ASICS athlete and NUS Track and Field almuni Shohib Marican discusses the newest features of the ASICS NOVABLAST™ 4 with host John Yeong in our latest episode of "Sole Mates"
"Sole Mates" is a series made by runners created for runners, and a SportPlus.sg initiative to help you find the right running footwear for you and your runs.
As part of this series, SportPlus.sg has teamed up with local running content creators, Key Opinion Leaders and athletes to have them share their thoughts on the latest running footwear.
In episode 18 of "Sole Mates", SportPlus.sg teams up with Shohib Marican to discuss the latest drop from ASICS to find out if the eagerly anticipated NOVABLAST™ 4 is all it's hyped out to be, and whether they could be a runner's perfect Sole Mate!
The NOVABLAST™ 3 is a hugely popular shoe and has developed a cult-like following over time, being ranked as one of the top 2 trainers of 2023. There is certainly a lot to live up to after its success and the latest addition to the NOVABLAST™ family features a few notable upgrades to the shoe that promises to improve your running experience even further.
Renowned for being lighter and highly cushioned, the NOVABLAST™ 4 sees an increase in the shoe's stack height. With a stack height of 41.5mm in the rearfoot and 33.5mm in the forefoot, the shoe has an overall offset of 8mm. Just for comparison, the NOVABLAST™ 3 also has an 8mm drop, with its stack height measuring 31 mm and 23 mm respectively.
The NOVABLAST™ 4 features a new midsole and outsole geometry that helps to produce a more energised ride. Another prominent change in the shoe is the construction of the upper that offers more stretch, ventilation, and durability.
The above mentioned increase in stack height can be attributed to the shoe’s FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO cushioning. This material helps to create softer landings and a more energised toe-off during your training, sticking true to the core of the NOVABLAST™ series.
ASICS athlete Shohib shares with SportPlus.sg three key features of the new NOVABLAST™ 4 design and how they could play a part in improving your runs. Just how exactly do these features translate into better running performance?
FF Blast Plus Eco foam
First on the list is ASICS’ new FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO foam, which gives runners the same signature NOVABLAST™ bounce and responsiveness. The NOVABLAST™ series has always been synonymous with bounciness, further supported with the increased stack height.
This makes it less harsh on the legs, with the Blast Plus Eco foam absorbing a bulk of the impact whenever your foot touches the ground.
As consumers, we also need to be mindful of the impacts our purchases have on the environment. That is why ASICS’ FF BLAST™ PLUS ECO foam consists of at least 20 % of bio-based material from renewable sources, including leftover waste from sugar cane processing.
“The midsole feels a little bit more stable, which would be better for majority of runners,” says Shobib.
Having a shoe that is very bouncy and responsive can be a double-edged sword. Runners may tend to slow down or be overly cautious if their shoe is too bouncy. This is not the case for the NOVABLAST™ 4, because it retains the bounciness it had in the NOVABLAST™ 3 but the foam also provides runners with more stability during their runs.
'Trampoline-inspired' Outsole
The NOVABLAST™ 4 is also equipped with an AHAR™ LO outsole, which stands for ASICS High Abrasion Rubber to give runners that additional grip. The NOVABLAST™ 4 features a trampoline-inspired design for maximum bounce as well.
Shohib adds, “In terms of grip? Zero, zero complaints!”
The grippiness of the shoe allows runners to run on a variety of terrain without worrying about grip. This also includes runs in wet-weather conditions where surfaces can get slippery.
The outsole has been enhanced with additional grip, allowing it to tackle a wider variety of surfaces. While not a significant change, this modification aids in overall compression on the lateral side, especially beneficial for heel strikers.
The shoe delivers well in terms of catering to a wider range of users. Having practical features that make the running experience more enjoyable definitely adds value to the shoe. The groove underneath the shoe is slightly deeper than the NOVABLAST™ 3, with its purpose of assisting in cushioning and responsiveness as well.
Engineered Woven Upper
The NOVABLAST™ 3's engineered mesh upper has been replaced with an engineered woven upper. Now, the upper features an upgraded stretch gusseted tongue construction for enhanced breathability and flexibility.
“It wraps around your foot a lot more easily” says John, referring to the new upper of the shoe.
A thin, winged tongue lies flat on your foot to ensure a secure fit, and it incorporates a slightly more padded design. This tongue wing construction in the upper improves the fit while reducing tongue movement.
Shohib notices that the NOVABLAST™ 4 is a little stretchier, hugs foot more easily and comfortably, regardless of wide or narrow foot. Hence, catering to more types of runners.
Having owned previous iterations of the NOVABLAST™ , Shohib says he could feel the difference in ASICS’ latest version of the NOVABLAST™ series.
Feeling more bounciness, more plushiness in the heel counter and even more padding in this part of the shoe. The tapered out heel design of the shoe offers users a ‘snug fit’ while allowing runners' achilles some breathing room. Not only that, it is also easy to slip into these shoes thanks to the convenience of the pull-tab on the back of the heel.
Shohib's Personal Running Experience
“Yesterday I did pretty long reps at a 10 km pace on a rainy track, and this shoe performed admirably! Beyond that, I like the upper. So the upper I think is one of the main differences between the NOVABLAST™ 3 and NOVABLAST™ 4, a bit more comfortable because of the plush heel-tab. I also think talking about Singapore’s humid weather, the shoe also dissipates heat better,” explains Shohib.
“I would not take the pair out for a race but I think for a daily trainer for a few up tempo workouts, this does very well. If you want a shoe that can do it all when you’re overseas, I would definitely recommend this. Easy runs? Check. Long runs? Check. Even throwing in a few workouts, I think this is a good option for anyone.” says Shohib, referring to the different purposes of the NOVABLAST™ 4.
“My current mileage in this shoe is around 40 to 50 km. So far it looks pretty good, I expect to bring this pair along for maybe 500 or 600 km. The NOVABLAST™ 3 did bring me along for a long way and I don’t see why this shouldn’t follow suit.”
Host John asked: “If you were the designer of this shoe, what would be one thing you would improve about this pair?”
“I would be nitpicking here but I personally always like very, very light shoes. My feet are used to very lightweight shoes. Although the NOVABLAST™ is a very good lightweight trainer, I hope ASICS can shave off a few ounces here and there for future iterations.”
Simply put, the ASICS NOVABLAST™ 4 is the jack of all trades. I would really recommend this to anyone who needs a shoe that can do it all. Even other ASICS running shoes like the GEL-KAYANO™ or GEL-NIMBUS™ series have their own strengths, but the NOVABLAST™ is the one that you can trust to do most of it at a really high level.
The ASICS NOVABLAST™ 4 essentially provides a plush fit with its engineered upper, energised cushioning with its FF BLAST PLUS ECO foam as well as a grippy outsole that generates maximum bounce.
Sole Mates Overall Shoe Rating:
Comfort - 4.5/5
Stability - 3.5/5
Responsiveness - 4/5
Grippiness - 5/5
Value for Money - 4.5/5
Taking all this into consideration I would give the ASICS NOVABLAST™ 4 an overall rating of 4.2 Soles, and would recommend people to use it as their daily trainer for various purposes such as easy runs, long runs and even for workouts.
You can purchase the ASICS NOVABLAST™ 4 which will be going for S$209 and you can purchase them from ASICS.com or any of ASICS’ retailers.