ASICS Novablast 6 vs ASICS Gel Nimbus 28 – Nimbus’ Days Numbered?

Stack Height, Drop, Weight and Price

A max-cushioned neutral running shoe, the ASICS Novablast 6 packs 41.5mm in the forefoot and 33.5mm in the heel for an 8mm drop. 

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 28 puts even more foam underfoot with 43.5mm in the heel and 33.5mm in the forefoot for a 10mm drop. 

When it comes to weight, both shoes have shed a bit. In our US 9.5 test shoe, the now lighter ASICS Novablast 6 tips the scales at 9.1oz / 258g. The Nimbus 28 is the heavier of the two, landing at 10.3oz. 

Both shoes have also jumped in price. The RRP for the ASICS Novablast 6 is $155 while the Nimbus 28 is $170.

Design

The ASICS Novablast 6 has a dual-foam setup, combining a forefoot wedge of FF Turbo Squared (the same foam you get in the Megablast) alongside FF Blast Max foam. The aim - to deliver more response but retain some of the reliability. There’s also a large rocker to smooth the transitions.

The ASICS Gel Nimbus 28 keeps things simple with a big slab of FF Blast Plus along with a PureGEL heel insert to soften landings for heel strikers. That’s now thinner and lighter than the original GEL inserts.

Up top, both shoes are built for big-mileage comfort. The Novablast 6 has flexible woven uppers that sit a little higher off the top of the toes to create the roomier toe box feel out of these two shoes. 

The Nimbus swaps an engineered mesh upper for an engineered knit upper that creates a more sock-like, flexible fit. 

The heel packages are well padded right around the collar. The Novablast has thin, flat wrapping gusseted tongues like those we’ve seen on past generations. The Nimbus opts for a knitted, gusseted tongue that creates a softer, more slipper-like feel. 

Flip them over, and both deploy strategic pads and strips of rubber in the main impact zones with quite a lot of exposed midsole, presumably to save weight. The Novablast 6 uses a combination of AHAR LO in the heel and ASICSGRIP in the forefoot. That’s an upgrade on the grip for the Novablast 6 versus the Novablast 5. Meanwhile, the Nimbus 28 has an ASICSGRIP Hybrid outsole with a new, softer rubber compound that feels soft on impact but still provides good traction.

Fit

I ran in a UK 9.5, US 9.5 in both of these shoes, and I would describe them as comfy and roomy up front. You've got flexible uppers with plenty of toe box wiggle room.

If anything, I'd say the Novablast 6 was a little bit closer across the top of the toes, but because there's so much movement, that hasn't been a problem. There’s good hold on booth shoes across the back of the toes and in the toe knuckle areas with plenty of flex, so everything feels secure without being restricted.

The Nimbus 28 is a little more slipper-like, so there's even more softness and plush detail – an extra comfort edge, right up through the knitted tongues, which offer some extra softness.

When it comes to the heels, there's not a huge amount to choose between them in terms of comfort and padding. Everything was well held, no slipping at all. And overall, I'd recommend going true to size in both of these.

Performance

In testing, I’ve run north of 35 miles in the ASICS Novablast 6. I’ve run slightly less in the ASICS Gel Nimbus 28, around 30 miles. I’ve logged 90 minute runs in both shoes and tested them over a range of paces. I’ve also done a mile with one on each foot to compare them close up. 

The Nimbus 28 ride feels familiar and accomplished. It’s a no-nonsense, uncomplicated shoe, with the large stack of FF Blast Plus midsole, a broad footprint that brings stability and reliability along with a smooth, mildly energetic return.

The Novablast 6 delivers equal protection but a bouncier, livelier, more resilient midsole that has more range.  Both these shoes do a really good job of taking the impact away from the road, giving you a nice, soft, cushioned, protective ride. The Nimbus is pretty well known for that – being that cushioned, comfort-plush shoe. 

The Novablast, at times, hasn't always been so much about that, but this one, with this foam, really is. It's as comfortable underfoot as the Nimbus. So if you're wondering if the Novablast 6 can cope with easy, slow mileage, the answer is yes. And in some ways it’s stepping on the Nimbus turf.

The Novablast 6 has the bouncier, sprightlier, more agile, more nimble feel. You sit more cradled in the Nimbus 28, and everything feels a little bit flatter, a bit more cocooned and more controlled underfoot. But that can hold you back when it’s time to speed up. 

With the Novablast, you feel slightly higher up on that bed of bouncier, springier, livelier foam, and it urges you to go faster. It’s much better when you start to pick up the pace.

The Nimbus 28 isn’t completely devoid of energy. I think it's probably the liveliest Nimbus I've run in. But it's not serving up the levels of energy returned by the Novablast.