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In general, I never had a good experience with ASICS. Whatever model I tried, I ran a maximum of 10 kilometers with it and then sold it. I always went back to HOKA. I don't know why I gave it another chance, but what I do know is that I made a very good decision.

I haven't been this excited about a shoe since the first time I ran with HOKA! It truly is a shoe that you run with and enjoy. I am 180cm, 84kg, and I believe that for my profile, the foam in the Novablast 3 is perfect. The fit is wonderful, the size is as expected, and compared to the Clifton 8, which I primarily run with, it is significantly more comfortable in the front part of the foot, resulting in the foot "spreading" correctly with each step. I realized this immediately by putting on the Clifton right after the workout, where I felt that it gripped my foot tightly!

I consider it a shoe that is suitable for all types of training, and I am even thinking of running the marathon with it. It is truly enjoyable, and I would describe it as an advanced Endorphin Speed, more friendly for daily training, since I have many kilometers with it and can make a direct comparison.

For its price, it is completely worth it and I highly recommend trying it out. I find it unlikely that someone wouldn't like it, and it will definitely be one of the best sellers of 2022.

EDIT: Unfortunately, the amazing feeling they have didn't last long (at least for me). After 200 kilometers, there is a significant difference in the feeling as they have hardened a lot, and there is no longer the sensation of stepping on a balloon by any means.

I don't think my opinion will be the most popular here, but I'll say it in case I can help a fellow colleague. For reference, I am 180 cm tall and weigh 86 kg.

First of all, I bought these shoes for easy and recovery runs, and I expected them to be at least decent in this area (which is basically their purpose). Honestly, I have never worn a more boring and lazy shoe in all the years I've been running. It is so soft that after 4-5 km, you feel like the asphalt is sucking you in. Believe me, I have experience with soft shoes, I usually wear HOKA 9 out of 10 times.

There is absolutely no energy return. The shoe is like telling you "Hey, stop running". Instead of providing comfort, it actually tires you out more because it feels like you're running in sand.

Honestly, I struggled to run 10 km with these shoes and I remember laughing out of frustration because I couldn't believe how bad they were.

I could overlook all of this and say that they are a really nice shoe for posture (although I have my doubts about that too) IF the price was reasonable, like maybe a maximum of €110 for what they offer.

The fact that they can be found for up to €200 in the market is truly a joke.

(Of course, the above is purely my personal opinion - I'm sure there are people who love it.)

I bought these specifically for mountain running, as a replacement for the Akasha. The reason is that the Akasha was causing fatigue after a certain point, which doesn't happen with the SG. The major (even huge) difference compared to the previous model is the upper part, which is now more flexible and doesn't squeeze the foot when it starts to swell after many kilometers.

It requires a lot of attention to size because if it's not the right shoe, it won't have a good fit. For example, I wear size 44 2/3 in all HOKA shoes, but I made the bright idea to get the SG5 in size 45 1/3. Big mistake. Although I had enough space in the toe area, I never managed to have the ideal lock down. I sold them and bought the same shoe again in my regular size. It was truly a different shoe. So, be careful with the size, get your regular size as it has enough space in the front.

Positives:
+ Extremely comfortable
+ Perfect grip
+ If you get the right size, it fits like a glove without any pressure points
+ It is an all-around mountain shoe
+ Dries quickly
+ Lightweight for what it offers

Negatives:
- Generally, I don't see them lasting for more than 500km at most. The sole wears out easily.
- It might bother you around the ankle because it's somewhat high compared to the previous model.
- The back part, which resembles the Clifton, collects small rocks (I wonder why they put such a heel on a trail shoe).

There are many things said about HOKA and its foam technology, how it has fallen behind, and so on. But I wouldn't change it for anything, neither on the road nor in the mountains.

The truth is, I want to give it a 4.5 rating, but Scrooge doesn't have that option. So, I will go with 4 instead of 5, which would be an exaggeration.