ASICS Novablast 6 vs Superblast 3: Daily Trainer or Super Trainer for Half Training?

The ASICS Novablast vs Superblast question is really daily trainer vs super trainer. The Novablast 6 is ASICS' high-stack everyday shoe; the Superblast 3 is its taller, softer long-run and uptempo shoe. Neither has a plate. We haven't run in either. This comparison is built from published specs and from two independent labs, RTINGS and RunRepeat, that measured both shoes, read against what a half marathon plan actually asks.

Novablast 6 vs Superblast 3: specs and lab data

First, the specs we list on each product card. The Novablast figures are RTINGS lab measurements; the Superblast figures are the published specs reported by Doctors of Running, with width from RunRepeat.

Because those come from different sources, the fairer comparison is lab against lab. RTINGS and RunRepeat each measured both shoes:

Sources: RTINGS Novablast 6, RTINGS Superblast 3, RunRepeat Novablast 6 and RunRepeat Superblast 3. The surprise is weight: despite the much taller heel, RTINGS weighed the Superblast 3 lighter than the Novablast 6. The Superblast is softer, taller and more bouncy by both labs' numbers. The Novablast's advantage is steadiness: RTINGS scored it higher for stability.

Daily trainer vs super trainer: what's the difference?

A daily trainer is built to carry most of your weekly miles at easy pace, day after day. RTINGS calls the Novablast 6 a very good daily trainer that handles all of your weekly mileage, and recommends it for beginners and neutral runners of all levels who want a reliable, protective shoe.

A super trainer is a training shoe built with the kind of tall, lively foam usually found in race shoes, aimed at long runs and faster running. Some have plates; the Superblast 3 doesn't. RTINGS says the Superblast 3 excels at high-mileage training, especially long runs and steady uptempo efforts, and Doctors of Running lists it for long runs, easy runs, uptempo runs and workouts, with particular strength in uptempo efforts over long runs. Doctors of Running also describes it as a marathon racing option for runners who want maximum protection.

The practical difference for a half marathoner: the Novablast is the shoe you can wear for every run; the Superblast is the shoe that makes your longest and faster runs feel easier. For the whole family of shoe types, see running shoe types explained.

Which suits your level

Plan details come from the NHS Couch to 5K plan and Hal Higdon's Novice 10K, Novice 1 half and Novice 1 Marathon plans. Our Level Finder explains each tier.

In a half marathon plan

Novice 1: one shoe, the Novablast. Hal Higdon's Novice 1 asks for every regular run at a conversational pace, with a long run that builds to 10 miles. There's no scheduled speedwork, so there's nothing a super trainer does that the plan needs. The Novablast covers every run, the tune-up races and race day.

Novice 2 and Intermediate 1: consider both. Novice 2 adds race-pace runs on alternate Wednesdays and builds the long run to 12 miles; Intermediate 1 runs five days a week with race-pace Saturdays. That's the workload a super trainer suits. A sensible two-shoe split is the Novablast for easy midweek runs and the Superblast for the long run and pace days. Our running shoe rotation guide shows how two pairs share a week.

How much of your week the long-run shoe carries. By our arithmetic from the published schedules, the week 11 long run is 10 of 20-23 miles in Novice 1 (about 43-50%), 12 of 23 in Novice 2 (about 52%) and 12 of 30 in Intermediate 1 (40%). Whichever shoe you do your long runs in will carry close to half your running at the peak of the plan, which is the strongest argument for giving that job to the more cushioned Superblast once your long runs pass 10 miles.

Race day. Either can race a half. RunRepeat rates the Superblast 3 well ahead of the Novablast 6 for racing, and RTINGS says the Novablast isn't the snappiest choice for racing. If you'd like a dedicated race shoe instead, see our best half marathon race shoes.

Fit, stability and feel

Stability. RTINGS scored the Novablast 6 higher than the Superblast 3 for stability. On the Superblast the reviewers disagree: RunRepeat credits it with strong stability, while Doctors of Running calls it a neutral shoe whose geometry will not work for a lot of runners and says it poorly suits runners who need stability. RunRepeat also cautions that fans of the stable feel of the previous two Novablast versions may find version 6 less to their liking.

Footstrike. RunRepeat suggests the Novablast 6 for runners who land on the midfoot or forefoot and want one shoe for easy runs and faster workouts. RTINGS says it's a weaker choice for heel strikers who want an energetic do-it-all shoe.

Width and fit. The Novablast 6 comes in Regular and Wide for men and women. RunRepeat lists the Superblast 3 in normal width only, though Doctors of Running says runners with normal to slightly wider feet will appreciate its improved fit over version 2. RTINGS rates both true to size.

Ground feel. RunRepeat notes the Superblast 3 offers virtually no ground feedback. If you like to feel the road, the Novablast is the closer of the two.

Grip and durability. RunRepeat measured the Superblast 3's traction as the highest it has tested and describes it as blending bounce, stability, durability and strong grip. That counts for a shoe you'll put your longest, wettest and most tired miles into.

Cost. RTINGS notes the Superblast 3 costs more than the Novablast 6 and adds that most casual runners won't need its level of cushioning; RunRepeat calls its high price a possible deal-breaker.

Where the Megablast fits

Searches for "Superblast vs Novablast" often add a third ASICS shoe, the Megablast. RTINGS describes the Superblast 3 as the more straightforward all-rounder and the Megablast as lighter and more dynamic for faster efforts. RunRepeat says the Megablast doesn't include a carbon plate, yet performed as if it did, and recommends it for runners who want one shoe for everything from daily training to intervals and races. RunRepeat also points runners who want maximum energy return from the Superblast 3 to the Megablast. If race day matters as much as long runs, the Megablast is the one to look at; our half marathon shoes without a carbon plate ranks it first.

Who should buy which

Buy the Novablast 6 if

• You're training for your first half on a plan like Novice 1 and want one shoe for every run.
• You need a wide width.
• You want the steadier of the two, per RTINGS' stability scores.
• You'd rather feel a little more of the road.

Buy the Superblast 3 if

• Your long runs reach 10-12 miles and they're what leave you sore.
• Your plan includes race-pace running and you want one shoe for long runs and pace days.
• You already own a daily trainer and want the second pair to do more than tempo work.
• You're heading for a marathon next, where the Superblast's cushioning does even more work.

Buy both if

You're on Intermediate 1 or planning a marathon after your half. Five run days and 12-mile long runs are exactly where a two-shoe split pays off: the Novablast 6 for the easy midweek miles, the Superblast 3 for the long run and race-pace days. Each pair then only does the job it's best at.

Still weighing the rest of the field? Our best half marathon shoes puts both in context with the other roles in a half marathon rotation.