ASICS Novablast 2

The highly-anticipated release of Asics’ Novablast 2 makes its debut later in June. The first version was elite marathoner Sara Hall’s preferred training shoe as she got ready for the 2020 London marathon where she placed second. The first Novablast had that great combination of soft and responsive that all the running shoe companies are currently searching for. Asics accomplished this feeling with the development of Flytefoam Blast. The only initial criticism: it felt a bit unstable for some runners. Asics has fixed this issue with the update. There is now more cushioning in the forefoot for a smoother and more stable ride (and more pop on toe-off, as well). A segmented, dual-layer of Blast in the heel has replaced the previous version’s piece of solid foam to contribute to a more stable feeling. Finally, a new TPU overlay near the heel also increases stability. All of these tweaks have contributed to a shoe in which every piece is tuned to drive you forward. If you like the first Novablast, you will love the improvements. If you felt the first Novablast was a bit too bouncy and unstable, Asics has done a fantastic job of addressing those issues and you will love the new version.