What replaced the Asics Novablast 4?
Updated August 2, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Novablast 5 replaced the 4 in December 2024. It swung back to soft: new FF Blast Max foam, distinctly softer and bouncier, on a slightly narrower platform with a new jacquard upper. Same $140 at launch, though Asics raised it to $150 mid-cycle. Reviewers called it far superior to the 4; runners who valued the 4's steadiness were split all over again.
- Asics Novablast 4Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- Asics Novablast 5Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Aug 2, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- Weight is unchanged
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Novablast 4 vs 5.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Changed characterThe pendulum swing back. FF Blast Max makes the 5 the softest, bounciest Novablast, and Doctors of Running called it a greatly improved and far superior shoe to the 4. RunRepeat scored it 93. The cost is the usual one: runners who leaned on the 4 for structure found the 5 too soft, Believe in the Run warned it may be too soft for the faster work people use this line for, and the foam still dies young.
Stick with the Novablast 4 if
- The 4's firmer, steadier ride is what you want under you, and clearance pairs are cheap
- You overpronate or run heavy; the 5 is the softest one yet and gives you nothing to push against
Move to the Novablast 5 if
- You missed the 3's fun; the 5 brings the bounce back with better manners
- You want the plushest version of this shoe for easy miles
Where the Asics Novablast is now
Two updates on, the Novablast 6 (2026) is what sits on shelves today. Against the shoe you own rather than the one that directly replaced it:
- The Novablast 6 is 0.3 oz lighter
- Drop is unchanged at 8 mm
- New midsole foam
- List price up $15
What loyalists said about the update
Aggregated Reddit reviews run 63 percent positive, a top-ten road shoe there, and it was the most-recorded shoe on Strava in 2025. Launch threads were glowing. The dissent came from three directions: too soft for overpronators and some heavier runners, foam losing its bounce by around 200 miles (the loudest complaint), and wet grip still not fixed. A few injury-adjacent reports (Achilles, posterior tibial) circulated among the soft-stack skeptics.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Novablast 4 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 5, these come closest to what the Novablast 4 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 4: 1.2 oz lighter, 4.5 mm less heel stack, 3 mm less drop, $5 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 4: the same weight, the same drop, $15 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 4: 0.2 oz lighter, 3.5 mm less heel stack, the same drop, $5 more at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Asics Novablast 4 still available?
- For now. Amazon still lists the Asics Novablast 4, 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 5 a downgrade from the Asics Novablast 4?
- Not a downgrade, but a different shoe. The Novablast 5 scores well with new buyers while changing the ride that Asics Novablast 4 loyalists bought it for. Read the spec changes before assuming it will feel familiar.
- Is the Asics Novablast still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Asics Novablast 6, released in 2026, 2 versions on from the Asics Novablast 4.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Asics Novablast 4?
- 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.