Asics Noosa Tri 16 Review
A light, breathable triathlon-leaning trainer with a big traction improvement over previous versions — held back by a fragile toebox.
Specifications
- Launch price
- $135
- Heel stack
- 32.8 mm
- Forefoot stack
- 26.9 mm
- Heel-to-toe drop
- 5.9 mm
- Weight
- 7.7 oz
- Available in
- Mens, Womens
How this score was built
- runrepeat.com Independent review 8.5
- runningshoesguru.com Independent review 8.0 → 8.9
- zappos.com Retailer customers 8.0 → 8.4
- runningwarehouse.com Retailer customers 9.0 → 9.2
Each source is re-centred against its own historical average, then weighted by tier and type. Full methodology.
What people like
- Light at 7.7 oz with balanced cushioning
- Exceptional grip (0.79 traction score, a large gain on prior versions)
- Top-rated breathability with engineered mesh
- Gusseted tongue and comfortable upper
What people don't
- Toebox durability rated 1/5
- Minimal 1.2 mm tongue padding
- Energy return still modest at 53.9% heel / 60.9% forefoot
How it performs
Comfort and fit
A gusseted tongue and well-built upper, though the 31.2 mm toebox height can feel loose for triathletes wanting a locked-in racing fit.
Durability
The weak point. Toebox durability scored 1/5 in testing.
Traction
The headline improvement: a 0.79 traction score, well up on previous Noosa versions.
Breathability
Rated 5/5 — engineered mesh built for ventilation, appropriate for a shoe aimed at triathlon.
Flexibility and responsiveness
FF Blast+ lifted energy return to 53.9% heel and 60.9% forefoot — better than its predecessor, still mid-pack.
Current-generation replacement for the previous model in this line. Specs and lab findings from RunRepeat testing, retrieved 2026-08-01.