in the stable at far higher pricing this mid range polished trainer is well positioned as a daily trainer for just about any everyday run and gains in versatility, looks and performance for me. 

Score: 9.2 /10

😊😊😊 ½

Sally: ASICS took a popular daily trainer and made it better. The upper fits better and the midfoot hold is now much superior for my slightly narrow foot. And the ride is now bouncier and more fun while also smoother and more versatile at a range of paces. 

It remains a solid affordable highly cushioned energetic daily trainer, now with a peppier foam midsole and a better looking package. All the high school gals I see are wearing all white sneakers - this champagne rose Novablast 6 could even pass for an acceptable lifestyle shoe (and we know these high school gals are picky!). I look forward to more miles in this shoe!

Sally’s score:  9.1 / 10.0  (versatile, energetic, smooth, good looking, excellent value) 

😊😊😊 ½

8 Comparisons

Novablast 6 

Weight: men’s 8.92 oz / 253g US9 :: women’s 7.59 oz / 215g    

Stack Height: men’s 41.5 mm heel /  33.5 mm forefoot, 8mm drop

ASICS Novablast 5 (RTR Review)

Stephen: Covered in the review, but I will offer a recap. If you enjoyed the NB5 and found it effective or efficient, you will get more out of the NB6 in terms of a more propulsive toe-off and a slightly more stable experience overall. I daresay if you balked at doing longer runs in the NB5, you might think of trying again in the NB6, given its upgrades. That said, if the NB5 did not work for you, I don’t think the NB6 offers enough of a change for you to consider it.

ASICS Megablast (RTR Review)

Sam: Higher stack and 29g lighter the Mega has an FF Turbo Squared midsole whereas the Nova has a front insert and FF Blast Max. The Nova is easier going, has a more plush upper and for me is more versatile as a daily trainer as it handles a wider range of paces while the Mega focuses fast and is awkward and stiff otherwise for me.

Stephen: I wear US men’s 12 in both. As I wrote in my 250-mile review of the Megablast, it works amazingly well for me for anything up to marathon pace. As it does cost a fair bit more than the Novablast, I would have to decide whether the extra layout would be beneficial for my current training block to make a choice.

Sally: The Megablast would be one of my favorite long run and marathon training shoes, but unfortunately I find it runs short so anything longer than 7 miles is painful for me at the end of the toe box (and I happen to value my big toenails) . The Megablast is more performance oriented and much beefier yet lighter, and for sure more expensive. The Novablast is more accessible with more versatility as a great daily trainer for more runners.

RAD UFO (RTR Review)

 8.85 oz / 251g US9 :: women’s  oz / g US8

 Sample Weight:  men’s  8.64 oz / 245g US8.5

Stack Height: 42mm heel /  34mm forefoot 

Sam: Almost identical in stats including weight and stack height the RAD has a dual density PEBA midsole. It is softer, bouncier, less stable and more fun. It has a solid upper and a colorful one to the ASICS more polished “classy” look. At $200 the RAD is $45 more and in my view the ASICS is a better and more versatile value.

Sally: I am shocked to read Sam’s comment that the RAD UFO and this NB6 are almost identical in stats: the UFO is much more radical in looks and in performance. The UFO is bouncy, unstable and super fun (and more expensive),while the NB6 is more traditional, versatile, controlled and affordable.

adidas Hyperboost Edge (RTR Review)

Sam: Higher stack and slightly lighter, the Edge has a more quickly reacting and dynamic midsole with a more directed serious feel than the Novablast. The uppers stand in sharp contrast. Plush and comfortable for the ASICS while the adidas is all serious business with minimal padding and a stiffer wrap of the foot.

Nike Vomero Plus (RTR Review)

Sally: Both are highly cushioned trainers that combine comfort with responsiveness, and both provide the versatility to pick up the pace when asked. The Vomero Plus is a beefier and heavier and more expensive ($180) choice, but might be preferred by heavier runners who land with more force instead of the leaner NB6. I might choose the Vomero Plus for a longer marathon training run because of the additional protection, but the lighter NB6 would be my choice for the daily shorter runs.

adidas adizero SL2 (RTR Review)

Stephen: I wear US men’s 12 in both. I put 469 miles on two pairs of the SL2; it remains one of the best values in daily trainers over the past five years, and I place it here for comparison because the dual-foam midsole setup provides a similar experience to what the NB6 provides at toe-off. In contrast, the SL2 worked well at many paces, though I would choose the NB6 if I preferred a truly dynamic forefoot and a compression-responsive midsole overall. 

Nike Vomero Plus (RTR Review)

Sally: 

Saucony Triumph 24 (RTR Review)

Stephen: I wear US men’s 12 in both. The Triumph 24 currently holds pride of place as a recovery shoe for me: its formulation of the all A-TPU midsole in conjunction with its rolling geometry keeps me moving along at very easy paces even when my body seems to be objecting to running at all. I would choose the NB6, however, for more uptempo daily sessions, especially if I were to add strides at the end.

Mizuno Neo Zen 2 (RTR Review)

Stephen: I wear US men’s 12 in both. Though similar in terms of specifications, the shoes offer very different experiences. The NZ2’s SCEVA midsole conforms to and comforts the foot in an easygoing and somewhat old-school fashion, just as its superb upper locks you in for the ride. The NB6 features state of the art foams and responds best to faster efforts.

The Novablast 6 will be released July 1, 2026. $155

Sam's Novablast 6 Video Review

Tester Profiles

Stephen Mirarchi holds a Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Brandeis University and currently teaches in the graduate program of Classical Education at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He has published many scholarly articles and six critical edition books, including the annotated Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly. Almost all of his running PRs have been set after turning 50, including a 2:54 marathon at Des Moines in 2024.

Sally is a lifelong runner and mother of five who against her better judgement ran her first marathon—Boston 2014—at age 54. She has since completed 23 major marathons including Boston (13 straight, 2014-2026), New York, London, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo and has thereby earned the coveted Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal. She has raced in multiple Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships, running her marathon PR of 3:24:02 in London in 2022 (age 63, 6th place) and most recently placing 3rd at the 2025 AG World Championships at the NYC Marathon with a time of 3:31 at age 66. She finished Boston 2026 this April in 3:29 (5th in AG), and placed on the AG podium in Berlin, New York and Tokyo this past year. Sally also competes in USATF events for the Greater Lowell Road Runners and currently leads the USATF-NE Grand Prix standings for her AG. She adds meaning to running Boston every year by running with Team Eye and Ear and has so far raised more than $400,000 for Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital. She stands tall at 5’2” and 105 pounds and lives in Marblehead, MA where she trains year-round outdoors. She blames her love of skiing out West for any Boston Marathon training challenges.

Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. Hex is in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the 1:45 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Park City, Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. Sam is 5’9” /175cm  and 160 lbs/ 73kg  if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.

Index to all RTR reviews: HERE