Puma Velocity Nitro 4 vs ASICS Novablast 6

Velocity Nitro 4 or Novablast 6? Here’s how they compare on feel, fit, brand specs and price, from the fitting team at The Run House.

The short answer

Want a light, bouncy daily trainer at a fair price? Get the Velocity Nitro 4.

Want springy, versatile miles? Get the Novablast 6.

Get the Velocity Nitro 4 if

• You like a firmer, more stable feel
• You want more bounce and energy back
• You like a flexible, natural-feeling forefoot
• You want the lighter shoe, by about 1 oz

Get the Novablast 6 if

• You want the softer, more cushioned ride
• You want more foam underfoot (5.5mm more at the heel)
• Long runs are your thing
• You like a bit more structure under the forefoot

On the run

Velocity Nitro 4: Light, bouncy and fun for the price. Light, agile and explosively bouncy for the price, with superb PumaGrip traction. Great for daily runs and tempo efforts, less so for long runs. The foam firms up in the cold.

Novablast 6: The springy do-it-all. Light and springy, with a forefoot pod that snaps more the faster you go. It handles everything from easy days to workouts.

Specs side by side

Stack, drop and weight come from each brand’s own website. Numbers marked * aren’t published by the brand and come from other published specs. Weights are for the size each brand quotes. Expected life is our estimate.

Fit

Velocity Nitro 4. True to size, leaning narrow. Wide available.

Novablast 6. True to size with a tapered but splay-friendly toebox and a locked-in heel. It’s low over the toes, so high insteps should go wide rather than longer.

Try them on

Come try on both at The Run House in Walpole, Needham or Falmouth. Gait analysis is always free.

Shop the Velocity Nitro 4 · Shop the Novablast 6 · Compare other running shoes