Asics Novablast 3 Trail Edition Review: A Wet-Road Runner Disguised as a Trail Shoe

Introduction

The Asics Novablast 3 Trail Edition arrives with a lot to live up to. The regular Novablast 3 was one of the standout running shoes of the year, and this Trail Edition keeps nearly everything about it, adding only an AHAR outsole and a small heel-lock tweak. After testing it on wet roads and light trails, the verdict is nuanced: this is a genuinely great shoe that is arguably named for the wrong surface.

What Makes It Different from the Regular Novablast 3

The two shoes are essentially the same. The Trail Edition adds an AHAR outsole for extra grip and a slightly different stitch pattern at the heel with a heel-lock detail. Everything else is identical: the same FF Blast Plus midsole, the same upper, the same stack.

The weight difference is modest. A men’s UK 12 came in at 318 grams versus 288 grams for the regular shoe, so roughly 30 grams heavier, and closer to 20 grams for most other sizes. It is noticeable only very slightly on the run.

The Positives

The FF Blast Plus midsole remains the headline. It is super soft and responsive, and it stays on the lightweight side of things. Even after around 100 miles in the regular version, the ride still feels poppy enough to put a smile on your face every time you lace up.

Grip is the big upgrade. The regular Novablast 3 was useless in any sort of wet, sliding around over the place. With the added grip here, wet roads and asphalt feel genuinely secure, including those winter stretches covered in wet leaves. It is an absolute joy to run in the rain now, and confidence on damp tarmac is dramatically improved.

The upper delivers easy, solid lockdown with no hot spots and no blisters. The heel counter is fairly stiff, but the generous padding around it keeps the Achilles completely comfortable.

The Negatives

This is fundamentally not a trail shoe. The grip is nowhere near good enough for real trails, and there are no multi-directional lugs to cope with muddy conditions. There is no protection from the elements, nothing at the front of the shoe to stop you bashing rocks, and no plate to shield your foot from rocks underneath. The stack height is also quite high for a trail shoe, identical to the regular road version, which makes it a little unstable in some trail conditions.

Honestly, Asics should have called this an all-weather shoe. Add some slightly water-repellent mesh like a Nike Shield treatment, and you would have the perfect wet-weather road shoe, because that is where this shoe really excels.

There were also quality control issues on the test pair: the tongue on one shoe came in noticeably shorter than the other, making a secure lockdown fit difficult on one side. That is a rare issue, but worth checking your pair carefully before heading out, especially since you may not be able to return them once they are muddy.

Buying Advice: Trail Edition, Regular, or Neither?

Both versions are very much recommended, and the choice comes down to your conditions. If you are running on wet roads through a UK-style winter, the Trail Edition is a fantastic pick. The grip is simply not good enough for real trails, but for parkrun-style routes that are mostly tarmac with a little bit of trail and some wet leaves to navigate, this shoe will look after you really well.

If you are lucky enough to have summer climates, the regular version is a little lighter and a little snappier, just keep it away from wet roads entirely.

Conclusion

The Novablast 3 Trail Edition is a superb shoe with a slightly misleading name. Think of it as the all-weather version of one of the best daily trainers around, with a genuinely valuable grip upgrade for wet asphalt, rather than a true trail shoe. For damp-weather road runners, it is an easy recommendation.