Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo Review: Leapfrogging Into Race Day

Introduction to the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

ROBBE: I’ve been to Tokyo once. Since then, most of my travel goals have been trying to get back. It’s a place that seems both familiar and totally foreign at the same time, like looking through a kaleidoscope lens at the world around you. All the lights and energy of New York City, but clean and quiet. Nothing makes sense, and yet everything does. It’s a fine balance between frenetic and deliberate. 

So it is with Asics, a company that prides itself on embodying the acronym of its name: Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, or “sound mind, sound body.” A balance between the two. 

That ethos carries into their footwear, and it’s never been more evident than in the dual pairings of their race day shoes since 2021: the Asics Metaspeed Sky and the Asics Metaspeed Edge.

During that time, we’ve seen them with different names, typically reflecting a worldwide athletics event during the release year, a cue taken from early Onitsuka models, like the iconic Mexico 66. Leading up to the Metaspeed line, there was the Metaracer (with Tokyo branding on the heel), a shoe that was more race flat than super shoe. Then came the first versions of the Sky and Edge, also with Tokyo branding for the 2020 Tokyo Games (held in 2021), though Tokyo wasn’t officially in the name of that shoe. Confusing yet? After that, there was the standard forest green colorway in the Metaspeed Edge+ and Sky+ for the 2022 World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Finally, last year, we had the Sky Paris and Edge Paris for the 2024 Olympics. 

This year, the World Athletics Championships are back in Tokyo, and things have come full circle since that racing flat Metaracer from 5 years ago. Much has changed since then, both in Asics footwear and the running scene at large.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Asics’ steadfast dedication to two race day models with nearly identical names and designs. Their purposes and performance are markedly different, however. Since the start, the Edge was meant for a cadence runner and the Sky was meant for a stride runner. One had a quicker turnover while the other was a bit softer and more forgiving for those with longer strides. Frankly, it’s been a bit confusing for the everyday runner to determine which shoe is best for them.

For instance, I’m more of a stride-based runner (my average steps per minute is usually around 170) and I like the Metaspeed Sky, which has a firmer and snappier feel thanks to the plate being closer to the foot. Which is good, since that’s the shoe we’re talking about today. However, in the first two versions of this pairing, I preferred the Edge, because that one felt snappier to me. I guess things have resolved themselves, because now I’m running in the shoe that Asics wants me to run in. 

Here’s the rundown of the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo: In this shoe, Asics is unveiling their newest super foam, Flytefoam Leap, their “lightest, softest, and bounciest” foam ever. A big chunk of that sits closest to the ground, while a thinner layer of Flytefoam Turbo Plus sits closer to the foot. In between those two layers is a full-length carbon fiber plate (you can see the shape of the plate from the outline on the side of the midsole). The upper is a light and breathable Motionwrap 3.0 mesh. Underneath, you get Asics’ tried and true outsole rubber, AsicsGrip, good enough for almost any condition. All of this comes together in a very light package, really one of the lightest race day shoes money can buy. That will be upset by the Asics Metaspeed Ray, but we’re not here to talk about that shoe.

So let’s talk about this shoe.

THOMAS: Robbe did a fine job breaking down the cadence versus stride debate. But I’ve got a simpler way to think about it—maybe not as elegant, but easier to wrap your head around if you’re trying to choose the right Metaspeed. Think of “cadence” runners as mid to forefoot strikers. “Stride” runners land more on the heel. That’s it. Took me three versions of this shoe to figure it out. And frankly, I’m not sure why Asics didn’t just spell it out from the beginning.

What’s made things more confusing is how the models have shifted over time. In the early versions, the Sky had the softer forefoot and the Edge felt firmer. Now it’s flipped. The Edge has a scooped plate and the FF Leap foam closer to the foot, which makes it surprisingly kind to that fat pad just behind your toes.

Between the two, I’m still not sure which I prefer. Both are light. Both feel great at pace. It just comes down to what kind of ride you like—and where your foot hits the ground.

What we like about the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

ROBBE: There are plenty of things I like about the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo. I should tell you straight away that this is my preferred model of the two shoes, even though I have preferred the Edge+ in the past, having run a 5K PR in the shoe. 

The first thing you’ll notice about this shoe is the weight, or lack thereof. It’s incredibly light, especially for a shoe that doesn’t look that much different from past versions. At 6 ounces, it’s the lightest race day shoe out there under $300. 

Here’s the thing though– you can shave off a ton of weight, but you’re going to sacrifice stability and structure, which is why a shoe like the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo (and really the Asics Metaspeed Ray) are specifically designed for elite athletes.

The good news is that the function of the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo doesn’t suffer, for runners of all abilities.

The Motionwrap 3.0 upper is a big part of that weight savings, giving a very breathable, open mesh without a ton of structure, but just enough. It’s actually fairly accommodating in the forefoot, especially in comparison to narrow fits found in other race day shoes like the Puma Fast-R 3 and Adidas Adios Pro 4. The tongue is not gusseted, so just be careful that it doesn’t fold over when you’re putting them on. Asics knows better than to experiment with laces, so they stuck with the tried and true sawtooth race laces, which are all you ever need.

The midsole is where things really start to shine. 

Asics is bringing their newest foam to the world in the form of Flytefoam Leap. It’s bouncy, it’s light, it’s pretty soft. In the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, it sits farther from the foot, while the FF Turbo Plus sits closer to the foot. In the Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, those two are reversed. It’s a pretty significant slab of foam, nearly two-thirds of the stack height. Because of that, the shoe can feel fairly unstable at slower paces. But once you get going, all the static parts turn into moving pieces, and the shoe starts to shine.

I personally love that the carbon fiber plate is closer to the foot, and is topped off with the slightly less bouncy FF Turbo Plus. It feels much snappier and faster than the Metaspeed Edge feels with the soft foam closer to the foot and the carbon fiber plate closer to the ground. As you can imagine, I didn’t really enjoy that shoe. It felt too soft to me, like I could never get it up to the speed I wanted. On one occasion, I meant to take the Sky out for a workout, but accidentally grabbed the Edge (since, you know, they look the exact same). A half mile into my faster paces, I thought “Man, this just feels so soft, like it’s working against me. I just can’t get it up to speed and keep it there.” Turns out, I was running in the Edge. The next workout, I threw on the Sky and hit all my paces perfectly, even on an 82F-degree morning. 

What I really loved about the shoe is that it seems like it will hold up over the marathon distance without feeling too firm or aggressive. There’s enough comfort in the Leap, but it’s balanced out by the stability that the plate provides, in addition to the slightly more firmer and resilient Turbo Plus. For other shoes, it can mean that the shoe is too conservative (in fact, that’s how I feel about the Edge Tokyo). But this shoe seems to cover all the bases.

One of my favorite things about the shoe is the AsicsGrip outsole rubber. We give a lot of praise to Puma for its exceptional outsole rubber, but Asics is right up there. It’s sticky and tacky in any condition, and the coverage is just right. I took this out on a post-thunderstorm run and had no issues at all, including around corners.

THOMAS: Let’s start with the Motionwrap upper. It’s a pleasure across the toes—soft, breathable, and flexible enough to move with the foot. The fit is true to size. The tongue is thin, but I had no problems with it.

Because the carbon plate sits closer to the foot, you can actually feel it at work through each phase of your stride. The faster you run, the more stable the shoe becomes. Underneath, the FF Leap foam adds a springy, trampoline-like effect. It compresses on landing, then rebounds to push you forward.

Robbe nailed it on the outsole. AsicsGrip lives up to its name. It’s sticky in the best way, with traction that holds up across all the pavement, wood decking, bricks, and wet sidewalks we throw at it.

What we don’t like about the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

ROBBE: While I like the light weight and breathability in the upper (also the extra space in the toe box), there’s definitely a bit of heel lift. Even in the midfoot, I don’t feel like the lockdown is superb, though it’s fine overall. I would also like to see a gusseted tongue, or some padding on top of it. The tongue is a thin piece of fabric that’s just… there. It easily folds over, so use caution when putting it on. That said, if you’re used to the upper on the Metaspeed, then it has a familiar feel.

Then there’s the whole issue of trying to figure out which shoe is for you between this and the Metaspeed Edge, which requires a combination of palm reading, rod divination, and magic 8-balling to figure out. Asics is still sticking to its “let’s make two shoes that look exactly the same, but say one is for cadence and one is for stride, which nobody knows what it really means, but let’s keep doing that year after year.” Just say one is for those who want a more cushioned feel, and one is for those who want a more propulsive feel. And do something, anything, to make them look a bit different. Swapping the outsole color isn’t enough.

As I said, I accidentally ran in the Metaspeed Edge for an entire run before I realized it. I realize most runners probably won’t have both shoes, so that shouldn’t be a problem. But I know for a fact that it’s a hurdle just to figure out which shoe is the right one, which leads to decision paralysis, which leads to “eh, may as well just buy the Adidas Adios Pro 4.” I think that needs to change.

THOMAS: I don’t like that ASICS makes me think so hard. Choosing between two nearly identical shoes shouldn’t feel like a test. They look the same, feel similar at first step, and when we lined up the old versions next to the new ones, it was easy to mix them up. I understand Asics wants to own the red-orange color as their race day signature, but when every version looks the same, it dulls the excitement of something new.

In both the Metaspeed Sky and Edge, I noticed a bit of heel lift. It got better after a few runs, but it never went away entirely. Between the two, I found the Sky to be a little less stable. That’s not necessarily a flaw—but it’s worth noting.

Final thoughts on the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

ROBBE: This is the evolution of the Metaspeed done right. It’s not a huge overhaul, but the Metaspeed didn’t really need that. It was already a great shoe. It may not have all the bells and whistles and “hey look at me” features that some racing shoes have, but it offers a fine balance between comfort and performance, the two key ingredients of a successful race day shoe. I’ve had great successes in some other models (a PR in the Adios Pro 4) and others are just plain ridiculously fun (the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0). But if you just want the real deal that will keep you moving fast, without worrying about things falling apart in the later miles, you’re probably going to want the Metaspeed on your feet. Which one? That depends on what you like. For me, I’m looking to the Sky to save me.

THOMAS: The updates to the Metaspeed line have been steady and deliberate. Nothing flashy. Just smart improvements, mostly in the foam. With each version, the shoe has become lighter and more comfortable. That’s the real story.

When I ran the Tokyo Marathon, I chose the Superblast over either the Metaspeed Sky+ or Edge+. At the time, those shoes felt too firm for a 3:40 effort. If I ran that race today, I’d choose a Metaspeed without hesitation.

The shoe doesn’t even need to lose more weight. In fact, I’ll probably take the Metaspeed Sky or Edge over the new Ray, Asics’ ultra-light race-day model with a full FF Leap midsole. I would say that between the two Metaspeed models, one might have an edge for me.

You can pick up the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo for $270 on July 25 by using the buttons below.