Asics Noosa Tri 15 vs Novablast 4 (2024 Comparison)

Kevin Le Gall

Published on 01/31/2024

The Asics Noosa Tri 15 and Novablast 4 are among the Japanese brand’s most popular shoes, with their versatility and responsiveness. Not sure which to choose? Here’s what you need to know to make the right choice.

First, the Noosa Tri is a shoe originally designed for triathlon running (as the name suggests). It features a very comfortable fit with a seamless construction for barefoot wear. Moreover, they’re easy to put on to avoid losing time in a race.

However, even if you don’t plan on participating in a triathlon, it’s an interesting model to consider.

The main difference lies in cushioning. The Novablast has a higher stack height with 41.5 mm in the heel, compared to 27 mm for the Noosa Tri. As a result, the Noosa Tri is closer to the ground for better ground feeling and greater stability. The underfoot feel is also firmer, whereas the Novablast’s cushioning is more balanced with a hint of softness.

As a result, shock absorption is more effective on the Novablast, making it more suitable for longer distances such as marathons. Conversely, the Noosa Tri excels at distances up to 10 miles or so, or even half-marathons, if you don’t mind the lack of cushioning.

Overall, the Noosa Tri 15 is slightly more responsive with its lighter weight (only 7.5 oz/213 g in the men’s version vs. 9.0 oz/255 g for the Novablast 4).

Finally, the heel-to-toe drop of the Noosa is just 5 mm vs. 8 mm for the Novablast. This is a little low and may take some getting used to.

Noosa Tri vs Novablast: Which One Should You Pick?

As you can see, your choice will depend, above all, on your objectives. Triathlon or short races? Go for the Noosa Tri. Likewise, if you’re looking for an agile, fast, simple, and stable trainer.

However, if you’re looking for more comfort to help you build up the miles for a long race like a half-marathon or marathon, then you will like the Novablast.

Any doubts or questions? Write to us in the comments below, and we’ll happily answer you.

Side-By-Side Comparison Table

	9.2 Asics Noosa Tri 15 Check Prices	9.1 Asics Novablast 4 Check Prices
Overview
Description	The Asics Noosa Tri 15 is a responsive triathlon shoe whose unique qualities will appeal to many road runners.	The Asics Novablast 4 is a very popular and highly versatile and responsive daily trainer.
	Comfort 9.5 Responsiveness 9 Foot lockdown 9 Stability 9 Durability 9 Value 9 Design 9	Comfort 9 Responsiveness 9 Foot lockdown 9 Stability 9 Durability 9.5 Value 9 Design 9
Facts
Terrain	Road	Road
Support	Neutral	Neutral
Heel stack height	27 mm	41.5 mm
Forefoot stack height	22 mm	33.5 mm
Heel-to-toe drop	5 mm	8 mm
Weight (men)	213 g	255 g
Weight (women)	192 g	221 g
Features	Vegan, Rocker, Eco-friendly	Vegan, Recycled materials, Rocker, Eco-friendly
Athletes
Release year	2023	2023
Technologies
Outsole	AHARPLUS	AHAR
Midsole	FLYTEFOAM, GUIDESOLE	FLYTEFOAM BLAST PLUS ECO
Upper	Seamless Engineered Mesh	Engineered Mesh
Cushioning
Cushioning	Firm	Balanced
Responsiveness	High	Medium
Use
Distance	Short, 5K, Mid, 10K	Short, 5K, Mid, 10K, Half marathon, Long, Marathon
Speed	Moderate, Fast	Slow, Moderate, Fast
Workouts	Daily running, Racing	Daily running