What replaced the Asics Novablast 2?
Updated August 2, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Novablast 3 replaced the 2 in September 2022. New FF Blast+ foam cut roughly an ounce of weight and softened the ride, the platform got 5 mm wider, and list price rose $10 to $140. It reviewed as one of the best daily trainers of 2022 and became the version the fanbase still argues about returning to.
- Asics Novablast 2Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- Asics Novablast 3Sizes running outWomen's
Availability last checked Aug 2, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- The Novablast 3 is 0.8 oz lighter
- 1 mm more heel stack
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $10
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Novablast 2 vs 3.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Changed characterThe 3 is the version the line is still measured against. FF Blast+ cut roughly an ounce and made the ride softer and bouncier, and reviewers reached for superlatives: Believe in the Run's Thomas called it his all-time favorite Asics shoe, and WearTesters named it the best all-around running shoe of 2022. The trade-offs were real. A soft 8.9 oz shoe on a tall stack rolls inward for some runners, and the outsole was genuinely bad on wet pavement.
Stick with the Novablast 2 if
- The 2's firmer, more damped ride suits your mechanics; the 3 is softer and less controlled
- You run a lot in the rain; the 3's outsole is notoriously bad in the wet
Move to the Novablast 3 if
- You want the lightest, bounciest version of this shoe; the 3 is the one people still talk about
- An ounce off your daily trainer matters to you
Where the Asics Novablast is now
Four generations separate the Asics Novablast 2 from the Novablast 6 (2026), so the gap is wider than any single update suggests:
- The Novablast 6 is 0.9 oz lighter
- 11.5 mm more heel stack
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $25
What loyalists said about the update
Adored at launch, with two loud dissenting camps that would define the next two versions. One camp found the tall, soft stack unstable, with ankles rolling inward and knee-pain posts by 140 miles. The other could not keep it under them in the rain; one thread called it running on ice when wet. Foam death between 200 and 600 km stayed the chronic gripe, and a few original-Novablast holdouts called the 3 mushy.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Novablast 2 stock
Sizes running outDiscontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.
Availability last checked Aug 2, 2026.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Novablast 3, these come closest to what the Novablast 2 did.
- 7.9 oz
- 5 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The Mach is the other fun, light daily that can pick up the pace. It is firmer, snappier and about an ounce lighter; the Novablast carries more foam and a lot more bounce.
Against your Asics Novablast 2: 1.8 oz lighter, 7 mm more heel stack, 3 mm less drop, $15 more at list.
- 9.2 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 42 mm heel
- $155 list
The comparison goes back to the first Novablast, which one tester called the shoe the Clifton was supposed to be. The Clifton is the calmer, more rockered easy-day cruiser at a similar stack; the Novablast is bouncier and handles a wider range of paces.
Against your Asics Novablast 2: 0.5 oz lighter, 12 mm more heel stack, the same drop, $25 more at list.
- 8.9 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 38 mm heel
- $145 list
The Ride is the traditional take on the same daily-trainer job: firmer, lower, more stable, less exciting. Runners who find the Novablast too soft or too tall usually land here.
Against your Asics Novablast 2: 0.8 oz lighter, 8 mm more heel stack, the same drop, $15 more at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Asics Novablast 2 still available?
- For now. Amazon still lists the Asics Novablast 2, but the size run is thinning and prices swing with remaining stock. If your size is there, this is the late window, not the early one.
- Is the Novablast 3 a downgrade from the Asics Novablast 2?
- Not a downgrade, but a different shoe. The Novablast 3 scores well with new buyers while changing the ride that Asics Novablast 2 loyalists bought it for. Read the spec changes before assuming it will feel familiar.
- How much lighter is the Novablast 3?
- 0.8 oz lighter in a men's US 9: 8.9 oz against the Asics Novablast 2's 9.7 oz.
- Is the Asics Novablast still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Asics Novablast 6, released in 2026, 4 versions on from the Asics Novablast 2.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Asics Novablast 2?
- The Hoka Mach 7. The Mach is the other fun, light daily that can pick up the pace. It is firmer, snappier and about an ounce lighter; the Novablast carries more foam and a lot more bounce.