Asics Metafuji Trail running shoes

The Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe is a fast, race day carbon plateed trail running shoe. Asics makes no secret of the fact that the Metafuji Trail is based on their Metaspeed Paris model, but a look at the specs shows that it also incorporates the earlier Metaspeed Plus and Magic Speed 4. The result is a fast, running shoe that is lightweight and suitable for moderately difficult, technical terrain. The outsole and high midsole don’t support heavy, muddy, technical terrain, so if you typically run in those conditions, they may not be the best choice.

Asics Metafuji Trail upper

The upper of the Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe is made of a lightweight, thin mesh material with good breathability. The material of the upper is most similar to the upper of the Metaspeed Paris, which is durable and hard-wearing despite being thin. The upper is called Motion Wrap TR and is designed to keep the foot in place during fast movements. There’s an extra layer on the forefoot toe box to protect the foot, but this may not be enough protection on rough terrain. The tongue of the shoe is thin and stiff, but it does a good job of lock the foot. The laces are laced up, which makes them tighter. The gusseted tongue of the shoe has an elastic strap where you can hide the tied laces so they don’t get in the way when you’re running, and they don’t get caught in anything. The heel collar is low, stiff and moderately cushioned to lock the foot properly.

Asics Metafuji Trail midsole

The Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe midsole is made up of 3 layers. The top layer is FlyteFoam Turbo foam, which is soft and dynamic, the same foam Asics uses in their Metaspeed Plus and Magic Speed 4 road running shoes. In the middle is a carbon plate, which is different from the carbon plates found in Asics road shoes. The carbon plate is split into two parts at the heel and forefoot, giving you more freedom of movement and flexibility. This split carbon plate is preferred for uneven terrain. The carbon plate adds dynamism and stability to the shoe. The bottom layer is FlyteFoam Blast Plus, known from Asics daily running shoes, which is slightly stiffer than FF Turbo foam, but not hard. FF Blast Plus is more stable and has good shock absorption. The midsole is more reminiscent of the Magic Speed midsole, as it is made of the same foams and has almost similar height. The midsole of the Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe is 45mm at the heel, which is very high even for road running shoes. In my opinion, this height is excessive and unnecessary, and it also makes the shoe less stable. The drop of the midsole is 5mm, so even at the front the midsole is 40mm high. The stability of the Trabuco Max 3 trail running shoe is also questionable, as it has almost similar height (43 mm), but a much wider and stiffer midsole. Asics could have learned from this.

Asics Metafuji Trail outsole

The outsole of the Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe is made of AsicsGrip rubber compound, a medium-hard compound. Although the outsole completely covers the midsole, it has a number of small cutouts that make the shoe lighter and harder for mud to stick to the rubber lugs. The number and design of the lugs on the outsole make it clear that the Metafuji Trail is designed for light to medium technical terrain. The outsole pattern and design is a new development from Asics, unlike any of their previous trail running shoes. Because the AsicsGrip is moderately hard, it has a general good grip and better than average durability.

Summary

The Asics Metafuji Trail running shoe is a trail running shoe inspired by road and racing shoes. The upper is lightweight, has good breathability and locks the foot well. The midsole is made up of 3 layers, two dynamic foams of different hardness and a carbon plate designed for trail running in between. The design, grip and spikes of the outsole make the shoe more suitable for easy to moderate terrain. If you’re looking for a fast, bouncy, dynamic trail running shoe for easier terrain, the Metafuji Trail may be one of your best choices. However, if you also run on harder, muddy terrain, or if you need stability for sharp turns and steep inclines, you may want to consider another shoe.