ASICS NovaBlast 5 (Special Edition)

The race running shoe for fast times

- GIRISH MALLYA

₹14,999, asics.co.in

The NovaBlast 5 shoes we're reviewing this month are the special edition version, launched to coincide with the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, the biggest and most popular 10K race in the country. This is a successor to the NovaBlast 4, which was already a very successful shoe. Now, ASICS has refined this series further: the lacing reverts are easier to use, the shoe tongue is longer and softer, the comfort inside the shoe is greater, FF Blast+ has been upgraded to FF Blast Max midsole, and the shoes overall look better (pure aesthetics). We'd even go so far as to suggest these are the best-looking performance shoes ASICS has come up with in recent years.