The Nike Vomero 18 and the Asics Novablast 6 go head to head in a hotly contested segment: the high-cushion training shoe. Two best-sellers, two philosophies.
The Novablast 6 is noticeably lighter, saving around 50 g / 1.8 oz on the scale. The Vomero 18 answers with maximalism: its 46 / 36 mm stack is one of the tallest on the market.
Underfoot, the Vomero 18 stacks two foams: ZoomX, Nike’s racing foam, closest to the foot, over a more stable ReactX base. Plushness dominates and shock absorption is excellent. The Novablast 6 combines FF Blast Max with an FF Turbo² insert: the cushioning is more balanced, but the bounce is noticeably more pronounced.
When it comes to usage, the Vomero 18 is a comfort specialist: easy runs, recovery and relaxed long runs; its bulk holds it back in real fast workouts. The Novablast 6 is more versatile: it covers daily training just as easily but also handles tempos and faster-paced long runs. It even makes a very good marathon pick for runners looking for a single pair, plate-free, simple and reliable.
Both uppers are comfortable and provide good lockdown. The fit is slightly roomier on the Nike side.
Vomero 18 or Novablast 6: which should you choose?
At the same price, the Novablast 6 is our recommendation for most runners: lighter, more responsive and more versatile, it does almost everything the Vomero does, and more as soon as the pace picks up.
The Vomero 18 remains an excellent choice if your absolute priority is soft cushioning: for recovery and heavy legs, its huge ZoomX + ReactX stack delivers impressive comfort.
