Asics Meta Speed Sky Review

    Stats

Pros	Cons
Energetic and dynamic ride One of the best plated shoes in the market Grippy and durable outsole Breathable upper	Heel toe drop slightly lower than desired Rough upper material Low quality laces

 

Background

When Asics released the Metaracer, I was thoroughly disappointed. The stack height was too low and the forefoot was very firm. The shoe did not have the familiar “pop” of a plated super shoe such as the Nike Vaporfly Next%.

Enter the Metaspeed Sky. A much thicker stack of TPE foam with a very rigid carbon-plate. This shoe was meant to be one of the two ‘super shoe’ variants that was marketed towards different audiences: stride and cadence Runners. Stride runners were those who lengthened their stride while cadence runners were those who quickened their leg turnover when going faster.

Anticipation was high for the Metaspeed following image leaks all over social media and reviews claiming that they felt better than the Nike Vaporfly Next%. Given the limited quantity in Singapore, I did not manage to get it on initial launch but snagged a pair thanks to one of my friends.

 

Upper

The upper is made of 100% recycled polyester. I initially tried the shoe barefoot, which was not the most pleasant feeling as the upper felt quite rough against my skin. Socks eliminate this feeling but triathletes should take note. The upper is well-ventilated. I did not experience any hotspots even during 33-degree Celsius weather.

I went for a true-to-size fit. Whenever I wear racing shoes, I usually opt for thin socks. With thin socks I have a thumbs-space in front of my longest toe. I’ve heard that some users needed to opt for half a size larger due to the length but not for me.

The forefoot is surprisingly wide, probably one of the widest forefoots available for plated shoes. The upper was very accommodating for my wide and high-volume feet.

Lockdown was great, though I still laced the heel-lock lacing for extra security and also due to the laces being so long! I’m guessing that Asics used 140cm laces for the Metaspeed. 120cm laces are usually just nice for 7-8 eyelets and anything longer could be just excessive. Also, the laces seem to be of very flimsy material. When I purchased the Metaspeed, the laces were already fraying and it got worse when tying my shoelaces. I really do hope that Asics uses a different kind of shoelaces for future iterations.

 

Midsole & Ride

Asics uses a new Flytefoam foam variant called “FlyteFoam Blast Turbo”. I never liked any of Asics’ Flytefoam variants except “FF Blast” used in the Novablast. Asics used a type of Nylon foam that looks the most similar to the “Nylon 12” foam used in the BMAI 42k Turbo. The ride feels akin to pebax foams; a very highly tuned spring as opposed to a more gradual compression in other foams such as New Balance FuelCell.

Initially, I was worried that I would not enjoy the ride during my warmup. The ride felt pretty flat and the 5mm drop could definitely be felt. Based on my experience with other carbon-plated shoes, a higher drop usually helps with heel-toe transitions and feels more dynamic especially during easy runs.

Thankfully, the shoe started to display its lively character upon picking up the pace. The shoe felt better the faster I ran. As much as I’m not bought in by Asics’ marketing that this shoe was meant for “Stride” runners, I felt that the shoe became smoother and returned more energy when I lengthened my strides. The shoe is very energetic and is definitely up there with the other super-shoes. With the release of the Metaspeed, Asics has become a strong contender in the market. Choosing a carbon plated shoe would become more of personal preference rather than a selection derived on an advantage over others.

The ride was surprisingly stable, perhaps one of the most stable carbon plated shoes I’ve used. This might be attributed to the combination of the midsole geometry and the lower drop. Plated shoes tend to fatigue my shins more than usual due to their unstable nature, but that is not experienced here.

The sub-200-gram weight was greatly appreciated during intervals and fast tempos. The Metaspeed is one of the lightest plated shoes around, being ever so slightly heavier than the Qiao Dan Q-Kungfu-Pro Feiying PB and the Nike Vaporfly.

 

Outsole & Durability

The outsole is made of “ASICSGRIP”. The rubber is grippy and surprisingly durable. My first two runs were on wet surfaces after huge downpours. Though my shoes got wet, I did not slip even when cornering on wet ground. The rubber coverage is very generous in the midfoot and forefoot, which was perfect for my foot strike. The outsole looks as good as new after a couple of runs on various surfaces. I can safely say that this outsole compound is much more durable than that used in the Nike Vaporfly/Alphafly models.

 

Areas for Improvement

·       A less abrasive upper

·       Higher quality shoe laces

·       A higher heel-toe drop (preferably 8mm-10mm)

 

Comparisons

Nike Vaporfly Next%

The Metaspeed is more accommodating to wider feet with its spacious forefoot room. The ride is noticeably more stable but is also of a lower drop (5mm) compared to the Vaporfly (10mm). The Vaporfly has a more dramatic “fall-forward” feeling while the Metaspeed has a less aggressive roll. The Vaporfly v2 is now cheaper than the Metaspeed by $50 SGD. On a wet day, I would opt for the superior grip of the Metaspeed. However, I do prefer the higher drop of the Vaporfly. Other than that, it comes down to personal preference.

Asics Metaracer

The Metaspeed is what I initially expected from the Metaracer last year. A more cushioned, more propulsive feeling and better in every way. I’ll pick the Metaspeed over the Metaracer over any distance at all paces.

New Balance FuelCell RC Elite 2

New Balance’s FuelCell foam is currently my favourite foam on the market. The RC Elite 2 is softer and has a more gradual and smoother bounce while the FF Turbo foam seems more eager to spring back. For longer distances and slower paces, I prefer the smoother ride of the RC Elite. I’d probably take the Metaspeed over the RC Elite 2 for a 5k due to the slightly more responsive ride.

 

Final Thoughts

Asics has finally found a winner with the Metaspeed Sky. While not being the most suitable for easy paces, the Metaspeed shines at faster paces. The dynamic ride from its carbon plate and FF Turbo midsole puts it up there with the best plated shoes. Many runners may not be able to try out the Metaspeed due to the limited initial release but should definitely consider this pair when given the opportunity to.