The Asics Novablast 6 Kicks into (FF) Turbo, Just Where We Like It

Introduction to the Asics Novablast 6

THOMAS: The Blast line has become one of Asics’ most important franchises. Between the Superblast, Megablast, Sonicblast, and the shoe that kicked it all off, the Novablast, there’s a lot to choose from, and honestly, none of them are bad picks. At this point, if Asics released a Mediocreblast, people would probably still buy it.

But success comes with expectations. While the Novablast held the top spot for miles logged on Strava last year, it started to drift toward a bland underfoot sensation. And with the $150-160 price bracket getting a lot more competitive than it was when the Novablast first launched, Asics had a choice: wait for it to go stale, or get ahead of it. They got ahead of it.

What’s new in the Novablast 6?

The headline update is the addition of FF Turbo Squared in the forefoot. The same ATPU compound is found in the popular, more expensive Megablast. It brings a noticeable pop at toe-off, a livelier sensation than previous versions. That’s paired with FF Blast Max, Asics’ polyolefin-based foam that sits somewhere between standard EVA and high-end PEBA, softer and bouncier than EVA, and more accessible than PEBA. Together, the two foams create a setup that’s cushioned enough for long miles but with enough snap to keep things interesting. Asics basically looked at the Megablast and said, “What if we put some of that in the Novablast?” Reader, they did.

Grip has been a recurring complaint with the Novablast, and if you’ve done a wet road in a previous version, you know exactly what we’re talking about. Asics is addressing it directly here with AsicsGrip in the forefoot for tackiness and AHAR LO at the heel for durability. A more purposeful combination than what we’ve seen in past versions, and one that was frankly overdue. Rounding out the updates is a switch from jacquard mesh to a woven technical mesh upper. Less exciting than foam talk, but it works.

On paper, it all sounds right. Let’s talk about how it actually runs.

MEAGHAN: Alright, back to the intro proper. You probably (most definitely) didn’t notice, but I sat out both the written and video reviews of the previous Asics Novablast. It arrived during a stretch when we were buried in shoes, and after a couple of runs, I just couldn’t bring myself to lace it back up. See also: very boring, lacking fun.

It was unfortunate because the Novablast has long been one of my favorite daily trainers from Asics, but somewhere along the way, it lost a bit of its magic and started to feel a little uninspired. The good news? The Novablast is back, baby. And I’m here to talk about it. Thomas has already covered all the key updates, so let’s just get into the review.

RYAN: I’ll leave Thomas and Meg to do a lot of the heavy lifting here, but I’m going to hop into this review as a Novablast rookie. Despite being on its sixth iteration, this is the first time I’ve run in Asics’ incredibly hyped daily trainer, and I was very excited to get a few miles in. After all, this is a shoe that’s launched in a bazillion colorways and received a collab with Bandit, so there had to be something behind all the excitement.

And, as if I needed any more reason to want to lace up the Novablast, I ran in the Sonicblast and Megablast right around the time they both launched, so I was already familiar with the likes of FF Turbo Squared. In both of those cases, though, there was a lot more Turbo for the taking, so I was curious what it would feel like concentrated under the forefoot — pretty much the opposite of where I strike my foot.

I won’t spoil much, but I will say it was a different experience from what I expected. Not bad, just different.

What we like about the Asics Novablast 6

THOMAS: For me, it always comes down to what’s happening underfoot, and the foam combo delivers. The FF Turbo Squared adds just enough character to keep the ride from feeling like you’re running on a very expensive marshmallow. It’s bouncy, but with purpose. My longest run during testing was 12 miles, and while 9.5 oz. (269 g) isn’t going to win any weigh-ins, the shoe carries well. The cushioning works across the range, short efforts and long ones alike, and my legs came out the other side feeling fresher than they had any right to.

The upper? Here’s my full review: it’s fine, and that’s a compliment. The woven technical mesh is a step up from the previous jacquard. That one looked good, but fit like baggy jeans on my low-volume foot. This one is cleaner, more dialed. Asics hits all the expected marks: a gently padded collar, a heel counter that actually does its job, a tongue that doesn’t migrate and has built-in lace protection, and lacing that adjusts without drama. Breathability is solid. I ran in the rain, and the shoe never turned into an aquarium. No complaints, no fireworks. Just an upper that gets out of the way and lets the foam do its thing.

MEAGHAN: Ironically, the last version I actually enjoyed, the Novablast 4, came in a neutral, Kim Kardashian-approved colorway, and that’s exactly what we have here for the launch. I’m a sucker for a clean, understated shoe, and while there’s a subtle pop of lime green on the outsole, this still reads as a fairly subdued palette.

The step-in feel is great. The Novablast has always offered a roomy, accommodating toebox, and that carries over here. I also found it true to size. The plush collar and tongue padding add a nice touch of comfort, and the overall fit and finish feel more premium than you’d expect from a $155 trainer.

Now, onto the midsole — arguably the most exciting update of the entire shoe. I felt the forefoot lacked pop in the previous version, and it seems Asics agreed, because they’ve inserted FF Turbo Squared foam up front, the same bouncy compound found in the Megablast. They also completely reworked the midsole geometry, which now resembles a topographic landscape carved from a mountainside.

It’s bold, a little futuristic, and I dig it. But beyond the looks, we’re told the design is purposeful — engineered to deliver the best possible combination of bounce and stability underfoot. I think it delivers. For a shoe with no plate, it’s surprisingly lively. Unlike the previous version, I had no trouble putting in the miles and enjoyed every run in this shoe.

RYAN: I’ll pretty much echo the sentiments from above, starting with the look of the Novablast 6. I’ve been a fan of this funky, geometric, anime-esque design since Asics introduced it on the Novablast 3, and it’s just as fun here. It certainly doesn’t look like the flowy, cloud-like shoes that have taken over modern running, and I appreciate that. At the same time, it’s unmistakably an Asics shoe, pairing the usual branding with a nice, subdued colorway that’s easy to wear beyond the run.

I was kind of surprised by the amount of plush cushioning around the heel, but I wouldn’t say it was a problem. Rather, it kept my foot nice and secure across the handful of run club outings I did in the shoe. Yes, that does mean I topped out somewhere around six miles, but it felt like a sweet spot for the daily trainer — just enough to use the FF Turbo Squared, but not so much that my legs got tired.

Also, I’m glad Asics has finally revamped the outsole on its go-to daily trainer. AHAR LO was fine on the handful of shoes I’ve used before, but AsicsGrip adds much-needed peace of mind on wet days, which is pretty much all the days I ran in this shoe.

What we don’t like about the Asics Novablast 6

THOMAS: These knocks are mostly personal, but they’re real. The midsole goes hard, and the upper goes bland, and as Asics continues to refine its uppers across the line, they’re starting to blur together. The overlays that gave their shoes some personality have largely disappeared (unless you look at lifestyle runners, which used to be performance models), and have been traded in for clean, socklike constructions that are functional and forgettable.

Meanwhile, the midsole geometry is doing the most. Very Kylo Ren “More!” energy. Asics will tell you the carved midsole wasn’t arbitrary; it was human-designed and then run through computer-assisted design software to optimize the ride. And I believe them. But believing the process and loving the result are two different things. Give me the Novablast 4’s tooling any day.

PSA: I’ve settled into a US M10 across the Blast line, but stay in a US M10.5 for the Metaspeed. The US M10.5 Novablast 6 runs long on me. Maybe my feet are shrinking. Who knows.

MEAGHAN: I’m hard-pressed to find much to complain about with the Novablast 6, but nitpicking is part of the job, so here we go. Asics claims this iteration got lighter, and I’m not sure that holds up. My US W7.5 came in at 7.4 oz, which is identical to the weight of my previous pair. To be clear, that’s a perfectly respectable weight for a cushioned daily trainer, but if you’re expecting a noticeable drop on the scale, temper those expectations.

RYAN: I’ll say I don’t have much to complain about here, other than maybe a touch of confusion. As we’ve mentioned, the Asics Blast line now includes a whopping four shoes, and I’m not really sure who needs more than maybe two of them. The Sonicblast, to me, feels like a more lively Novablast, while the new Superblast has adopted FF Leap foam that kind of takes the Megablast’s lunch.

Allegedly, all four shoes have their specific uses, which might be true. You might get a little more out of the Sonicblast for a workout, while the Superblast is probably still the go-to for long efforts. I’m just not sure how to recommend which shoe to which runner — especially if someone wants to take one shoe for every day of the week.

Also, I could do without the bright green on the outsole, but that’s just me.

Final thoughts on the Asics Novablast 6

THOMAS: The Novablast exists in a crowded category that keeps raising the bar, and the 6 clears it. Is it not the most exciting shoe in the lineup? That conversation starts and ends with the Superblast and Megablast, but it might be the most versatile pick in the $150-160 range, and versatility wins a lot of races. If I had a position open on Polymarket, I’d bet the Novablast holds that top Strava spot again this year. The Pegasus, the former champ, got a solid update and runs in similar territory underfoot, but the Asics edges it out.

Other shoes in the price point we like include: Adidas Evo SL, Mizuno Neo Zen, Puma Deviate Pure Nitro, Hoka Clifton 11, New Balance Ellipse, and the Saucony Azura.

This one goes in the easy-to-recommend file. That’s a genuine compliment. The Novablast 6 doesn’t take risks, but at $155, neither do you.

MEAGHAN: The Novablast is one of those rare shoes that’s easy to recommend across the board, whether you’re just getting into running or logging serious miles. The price point keeps it accessible, and the versatile design makes it a reliable choice for everything from quick shakeout runs to longer efforts. It’s not a shoe that’s going to stop you in your tracks, but that’s kind of the point: It works, and it works well. If you’re in the market for a dependable everyday trainer, the Novablast 6 deserves a serious look. And if the launch colorway isn’t your thing, something tells me Asics will have plenty more options on the way.

RYAN: Yeah, I don’t think there’s too much more for me to add to this conclusion. The Novablast 6 is another $155 trainer in a sea of $150-160 trainers, and it’s probably going to come down to personal history whether you pick it up. If you already know you like the Novablast, you’ll probably rock with this one and appreciate the addition of FF Turbo Squared in the forefoot.

Otherwise, you might find yourself drawn to the Adidas Evo SL if you loved the Takumi Sen, the Saucony Azura if you loved the Endorphin Speed, or even the Mizuno Neo Zen if you simply have good taste and love marshmallows.

You can pick up the Asics Novablast 6 for $155 on July 1, 2026, from Running Warehouse by using the buttons below.