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At 39, my husband has already learnt that finding the right pair of shoes isn’t as simple as walking into a store and picking the one that looks good. He deals with ankylosing spondylitis, a disc bulge and overpronation, while also trying to stay active and lose weight. Suddenly, cushioning, heel comfort, and how a shoe feels through a workout became far more important than simply finding a good-looking pair.
That is how ASICS entered our lives.
I pushed him to try the brand properly, and he was invited into an ASICS store for a treadmill assessment. Watching his feet on the treadmill showed exactly where he needed support, and the store team suggested two options. The Gel Kayano and Quantum 360.
He picked the Quantum 360. The reason? The Gel Kayano did not have the right colour. Yes, men can apparently be quite particular about these things.
The Quantum 360 soon became his everyday shoe. He wore it to the gym, for regular outings and for hours at a time. Then came the idea of having a separate gym and travel shoe. Cue an earlier flight to Singapore so we could get three hours at Jewel Changi before check-in. Not for food. Not for sightseeing. For shoes.
He bought the ON Cloudrunner 3 and put it through treadmill runs. Three months later, the ridges on the sole had already worn down considerably. So he simply went back to his ASICS pair, and that itself says a lot about shoe comfort and longevity.
Then came the ASICS Novablast 6.
He was sceptical. This was a committed Quantum 360 fan. Forty-five days later, I now have a husband who checks that his Novablast is in his gym bag before he leaves home.
So, what changed his mind about the Novablast 6?
The first thing he noticed was the weight. The Novablast 6 feels light on the foot, which matters when it is being used for regular gym sessions and long periods of movement.
ASICS has used FF BLAST MAX cushioning along with FF TURBO SQUARED foam in the forefoot Trampoline Pod. On paper, that means energy return, cushioning and a springier feel. In actual use, his takeaway is much simpler: it feels comfortable.
And for him, that is the test that matters.
Specifications of the ASICS Novablast 6
His 45-day verdict, in his own terms
• Comfort: This is the biggest win. He finds the Novablast comfortable during gym sessions and everyday movement.
• Heel comfort: This has been particularly important for him. The Quantum 360 could leave his heels feeling slightly uncomfortable after very long hours. He says he has not experienced that with the Novablast 6.
• Weight: The lighter feel is noticeable during workouts and makes the shoe easy to wear for longer periods.
• Gym use: This is probably the strongest endorsement. The man who was once firmly attached to his Quantum 360 now refuses to head to the gym without the Novablast packed in his bag.
• Travel: He recently took the pair on an overseas holiday and has already started calling it his travel buddy. For someone who spends plenty of time walking while travelling, the comfort has made a difference.
• Grip: The Novablast 6 uses ASICSGRIP rubber in the forefoot. During his regular use, he has found the traction reassuring for gym and everyday movement. Especially with his feet dragging a bit due to his health issues.
There is one small problem
The colour.
The Novablast 6 we tested is very light, and my husband has become strangely protective of it. He will happily take it to the gym, on holiday and for long walks, but letting it touch an ordinary road appears to be a completely different matter.
So yes, the man who rejected the Gel Kayano because of its colour is now protecting his Novablast from road dust like it is a family heirloom.
I am not complaining. At least he likes the shoes.
Novablast 6 vs Quantum 360: My husband’s take
What makes the Novablast 6 work for him?
The interesting part of this review is that he did not start with the Novablast expecting to love it. He already had a shoe he trusted. It had become his default pair after that ASICS treadmill assessment, and changing his mind was not easy.
Yet the Novablast 6 has done something quite surprising. It has made him feel comfortable enough to stop thinking about his shoes and which one he will have to buy next. As his wife, I haven’t watched him doomscroll every shoe brand site for a while now!
That matters when you are trying to exercise regularly. You do not want your footwear becoming another thing you have to think about before getting through a workout. The engineered woven upper also helps keep the shoe feeling breathable, while the updated midsole construction works with the cushioning and forefoot design to give it that energetic feel ASICS is aiming for.
After 45 days, I am less interested in the technical claims and more interested in what happened to the shoe in our house. It went from being the pair he was unsure about to the pair he refuses to leave behind. And also the pair that made him stop looking for his next favourite shoe!
Why am I proud of myself?
I was responsible for getting him to try ASICS in the first place. I watched the Quantum 360 become his everyday shoe, planned a slightly ridiculous Singapore shopping detour for another pair and then listened to him complain when those shoes started showing wear.
Now, I have an unpaid ASICS fan at home. As a review Journalist. That is a proud win I will happily announce to the world.
For him, the Novablast 6 has become the shoe he reaches for at the gym and the pair he wants with him when travelling. It is light, comfortable and, most importantly, has not given him the heel discomfort he noticed during long hours in his Quantum 360.
His verdict is simple. If you are looking for one pair that can move between the gym, everyday use and travel, the Novablast 6 is the one he would pick now.
And after 45 days of watching him use it, I have to agree.
