The GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6 are both ASICS' thick-soled shoes for 2026, with the same 8mm drop. The difference is the job. The Kayano 33 is a stability shoe that supports wobble on landing; the NOVABLAST 6 is an everyday shoe that bounces in the forefoot. Weight differs by 45g and stack by 1.5mm.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
If you are torn, decide only by whether your foot rolls inward. If it does, the Kayano 33's FLUIDSUPPORT builds a path from heel to toe for you. If it does not, that support is 45g of baggage, and the light, forefoot-bouncing NOVABLAST 6 moves your foot forward. Running 500km a month, I do not pay weight on days I do not need support.
Key points
- Weight: the Kayano 33 is 298g, the NOVABLAST 6 is 253g. A 45g gap; the Novablast is about 15% lighter
- The NOVABLAST 6 sole is 1.5mm thicker. Weight per mm is 7.45g and 6.10g
- Width: the Kayano goes up to extra wide (men's); the Novablast has wide for men and women
Same 8mm drop, opposite jobs
Line the GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6 up by numbers and they look alike. Both have a sole of around 40mm, an 8mm drop, and no plate.
Inside, though, they are different tools. The Kayano 33 is a stability shoe that supports the foot against rolling inward on landing. The NOVABLAST 6 is a bouncy daily shoe with a high-rebound material placed in the forefoot that kicks off.
This article puts the 2 shoes' numbers side by side, calculates the gaps, and decides who each suits. What is in each shoe is in the GEL-KAYANO 33 review and the NOVABLAST 6 review.
What is the difference between the GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6?
| Item | GEL-KAYANO 33 | NOVABLAST 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | Jun 11, 2026 (early release at the official online store) / Jun 18 | In stages from Jul 10, 2026 |
| Official price | JPY 22,000 | JPY 17,600 |
| Weight (men's) | 298g | 253g |
| Max stack height | About 40mm | About 41.5mm |
| Drop | 8mm | 8mm |
| Plate | None | None |
| Midsole foam | Upper FF BLAST MAX / lower FF BLAST PLUS, plus PureGEL in the heel | FF BLAST MAX plus FF TURBO SQUARED in the forefoot |
| Wobble-control system | FLUIDSUPPORT | None |
| Width | Men's standard, extra wide / women's standard, wide | Standard, wide for both men's and women's |
The gap shows clearly in weight and in whether there is a wobble-control system. The sole foam uses FF BLAST MAX in both, but stacks it differently. The Kayano keeps its shape with upper and lower layers; the Novablast bounces with a different material only in the forefoot.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GEL-KAYANO 33
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 15,600 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 43,300 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
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Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS NOVABLAST 6
The lowest price on Rakuten was JPY 13,200 (as of 10/13). It ranges up to JPY 22,000 depending on the shop. Prices move daily. Try shoes on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit differs by brand, so read the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanHow do weight and stack differ?
Weight: The Kayano 33 is 45g heavier (298 − 253). From the Novablast 6's side, it is about 15% lighter (45 ÷ 298 = 0.151).
Convert 45g to a full marathon. At a 1m stride, one foot leaves the ground about 21,098 times. 45g × 21,098 = about 949kg. That is how much the total one foot lifts changes.
Stack: The NOVABLAST 6 sole is 1.5mm thicker (41.5 − 40). The thicker one is lighter, a reversal.
| GEL-KAYANO 33 | NOVABLAST 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight per mm of thickness | About 7.45g (298 ÷ 40) | About 6.10g (253 ÷ 41.5) |
| Forefoot stack (maximum − drop) | About 32mm (40 − 8) | About 33.5mm (41.5 − 8) |
| Price per gram | About JPY 74 (22,000 ÷ 298) | About JPY 70 (17,600 ÷ 253) |
They differ by 1.35g per mm (7.45 − 6.10). The Kayano 33 is heavier because it stacks support parts and PureGEL on top of the foam. The weight shows how much support is built in.
Which is better for ease of running, comfort, speed and cushion?
Ease of running: Kayano 33. FLUIDSUPPORT supports continuously from heel strike to toe-off. Soft material on the inside of the sole supports your running in the tired hours when form tends to break down. The more your foot wobbles late in the race, the bigger the difference.
Comfort: it splits by preference. The Kayano 33's upper is an engineered mesh with the knit changed by area. The NOVABLAST 6 is an engineered woven that stretches lightly, with weave and hole size changing by place. For the security of wrapping the foot, the Kayano; for a light touch, the Novablast.
Speed: NOVABLAST 6. It is 45g lighter and has high-rebound FF TURBO SQUARED in the forefoot that kicks off. On days you raise the tempo, this is the one that lets your foot move forward easily.
Cushion: Kayano 33. The cushion scale reads Maximum for the Kayano 33 and High, one step down, for the NOVABLAST 6. The PureGEL in the heel softens landing impact.
Who is it for?
- Who the GEL-KAYANO 33 suits: People whose foot rolls inward on landing. People aiming to finish a full marathon who want the shoe to handle support late in the race. Men with wide feet who need extra wide.
- Who the NOVABLAST 6 suits: People whom rolling in does not bother. People who want to cover daily jogs through training distance runs in one light, bouncy pair. Women who want wide.
If rolling bothers you but you also want lightness, the lighter shoe in the same stability role, the GT-2000 15, is another way to choose. How ASICS divides roles overall is in the article on 11 recommended ASICS shoes.
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| GEL-KAYANO 33 | JPY 22,000 | JPY 15,600–43,300 |
| NOVABLAST 6 | JPY 17,600 | JPY 13,200–22,000 |
| GEL-KAYANO 32 (previous generation) | JPY 22,000 (at release) | JPY 14,900–22,000 |
| ASICS NOVABLAST 5 (previous generation) | JPY 16,500 (at release) | JPY 12,490–16,500 |
Decide width first, then choose a color. For both, standard and wide-type have separate model numbers, and wide has fewer colors. On Rakuten, read the "33" and "6" in the product name so you do not mix them up with the previous generation.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS GEL-KAYANO 33
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 15,600 (as of 10/13), ranging up to JPY 43,300 depending on the shop. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanImage: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS NOVABLAST 6
The lowest price on Rakuten was JPY 13,200 (as of 10/13). It ranges up to JPY 22,000 depending on the shop. Prices move daily. Try shoes on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit differs by brand, so read the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Super Sports XEBIOSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
Which is better for a full marathon, the GEL-KAYANO 33 or NOVABLAST 6?
If your foot wobbles late in the race, the Kayano 33. The Kayano 33 release names "runners aiming to finish a full marathon" as its audience. If wobble does not bother you and you want lightness, the NOVABLAST 6 will get you through. The split by target time is in the pace-based shoe article.
Do the GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6 fit the same?
The length is true to size on both. The size steps are the same too: men's 24.5–29.0cm in 0.5cm steps plus 30.0, 31.0 and 32.0cm; women's 22.5–26.5cm in 0.5cm steps. With a 25.0cm foot, I'd choose 25.0cm in either.
The difference is toe width. Both have a slightly narrow toe shape, and the NOVABLAST 6 is cinched more. If width bothers you, choose wide (extra wide for the Kayano's men's) before going up in length. Try on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks.
What were the previous generations of the GEL-KAYANO 33 and NOVABLAST 6?
Before the Kayano 33 was the Kayano 32, and before the NOVABLAST 6 the NOVABLAST 5. The Kayano changed to a new support system and a 2-layer sole; the NOVABLAST gained FF TURBO SQUARED in the forefoot. For both, if the previous generation fit you, you have time to wear it out before switching.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten Ichiba
Sources
- ASICS news release: GEL-KAYANO 33 (Jun 4, 2026)
- ASICS news release: NOVABLAST 6 (Jul 2, 2026)
- ASICS Japan official: GEL-KAYANO 33
- ASICS Japan official: NOVABLAST 6
- ASICS Japan official: STABILITY feature
- ASICS Japan official: BOUNCE feature
- RunRepeat ASICS Gel Kayano 33 (size and width measurements)
- RunRepeat ASICS Novablast 6 (size and width measurements)
