Asics Novablast 6 vs Nike Pegasus 42
Two shoes people weigh up against each other constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from the same database that drives the Shoe Finder quiz, with nothing added by hand. The short version: the Nike Pegasus 42 has the higher heel at 10mm against 8mm, the Asics Novablast 6 is 37g lighter.
Side by side
| Asics Novablast 6 | Nike Pegasus 42 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £139.99 RRP | £129.99 RRP |
| Type | Everyday trainer | Everyday trainer |
| Support | Neutral | Neutral |
| Weight | 249g | 286g |
| Heel drop | 8mm | 10mm |
| Heel stack | 41mm | 37mm |
| Widths | Standard and wide | Standard and wide |
| Plate | None | None |
What the differences mean
Weight
The Asics Novablast 6 is 37g lighter, at 249g against 286g. As a rough guide every 100g costs about one percent in running economy, so 37g is worth a fraction of a percent. You will feel it more than it costs you, and it counts for more on a fast 5k than on a slow long run.
Heel drop
This is the real difference. The Nike Pegasus 42 has a 10mm drop and the Asics Novablast 6 has 8mm. A higher heel asks less of your achilles and calf and more of your knee, and a lower one does the opposite. If you get regular trouble at one of those, pick accordingly. If you get none, pick whichever is closer to what you already run in, because changing drop suddenly is the most reliable way to give yourself a new problem.
Price
£129.99 against £139.99 at full price, so the Nike Pegasus 42 is £10 less. Both are discounted often enough that the gap on the day may look nothing like this, which is worth checking before you decide on price alone.
Which should you buy?
Neither, until you have tried both on. Fit decides more than any specification on this page, and the two shoes above are close enough that a foot shape will separate them faster than a spreadsheet will.
Asics Novablast 6
Bouncy and fun but still cushioned. Happy plodding along or picking up the pace.
Nike Pegasus 42
The safe all rounder. Handles daily runs, treadmill sessions and the odd parkrun without fuss.
Or let the quiz decide
This page compares two shoes. The shoe finder compares all 104 of them against your width, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute.