ASICS
Novablast 5
8.8Very Good
Bouncy neutral daily trainer suited to easy miles and long runs.
From € 130
Comparison
ASICS Novablast 5 vs Brooks Ghost 16
Novablast 5 is FF BLAST PLUS ECO at 8 mm drop with a rockered, energetic easy-mileage ride. Ghost 16 is DNA LOFT at 12 mm with a width ladder (narrow through extra-wide) and a softer, even daily. This is bounce-versus-fit-range, not two interchangeable high-cushion road shoes.
- Expert comparison
- Data driven
- Updated 1 September 2026
- Running Shoes
Brooks
Ghost 16
8.5Very Good
Soft neutral daily trainer popular with beginners.
From € 125
Decision guide
When each shoe is the better buy — by training mix and conditions, not overall score alone.
Bottom line
Choose Novablast 5 when you want pop on easy and long-run days and you are fine in a standard last. Choose Ghost 16 when width SKUs and a calmer DNA LOFT ride matter more than energy return. Choose neither if you need GuideRail/4D GUIDANCE — that is Adrenaline or Kayano, not this pair.
Novablast wins energy; Ghost wins fit flexibility. There is no blended winner if your week is half bounce and half 2E/4E widths.
ASICS
Choose Novablast 5 if…
- Choose Novablast 5 if most of your week is easy/long miles and you want FF BLAST pop rather than a width SKU.
- You need stability posting — look at Kayano 32 or Adrenaline GTS rather than forcing a neutral daily.
Brooks
Choose Ghost 16 if…
- Choose Ghost 16 if you need Brooks widths or a calmer DNA LOFT ride and will not miss Novablast’s rocker.
Key Differences
Foam and drop
Novablast 5: FF BLAST PLUS ECO, 8 mm, 41 mm heel, rockeredGhost 16: DNA LOFT, 12 mm, width ladder, even rideAn 8 mm energetic rocker is a different geometry from a 12 mm even Ghost. Do not treat stack height as the decision.
Fit range
Novablast 5: Standard last — not a width familyGhost 16: Narrow through extra-wideGhost exists in this comparison because of widths. If you are a standard-width runner who wants pop, Novablast is the more honest daily.
Score Comparison
Novablast 5Ghost 16
Cushioning
9.2—Ride & Energy
9.0—Fit & Comfort
8.2—Stability
7.8—Durability
8.0—Value for Money
8.28.3
When each wins
Context winners by session type — use these with the decision guide above, not as a universal ranking.
Daily Training
Novablast 5
More energetic daily feel.
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Long Runs
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Tempo Runs
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Easy Runs
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Trail Running
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VSValue
TIE
Kitletics value scores are too close to call on current catalog pricing.
Specs
| Spec | Novablast 5 | Ghost 16 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (g) | 255 | 278 | — |
| Drop (mm) | 8 | 12 | — |
| Heel Stack (mm) | 41 | 36 | — |
| Forefoot Stack (mm) | 33 | 24 | — |
| Cushioning | High | High | TIE |
| Stability | Neutral | Neutral | TIE |
| Energy Return | High | — | — |
| Cushion Feel | Soft | Soft | TIE |
| Ride Character | Rockered | — | — |
| Flexibility | Moderate | — | — |
| Plate | No | No | TIE |
| Plate Material | None | None | TIE |
| Midsole | FF BLAST PLUS ECO | — | — |
| Outsole | AHAR rubber (partial) | — | — |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | — | — |
| Terrain | Road, Treadmill | Road | — |
| Training Types | Easy, Long, Recovery | Easy, Long, Recovery | TIE |
| Recommended Distance | Daily, Half, Marathon | — | — |
| Weather Suitability | Dry, All Season | — | — |
| Width Options | Standard | Narrow, Standard, Wide, Extra Wide | — |
| Arch Support | Medium | — | — |
| Fit / Sizing | Men, Women | Men, Women | TIE |
| Recommended Pace Range (min/km) | — | — | — |
| Recommended Runner Weight Range (kg) | — | — | — |
| Surface | Asphalt, Treadmill | — | — |
| Grip | Road | — | — |
| Durability | Moderate | — | — |
| Race Legal | Yes | — | — |
| Breathability | High | — | — |
Current Prices
Regional prices · Netherlands
Prices last checked: 12 Sept 2026. Offer updates do not mean the editorial comparison was re-reviewed.
Top Alternatives
ASICS GEL-Nimbus 27GEL-Nimbus 27 is on the Novablast 5 alternatives list for more cushioning. GEL-Nimbus 27 brief: Max-cushion neutral shoe for easy and recovery miles.. Novablast 5 brief: Bouncy neutral daily trainer suited to easy miles and long runs.. Extra peer cue: wide options. Peer spec: drop 8, heel stack 43.5, weight 305, midsole FF BLAST PLUS ECO + PureGEL.
HOKA Clifton 9Clifton 9 is on the Novablast 5 alternatives list for more cushioning. Clifton 9 brief: Previous-generation HOKA Clifton daily trainer — light, rockered road cushioning still co…. Novablast 5 brief: Bouncy neutral daily trainer suited to easy miles and long runs.. Extra peer cue: smooth rocker. Peer spec: drop 5, cushion feel plush, stability neutral.
ASICS Novablast 6Novablast 6 is on the Novablast 5 alternatives list for a same-role peer. Novablast 6 brief: High-cushion neutral daily trainer with FF BLAST MAX and a FF TURBO SQUARED forefoot tram…. Novablast 5 brief: Bouncy neutral daily trainer suited to easy miles and long runs.. Extra peer cue: improved wet grip vs prior Novablast. Peer spec: drop 8, heel stack 41.5, weight 253, midsole FF BLAST MAX + FF TURBO SQUARED trampoline pod.
Nike Invincible 3Novablast 5 vs Invincible 3 is not a score swap. Invincible 3 wins when more cushioning and very soft ZoomX stack beat soft energetic ride.
ASICS Novablast 4Pick Novablast 4 over Novablast 5 only if bouncy FF BLAST+ ride is the weekly gap. Novablast 4 is daily training / easy runs; Novablast 5 stays daily training / long runs. Cost of the switch: superseded by newer Novablast generations.
Nike Pegasus 41a more race-focused platform is the fork: Pegasus 41 (Nike’s high-volume ReactX daily trainer for easy and steady road miles — versatile, not a…) versus Novablast 5 (Bouncy neutral daily trainer suited to easy miles and long runs.). Source verdict cue: A versatile, cushioned daily trainer suited to high-volume road training and long runs, but not the… Spec split — peer drop 10, cushion feel balanced, stability neutral vs source drop 8, heel stack 41, weight 255, midsole FF BLAST PLUS ECO.
Brooks Ghost 18Shared use-case alternative
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FAQ
Practical answers for this pair — open a question for the short call and which shoe it points to.
Novablast 6 or Ghost 18 for beginners?
Ghost 18 is often easier for fit (width options). Novablast 6 is more energetic. Both are strong daily trainers for neutral runners.