The Asics Noosa Tri 16 and Novablast 5 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 34 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 16 is slightly more responsive with its lighter weight (only 7.4 oz/211 g in the men’s version vs. 8.9 oz/251 g for the Novablast 5).
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
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| 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. |
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| 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 |
Good morning
I would very much like your help in choosing a shoe.
I run marathons (my height is 182cm and my weight is 72-75kg) and I would like to choose a shoe from asics for a pace of 4:40-5:05/km
I have run all my races with this brand only and would like to increase the pace a bit from the 5:05-5:15/km I was running. In my last half marathon race in my hometown of Athens I ran nimbus 25 at a pace of 4:58/km
Please give me an answer whenever you can
Thank you very much
Hi Kostantinos, I would take a look at the Asics Novablast 4 or even the MetaSpeed Sky (or Edge) Paris. The first one is more geared for daily runs while the second is perfect for racing and should deliver great running economy. Best, Kevin
Hola Kevin. Soy un corredor principiante. Estoy corriendo 10k entre 07:00 a 06:00 el kilómetro, peso 80 kilos. Me gustaría cambiar mis tenis a la marca Asics. Estoy corriendo con las Adidas ultra boots 5. Me gustaría que me ayudes a elegir. Saludos desde chile