Asics Beats Nike for Strava’s Most Popular Shoe – Will Next Year Pan out the Same?

You might have your favorite running shoe; one you find yourself lacing up day after day. And when the magic is lost you go out and buy that same shoe…until that inevitable day it’s no longer available and its replacement is a different shoe entirely.

What might be your favorite shoe might be someone else’s worst nightmare, and vice versa. These things are subjective, and it can be fun to compile data and rank everyone’s favorite running shoes. 

Strava, the giant who owns a giant slice of the market for social media for athletes, does just that. Every year they publish a list of the most popular shoes logged on the Strava platform. Their rankings are based on the global usage patterns and popularity, with a focus on comfort, cushioning, and versatility.

Year after year we see a few shoes consistently in Strava’s rankings:

• Nike Pegasus
• Asics Novablast
• Hoka Clifton

Some years have seen other reliable stalwarts such as the Brooks Ghost sneak in, but those three generally grapple for the top spot.

In the most recent ranking we saw the Asics Novablast once again take the Gold Medal over the Nike Pegasus.

If you’re a real running shoe enthusiast you’re probably wondering why your favorites never make these lists, and that’s a valid question. If you’re putting hundreds of miles into the Asics Superblast 3 or something like the Adidas EVO SL and rarely ever lace up anything else, seeing something like a Pegasus might cause some head scratching.

I often find myself looking at other runners I see often and wondering how they can put so many miles into shoes I would get bored with after a few weeks, only to find myself browsing the local running shop inventory for a change of pace. But most runners aren’t what could be called shoe sickos, and there’s a reason the Hoka Clifton, Nike Pegasus, and Brooks Ghost are so popular; they’re easily accessible and priced just right.

A shoe like the Asics Superblast 3 is priced at $200 and is not made for everyone. In fact, it would likely be wasted on many casual runners. The Novablast, which through its life has been priced in the $140 to $155 range, is much more accessible and affordable and works better for the every day runner, which is a big reason it has topped Strava’s list of most popular shoes in 3 of the last 5 years.

Why the Asics Novablast Has Become so Popular

Let’s take a quick look at what the Asics Novablast 5 has to offer and what made it so popular. 

The Novablast has long been a favorite of runners since its introduction in 2020. Its popularity only grew with versions 2 and 3, with the Novablast 3 being named the top trainer of the year in 2022. Versions 4 and 5 were still extremely popular but received some criticisms for their lack of durability, with many runners complaining the ride lost its springy feel before 300 km were passed.

If you really loved the Novablast 5 you can still find them on sale in the $103 to $130 range. But if you’re looking for an upgrade, the Novablast 6 is just that.

You can read our full review for the in-depth take, but without going too much into detail, the Novablast 6 looks to be a significant update that will help push the line forward and compete with other mid-price daily trainers out there.

What about the Pegasus?

Taking the Silver Medal this past year was the Nike Pegasus 41. The Pegasus is a true classic now 42 years in the making. While it has gone through many aesthetic phases, the current edition of ol’ reliable is known as a well-cushioned, durable and stable daily trainer with decent versatility. 

If you’ve never logged miles in a Pegasus you might be in the minority. It’s not an overly exciting shoe and likely won’t dominate the Running Shoe Geeks sub-Reddit, but the Pegasus is a reliable daily trainer with a long history, making it no secret why it sits atop Strava’s shoe rankings.

The recently-released Pegasus 42 brings a more modern silhouette to the table with a more pronounced rocker. You can read our full review here.

And You can’t forget the Clifton

Rounding out third place is the Hoka Clifton. You can check out our full review of the Hoka Clifton 10. The Hoka Clifton 10 was the first Clifton to be made with an 8 mm heel to toe drop, veering away from nearly a decade of low drop tradition. The DNA remained similar enough that most Clifton devotees didn’t turn their backs, and it might have even brought in some new runners who didn’t want to run in a 5 mm drop shoe.

The Clifton 11 changed very little but the upper and sock liner. We reviewed the Clifton 11 in tandem with the upgraded and all-new Clifton Pro.Now that we’re fully into the second half of 2026, you just know by the time we blink a few times we’ll be struggling to stay awake long enough to see the ball drop on New Year’s Eve and we can look forward to Strava’s most popular shoe list of 2026.

Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think about next year’s list. Do you think it will be more of the same, or will a new dark horse land on the podium?

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