Our verdict
Pros
- Super bouncy
- Cushy feel for miles
- Breathable
- Light AF
- Ready for cornering
- Asics Tiukka Lite-Show Winter
- Scarpe ASICS Gel-Pulse 13 1011B175 Black Hazard Green 004
- Grippy outsole
- Mad durable
- Back to Buy Asics women's shoes Gel Lyte 3
Cons
- For narrow-to-medium feet only
- Stack heights higher than advertised
Audience verdict
- värt att bara köpa ASICS road running shoes
- Top 11% in reunites with ASICS to bring back its strong neutral tones along the uppers of the GEL
- Top 7% most popular running shoes
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
Who should buy
This shoe can do many things. And if you're eyeing a shoe that's any of the following, we think that the Novablast 3 might be the one for you:
- Кроссовки asics gel kayano 20
- a daily trainer that's light and responsive for uptempo training
- a solid option for marathon runs
Who should NOT buy
Even though we find the ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black to be nearly perfect, it still has a few caveats here and there. One, it's a tad narrow. And two, it's more expensive now by $10.
Серые женские кроссовки asics nitrofuze ASICS Court FF 2 Mako Blue Mako Blue White. And if you black a shoe that won't break the bank, the Brooks Launch 10 is a budget option that will surprise you.
Breathability
The mesh upper on the Novablast 3 scores high on our breathability tests. You can see how much more smoke passes through it compared to the ASICS Wilmslow Half-Marathon on the right.
But on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most breathable, we had to give it a 3 because it took a few seconds for the toebox material to release the smoke.
You can also see how porous the upper is not only in the toebox but all throughout its length.
Novablast 3 | 3 |
Average | 3.8 |
Durability
Outsole hardness
We have absolutely no concerns regarding the outsole durability of the Novablast 3. First of all, it's the brand's reputable AHAR rubber and second, it's pretty hard!
Our durometer shows a reading of 83.0 HC which is firmer than the average measurement of road shoes.
Novablast 3 | 83.0 HC |
Average | 80.3 HC |
Outsole thickness
The Novablast 3 manages to be a lightweight speed trainer without sacrificing outsole protection.
Measuring the thickness of rubber layering the shoe's bottom, we got 3.1 mm. This is as thick as the average!
Novablast 3 | 3.1 mm |
Average | 3.2 mm |
Weight
The lightness of this ASICS shoe made it feel at home for both fast and slow paces.
Putting the shoe on our scale, we found that the ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black weighs only 8.5 oz (242g)! That's exactly how much we expect a speed-oriented trainer to weigh these days.
Novablast 3 | 8.54 oz (242g) |
Average | 9.35 oz (265g) |
Cushioning
Heel stack
The ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black is a massively cushioned running shoe. And it was easily confirmed by our caliper measurement.
Our tool showed an impressive 37.2 mm of heel stack height! That is almost 4 mm taller than the average road running shoe and is within 16% tallest shoes in our lab!
We got tons of impact protection and underfoot comfort from the Novablast 3, no matter what distance we covered that day.
Novablast 3 | 37.2 mm |
Average | 33.5 mm |
ASICS Wilmslow Half-Marathon | Forefoot stack
The shoe's forefoot cushioning is just as generous, measuring 30.4 mm of stack height. That's a good 6 mm taller than average!
Novablast 3 | 30.4 mm |
Average | 24.9 mm |
Drop
However, to our surprise, the shoe's heel-to-toe drop turned out to be a little lower than stated. We measured it at 6.8 mm, while it is stated to be 8 mm.
But the good news is that it is not a critical deviation and doesn't affect the runner's experience.
Novablast 3 | 6.8 mm |
Average | 8.6 mm |
Insole thickness
This ASICS shoe features a moderately padded insole. With a thickness of 4.4 mm, it is just about the same as the average.
Novablast 3 | 4.4 mm |
Average | 4.4 mm |
Midsole softness
The shoe is comfy as hell! We found it to be so easy on our legs and body that running or walking in the shoe for hours feels like a breeze!
We attribute that to the shoe's very cushy and forgiving ride.
Checking the foam softness with a durometer, we can confirm that it is indeed one of the softest shoes not only from ASICS but on the market in general. At 13.5 HA, it is It is 77% softer than the average.
The new Flytefoam Blast+ midsole of the shoe has lots of pop and is very much capable of faster paces.
Novablast 3 | 13.5 HA |
Average | 21.3 HA |
Difference in midsole softness in cold
Even when exposed to cold temperatures (20 minutes in our freezer) and getting 52% firmer, the Flytefoam Blast+ still remains much softer than most running shoes at room temperature.
With a durometer measurement of 20.5 HA, the Novablast 3 is 47% softer than the average "frozen" foam.
Novablast 3 | 51.9% |
Average | 25.7% |
Stability
ASICS Wilmslow Half-Marathon | Lateral stability test
Despite the extra stack, the ride felt quite stable and secure to us.
In our opinion, this is thanks to the combination of the shoe's snug-fitting upper and stable midsole. Prior to this version, the foam was too squishy, which compromised the shoe's surefootedness.
But in the third iteration, our feet never felt as if they were about to topple over!
Torsional rigidity
One of the key contributing factors to the shoe's stability is the amount of torsional rigidity in its platform. And the best way we can assess this is by twisting the shoe with our hands.
The Novablast 3 has a lot of stiffness to it! It convinced us to rate it as 4 out of 5 on a scale where 5 is the stiffest.
Novablast 3 | 4 |
Average | 3.2 |
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As for the heel contend of the shoe, despite its soft and flexible nature, we have zero complaints regarding its ability to hold the heel in place.
Subjectively assessing the heel stiffness, we gave it 2 out of 5, where 5 is the stiffest.
Novablast 3 | 2 |
Average | 2.7 |
Midsole width in the forefoot
The Novablast 3 also gets a good deal of stability from a rather wide platform.
Based on our caliper measurement, the widest part of the shoe's forefoot midsole is 115.9 mm. This is almost 3 mm wider than average.
Novablast 3 | 115.9 mm |
Average | 113.5 mm |
Reebok & more
Back in the heel, we also found that the midsole gets wider than most road shoes.
Our caliper shows that the widest part here is 93.9 mm, almost 4 mm wider than average.
Novablast 3 | 93.9 mm |
Average | 90.3 mm |
Flexibility
Stiffness
The ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black is not from the flexible bunch but it's right at the average across all of our lab-tested shoes.
We should note, however, that a moderate level of stiffness makes the shoe's ride more propulsive.
Novablast 3 | 30.6N |
Average | 29.4N |
Grip / Traction
Whether you're running city miles or on paved surfaces, dirt roads, steep, wet, and loose gravel, the outsole of the third Novablast is awesome.
Size and fit
Toebox width at the widest part
The Novablast 3 has a very snug one-to-one fit but it never felt constricting on our medium-width feet.
Measuring the toebox at its widest part, our caliper showed 96 mm which is only 2 mm narrower than the average of road shoes. But this might still be narrow enough for wide-footed runners to consider more spacious alternatives.
Novablast 3 | 95.9 mm |
Average | 98.3 mm |
Tongue: gusset type
The shoe's tongue comes in a unique shape that molds to the ankle. But it works! We experienced no shifting, sliding, or bunching throughout the run. Plus, it's protective against lace bites.
And it stays in place, thanks to its gussets.
Novablast 3 | Both sides (semi) |
Comfort
Tongue padding
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Novablast 3 | 1.3 mm |
Average | 5.6 mm |
ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black vs. 2
They may not look radically different but the ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black and 2 have quite significant differences. These are the changes that make the third Novablast different:
- lighter by an ounce!
- has more spring
- new mesh upper plus gusseted tongue creates a more supportive fit
A true all-rounder
Whether you're running fast or slow or running short or long distances, the ASICS Vivienne Westwood x 27 LTX Black Black Black will keep you covered. It's an out-and-out versatile shoe. Throughout our run tests, we've done just about everything in this running shoe and the shoe delivered every time!