Asics Novablast 5 vs Novablast 6
Updated August 2, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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Refined, same shoe
THE SHORT ANSWER
Both are still stocked, so this is a real choice: the Novablast 6 is the lighter shoe by 0.2 oz, and older models usually sell under list once a successor ships. The Novablast 5 also lists $15 lower.
- Asics Novablast 5Men's at AmazonWomen's
- Asics Novablast 6Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Aug 2, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
Every spec, side by side
| Spec | Novablast 5 | Novablast 6 |
|---|---|---|
| FIT AND WEIGHT | ||
| Weight | 9 oz | 8.8 oz |
| Asics claims 8.5 oz, but its own comparison blog contradicts that; Running Warehouse, Doctors of Running and RunRepeat's scale all land on 8.8. | ||
| Widths | D, 2E | D, 2E |
| Upper | Engineered jacquard mesh | Engineered woven mesh with a longer padded tongue |
| CUSHIONING GEOMETRY | ||
| Heel stack | 41.5 mm | 41.5 mm |
| Forefoot stack | 33.5 mm | 33.5 mm |
| Drop | 8 mm | 8 mm |
| MATERIALS | ||
| Midsole | FF Blast Max | FF Blast Max with an FF Turbo Squared forefoot insert |
| The pod, borrowed from the Megablast, lifts forefoot energy return (66.5 to 69.1 percent in RunRepeat's lab) while the reformulated heel gives back measurably less (55.4 against the 5's 63.6). Net effect: livelier toe-off, calmer heel. | ||
| VALUE | ||
| List price at launch | $140 | $155 |
| Asics's press release says $150; retailers landed at $154.95. Either way the biggest jump in line history, on top of the 5's mid-cycle bump to $150. | ||
| OTHER CHANGES | ||
| Outsole | AHAR Lo | ASICSGRIP forefoot, AHAR Lo heel |
| The answer to three generations of wet-grip complaints. Lab numbers and testers both confirm the improvement. | ||
| Platform | Full-width soft forefoot | Forefoot narrowed about 7 mm |
| More agile, and most testers read the 6 as more stable overall, not less, because the ride is less marshmallowy. | ||
Weighing whether to switch at all, rather than which of these two to buy? What replaced the Asics Novablast 5 covers the verdict on the update, what loyalists made of it, and the closest alternatives from other brands.
Buy the Novablast 5
Stocked at AmazonAvailability last checked Aug 2, 2026.
Buy the Novablast 6
Stocked at AmazonAvailability last checked Aug 2, 2026.
Questions runners ask
- Which is lighter, the Asics Novablast 5 or the Novablast 6?
- The Novablast 6, by 0.2 oz in a men's US 9 (8.8 oz vs 9 oz).
- Did the price change between the Asics Novablast 5 and the Novablast 6?
- Yes. List price went up $15, from $140 to $155. Street prices differ: the older shoe usually sells under list once its successor ships.
- Do the Asics Novablast 5 and Novablast 6 come in the same widths?
- Yes. Both run in D, 2E for men's sizes, so a width that fit in the Novablast 5 carries over to the Novablast 6.
- How do the stack heights compare?
- 41.5 mm heel and 33.5 mm forefoot on the Asics Novablast 5, against 41.5 mm and 33.5 mm on the Novablast 6. Same platform under both.
- Is the Novablast 6 still the newest Novablast?
- Yes. The Novablast 6 is the current Asics Novablast, listing at $155 at launch.