ASICS Noosa Tri 16
These shoes feature significant improvements compared to the previous version. However, these changes have greatly impacted their balance, making them hardly useful for most runners. This is the ASICS NOOSA TRI 16, which comes with a very bouncy midsole made of FlyteFoam Blast+.
The previous version of these shoes was amazing. The ASICS NOOSA TRI 15 offered a great ride with excellent stability and lightness. While it wasn't the fastest or the most bouncy, it was reliable. The new version features a very bouncy FlyteFoam Blast+ midsole, which you can feel with every step—it’s fun and gives you a noticeable push. Aside from this change, there are no updates to the geometry or special features. You might expect the rest to remain at a high level, but boy oh boy, the other aspects have significantly declined.
The first issue that arises with these shoes is a significant lack of stability. With each step, the foam compresses differently, putting considerable strain on stability muscles. While this might be manageable for very experienced runners, it poses a high risk of injury for others. Looking at the market, all shoes with similarly bouncy foam typically feature a carbon plate to help distribute pressure more evenly. However, these shoes lack that feature The analog of these shoes with a plate is ASICS Magic speed 4, however, it comes at a significantly higher price. Does the price justify the risk of injury? From my perspective, it doesn't.
The second issue is the transition during the stride. To understand this, we need to consider three key factors. First, the drop in these shoes is quite low at 5mm. Second, the shoes have a significant bevel at the front. And third, without a plate inside, the shoes retain some flexibility. When these factors are combined, the result is that during a step, the front of the shoe tends to collide with the ground while the heel stays in place, creating a kind of bump in the middle. This creates an unnatural feeling that doesn't contribute to running efficiency, comfort, or stability. Other shoes with a plate typically lift the heel through the plate to avoid this awkward situation. However, this model does not have a plate.
These three factors are perhaps the best way to describe the evolution of these shoes. They’ve become bouncier, but completely screwed. However, some runners might still find this combination appealing, especially if they’re looking to develop their stability muscles. So, let's continue.
The cushioning, thanks to the soft foam, is excellent. Despite the stack height not being particularly high, these shoes can still absorb a significant amount of shock, making them suitable even for heavier runners. However, due to the lack of stability, most heavier runners might avoid them. But if you're a lightweight runner, it's almost guaranteed that these shoes will meet your needs in this regard.
The upper used here is solid. The puffy heel collar provides excellent comfort for any runner, while the tiny tongue, when properly laced, fits like a second skin. I really like this design and highly recommend it for advanced runners.
These shoes also feature extra pull tabs, making it easier for triathletes to put them on quickly—a cool addition, though there isn’t much more to say about it.
The mesh is breathable, with reinforcement zones on the sides and front for durability. In areas where ventilation is most needed, the mesh is almost transparent, ensuring great airflow.
These shoes feature a great rigid heel counter that ensures a high level of lockdown. However, I found the midfoot area somewhat lacking in lock down, as it relies mainly on logo taping for reinforcement. I believe it could be a personal preference, so I’d be interested to hear if your experience differs.
The outsole is well-designed on these shoes. Despite the model being lightweight, it still features a rubber outsole that provides excellent traction on various surfaces. This is a feature any runner will appreciate, as not many lightweight shoes offer such an upgrade.
Finally, durability is somewhat limited in these shoes due to the soft and bouncy foam, which tends to lose its features more quickly. While you can still run 2 to 3 thousand miles in these shoes without them falling apart, the bounciness will diminish much faster.
And this is the result of these shoes. The reason I find such combination disbalanced is as follows:
Can amateurs train in them? Not really, because the stability level is insufficient.
Can amateurs run fast in them? Not really, since shoes with a better ride but less bounce would be more efficient.
Can pro runners train in them? Also not really, because there are plenty of shoes better suited for muscle development.
In summary, I struggle to find a strong reason to use this particular combination of characteristics.
However, it’s not a big issue since ASICS has many models in their lineup. We can simply move on from this one and focus on the others.
The previous version of these shoes was amazing. The ASICS NOOSA TRI 15 offered a great ride with excellent stability and lightness. While it wasn't the fastest or the most bouncy, it was reliable. The new version features a very bouncy FlyteFoam Blast+ midsole, which you can feel with every step—it’s fun and gives you a noticeable push. Aside from this change, there are no updates to the geometry or special features. You might expect the rest to remain at a high level, but boy oh boy, the other aspects have significantly declined.
The first issue that arises with these shoes is a significant lack of stability. With each step, the foam compresses differently, putting considerable strain on stability muscles. While this might be manageable for very experienced runners, it poses a high risk of injury for others. Looking at the market, all shoes with similarly bouncy foam typically feature a carbon plate to help distribute pressure more evenly. However, these shoes lack that feature The analog of these shoes with a plate is ASICS Magic speed 4, however, it comes at a significantly higher price. Does the price justify the risk of injury? From my perspective, it doesn't.
The second issue is the transition during the stride. To understand this, we need to consider three key factors. First, the drop in these shoes is quite low at 5mm. Second, the shoes have a significant bevel at the front. And third, without a plate inside, the shoes retain some flexibility. When these factors are combined, the result is that during a step, the front of the shoe tends to collide with the ground while the heel stays in place, creating a kind of bump in the middle. This creates an unnatural feeling that doesn't contribute to running efficiency, comfort, or stability. Other shoes with a plate typically lift the heel through the plate to avoid this awkward situation. However, this model does not have a plate.
These three factors are perhaps the best way to describe the evolution of these shoes. They’ve become bouncier, but completely screwed. However, some runners might still find this combination appealing, especially if they’re looking to develop their stability muscles. So, let's continue.
The cushioning, thanks to the soft foam, is excellent. Despite the stack height not being particularly high, these shoes can still absorb a significant amount of shock, making them suitable even for heavier runners. However, due to the lack of stability, most heavier runners might avoid them. But if you're a lightweight runner, it's almost guaranteed that these shoes will meet your needs in this regard.
The upper used here is solid. The puffy heel collar provides excellent comfort for any runner, while the tiny tongue, when properly laced, fits like a second skin. I really like this design and highly recommend it for advanced runners.
These shoes also feature extra pull tabs, making it easier for triathletes to put them on quickly—a cool addition, though there isn’t much more to say about it.
The mesh is breathable, with reinforcement zones on the sides and front for durability. In areas where ventilation is most needed, the mesh is almost transparent, ensuring great airflow.
These shoes feature a great rigid heel counter that ensures a high level of lockdown. However, I found the midfoot area somewhat lacking in lock down, as it relies mainly on logo taping for reinforcement. I believe it could be a personal preference, so I’d be interested to hear if your experience differs.
The outsole is well-designed on these shoes. Despite the model being lightweight, it still features a rubber outsole that provides excellent traction on various surfaces. This is a feature any runner will appreciate, as not many lightweight shoes offer such an upgrade.
Finally, durability is somewhat limited in these shoes due to the soft and bouncy foam, which tends to lose its features more quickly. While you can still run 2 to 3 thousand miles in these shoes without them falling apart, the bounciness will diminish much faster.
And this is the result of these shoes. The reason I find such combination disbalanced is as follows:
Can amateurs train in them? Not really, because the stability level is insufficient.
Can amateurs run fast in them? Not really, since shoes with a better ride but less bounce would be more efficient.
Can pro runners train in them? Also not really, because there are plenty of shoes better suited for muscle development.
In summary, I struggle to find a strong reason to use this particular combination of characteristics.
However, it’s not a big issue since ASICS has many models in their lineup. We can simply move on from this one and focus on the others.
