The Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 and Asics Novablast 4 are both max-cushioned shoes with the same FF Blast+ Eco foam in the midsole, but they are designed to handle different jobs, with the Nimbus being a protective cruiser and the Novablast more of an all-rounder. Which is the best Asics shoe for you? Kieran and Nick run through the pros and cons of the Novablast 4 and Nimbus 26 in this video.
Check out our reviews of both shoes:
Asics Gel-Nimbus 26 Review:
Asics Novablast 4 Review:
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:16 – Design & Key Stats
02:10 – How’s The Fit?
03:07 – The Run Test
09:49 – Verdict
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Asics Novablast 4:
Asics Gel-Nimbus 26:
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Hello and welcome to run testers my name Is Nick in this video we're going to be Comparing the aex NOA blast 4 and the Aex gimbus [Music] 26 so the gel nimas 26 and the no blast 4 are two cushioned training shoes Within the ax range the gel number 26 is Almost the flagship cushion shoe the Most expensive one in the ax range Whereas the no blast comes in a little Bit cheaper has build a bit more as an Allrounder right as opposed to the very Comfort focused GEL Nimbus like I said The Nimbus is the more expensive shoe Especially in the UK where it's £180 It's $160 in the US whereas the no blast Is £135 or $140 not exactly sure how Those prices are converting between the UK and the us but the upshot is the no Blast is the cheapest shoe in both spots The no blast is also the lighest shoe It's 270 G or 9.5 o in my uk9 whereas The gel numers 26 is 318 G or 11.2 o They both have an 8mm drop and they have Very similar stack Heights the uh Nimbus Is 42 mm at the heel and 34 at the 4T And the nov blast is just half mm lower 41.5 mm at the heel and then 33.5 at the 4ot so as well as being similar sizes The midsoles are made from the same Material they are FF blast plus Eco Cushioning from aex although the GEL Nimbus also has a little bit of pure gel
Under the heel as well both shoes have Side walls of foam and a reasonably wide Design to try and create stability Despite being such high stack shoes the Gel nimus is particularly wide even Wider than the nose blast on that front Got a woven upper with a mesh tongue on The NOA blast 4 fair amount of heel Padding there then you've got ahar low Rubber on the out soole pretty good Coverage there it's got a thick layer And it feels a little bit softer to my Touch and feel on the Run than the Rubber used in the GEL Nimbus 26 that Rubber is a hybrid of asx's ax grip and Ahar plus materials this has been done Changed with the novablast 26 compared To the 25 to give it slightly better Grip actually the Nova blast 4 also is Meant to have better grip than its Predecessor but it creates a slightly Firmer feel underf foot with that rubber Used on the latest version of the shoe Then you got a stretch stretchy knit Tongue on the nimus 26 which creates Slightly more booty style fit than you Get with the no blast 4 and then once Again loads of cushioning around the Back of the shoe as you'd expect with a Cushion shoe like [Music] This now when it comes to fit I ran true To size in both of these shoes that's my Regular running shoe UK 8 1/2 or us 9
And 1/2 and I'd recommend going true to Size for the Nova blast 4 I found the Fit secure but roomy there's plenty of Wiggle room in the toe box there's good Hold across the midfoot and a largely Secure heel as well unless you like your Shoes very snug i' definitely recommend Going through to size in this one with The Nimbus 26 I'd also recommend going Through to size the padded collars hold The heels well the tongues boost the Overall plushness and the uppers wrap Quite snugly but there's room in the toe Box and enough room there to flex and Enough of room to feel spacious I got Decent lace locked down across the Midfoot too so I've got the same size in Both of these shoes which is a uk9 a Us10 and both of them fit me very well That's my normal running shoe size and I Don't really have any concerns about the Fit of these two shoes no are padding at The heel which holds your foot in place Quite well good hold around the midfoot And enough room in the toe box for sure So I would stick with your normal Running shoe [Music] Size now for my run tests I've run Around 45 mil in limbus 26 around 40 in The overlast 4 covering the usual mix of Paces time on feet and terrain including Roads and some light off-roads now if Like me you're a fan of firmer ride more
Responsive running shoes and the Novablast 4 is a clear Improvement on The past gen shoes the midsole tweaks Are a positive bringing some additional Immediacy and response into each of your Steps as a result I think this shoe now Has much more versatility without Sacrificing too much of the soft cushion Protection that many enjoyed from the Older Nova blasts you will have to get On with oversized maximal shoes that Offer a softer Edge to enjoy these shoes Though if you do you'll probably enjoy Them a lot I still find them a bit Clumping and I generally like shoes that Are more Compact and precise but overall This is a good daily trainer now the ax GEL Nimbus 26 is a competent daily Trainer as well it caters for the easier End of your weekly mileage it's Definitely not a shoe I think to run Fast and it lacks some of the Versatility of other daily trainers Including the over blast 4 that cope Better across a range of Paces but if You're after guaranteed easy cruising Comfort and a highly cushioned neutral Daily trainer you're in the right place With this shoe it's soft it's got Cushion comfort on easy paste or Recovery runs that's exactly what the Nimbus does They you'll have to like the Nova blast 4 enjoy kind of heavier and bulkier
Shoes because this is a bit of a beast It's heavier than the the Nova blast in Fact I also did a side by-side Mile in Both of these shoes to tease out some of The differences and here is what I found So then I've just done a side by side Mile I've got the no blast four on the Left foot I've got the aex Joe Nimbus on The right foot first thing to say you Notice when you put them on together is How tight and hugging secure the Nimbus 26 feel particularly around the heels Those heel colors although there's Approximately the same amount of padding By the looks of it in both shoes the Nimbus 26 just hold your heel much more Securely particularly at the top of the Heel just under the ankle bone and then It opens into a bit more space below That also going into the cut of the Tongue and across the top of the midfoot I think that padded knitted tongue Actually just holds down better and it Creates this whole kind of WRA cocoon Feel across the top of the foot as it Sort of goes up into your leg that bit You know that bit that bit that's bit I'm talking about you don't get quite a Snug fit in the Nova blast perfectly Good hole but it's a bit looser a bit More roomy and that's a big difference Here and I guess that's down to the Overall kind of plush comfort that Nimbus is trying to deliver underf foot
When it comes to the ride although these Have got a very similar stack almost Identical same drop one thing I've Really noticed is the Nova blast it runs A little flatter the Nimbus it feels Like there's a bit more of that kind of Midol volume under the ball of the foot And that creates a more uh it's not Necessarily a fully sort of Rocket feel But you can feel the foam engaging a Little bit faster when you first put Your foot down whereas you land a bit Flatter on the Nova blast In terms of how much energy there is and How much cushioning I think there's not A lot to chose here nus 26 probably a Bit softer a bit Sinker but I think if You're looking for a Comfort shoe both Of these can do exactly the same job There's no doubt an over blast can cover So easy recovery miles just as well as The Nimbus the one difference I think is The heaviness of the Nimbus 26 cuts the Top pace of it so you can feel the Lightness of the no blast 4 on your foot And that is going to key be key here When it comes to of doing those sort of Faster miles moving up through the gears But the Nimbus is sort of held back it's Like a one gear shoe I think that the Nova Blast has multi gears it's not Going to go all out all out probably You're probably going to go up to sort Of maybe marathon pace tops but it can
Do that and it's going to do it better And feel more lively in terms of the Overall Stability not a lot to choose here I do Feel like the nol 4 has a slightly wider Platform than the Nimbus and therefore Creates a bit more of a kind of flat uh Stable Landing overall through heel and Midfoot the platform's a bit wider than The Nimbus over the runs that I've done Where I've been wearing two shoes the Same I I would definitely say the Overlast of the more responsive and Livelier and punchier shoe than the Nimbus 26 by a long way there's a lot of Slapp goes on with the Nimbus when You've got both shoes on that you don't Get with the Nova blast but as I stand Here right now having done that mile There is a softness to the Nova blast And like now I can bounce on it and I Can feel that Nimbus foam it doesn't Sink quite as deep there you go that's Why I do the side by side Rest of it will be back in the office so I've racked up a lot of miles in both of These shoes using them for a mix of runs I've actually done sessions in both Shoes including a very hard session in The ja numers 26 which was not ideal It's not the ideal shoe for a hard Session and also a lot of relaxed easy Running in both as well I do think that They are both good shoes but my
Preference really has been for the no Blast throughout training in it it's a No blast is almost the shoe that to me Explains why I don't really necessarily Go for Big Max cushion shoes like the Gel nimus 26 because this is still a Max Cushion shoe to my mind it's really Cushioned really soft really comfortable Does a great job when you're mooching Along at very easy Paces but then it's a Lot lighter than something like the GEL Nimbus has a bit more bounce bit more Response a slightly more free flowing Geometry that allows you to up the pace In it quite easily so I found the nov Blast to be a really versatile shoot all Around during my testing enjoy doing a Session in it enjoy doing long runs with Hard efforts throughout and just felt it Could handle all that really well whil It's being nice and lightweight whereas The gel limbus to me feels more like a Shoe that fits in the box which is just That easy run box nowly different kinds Of Runners might find it more versatile But for as some with running shoe Rotation this is the kind of shoe that I Would put squarely in the easy run only Box like it's comfortable enough but it Is very big and heavy did do one session In it like I mentioned because I didn't Have any other shoes with me when I was Away on a trip and ran a session where I Did a hard two miles and some fle and
Then another hard Mile and yeah it just Takes it out of you to run that kind of Session in a shoe like this but probably My biggest concern with that was Actually that that was the first run uh Where I started to notice a bit of 4- Foot discomfort in this shoe because it Has a fairly Slappy ride I found and I Did find that actually when I did a long Run in it as well and didn't get that at All with no blast you know exactly same Size same midell material but the way The Geet works I just get a smoother Ride from the no blast and it means I Don't snap through quite so hard and Just feels a bit more comfortable Especially when running at any kind of Pace or when running long now to me that Feels very strange that the nose blast I Think was even more comfortable and Obviously that's something to do with Running gate as much as the design of The shoes also think it's partly down to The change in rubber outside you have on The latest version of the Nimbus Slightly harder material you certainly Hear a bit more of a slap and I think That does create a slightly less Comfortable ride under the foref foot Still a very comfortable shoe if you're Sticking to easy Paces it's certainly Really well cushioned and very Comfortable to cruise through long runs In but I didn't find any drop off in
Comfort when going for the nose blast 4 Actually probably had slightly more Comfort and then you got the extra Versatility of the lighter shoe here so In my run test although I enjoyed using Both shoes I certainly preferred using The nose blast across a range of [Music] Runs this is an easy verdict for me Because I think the no blast 4 is a Superior shoe all round and a cheaper Shoe and it's the one I'd recommend People going for even if you just want a Cushion shoe for e e runs which is Mostly what I would use a nose blast 4 For I think it still does a better job Actually than the ja ners I found it More comfortable just it's a bit lighter Gives a little bit more back feels a bit More Breezy and flowing when you are Rolling through long runs and I say did Find a little bit more comfortable under The forefoot during my runs as well top Of that you get the adiverse 30 of a Lighter shoe that is better for faster Runs as well so I think it's a really Good all round daily trainer or just a Cushion shoe whichever you want to use It for Joe Nimbus I think hasn't really Got that versatility it's really just That cushioned Cruiser and well that's Fine I think it's really expensive and I Think no blast does the same job really Well so yeah I'd certainly be going for
The no Blast for myself out of these two Shoes verdict then and this one's really Easy for me while I get the appeal of The Nimbus I can see why lots of Runners Love it for its Oodles of pillowy Cushioning that almost removes any of The road from the equation when you're Running I don't quite get on with the Most sinky squishy shoes like this and I Think the latest generation of the Nova Blast 4 manages to kind of offer enough Of the softness for those really easy Miles but also now brings a faster Return and a more immediate ride That's livelier and enhances the Versatility it makes it more fun to run In overall in my book it's basically got More gears I think the Nimbus 26 it Still lets you run in that sort of slow Comfort that the Nimbus offers it's Still big the overlast 4 but it's Lighter and cheaper and if I'm picking One shoe here it's an overlast 4 all day Long for me outside of these two shoes I Think I'd opt for the S ride 177 that Can also cover similar runs but I think It does it better than either of these Two if you really are to that nimas Softness but you're on a bit of a budget Check out the Brooks ghost Max 2 I think It's got nimas bothering potential but Yeah that's how I'd come on it overlast Four wins this one for [Music]
Me Okie doie that is our comparison of The Joe number 26 and the overlast 4 let Us know what you think in the comments Below please do like subscribe ring the Little bell and we'll see you next Time
