Novablast 6: First Look

Some shoes make running feel easier to start. That is the Novablast lane.

Not the plated race-day pair you save for a number on your chest. Not the slow, heavy cruiser you only reach for when the legs are cooked. The ASICS Novablast has built its name on something more useful for most runners: daily miles with a bit of lift.

For 2026, the Novablast 6 arrives with the campaign line to match that feeling: more energy for body and mind. It sounds broad, but the shoe underneath is quite specific. ASICS have taken the bouncy character that made the series popular and pushed it further through the forefoot, where the shoe now gets FF TURBO SQUARED foam for the first time in Novablast history.

Release date: 1 July 2026
Price: £140
Foot type: Neutral
Weight: 253g Men’s, 215g Women’s
Stack height: 41.5mm / 33.5mm
Heel drop: 8mm
Surface: Road
Best for: Daily miles, long runs and steady sessions

The daily trainer with a bounce habit

The Novablast first landed in 2020 as a livelier training option, but runners quickly used it for more than tempo days. It had enough cushioning for longer efforts, enough durability for repeat use, and enough bounce to stop steady runs feeling flat.

That mix is why the franchise has become one of ASICS’ most-loved and fastest-growing running shoes globally, according to Paul Lang, Senior Manager of Global Product, Performance Running Footwear at ASICS. The pressure with the sixth version was not to reinvent the shoe, but to make the thing people already liked feel more responsive.

The FF TURBO SQUARED update

The big change is hidden in the trampoline pod. That forefoot construction has always given the Novablast its springy feel, helping the shoe roll and rebound as you move through toe-off.

On the Novablast 6, ASICS have swapped in FF TURBO SQUARED foam for that pod. Previously seen in higher-energy ASICS models like the Megablast and Sonicblast series, it now makes its Novablast debut to give the shoe a lighter, snappier push from the front of the foot.

FF BLAST MAX still handles the softer cushioning underfoot, so the shoe keeps the comfort runners expect from the line. The idea is balance: soft enough for the bulk of the week, lively enough when the pace starts to move.

Grip, geometry and the weekly miles

The Novablast 6 keeps its bold geometric midsole shape, which is not just there for shelf appeal. The shape is part of how the shoe gives that trampoline-like sensation, with the midsole working through compression and rebound rather than feeling flat under the foot.

Underneath, ASICSGRIP rubber has been added in the forefoot to improve traction and help make toe-off feel more efficient. That should be useful on wet pavements, early runs, winter paths and those road sections where the surface never feels completely clean.

The upper has also been refined with engineered mesh for better breathability and a more adaptive fit. That matters on a shoe with this much stack. Bounce is only fun if the foot feels secure above it.

Who is the ASICS Novablast 6 for?

ASICS athlete Drew Hunter summed up the shoe well when talking about consistency across a full week of training. That is where the Novablast 6 makes the most sense. It is for neutral runners who want one road shoe to handle regular mileage, longer runs and steady sessions without feeling dull.

It will not be the firmest option if you like a low, stripped-back ride. It will not replace a carbon-plated racer when the session gets serious. But for runners who want cushioning, bounce and a more energetic toe-off in a daily trainer, the Novablast 6 looks like a confident update to a shoe that already had plenty of fans.

Browse the full ASICS Novablast collection at Pro:Direct Running.