Asics Novablast 6 vs Puma Deviate Pure Nitro:
Which to Choose

Start with the real similarities, because they matter: neither shoe uses a propulsion plate, so both lean entirely on their midsole foam for rebound (the Deviate carries only a small midfoot shank for structure, not a carbon or propulsion plate), and both are neutral shoes with no added pronation support and a middling stability score. Both reward a quicker cadence and both top out sensibly around 4:15–4:45 min/km before a dedicated racer would serve you better. Where they diverge is cushioning philosophy. The Novablast 6 runs taller and softer — a 39 mm heel / 32 mm forefoot stack of bouncy FF Blast Max foam, boosted by a forefoot FF Turbo Squared pod, giving a plush, springy, lively ride; the trade-off is that its tall platform can feel slightly tippy and less planted at slow, tired, flat-footed paces. The Deviate Pure Nitro sits lower at 37 mm heel / 28 mm forefoot and uses PEBA-based NITROFOAM that reads as lively and springy rather than pillowy, with noticeably more ground feel — it can feel a touch firm and eager at very slow jogs because it prefers to be moving. Weight reinforces the split: the Deviate is meaningfully lighter at roughly 215 g versus the Novablast's 249 g (men's), which makes the Puma feel the nimbler of the two when the pace picks up. Drop is close and moderate on both — 7 mm on the Novablast, around 8–9 mm on the Deviate — so neither forces a change in form. In short, the Novablast is the softer, taller, cushion-forward daily workhorse; the Deviate is the lighter, firmer, more tempo-leaning of the pair.