The Hoka Clifton 11 and the Asics Novablast 6 are fighting for the same title: best daily training shoe. Same price, the same 8 mm drop, very similar stack heights and a slight weight advantage for the Novablast: on paper, there’s hardly anything between them.
But once on your feet, that’s where things diverge.
The Clifton 11 stays true to the recipe that built its legend over eleven versions: an ultra-plush compression-molded EVA foam and a MetaRocker geometry that rolls your stride along effortlessly. The ride is soft, ideal for stacking up easy miles.
The Novablast 6 plays a different tune: its FF Blast Max is paired with an FF Turbo² insert, Asics’ racing foam. The result is balanced cushioning with real bounce. It has to be said: the Novablast’s midsole technology is a generation ahead in responsiveness.
How you use them settles it naturally. The Clifton 11 shines on easy runs, from slow jogs to long runs, from beginners to marathoners who put comfort first. The Novablast 6 covers the same daily training but widens the playing field: tempo, brisk long runs, it keeps up as soon as you pick up the pace.
Distance-wise, both models let you push all the way to the marathon. But if you’re going for a fast time, the Novablast has the edge.
The two uppers are evenly matched: a reworked technical mesh on the Clifton 11, a very comfortable, generously padded fit on the Novablast 6.
Clifton 11 or Novablast 6: which should you choose?
At the same price, the Novablast 6 is our recommendation for most runners: just as comfortable day to day and clearly more responsive, it covers all your training, right up to the marathon.
The Clifton 11 is for Hoka fans: in our view, that’s the only real reason to pick this model over the Asics.
