Asics Novablast 5 vs Hoka Clifton 9

98 facts in comparison

Based on 1,020 Reddit opinions. Novablast 5 leads by 6 points.

1.0K opinions
Novablast 5 leads by 6pts
Reddit's Pick
Asics Novablast 5
66%
C+
Based on
1,405 Redditors
Winner

Asics Novablast 5

~$149.95
605 opinions

tldr; Reddit opinions on the Asics Novablast 5 are mixed (65% positive across 1,405 mentions). Consider your specific needs and priorities.

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VS
Hoka Clifton 9
60%
C
Based on
848 Redditors

Hoka Clifton 9

415 opinions

tldr; Reddit opinions on the Hoka Clifton 9 are mixed (58% positive across 847 mentions). Consider your specific needs and priorities.

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ComfortStyle & AestheticsBuild QualityFitDurability
❤️COM
STY
🔧BUI
📐FIT
DUR
61
Points
44
Points

Score by Category

Comfort
59%57%
Style & Aesthetics
69%29%
Build Quality
57%67%
Fit
66%36%
Durability
21%25%

Why is Hoka Clifton 9 better than Asics Novablast 5?

  • Better quality (67% vs 57%)
  • Comfort
  • Value
  • Long-Lasting
Based on 2,253 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge

Reddit prefers the Novablast 5

Winning by 6 points (66% vs 60%)

Better style
Better fit
Better value
High confidence (2,253 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 2,253 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Novablast 5
6.6/10
1,405 mentions
Clifton 9
6.0/10
848 mentions
COMFORT
Novablast 55.9/10
Clifton 95.7/10
STYLE
Novablast 56.9/10
Clifton 92.9/10
FIT
Novablast 56.6/10
Clifton 93.6/10
DURABILITY
Novablast 52.1/10
Clifton 92.5/10
BUILD QUALITY
Novablast 55.7/10
Clifton 96.7/10
VALUE
Novablast 59.2/10
Clifton 95.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Novablast 5: 3|Clifton 9: 2
Comfort
Novablast 559%
Clifton 957%
StyleNovablast 5
Novablast 569%
Clifton 929%
FitNovablast 5
Novablast 566%
Clifton 936%
DurabilityClifton 9
Novablast 521%
Clifton 925%
Build QualityClifton 9
Novablast 557%
Clifton 967%
ValueNovablast 5
Novablast 592%
Clifton 950%
Novablast 566%
Clifton 960%
Novablast 5 wins by 6 points

Key Specs

SpecAsics Novablast 5Hoka Clifton 9
Heel Drop
8 mm
Heel Stack Height
41.5 mm
Forefoot Stack Height
33.5 mm
Cushioning
FF BLAST PLUS
Support Type
Neutral

Key Highlights

Asics Novablast 5Winner
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Hoka Clifton 9
Comfort
Value
Long-Lasting
Some users report issues (20% negative)

Topic Battles

Novablast 5: 2|Tied: 1|Clifton 9: 2
❤️Comfort
Novablast 5
59%
Clifton 9
57%
Style & Aesthetics
Novablast 5 wins
Novablast 5
69%
Clifton 9
29%
🔧Build Quality
Clifton 9 wins
Novablast 5
57%
Clifton 9
67%
📐Fit
Novablast 5 wins
Novablast 5
66%
Clifton 9
36%
Durability
Clifton 9 wins
Novablast 5
21%
Clifton 9
25%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Asics Novablast 5

Best Praise
+46 pts
I was tossing up whether to get the SB2 or NB5 and ended up buying the NB5 since I’ve only been running for a month. They’re coming in tomorrow and can’t wait to try them out! From what I’ve seen the SB2 seems better at faster paces, can’t wait to get my pace up and buy a pair of those in the future!
r/RunningShoeGeeks
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Top Criticism
+14 pts
I have 260 miles on my pair of Novablast 5 (roughly same build as you as well) and I’ve gone back and forth on them. I agree with everyone that out of the box they’re fun and want to go fast, but my last 50-100 miles they feel all over the place. During intervals they feel responsive but not in an energy return kind of way if that makes sense, could just be that they are compressing to where there’s no more give. On easy runs they either feel completely dead or vaguely soft, but definitely nowhere near where they started. Disappointed that they fell off so quick but that’s the gamble with shoes unfortunately
r/RunningShoeGeeks
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Hoka Clifton 9

Best Praise
+46 pts
I think the gatekeeping in this thread is really weird. Yes people use them as lifestyle shoes, but especially lately Hoka have really nailed a lot of their running shoes. It doesn't really matter if nurses wear them, they're still very very good shoes for running, at least a good bit of the current models. I adore my Mach 6 and Clifton 9s.
r/RunningShoeGeeks
View
Top Criticism
+17 pts
Hokas are not beating New Balance for cool points. Idk where you’re living
r/malefashionadvice
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Asics Novablast 5
Hoka Clifton 9
$150$200$250$300May '25May '25May '25Aug '25Oct '25Mar '26Mar '26Mar '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $139.95Current: $147.5
Asics Novablast 5
All-time low: $139.95(2025-05)
Hoka Clifton 9

Which is Better?

Asics Novablast 5 Wins
66%
5
vs
60%
9

Asics Novablast 5 leads by 6 points based on 2,253 Reddit opinions.

Why Novablast 5Winner
  • Better Value for Money (92% vs 50%)
  • More discussed (1,405 vs 848)
Why Clifton 9
  • Better Build Quality (67% vs 57%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

28%Positive
Positive
28%
Neutral
57%
Negative
15%
Based on 1,405 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

29%Positive
Positive
29%
Neutral
51%
Negative
20%
Based on 848 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Asics Novablast 5 or Hoka Clifton 9?
Based on 2,253 Reddit comments, Asics Novablast 5 is the preferred choice with 66% positive sentiment vs Hoka Clifton 9's 60%. Asics Novablast 5 leads by 6 percentage points.
Should I buy Asics Novablast 5 or Hoka Clifton 9?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Asics Novablast 5 has stronger approval ratings (66% vs 60%). However, Hoka Clifton 9 may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love about Asics Novablast 5?
Asics Novablast 5 has 1,405 mentions on Reddit with 66% positive sentiment. Users consistently recommend it based on real ownership experiences.
What do Redditors say about Hoka Clifton 9?
Reddit users highlight: Comfort. Value. Long-Lasting. With 848 mentions and 60% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 2,253 Reddit comments: 1,405 about Asics Novablast 5 and 848 about Hoka Clifton 9. Data was sourced from Sneakers community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

1,020 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/11/2026