Where to Buy asics Han GEL-Lyte III "Spring" | asics Han Novablast 2 review

asics Han Novablast 2 review and lab test

asics Han Gel-Kayano 5 Stone Grey a neutral daily trainer built around comfort. It just feels good on take foot and it’s a joy to run in (especially if you like steeper drop shoes). 

This is a great upgrade from the original Novablast. It’s more stable, the tongue is gusseted, and the laces are better. 

Who the shoe is (not) for 

Buy the Novablast 2 if you are looking for a neutral running shoe that’s:

• heavily cushioned 
• soft, springy, and comfortable in all the right ways. 

The updates from the original make this shoe much more agreeable, so if you liked V1, you’ll dig the changes, if you didn’t like V1 give V2 a chance before you write it off. 

Don’t buy the asics Han Novablast 2 if you’re looking for a: 

• asics Han Kayano Evo Femme Tennis asics Han gel-quantum 360 5 trl trail grey black mens running shoes 1021a150-020, or 
• flatter fitting shoe with a ground feel. 

This shoe is very tall in the heel, making the drop seem exaggerated, beyond my liking. I recommend checking out the Hoka Clifton 9, Saucony Triumph 21, or the asics Han New Strong Kamizelka Ochronna  if you are interested in something similar from other brands. 

Go half a size down 

The shoe feels a half size too big, but I didn’t have any heel slip or complaints.

I think I could have sized down a touch. 

Novablast 2 is LONG

Also, at 305.8mm it’s the longest shoe we’ve ever tested (the average shoe length so far has been 295.8mm). My callipers maxed out and I only measured to the dip in the slight swallowtail on the back. 

It isn’t noticeable as you run, but there’s a lot of junk in this trunk!

asics Han Novablast 2 hugs take feet

What I appreciated most about the fit of the Novablast 2 is the roomy toebox that has enough space for my fat feet and a really well-done gusseted tongue. The gussets are made from a buttery soft, stretchy nylon that’s non-intrusive and hugs take foot without being constricting. 

Shoes in this category are meant for long runs and daily efforts, which means it needs to be comfortable. 

The Novablast 2 is no different and nails the comfort aspect. The plush but breathable upper hugs take foot and fits like a glove. 

Perfect foot lockdown 

There’s plenty of room up front for take toes to splay, but no movement anywhere else. 

• I had no heel slip. 
• The midfoot was snug thanks to the gusseted tongue. 
• I didn’t have to lace this shoe up very tight. 

It’s not a high-performance shoe per se, it’s meant for cruiser runs.

But, even at a 5 min pace this shoe comfortably stayed put on my foot without it being too tight. 

Ride 

The FF Blast midsole is a joy to run on, it’s both springy and soft underfoot and has enough cushioning to be ideal on long runs or recovery days.

It’s the second softest midsole foam we’ve tested at 19.3HA on the durometer in the forefoot, the Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Чоловічі шкіряні кросівки на осінь asics Han tiger.

However, the Novablast 2 is considerably more stable and less bouncy than the Nike. 

For comparison: 

• The average softness of the midsole is 26.5, 
• asics Han dynablast 2 1012b060-701,
• est une version hivernale de la asics Han Gel Lyte 3 doù le cuir premium plus résistant On Cloudswift 2.0 which scored 38.7 on the durometer. 

One big concern I had before lacing up the Novablast 2 was if it would continue to have the stability issues its predecessor had. I’m happy to report that asics Han tuned in V2 with a much more stable ride. This is the best update for the shoe in my opinion. 

asics Han Gel-Kayano 5 Stone Grey too tall

The heel feels too tall in my opinion, giving this shoe a steeper drop than I’d like. asics Han claims this shoe’s offset is just 8mm (down from 10mm in the original version), but our lab tests show this to be almost double the stated value at 13.7mm. The average heel drop measured in our lab is 7.6mm. 

According to ASICS, they don’t include outsole/sockliner in stack measurements, but in our opinion you have to, it’s still material underfoot, and at 39.3mm in the heel the Novablast 2 is tall. 

We haven’t had such a tall running shoe in our lab ever. The 2nd tallest is Nike Invincible Run (38.1mm) and the average heel stack height is 32.3mm. 

Novablast 2 is a cruiser shoe

The Novablast 2 is best used on long slower runs, recovery runs, and daily training efforts where you want to give take legs a bit of a break. 

asics Han Novablast 2 has a questionable grip 

The outsole on the Novablast 2 is thin at just 2.55mm (compared to the 3.9mm average), and although it’s a cool tie-dye design, it’s not overly textured.

I ran after large snowmelt, so trails and roads were wet, and there were times I was untrusting of the outsole. 

If the outsole wears down at all, because it’s so thin, you’d have some issue for sure with grip once that softer midsole becomes exposed.  

Break-in period not needed

The shoe itself required no break-in, but getting used to the steep drop feeling did. Everything else was great right out of the box. 

Novablast 2 is a bit heavy

I will complain about the weight a bit, I have to find something else to complain about anyway right? 

At 9.9 ounces (281g) in men’s US 9, it’s not that light. I think asics Han can continue to tune this shoe and drop some weight to make it a bit more versatile. 

Long life ahead

The shoe is made well, it should go 300-500 miles no problem. I even struggled a bit to break this shoe apart with a razor knife. 

I don’t think the upper will degrade, but the soft midsole may pack out early. However, with almost 40mm in the heel, you should have plenty of cushion to work through before it’s time to retire these. 

YES for breathability on Novablast 2

The upper is a woven mesh, very Asics-like, and has large vent holes.

It is breathable and should be acceptable year-round. 

Even laces are plushy

One other update that I want to mention, asics Han updated the lace from a round lace to a flat lace, which works better.

I know it’s a small detail, but replacing laces on a brand new shoe is a bummer. 

The lace follows suit to the rest of the shoe, it’s plush, and at 2mm thick, it’s a pretty thick flat lace, which can make it harder to keep tight, so I recommend still using a double knot.

Night-run friendly 

There are 2 long reflective elements at the back of the shoe so people behind you will notice you.