Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris running shoes

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris is a fast and lightweight marathon distance running shoe. Debuting in this model is Asics’ new midsole foam FlyteFoam Turbo Plus, a very lightweight, dynamic, stiffer foam, Asics’ most advanced midsole foam. The headlet midsole foam features a curved carbon sheet covering the entire sole, further enhancing the dynamic performance of the running shoe. Not only the high midsole (39.5 mm at the heel), but also the upper is very lightweight, so the shoe weighs only 181 grams. The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris has a “twin brother”, the Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris. Before we review the Sky Paris running shoe in detail, we will explain the difference between the two running shoes, because despite the similarity, running in these two running shoes has a completely different feel and they react in a completely different way.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris vs. Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris vs. Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris

Externally, there are only two striking differences between the shoes, the Metaspeed Sky Paris running shoe has a red outsole the Edge has a black outsole, the Sky has a cutout on the front of the outsole, the Edge has a cutout on the back. But, if you look carefully at the picture of the midsole layers of the two shoes, you can clearly see that the carbon plate of the two shoes is bent differently, it has a different arch. The Edge’s carbon plate has a much more aggressive curve at the front of the sole. The thickness of the FF Turbo+ foam above and below the carbon plate is also different because of the difference in the carbon plate. This difference changes the dynamics of the shoes. While the Sky bounces more upwards, the Edge is more forward in the direction of travel. Accordingly, it’s easier to take longer strides in the Sky, while it’s easier to take more strides in the Edge. If you don’t fully understand the relationship between stride length and stride number, you may want to read this article. If you have to choose between the two shoes, consider not only what kind of runner you typically are (longer strides or more strides), but also what you want to improve. For example, if you take longer strides but not as many and want to improve on that, you might find that you can improve more with the Metaspeed Edge running shoe, which is optimised for more strides. The minimal difference between the outsole is no accident, either. The Metaspeed Sky Paris is more conducive to heel landings, while the Edge favors those who land more on the front of the foot. Almost imperceptible, but the Sky Paris’ upper is a little wider at the toes.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris upper

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris Upper

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris upper is made from a very lightweight and loosely woven mesh material that Asics has named Motion Wrap 2.0. The breathability couldn’t be much more enhanced, nor could the lightness of the upper. The tongue of the shoe is paper-thin and not fixed on either side, but it does have a loop to lace over the laces to keep them from slipping sideways. It’s worth adjusting the tongue carefully before tying the laces, as they can easily get wrinkled while running. The heel collar is flexible and surprisingly medium cushioned, hugging the back of the foot well. The upper keeps the foot snug, with a narrow design, like most running shoes designed for racing.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris midfoot

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris midsole

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris midfoot is made with Asics’ new FlyteFoam Turbo Plus foam, a Peba, or foam thermoplastic rubber. This foam is extremely lightweight, behaves differently from FF Turbo, and has more dynamism and momentum. The foam is not soft, but rather belongs to the harder foams. The height of the midsole at the heel is 39.5 mm thick, which has great shock absorption. Since the drop of the shoe is only 5 mm, the midsole is also 34.5 mm thick under the toes, which helps a lot with the dynamics of the kick. The FF Turbo+ foam sandwiches the carbon plate, which is slightly curved to help kick both forward and upward. Thanks to the stiffer foam and the carbon plate, the midsole is rigid, not flexible, and thus holds the rocker geometry well, which helps with fast and smooth rollover.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris outsole

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris Outside

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris Outsole is made with the Asics Grip rubber compound, which has good grip and is abrasion resistant. The outsole covers a large area of the midsole on the front of the shoe, which increases the grip of the shoe. The Asics Grip grips well even on wet, damp surfaces. Compared to other super racing shoes, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris outsole is durable, but with everyday use, it wears out faster than a generic everyday or mileage-collecting running shoe. The rate of wear will also depend on your running motion, contact with the ground and your body weight.

Summary

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris is Asics’ fastest marathon distance running shoe currently available. It’s worth reading the review to see how it differs from the seemingly identical Metaspeed Edge Paris running shoe. The Metaspeed Sky, has a stiffer but lightweight carbon plate midsole that is very dynamic over long distances. The upper is breathable, lightweight and optimized for performance, keeping the foot secure even at faster paces. It’s specifically designed for competition, so don’t use this for everyday or slower paced longer runs, it’s too tight for that and you’ll wear it out unnecessarily for your slower runs.