ASICS Super Blast vs Novablast 3: Which One Fits Your Running?

Introduction

The ASICS Super Blast and ASICS Novablast 3 look like close siblings, but they are designed for very different jobs. The Super Blast sits around £210 to £220, weighs 248g (8.8oz) for men in a size 8, and has an 8mm drop. The Novablast 3 comes in at roughly £135 or $150, weighs 237g (8.4oz) in the same size, and shares the same 8mm drop.

Once you understand what each shoe is meant to do, the buying decision becomes genuinely simple.

Fit and Sizing

Both shoes run true to size, but with a caveat. ASICS trainers in this family are quite long for their marked size, so there is noticeable room in the toe box. At the same time, they are relatively narrow compared with many rivals. Some runners size down half a size and find the midfoot becomes tight, so staying at your usual size is the safer call. Runners with particularly wide feet may struggle, especially if sizing down.

Super Blast: A Faster Training Shoe

The Super Blast is a daily trainer that leans toward faster and longer efforts. Its midsole combines FF Blast Plus, the same foam used in the Novablast 3 and Magic Speed 2, with FF Blast Turbo, the energetic cushioning found in ASICS’ Meta Speed Sky Plus race shoes. The mix aims to deliver a cushioned yet responsive ride across a range of training sessions. It also uses a thin asymmetric mesh upper, a heel stabilizer for security, an AHAR Plus outsole rubber for grip, and a trampoline-inspired outsole design for a more responsive bounce.

In practice, the shoe behaves like a tempo trainer. The FF Blast Turbo foam is very energetic, lightweight and bouncy, and the ride is rigid enough that it almost feels like it has a carbon plate, even though it does not. Early runs can feel stiff, and slow running feels awkward at first, but after around 100km the shoe loosens up and handles easier paces better. Even so, it is not built for easy days. It comes into its own when holding a consistent pace for a long time, such as a 20km marathon-training run at near marathon pace, where it feels almost like a carbon-plated shoe while staying comfortable.

Novablast 3: A Solid Cushioned Daily Trainer

The Novablast 3 is a daily running shoe built around cushioning, comfort and a versatile ride. This version adds FF Blast Plus midsole foam to lower weight and improve responsiveness, along with a thin tongue wing construction for fit, a more supportive heel design, a jacketed mesh upper for breathability, and an AHAR outsole for durability.

The line has evolved noticeably. The original Novablast had famously bouncy foam but was wobbly and unstable, especially around corners. Across the second and third iterations the platform became wider and more stable, trading away some of that early energy return. The result is a solid, secure, comfortable daily trainer that is easy to enjoy for easy runs and general training miles. It is not particularly propulsive, and it is no longer the versatile faster-pace shoe the original aspired to be, but as a cushioned everyday option it does its job well.

Outsole, Grip and Upper

The outsoles on these two shoes look almost identical, but the Super Blast’s outsole performs better. The Novablast 3 has been reported as slightly slippery on wet ground, though not dangerously so. ASICS also offers a Novablast 3 TR, a semi-trail variant with extra rubber and small lugs, as an alternative for parkrun-style routes that venture off-road.

The upper tells the opposite story. The Novablast 3’s upper is thicker, plusher and more padded, which suits its daily-trainer role. The Super Blast’s upper is thinner, racier and slightly plasticky, a deliberate trade-off to save weight for faster sessions. Neither caused problems during testing, but the Novablast 3 is the more comfortable of the two for everyday wear.

Which One Should You Buy?

If your running is mostly easy days and daily training miles, the Novablast 3 is a fine, affordable choice. If you want a daily trainer with more versatility, alternatives such as the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 or Hoka Mach 5 are worth a look. If you are training for a half marathon or marathon and need a shoe for long tempo sessions at consistent pace, the Super Blast is the stronger pick, with the Endorphin Speed 3 as a cheaper, more versatile alternative and the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer as a similarly designed rival that the Super Blast outperforms over longer distances.

Conclusion

These two shoes make the decision easy: match the shoe to your sessions. The Novablast 3 is a comfortable, stable daily trainer at a friendlier price. The Super Blast is a premium tempo shoe that rewards faster training and long sustained efforts. Choose based on how you actually run, not on which looks more exciting on paper.