I'll admit my bias upfront: the Superblast has been my go-to shoe lately.

I ran my first half marathon in the Novablast 5 and my second, earlier this year, in the Superblast 3. I chose both long before ASICS asked me to write this review, so when I say I’m a fan, I mean it.

Lately, though, I’ve been taking on the dreaded zone 2 workouts, and for once I’m actually keeping my heart rate in zone 2 (please be proud of me and cheer me on ;) ). Slower, easier miles have had me reaching for the Nimbus more and more. Long story short: I wear all three. So which one should you wear?

The quick version: the Novablast and Superblast are the fast ones, the Superblast and Nimbus are the long-distance cushioned ones, and the right pick comes down to how much shoe you want under you and how much you care about speed.

ASICS Novablast 6 vs Superblast 3 vs Gel-Nimbus 28 at a Glance

Why do the men's versions have more stack? It's very common for men's shoes to carry a couple more millimetres of cushioning than women's. On average, people wearing men's shoes have a greater body mass, so the extra cushion gives them more protection underfoot. People wearing women's shoes tend to be a bit smaller, so brands can shave a couple of millimetres off for a lighter shoe. That gives the women's version a bit of an edge on speed and weight, while the men's version leans into protection for runners who are larger on average.

ASICS Novablast 6: the fast daily trainer

The Novablast 6 is what I'd call a fast neutral daily trainer. It's great for everyday running and super versatile, but it has a springier cushioning system than most daily trainers, so it actually holds up when you pick up the pace. That's not typical for this category, and it's why I put "fast" in front of "daily trainer."

The secret is the foam combo. ASICS blends FF Blast Max, their lightweight cushioning, for a comfortable ride, with an FF Turbo Squared pod in the forefoot. Think of that pod as a little high-performance trampoline. Instead of sinking into the shoe and losing your speed the way a lot of daily trainers feel, you bound off the front of your step and keep your momentum.

On the run, the Novablast is a shoe you don't really notice, in the best way. It's so light and fast that I never felt held back when I picked up the pace on tempo runs. And it's cushioned enough that on longer runs, or when I was tired, I still wasn't thinking about my feet, which is super nice.

The update from the Novablast 5 isn't huge. The main change I felt is that the heel is a little firmer and more stable. It's an update I wasn't even looking for or needing, and I love it.

If you've followed my reviews, you know I absolutely loved the Novablast 5 and ran my first half marathon in it. The 6 carries that forward, and I'm a huge fan.

Who it's for: someone who wants a light everyday shoe that doesn't feel like too much shoe, but is versatile enough for long runs and easy runs, and still feels good and fast on tempo days, speed work and race day.

Need support? Check out our GT-2000 V15 review! It's essentially the Novablast with arch support, so you get that same fun, springy ride in a stability shoe.

ASICS Superblast 3: the Novablast's big sister

I call the Superblast 3 the big sister of the Novablast 6. Same fast, springy idea, just a lot more shoe. You can see it in the stack height, which is noticeably higher than the Novablast.

The Superblast uses a dual-layer midsole of ASICS's lightweight FF Leap foam and FF Blast Plus cushioning, which gives it a bouncy, responsive feel underfoot. It also has a trampoline pod under the forefoot, redesigned to improve rebound and save energy on your runs. It also has a wider base along the bottom, which adds a bit more stability. With that much cushioning it's a little heavier than the Novablast, but it's still very light for so much shoe.

On the run, the Superblast feels like the Novablast, but you notice the shoe a bit more because you feel more of that cushion. You get less ground feel and less of the shock of landing running up your legs. You also get more bounce. The Novablast is bouncy too, but in the Superblast you really feel the energy return through the foam, especially since the ground impact is so muted.

That's not for everybody. If you like a more traditional feel with more connection to the ground, you'll probably prefer the Novablast. But if you want that big, cushioned, sitting-up-high feel in a shoe that's still fast and light, the Superblast feels really nice underfoot. If you like the Novablast, you won't notice much different about the Superblast, except that you really won't feel the ground.

One thing to know: the Superblast 3 is unisex, so there are no separate men's and women's versions. That means it's men's sizing that happens to go small enough for women. It fits a little more generously than a women's shoe, but I didn't have any problem with it, and I really, really liked it.

I wore the Superblast 3 for my second half marathon earlier this year, and it's become a favorite.

Who it's for: people who love the Novablast but want to go longer, up to marathon distance and marathon paces, or anyone who just wants more cushioning than the Novablast gives them. I'd say the Novablast is your everyday and half marathon shoe, and the Superblast leans more toward the marathon.

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28: plush, protective, not in a hurry

The Gel-Nimbus 28 compares more to the Superblast than the Novablast. The Novablast and Superblast are both faster shoes, while the Superblast and Nimbus are both the more cushioned, long-distance options.

The Nimbus 28 has a little less stack height than the 27, and that's not a bad thing. It makes the shoe feel more stable than the last version. It's also heavier than the Superblast 3: even the women's Nimbus comes in at 8.5 oz, compared to an average of 8.4 oz for the unisex Superblast. That's not surprising. The Nimbus uses FF Blast Plus and PureGEL cushioning to be a plush, comfortable, protective shoe, while the Superblast is a fast shoe that also happens to be well cushioned. Faster shoes are built to be as light as possible to save you energy and seconds. The Nimbus is built for comfort.

On the run, the Nimbus 28 is a shoe you notice, but in a good way. It's a little heavier than the other two, and you can really feel the plushness underfoot. That plushness blocks the impact shock that usually runs up your legs, and the shoe has a really nice roll to it that makes it easy to run in.

Because it's so plush, you don't feel the urge to go fast in it, and that's by design. You can pick up the pace in any shoe by just running faster, but some shoes make speed feel easier than others. The Nimbus feels easy to run in, period, and easy to run long in. It doesn't feel easy to run fast in, but that isn't what it's built for, so it's not really fair to dock it points for that. It's an "I'm here to finish my race" shoe, the one you grab when you want to run long, from half marathon to full marathon, comfortably and protected.

If I had to sum up the Nimbus in one word, it'd be comfortable.

Who it's for: runners who want one shoe that does it all and aren't too worried about speed. It's phenomenal as your everyday, easy, recovery and long run shoe, just not your tempo shoe. If you're a seasoned running veteran who just wants a comfortable shoe to keep you out there, it's a great option. If you're just getting into running, it's super comfortable and easy to love.

No shoe is perfect: where each one falls short

Novablast 6

It's light and fast, but it has less cushion and protection under you than the Superblast. If you're training for a full marathon or just like a lot of shoe, you may want more than the Novablast gives you.

Superblast 3

It's unisex, which means men's sizing, so it fits a bit more generously than a women's shoe (That being said, I’m a ladies 7.5 B (standard) and the M6/W7.5 fit absolutely fine for me). The big stack height also means less ground feel, which isn't for everybody. And it runs about $60 more than the Gel-Nimbus and about $80 more than the Novablast..

Gel-Nimbus 28

It's heavier than the other two and it is NOT a fast or tempo shoe. That said, speed isn't what it's designed for, so I don't think it's fair to dock it points for that!

Who should choose each shoe?

Novablast 6 vs Superblast 3

These are both speed shoes, and honestly, both are phenomenal for everyday runs, fast runs and race day. What separates them is how much stack height, cushion and plushness you want.

Go with the Novablast 6 if you're running a half marathon max, or you're just getting into running and want an everyday trainer that's light, fast and has a slightly more minimal feel. It's not a minimal shoe by any means, but it definitely feels like a lot less shoe than the Superblast.

Go with the Superblast 3 if you want more cushioning and protection under your feet. You can use it for any distance, from your first runs all the way up to a full marathon.

Superblast 3 vs Gel-Nimbus 28

These are both shoes designed for longer distances, up to a full marathon. The Nimbus is great for half marathons too, and you can absolutely take it the full 42.2 km.

Where you choose between them comes down to price, weight and speed. The Superblast runs about $60 more than the Gel-Nimbus. If you like how much lighter it is and you care about speed, it's worth paying that extra, so go for it.

Having run in both, I'll say they feel very different. I love the Superblast for my long runs of the week, especially my faster long runs. I can get a really good workout in and keep up the speed while my muscles still feel protected.

But for my easy runs, recovery runs and everyday runs, I find myself drifting toward the Gel-Nimbus 28. It feels so protective and comfortable, and it's easier on my muscles when they're already tired. On those days I'm not worried that it's heavier or that I run a little slower in it. That's kind of the point.

Final Thoughts

All three shoes are awesome, but they're designed for different runners.

If comfort is your top priority, the Gel-Nimbus 28 is the one. If you want more speed, that's where the Superblast 3 comes in. And if you want more speed with less shoe, go with the Novablast 6.

Still not sure which one's right for you? We'd love to help. Check us out at racketsandrunners.ca, or stop by the store — our shoe fitters have years of experience finding you the perfect fit.