Image: ASICS/Canva

The ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is a supershoe built for speed. It’s the latest upgrade in the Metaspeed line that has given us the Metaspeed Edge Paris and the Metaspeed Sky + which have been some of our favourite supershoes. We took the latest release out for a test at a 5k race.

Technical details

• Price: £240
• Sizes: 2.5 to 14 (unisex)
• Weight: 170g
• Drop: 5mm (39.5mm heel / 34.5mm forefoot)
• Price: £240
• Foam: FF Leap + FF Turbo Plus cushioning
• Special tech: carbon plate

ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo pros and cons

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Great grip
• Fast and responsive

Cons

• Some instability cornering
• Less comfortable at slower paces

Who and what is this shoe for?

The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is ASICS’s supershoe for stride-style runners; those who lengthen their stride rather than increase cadence when upping the pace. It’s built for racing over distances from 5K to marathon, with a softer, bouncier ride than its predecessors.

How does it fit?

I found it to be true to size in my UK size 6. The shoe is ‘unisex’ which means you’ll see male and female UK sizes on the box. Like all racing shoes it has a performance fit making it a little snugger that everyday trainers. The new MOTION WRAP 3.0 upper is light, breathable and keeps your foot locked in without feeling restrictive.

Is it comfortable?

For a race shoe, it’s remarkably comfortable. The heel feels soft and trampoline-like, while the forefoot has a firmer, snappy pop. There’s a little extra forefoot space for toe splay and swelling on longer races. The upper holds securely without hotspots, though the thin tongue can take a moment to adjust.

The only comfort issue I had with this shoe is that at an easy pace, it felt a tad uncomfortable under the arch of my foot as though I could feel the plate. It wasn’t something that I experienced when running at faster paces though.

ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo run rest

I wore these shoes to a local evening 5k race. It was a sticky summer evening with some light drizzle before the race started, so the pavements were just a little damp. But what impressed me about the shoe is how they gripped well in these conditions.

There were a lot of tight turns on my race and I did feel the softness of the heel and the high stack made me a little more cautious coming into those bends. I survived, as did my ankles, but it’s worth baring in mind if this has been an issue for you in previous shoes.

I did feel the shoe responded well when I was running at 5k pace. One thing I disliked about the Metaspeed Edge Paris was that it sounded a bit noisy when I was running hard, and I didn’t have this issue with the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo.

Where can I buy it?

The ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is available from ASICS and in selected running stores.