The Asics Novablast is one of the most popular cushioned daily trainers and for the Novablast 5, Asics is making some changes to help make it better suited for those daily runs.
It’s getting a new upper, improved outsole and adding its new FF Blast Max foam that first debuted on the Asics Glideride Max.
The Novablast 5 launches globally on December 1st and ahead of the big launch, Testers Nick, Tom, Kieran and Mike have all got a pair of the new Novablasts in to see what they made of. These are our early impressions after a first run in the Asics Novablast 5.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
00:29 – Price and what’s new from the Novablast 4
01:32 – How does it fit?
04:29 – The First Run Test
16:45 – Initial thoughts
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Hey this is mik from the ran testers This is the new ASX Nova blast 5 the Update to this the Nova blast 4 which Launched roughly a year ago now there Are some changes in the upper midsole And outsole department and we'll get Into what those are first before get Into some initial multitester thoughts From myself Nick Kieran and Tom whether The new Nova blast 5 makes a good or not So good impression so let's get into it So here's your rundown of those key ax Nova blast 5 stats let's start with Price and the good news is that it Sticks to the same 135 and $140 launch Price as the Nova blast 4 weightwise a UK men's size8 weighed 256 G compared to 258 G on the Nova blast 4 so that's Actually just slightly lighter than the Last Nova blast in the same size it Remains a shoe with an 8mm drop and the Same stack Heights as the four at both The heel and the toe aex has moved to an Engineered jackard mesh upper to improve Things on the weight and breathability Front below that lies the new FF blast Max cushioning which first debuted on The aex Glide ride Max and Promises Bounce and responsiveness from a softer Foam while still delivering that Versatility tied to the Nova blast line At the Alo aex is using a new ahar low One that contributes to that promis Softer feel and improved grip over the
Outsole on the Nova blast 4 [Music] The fit for me in the Nova blast 5 I'm Size 8 in the UK it's pretty similar in Size to the previous version of the Nova Blast um I there's plenty of space Before my big toe uh and it's a fairly Roomy shoe in the for foot as well I Don't think it's the widest shoe around Um but it's definitely I've got fairly Average size feet and it felt absolutely Fine on the first run that I did in it Uh the upper does feel a little bit more Restrictive than the Nova blast 4 not Massively different um but it's Definitely a slightly different design To this upper but I found it to be very Comfortable on that first run and i' Definitely stay to my sight in this shoe Comes to fit of the ax no blast 5 got my Usual uk9 here which is a us10 uh it Fits me very well i' would say it's got Very similar fit to the previous models Of the shoe and most ax shoes like Sometimes the more racy options will be A little bit tighter and more dialed in With the aex range something like the Met speed Sky Paris but the no blast 5 Fits for me like the no blast 4 good run Rout in the toe box nice hold around the Heel and midfoot there's plenty of Padding there but it's not overbearing Or annoying on the run I found so yeah I Would stick to your normal size with an
Over blast five so in terms of fit it's All looking pretty good for me so far in The Nova blast five I've got in a UK Size eight that's the same size I've had The previous Nova blast shoes in that is My go-to running shoe size and I would Say so far it's looking like it is a True to size fitting shoe a lot like the Nova blast 4 was as as well I was you Know the space up front of the toes and The toe box in general fill just the Right side of roomy not overly spacious And meaning it's going to have scope to Be a shoe you can run longer in the Midfoot hold feels very similar uh the Lacing is very similar as well too the Level of padding in the heel collar as Well feels similar I would say the only Thing I've really noticed here is that Obviously there is a change in the upper Material it does feel like there is more Upper and more kind of material there You know between you and your foot I Mainly noticed that in around the laces And the tongue I've had to kind of May C Laces a little bit tighter to get that Good lock down but ultimately I think It's going to fit a little bit more snug Than the Nova blast 4 but from a sizing Point of view overall I think going Through to size it's looking like me That's going to be absolutely fine for Most people that's definitely seems to Be my experience so far in the no blast
Fight quick word on fit then for that First run I've run in my regular aex Size which is UK 8 and a half what I Would say about these loads of room in The toebox has good clearance towards The end if anything maybe they feel a Bit long but that can be a thing with The atic shoes I get that a little bit With the super blast as well but Everything holds well across the top of The foot with good lace lock down I like The way the tongues wrapped the top of The foot bit of pushing there to take Off the lace pinch those big clush Padded heel colors held well for me and Overall I think I like a roomy fit and I Would definitely say go true to size if That's you if you want a little bit Snugger or a bit shorter on the end Maybe you might think about going half a Size down but I think these are bang on True to size so that's what I'd Recommend So this is a pretty exciting shoe the Nova blast range has developed over the Last few iterations quite a bit um and If you go back to earli versions of the No blast very different than more recent Versions of the novablast no blast 5 has This new uh FF blast Max uh foam in it Now this is the first time I've used This Pham because we haven't used the Glideride max none of us have tested That shoe out which also uses the same
Foam um it is similar to you get the no Blast 4 but it's a little bit softer and A little bit bouncier the first run that I did in this which I've just come back From was a 12K run um and the bulk of That run was a hill session um so pretty Fast um some pretty tough uh I was a bit Of a wreck by the end of it um and this Shoe was great it feels it's a little Bit lighter than the Nova blast 4 and The Nova blast 4 is a shoe that I've Always said is a really great um Versatile daily shoe without a plate in It um that just just does a really good Job for if you're looking for one shoe Or if you're looking for a training Partner for your faster race shoes Things like that um the Nova blast 5 uh From that first run very similar I'd say It's delivering the same things I like It more than Nova blast 4 off the back Of that first run just because I like This Pham a bit more it's a little bit Softer than what you get in the Nova Blast 4 but it is a bit bouncier as well So you're not losing any of the benefits Of the foam um because of that softness You're getting a little bit of extra Energy returned from it uh and as a Result I just enjoyed running it a Little bit more I really like the no Blast 4 so uh it's not like it's an Amazing Improvement on on that shoe Because I think it's quite similar um
But it's definitely there's a little bit More to this shoe it does feel a little Bit lighter on the feet it does feel a Little bit bounc here um and for that Hill session it felt absolutely great um I was planning on going all out on that Hill session so previously before um I Got this shoe today I was going to use One of my faster race shoes or something To give me a bit of a a bump but um I Decided to take this one out because we Just got it and it delivered really well The um heel section of the shoe which I Don't I wasn't running on because I was Running as fast as I could up hills um Is definitely softer you can definitely Feel that squish in the midsole um but The uh front section of the shoe really Does give you a nice toe off um and it Really is conducive to picking up the Pace um and very much enjoyed using it For that Hill session so yeah off the Back of that first run um I think it is Definitely feels to me like a little Improvement on the no BL 4 not massively Um but for me because I like softer Shoes um I think it is does feel a Little bit nicer for me as soon as I put Them on and I got about 200 300 meters Down the road I did notice that they did Feel a little bit different than the no Blast 4 um other than that it wasn't Very wet out tonight so um I didn't Really give the outsole um a good going
Over um but it does seem pretty sturdy Uh it's fairly thick rubber on the Outside of the shoe uh and it just have This nice sort of GrooVe design on most Sections of the rubber so um didn't Really get a chance to test that out the Grip on it but I didn't have any Problems at all on the road that I was Running on tonight uh especially when I Was hitting those Hills quite hard so Yeah all in all very impressed to fit on The first run think so far I'm I like it More than the no blast 4 so I just got Back from my first run in the Nova blast Five and I had an hour of running to do Today I started off by kind of hovering Below kind of 8 minutes more Pace than The second half I kind of eased up went A little bit more relaxed ultimately use The Nova blast in the way that I would Typically use the Nova blast or previous Nova blast shoes um the kind of pace I Expect it to work well at now the first Thing I would say noticed and I think Even before getting out and running in The shoe is that that FF blast Max That's the big headline story here it's Just noticeably softer even just kind of Pressing into it you can see it's much Softer than the Cushing in the Nova Blast for when you get into it it's Slightly softer feeling when you kind of You know you sink maybe a little bit More into it slightly more plush not
Overly plush but you definitely do feel Like it's a little bit softer underfoot Compared to the Nova blast 4 now the Other element to it and that cushioning Is that it just feels noticeably more Bouncy than the NOA blast 4 as well too Now the stack CS are technically the Same but I have felt in that first run Particularly at the hill that you know For me it feels like there's more foam Between me and the ground and it just Felt bouncy and livelier than the Nova Blast 4 it's definitely moderately Bouncy I would say compared to the Nova Blast 5 it still felt very good at those Kind of moderate uptempo Paces felt very Smooth and controlled to run at those Paces as well too I think the difference For me between this and NOA blast 4 Really came in the second half of that Run when I was running more relaxed and Running kind of easier in this shuee now I think with the NOA blast 4 absolutely You could run easier in it I didn't feel It felt as comfortable to run easy in it Compared to running moderate and uptempo Paces I think there's a better balance Of that in the Nova B five that's kind Of what I'm seeing in that first round When I eased off in this shoe it Definitely felt more comfortable to do That I didn't think you were losing Anything from that ride but ultimately Just felt that phone works better easier
Paces and I think that's going to be a Key here for me is whether it retains That kind of feel I think the Nova Blast 3 you know it was that really bouncy Lively feeling then it kind of lost that A little bit and maybe I didn't Absolutely love that shoe longer term I Think the NOA blast 4 I appreciated what It offered that those kind of moderate Uptempo Paces but maybe didn't work as You know as best at those easier Paces I Feel like the balance so far I'm feeling Like it's a little bit better here on The Nova blast 5 in terms of other Things the out soole not really much to Report here looks like there's a similar Amount of rubber here I would expect It's probably going to give you a Similar amount of Mage here and grip and Traction as in over blast 4 so nothing Massive to report there I'd like to see How it handles in kind of radiant Conditions I think you know UL that's Kind of where we maybe see a slight Difference in the the Nova blast ranges And when we get that kind of TR version Which I never we probably will but Ultimately yeah not much to report there But I would say first and foremost that This is a sh that feels very much an Overlast it feels bouncier it feels Slightly softer feeling as well too but I think for me the key difference here For me what I'm seeing is that it feels
Much more comfortable at those easier Paces and that's really what I want to See longer term testing whether it Really retains that and offers that Better balance between those easy Moderate and uptempo speeds so I'm just Heading out to do my first run in the Aex Nova blast 5 got a nice relaxed hour On the plan today I've put in a lot of Miles over the last 5 days with several Pretty hard runs in there so my leg are Pretty shattered so hoping for the shoe To be nice and supportive and Comfortable today and then I'll look at Its versatility a bit more another day When I've got a bit more in my legs to Try and run a bit faster but was a big Fan of the ax nose blast 4 that was my Favorite version of the shoe so far I Just found it had a really nice smooth Ride and a pretty versatile one fairly Lightweight but very cushion design got This new foam in the Midol inter to see How the heel bevel now feels cuz I think They've reduced the Caboose on the shoe A little bit I'd say it looks a bit Shorter so I'm wondering if that will Help the transition as I am a heel Striker as I move from Heel To Toe but Yeah in general we're just looking Forward to a nice relaxing run and Seeing how the shoe [Music] Feels back now and that was a very
Enjoyable first run in the Nova blast 5 The shoe just has a a really nice easy Way about it it's very easy to just hick Over it's got a really nice transition Actually it moves you from the hills toe Quite speedily even at a nice slow pace You do feel like a very smooth ride and It feels like it could pick up the pace Quite easily and a couple of occasions Where I did do little mini strides that Kind of of thing it did feel quite nice But all in all it just felt really Comfortable really cushion you know for A shoe that isn't positioned as like Kind of a Mac stack very soft shoe like Lot shoes are positioned it is that it Does do that role really well I think it Is very comfortable but is quite Lightweight and you know has a bit of That daily trainer feel about it as well I did get back and then do a little Quick run at wearing the no blast four On the other foot just to see how the Differences were and you they're quite Similar over I do think for me the NOA Blast 5 feels Tad softer almost to me it Feels a bit quieter less Slappy on the Foot and I do transition from the heel Is easier with the slightly reduced Bevel you have at the back there F like I was moving onto my forefoot a little Bit more easily a bit better than with The no blast 4 which is a shoe I really Liked as well so lots of very similar
Properties I think between them in terms Of them being very cushion shoes that Are quite lightweight and pretty vertile Actually the over blast 5 is very Slightly heavier for me than the Overlast 4 in my side which is odd cuz I Think all the reviews I've seen have Said it's a lighter shoe but you know It's much more muchness in terms of Weight and the field I think is slightly Improved and yeah really enjoyable first Run today to see how it feels kind of at Any kind of faster Paces but as a daily Trainer I think you know ticking the Box Again really nice first run in an Overlast five she out on my first run Now in the as6 Nova blast five plan here Is to do four miles of progression run So we'll move up through the paces to Test the credentials across a range of Paces that early run I you want to see The variety there in that first run the Other thing I wanted to say I haven't Really looked at any of the specs or the Information or any of the other reviews Or all the chat online yet about the Over blast five so I'm coming to these Absolutely fresh and clean I've got a Clean head on put them on I think you're Getting quite a lot of that kind of Classic aex NOA blast feel the shoe Feels slightly longer than some shoes There is a bit of a kind of boat like Fit to them not unlike the super Blast 2
Where you do notice there's quite a lot Of shoe on the Foot super plush heel Collars nice wrapping tongue fit feels Good lots of room in the toe box lots of Wiggle room lots of flex in the uppers And then when you get moving in them They're comfortable from the off the one Thing that you really notice then is you Get a ride which I think under fo super Cushioned there is a bit of Bounce to it And although I would like to do these Kind of side by side with the super Blast 2 I'm getting a bit of super plast Vibes out of these shoes for now in fact For me in these early two miles what I'm Thinking at the slower Paces is that These have got excellent cruising Potential there's no doubting the Comfort I'm not feeling much of the road Coming up at all Nice wide platform to run off big broad Base of that foam bottom my foot feels Sort of well held and cocooned and just Really nicely looked after and now I'm Always wary of judging a shoe based on Early miles but the instant reactions Are also quite interesting and what I'm Feeling at the moment is that these Shoes do want to go a bit faster they Want to give a bit more and at some Point I'm looking forward to knocking Them up a gear or two to see how that Plays out in a sec So I've just knocked out the last two
Miles of that progression run I think I Did like around about a 70 something Mile followed by like a 640 something to Test the pace now I think what I've Discovered when I've pushed up those Paces is that this shoe for me so far in These tests feels better at the slower To middling Paces at the top end of the Pace there when I went to those kind of 6- minute miles getting towards sort of Tireder legs I just felt they were a bit Mushy there's a bit slud and a bit soft For doing those really kind of fastest Places so I find there's kind of enough Bounce and energy and spring and Cushioning at the slower paces and when I get into cruising Pace but when I Really wanted to push those gears they Just didn't quite have what I wanted There's a you know I always talk about Imacy but there's a bit of a lack of Imacy in them and I wasn't getting all That energy You' get from the the Full Bounce and maybe that's where they'll Separate against the super blast too but What's going to be really interesting I Think is we're not this SHO do the same Job kind of up the range to those kind Of just beneath the fastest Paces as the Super Blast 2 as a cruising shoe is it Just a cheaper option you get a similar Sort of feel in terms of kind of size of The shoe on the foot I think you know it Feels bigger it's not doesn't feel quite
As big I don't think as the super Blast 2 but again we'll do that comparison but Yeah underfoot I've enjoyed the ride it Feels comfortable lots of cushioning to Me it feels like we've lost a little bit Of the stiffness That maybe came back in the Nova blast 4 Which I quite like which made it a Little bit more Snappy maybe a little Bit more able at the really sort of top End fast Paces but we will investigate More by doing many many more miles in This shoe um and for now I'm just going To make my way [Music] Home so my early verdict on the uh Nova Blast 5 big fan of it uh I think it's um An interesting development of the shoe I Like this new FF plus Max Midol foam I Think there's a little bit more to it Than no blast 4 and I do think that the Foam in the no blast 4 was very good so It's nice to have an improvement that um Isn't having an impact on the Range Because previous versions of the Nova Blast have been a bit up and down for me Um I really like the first one didn't Didn't really like the second one wasn't A big fan of the third one really like The fourth one I think this is probably Based on that that first run probably Going to be my favorite of the Nova Blast um Range so far so really Impressive it looking forward to using
It to a lot for a few more daily runs um And might be taking out for a long run Over the next couple of weeks as part of My Valencia marathon training but very Very positive um view of this shoe based Off the off of that first run I think It's a very solid uh and nice versatile Shoe to train in early verdict this no Blast 5 looks like another winner I Think the changes here have slightly Improved the shoe I don't feel a hugely Different sensation with this new foam Compared to the previous model but I do Like it a little bit more in terms I do Think it's a little bit softer and it Just moves very nicely on the foot like The previous model I found the Improvement for me with the overlast 4 Was that it just ticked over really Nicely and it just felt a lot smoother For me than the previous version Overlast 3 and that's even more the case With no blast 5 it's a shoe that I just Found very easy to run in today and That's what you want on an easy run shoe In particular it just felt like I was Ticking over forget the shoe but I think There is a bit more potential there and Bounce if you are going to start upping The pace that I'll look into when we get Towards our full review but yeah Certainly I think the change for me that I've noticed the most is probably the Slight reduction at the back there which
I think makes it a bit smoother for me As a heel Striker but around just a Really good very cushion shoe that's Still lightweight and what I really like You know in this kind of mid-range of Daily trainers you know the competition There is things like the Nike Pegasus The P velocity Nitro 3 is a little bit Cheaper there's the hoker Clifton I Think the nose blast really stands up Very well against that competition it's Just a good value shoot that can do a Bit of everything and yeah one I look Forward to running in again and testing A bit more for sure over longer Distances faster Paces that kind of Thing which will cover in our four Review so some very early thoughts on The Nova blast 5 and I'd say first and Foremost it does still feel like a Nova Blast shoe at its core and I think if You're worried about the changes Particularly with the changes in the Midsole then I don't think from what I'm Seeing you need to be concerned it still Feels like to me it's going to be a kind Of versatile daily Trainer shoe in the Same way that previous Nova blast shoes Have been I think the key things that Are here is that it's definitely Bouncier than the NOA blast 4 and if you Felt that the no blast 4 lacked that a Little bit that little bit more kind of Enjoyment definitely a bouncer shoo and
It's more abundantly bouncier than the Nova Blast for I think the other thing Is for me is that it does look like it's Going to be more comfortable at those Easier Paces maybe it's marrying kind of The Nimbus feel and the super blast feel In one shoe in a better kind of Better Way ultimately now only time will tell Whether that bouncier feel is retained Because you know I've been burnt here Before with the Nova Blast 3 where it Started off being a very bouncy Lively Shoe and it lost a little bit of that And felt a little bit flat for me in Longer term testing now whether that Pans out in the NOA blast 5 and whether The FF blast Max can of respond well um You know that's to be seen but ultim I'm Seeing is it feels like it's a good Installment a good update on the Novablast 5 at Essence doesn't lose that NOA Bloss kind of feeling I think Actually in terms of being a versatile Daily trainer I can work at easy B Up Tempo Pace I think the balance feels a Little bit better for me so far on that First run so yeah definitely a positive First run for me definitely cautious uh To see how some of those elements I Talked about kind of pan out over Longterm testing so I'm not really keen On giving verdict after so few miles Just done kind of four and a bit miles In them across the range of pace but
Here's my first impressions I think There's a lot of classic Nova blast Going on here when you look at them out The box they look like the four they got That DNA that generational thing that's Going through them when you first look At them I think you know all the uppers And all of that feel the heel colors the Tongues the all of those things are Reminiscent of the four super Comfortable super plush Super controlled Uh nice and roomy I feel them quite kind Of Airy at the moment on that first run But it isir early chilly here then when You get into the ride I think what You're getting is that combination of Sort of cushion Reliability uh that's really good for Easy mile comfort and just for cruising A little bit faster and that's what I've Had there in those first two miles where I was going slower Paces was doing like 9 Minute miles than an 8 minute mile That's where they felt best in The Sweet Spot when I pushed up the paces they Lacked a bit of top Pace potential which I thought we' got a bit more of with a No Blast for so I'm going to be Keen to Do those side to side but overall this Feels like a competent easy end daily Trainer that's going to be able to take Care of some of your cruising miles it's The kind of shoe I feel like if I'm Going to go and run long and slow on a
Sunday for 2 hours I just want cushion Comfortable with a bit of bouncing Energy I think this is going to fit that Bill but I'm looking forward to doing More miles in testing and we'll bring You the full review once we've done that But for now feels solid feels reliable Good platform to run off nicely Cushioned decent bit of Bounce uh Doesn't feel a million miles away from The classic Nova blast territory to me Okay so they you have it some very early Thoughts on the new ASX Nova blast 5 and It looks to have made a positive first Impression on all of us now if you got Any questions about the shoe while we Are testing and working towards that Full multitester review do let us know In the comments if there are other shoes You want to know how this compares to Let us know about that as well as always Like And subscribe hit that little bell To find out about our latest videos and Yeah we'll see you the next round test This video
