Asics Novablast 5 vs Adidas Supernova Rise 3:
Which to Choose

The clearest difference is stack height and the ride personality that comes with it. The Novablast 5 sits on a tall 41.5mm heel / 33.5mm forefoot platform of FF Blast Max foam, giving it a distinctly high, trampoline-like bounce that springs you forward — protective for long efforts but occasionally tall and floaty at very slow, plodding paces before the geometry finds its rhythm. The Rise 3 is considerably lower to the ground at 35mm heel / 27mm forefoot on supercritical PEBA-based Dreamstrike+ foam, trading some of that airy bounce for a more planted, grounded, forgiving feel. Both are genuinely responsive with no plate, but the character differs: the Novablast's rebound is springy and lively, while the Rise 3's is a gentler, rolling return tuned more for comfortable cruising than snappy pickups. Cushioning follows the same split — the Novablast is the more maximal, energetic shoe, the Rise 3 plush-but-moderate. On pace, the Novablast is the more versatile of the two: it's happy from roughly 4:45–5:45 min/km and holds together down to about 4:15–4:30 when you lift the tempo, whereas the Rise 3 is centered on everyday 5:00–6:00 min/km territory and starts asking for a racer below about 4:45. Weight, interestingly, cuts against the stack: despite its much taller platform, the Novablast 5 is a touch lighter at around 255g (men's US 9) versus the Rise 3's roughly 264g. Stability is comparable — both are neutral with wide, planted bases and no medial posting — so neither is a support shoe, though the Rise 3's lower stack feels inherently more settled while the Novablast leans on its flared base to keep the tall platform predictable.