ASICS Novablast 5 vs Saucony Ride 17: We reveal our best cushioned daily trainer

[@garthcox4307]

I'm surprised this isn't nb5 v ride 18. My local running store has had the 18 in stock for several weeks. Definitely want to see the ride 18 review. It sounds like the main difference is that the 18 is significantly lighter than the 17.

[@JumpinJay2run]

My beef with the ride 18 is that it is ugly. I tried it on to replace my tr21 and could not get passed how ugly the shoe was. That said, they did fix the lacing system as well.

[@garthcox4307]

@jayolarsch fair enough, within reason as long as it's comfy I'm not too worried. If I don't like it I'll get the 17 instead, I'd like to see a few more reviewers opinions first as I can't buy everything!

[@michaelgriffiths305]

Saucony offer great versatility in their range. The R17 or ES4 always come out strongly for usability. ASICS appear to offer greater distinction in their tools and seem to attract more preferences from faster runners. If money was no object and you were after a five shoe rotation I think ASICS have nudged ahead of Saucony over the past 18months…

[@MLHunt]

It seems to be that with a few exceptions there are quite good running shoes to be had from most brands in most categories, and what shoe one might think is 'best' comes down to individual preference.

[@garthcox4307]

Spot on

[@niafer9444]

A reviewer from elsewhere slammed the new Ride 18 for being too similar to the Ride 17. Other reviews of other shoes have criticised updates for being too different - changing parts of the shoe unnecessarily that worked well. I think you can see my point :) The new Ride 18 is on my immediate radar. The 17 is a good shoe. Why would they make lots of big changes for the 18?

[@Feanaro5503]

I still wear the Ride 13 I got in 2021 for walking after retiring it from my running rotation, and it’s amazing how much different the Ride 17 foam is. The Ride 13 midsole feels like a a brick by comparison.

[@garthcox4307]

Main difference is that the 18 is significantly lighter, that sounds a positive. I'm waiting for the reviews to decide which one to get.

[@gtromble]

Yeah, that's a ridiculous take on a shoe especially when the update drops the weight quite a bit. As time goes by the number of reviewers I'll bother with is shrinking.

[@garthcox4307]

@gtromble I might be totally wrong but it makes me wonder whether some manufacturers are more generous than others with influencers, when it comes to merch and trips and the like, and that is a disincentive to be too critical of some and overcritical of rival brands. I think the run testers are pretty impartial.

[@burntorangehorn]

I haven't tried the NB5, but the Ride 17 has really outperformed my expectations, and is in my current rotation with the Superblast 2 and Mach 6. While the SB2 is probably my favorite, the R17 competes surprisingly well in most aspects. The $60 list price difference is most apparent in the SB2's greater responsiveness, but the R17 is no slouch there. If I wanted one shoe for everything except racing, it'd be a solid option, especially for the price.

[@garthcox4307]

I want either the 17 or 18, I'm waiting for the reviews to decide. The 18 is meant to be a fair bit lighter. Currently I use ride 15 and nb4 for daily runs. I like the nb4 but will give the 5 a miss. Also have speeds and mach 6 for faster stuff.

[@seanbolger7371]

I have had previous versions of both shoes and I would go with the Saucony ride again that yellow colour way is great, you could have waited for the ride 18 for a more updated comparison

[@carsons5750]

Just ordered the Ride 17 Wide on sale for $100CAD ($70USD). For that price as long as they fit I’ll pick them every time!

[@alanheath5740]

I like the ride 17. Used it for everything, easy, tempo, long runs, off road, and parkruns. I’ve got no issues with cadence turnover either. Thanks guys. Great channel too. 👍

[@jlj1117]

Better option Novablast 5

[@garthcox4307]

​@jlj1117 that's your opinion which you are entitled to. I loved the nb4 but will be getting the ride 17 or 18 next.

[@funneverends1991]

Is it just me or the ride 17 feels a bit hard and hurts my feet more... My first saucony daily shoe. Does it take time to break in? I've worn it twice As reference right now I have NB 1080v13 and puma DN3 and they feel more bouncier and feel better to run in. I'm an overweight beginner runner

[@garthcox4307]

@funneverends1991 I've not used the 17 but I had the ride 15 and that definitely took a few runs to soften up. It was lovely when it did. The 15 was a firmer foam to the 17 mind. Everyone's different, it might be that softer shoes suit you better.

[@3ildcard]

@jlj1117 Have you tried both shoes or do you just go by whatever youtubers say? Most people would be better off with something lower like the Ride 17 tbh. I find these stupidly high shoes a bit meh. First off, they look ridiculous. And second, it feels weird being that high off the ground.

[@RobertHarridge]

I feel like Asics made a wrong choice in utilizing FFBlast Max. I feel like they should have used it for the Nimbus 27, and left the Novablast using FFBlast+ with a slight retooling. I prefer the NB4 over the NB5 due to the 4’s versatility and responsiveness, which is how the Novablast should be. The Nimbus is for the soft, comfortable, long mileage shoe, which would fit FFBlast Max perfectly. That being said, I do prefer the beaded TPU midsole foams like PWRRUN+ and LightBoost. They’ve always worked well for me during all types of runs. Comparing the Ride 17 and Ultraboost 5X, I actually liked the Ultraboost better, especially since you can find the UB on sale and use additional discount codes as well.

[@garthcox4307]

You'll probably like the mach 6 too if you haven't tried it.

[@RobertHarridge]

@ I haven’t. Hoka’s usually run narrow on me. If they have them in wide, I’ll give them a try. I’m usually standard in every other brand.

[@Fozzee.1970]

Kieran your last few videos have terrible audio quality. Think you need a new mic!

[@Feanaro5503]

Maybe one arrived for Christmas!

[@mtimbroims]

Kieran running with the duck stance always kills me !!!

[@firehorseweddingphotograph3995]

Novablast 5 €150 everywhere I live but scored a pair of Ride 17’s for just under €85 delivered. Easy decision plus the fact that based on this comparison, the Saucony’s are more suited to my needs!

[@OWS777]

Good to see you well rested Kieran, apparently yesterday's hangover marathon is a great way to get rid of toxins! 🧐

[@davidmcquade4743]

That's interesting that you say the Ride 17 doesn't do well for you on Easy Runs. I have the Triumph 20 with the same PR Plus foam and though it's marketed as an easy day shoe, it feels sooo much better on tempo runs.

[@madmantronixx7998]

Agreed. Everyone says Triumph 20/21 are long distance cruisers, I find it better at 5k tempo paces. I use the Nimbus 25 for recovery days.

[@davidmcquade4743]

@ absolutely… the heel gets in the way and the foam feels too unstable at slow paces.

[@CSRunner7]

Nick runs seriously fast even at his slow pace! 😮

[@mikhailstrokin8849]

Why not Ride 18, which is lighter and a bit softer in the review?

[@Ghimlioak]

Definitively the Ride 17. Let’s see how the 18th will be

[@Beefyheathy87]

You guys got the ride 18 in yet for testing?

[@dnice362]

How about the hurricane

[@CMDV8N3]

Ride 17 largely seen as a fail by most reviewers; I’d rather see you compare NB5 vs 4 and maybe DynaBlast 5, which is NivaBlast 3 with improved upper for just $120.

[@wesw6787]

Its totally not seen as a fail by other reviewers. Just less hyped.

[@CMDV8N3]

@ Most reviews I’ve seen/read say it’s a step backward, just like Triumph 22, and not as good or as light as comps, like Cumulus.

[@vojtec]

Hi! Would the Clifton 9 be compatible with the new Novablast? I bought mine few days ago and I'm wondering should I wait for the Novablast 5. I tried the 4 and didnt like it. It felt like a squishy unstable shue to me.

[@jeikeiLMNOP]

Really strongly prefer the videos where you have a conversation. With these, segments are either repetitive because you all agree or else you contradict each other and you don’t talk through why you had different experiences, so I have no idea what to take away.

[@paulgrog29]

A marathon a day keeps old age away

[@alanross2243]

It is odd that Asics would turn the nova blast five into a soft easy run shoe for the most part. The Nimbus is designed for that. Why would they do that to an 8.9 ounce shoe makes no sense.

[@wesw6787]

Absolutely agree with that. If they would make it less cush then its similar to the cumulus. They should make it less plush and less stack in my opinion to differentiate it.

[@garthcox4307]

It's rumoured that they are launching a plated shoe, like a speed rival, so maybe to create a gap in the range. I totally agree, I liked the 4 but the 5 is too soft for me. The hoka mach range is now more what I'd expect from a novablast.

[@janeztomazic5546]

why dont you also tell EU number ? watching a lot of your reviews and you never do that,please add

[@blueandwhiteeighttwo]

good review. thanks 👏

[@Guru-jp3zi]

Uff with poo on the outsole....that`s really disgusting...good review tho