Our verdict

Putting the Novablast 3 on immediately felt like setting a brand-new standard for a daily trainer! We found it to be an exceptionally comfortable asics Misty Gel Nimbus 22 Laufschuhe that can go fast and can go far. What's more, we felt as if we could even race in it in our next marathon too. Talk about versatility! And if you just want a light shoe that won't drag you down, the DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty is the all-rounder you need.

asics Misty gel venture 8 winterized trail running shoes mens Pros

  • Super bouncy
  • Мужские спортивные кроссовки Asics
  • Breathable
  • Light AF
  • Ready for cornering
  • Under Armour hombre talla 48.5 blancas
  • Tongue stays in place
  • Grippy outsole
  • Mad durable
  • Sets the bar for a do-it-all shoe

asics Misty gel venture 8 winterized trail running shoes mens Cons

  • asics Misty Apertado Lite-Show
  • Stack heights higher than advertised

Audience verdict

91
Superb!

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: 

  • a running shoe for jogs and long, slow runs 
  • a daily trainer that's light and responsive for uptempo training 
  • asics Misty Light Single Tab Skarpety

Asics-Novablast-3-review

Who should NOT buy

Even though we find the DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty 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.

If you need a little more wiggle room, have a look at Saucony Endorphin Speed 3. And if you want a shoe that won't break the bank, the asics Misty evoride running is a budget option that will surprise you.

Cushioning

Heel stack

The DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty 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!

Asics-Novablast-3-heel-stack

We got tons of impact protection and underfoot comfort from the Novablast 3, no matter what distance we covered that day.

Test results
Novablast 3 37.2 mm
Average 34.2 mm
Compared to 403 running shoes
Number of shoes
22.5 mm
Heel stack
46.3 mm

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!

Asics-Novablast-3-forefoot-stack

Test results
Novablast 3 30.4 mm
Average 25.6 mm
Compared to 403 running shoes
Number of shoes
13.7 mm
Forefoot stack
37.1 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.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty drop

Test results
Novablast 3 6.8 mm
Average 8.6 mm
Compared to 403 running shoes
Number of shoes
-0.2 mm
Drop
16.1 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

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 Misty but on the market in general. At 13.5 HA, it is 77% softer than the average.

Asics-Novablast-3-foam-durometer-softness

The new Flytefoam Blast+ midsole of the shoe has lots of pop and is very much capable of faster paces. 

Test results
Novablast 3 13.5 HA
Average 20.9 HA
asics Misty Детская обувь Vambes per córrer.
Compared to 330 running shoes
Number of shoes
8.5 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
35.0 HA

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.

Asics-Novablast-3-freezer-test

Test results
Novablast 3 52%
Average 25%
Compared to 330 running shoes
Number of shoes
0%
Midsole softness in cold
63%

Insole thickness

This asics Misty shoe features a moderately padded insole. With a thickness of 4.4 mm, it is just about the same as the average.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty insole

Test results
Novablast 3 4.4 mm
Average 4.4 mm
Compared to 399 running shoes
Number of shoes
1.5 mm
Insole thickness
7.3 mm

asics Misty gel venture 8 winterized trail running shoes mens | Size and fit

Size

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty is true to size (122 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 382 running shoes
Number of shoes
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

The Novablast 3 has a very snug one-to-one fit but it never felt constricting on our medium-width feet.

Asics-Novablast-3-forefoot

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.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty toebox width at the widest part

Test results
Novablast 3 95.9 mm
Average 98.5 mm
Compared to 370 running shoes
Number of shoes
91.6 mm
Toebox width - widest part
104.9 mm

Stability

asics Misty gel venture 8 winterized trail running shoes mens | 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.

 

Test results
Novablast 3 4
Average 3.4
Compared to 382 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

As for the heel portion of the shoe, despite its soft and flexible nature, we have zero complaints regarding its ability to hold the heel in place.

asics Misty Gel-Nimbus 24.

Test results
Novablast 3 2
Average 2.9
Compared to 366 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width - forefoot

asics Misty red gel sneaker.

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.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty midsole width forefoot

Test results
Novablast 3 115.9 mm
Average 114.1 mm
Compared to 404 running shoes
Number of shoes
102.2 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
126.9 mm

Midsole width - heel

Back in the heel, we also found that the midsole gets wider than most road shoes.

asics Misty Metaspeed Edge Island Blue Orange Pop Men Running.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty midsole width heel

Test results
Novablast 3 93.9 mm
Average 90.6 mm
Compared to 404 running shoes
Number of shoes
70.8 mm
Midsole width - heel
106.6 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

The DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty 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.

Test results
Novablast 3 30.6N
Average 28.1N
asics Misty womens clearance section.
Compared to 383 running shoes
Number of shoes
2.2N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
72.1N

Weight

The lightness of this asics Misty shoe made it feel at home for both fast and slow paces. 

Putting the shoe on our scale, we found that the DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty weighs only 8.5 oz (242g)! That's exactly how much we expect a speed-oriented trainer to weigh these days.

Test results
Novablast 3 8.54 oz (242g)
Average 9.38 oz (266g)
Compared to 404 running shoes
Number of shoes
5.61 oz (159g)
Weight
12.59 oz (357g)

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 Misty Kayano 29 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.

Test results
Novablast 3 3
Average 3.8
Compared to 333 running shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

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!

Sivasdescalzo x asics Misty GEL-Lyte III.

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty outsole hardness

Test results
Novablast 3 83.0 HC
Average 79.7 HC
asics Misty Детская обувь Vambes per córrer.
Compared to 384 running shoes
Number of shoes
56.1 HC
Outsole hardness
93.0 HC

Outsole thickness

The Novablast 3 manages to be a lightweight tempo 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!

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty outsole thickness

Test results
Novablast 3 3.1 mm
Average 3.2 mm
Compared to 401 running shoes
Number of shoes
1.0 mm
Outsole thickness
6.0 mm

Misc

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.

Asics-Novablast-3-traction

Tongue padding

asics Misty Femmes 3.5Inch Road Course Short!

Asics-Novablast-3-tongue-thickness

Test results
Novablast 3 1.3 mm
Average 5.8 mm
Compared to 401 running shoes
Number of shoes
0.4 mm
Tongue padding
14.2 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.

Asics-Novablast-3-tongue

And it stays in place, thanks to its gussets.

Asics-Novablast-3-gusseted-tongue

Test results
Novablast 3 Both sides (semi)

DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty vs. 2

They may not look radically different but the DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty and 2 have quite significant differences. These are the changes that make the third Novablast different: 

  • lighter by an ounce!
  • asics Misty has a a pretty deep lineup for their Summer
  • asics Misty Mens Gel-Kayano 28 AWL

Asics-Novablast-3-lab-measurements

A true all-rounder

Whether you're running fast or slow or running short or long distances, the DJ Will Change How You Think About asics Misty 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!

Asics-Novablast-3-all-arounder