Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris Review

Choosing a race-day shoe can be tricky. There are many options and tons of competing claims. While it might not be the perfect super shoe for every runner, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris is the one we'd recommend to the vast majority. The combination of weight and propulsion is impressive. The shoe manages to remain comfortable over long efforts. And thanks to features like the stiff upper and natural feeling rocker, it feels more controllable and stable than many competitors.

Performance Comparison

Landing Comfort

At the heart of the shoe is the FF Turbo Plus foam that sandwiches a wide carbon plate. In a US men's size 10.5, we measured a stack height of 39 mm in the heel and 33 mm in the forefoot.

That foam is soft and bouncy but also very well cushioned. We had no issues with comfort underfoot, even during long sessions on pavement. We never felt the carbon plate under our forefoot, and the foam provided excellent insulation from the ground. Interestingly, the plate shape of the Metaspeed Sky seems to be flatter and closer to the foot than in many of its competitors.

In comparison to the competition, the foam feels a bit softer when landing than the ZoomX formula that Nike uses in both the Alphafly and the Vaporfly. For runners familiar with Saucony's PWRRUN PB, the foam feels more damped on impact with more compression. Interestingly, that softer feeling doesn't translate to a less energetic ride. This specific formulation of FF Turbo Plus is our current favorite foam on the market, dethroning our longtime favorite ZoomX.

The Metaspeed Sky Paris's wide forefoot design seems incongruous with the narrow midfoot we've come to expect in race shoes. But we think it contributes to the shoe's exceptional comfort. It allows our forefoot and toes to splay out a bit more, which feels great during a long effort on a hot day.

Finally, for runners who prefer a natural feeling to their race shoes, we think this is one of the better options. When compared to its closest competitors, the rocker is pronounced but doesn't feel as aggressive. There is less of a “thrown off the front of the foot” feeling than in other shoes, although we found the late/forefoot rocker to be very efficient. That led to a more controlled feeling shoe on landings. It's worth noting that we seem to experience a little less soreness after long, hard sessions in this shoe than in other super shoes, although that isn't quantifiable or easily attributed to just the shoe.

Responsiveness

The Metaspeed Sky Paris is the most responsive shoe in our test for a few reasons. First, FF Turbo Plus is comfortable and soft yet extremely energetic. Put simply, it rips. While it doesn't have the same exciting feeling that some PEBA-based foams do, the energy return is phenomenal. When paired with the plate geometry, this shoe is extremely propulsive.

Second, the shoe is light. Very light. That makes it extremely easy to turn over. It makes the shoe feel nimble underfoot, even with 39 mm of stack height. From a race standpoint, that's great. Plenty of evidence suggests a lighter shoe enhances running economy and performance.

Asics actually makes a twin for the Metaspeed Sky Paris, the Metaspeed Edge Paris. They're similar shoes, but the shape of the plate and overall geometry are slightly different. Asics claims the Sky is designed for “stride” runners, who lengthen their stride to increase speed, whereas the Edge is designed to promote turnover and forward propulsion. While we haven't run in the Edge, users do report a difference between the two. We found that the geometry and design of the Sky were extremely effective for our lead tester's mechanics, allowing the shoe to work at a very wide range of paces. Users who have run in both seem to gravitate towards the Sky for its lighter overall weight and slightly more natural feel.

For example, we found the shoe to feel more natural and stable at mile pace or faster than its competitors. The natural feeling of the rocker felt better at faster paces when we tend to land farther forward on our feet, without compromising propulsion at 10K pace or slower. Without a metabolic cart and some lab testing, we can't definitively say which super shoe improves our economy the most… but we're pretty confident it's the Metaspeed Sky Paris. That suggests it's a shoe that would work very well for runners with a longer stride who tend to land midfoot. But interestingly enough, many users with a higher cadence or heel-striking mechanics also report good results. That makes us even more confident in suggesting this shoe.

Stability

Going back to the stiff upper, we found this shoe to be among the more stable race shoes in our lineup. Because the lockdown is excellent and the lateral stiffness of the upper is above average, we felt much more confident going around corners in this shoe.

Similarly, the wider forefoot we mentioned earlier provides a reasonably stable platform for toe-off. The wider forefoot platform should feel familiar to runners who have tried the Novablast 4 or Superblast 2, just in a race-oriented fit. In comparison to some other super shoes, it feels more directional off the toe rather than uncontrolled. Still, if you're looking for a stable option, this probably isn't the best choice.

Upper Comfort

Race shoes are never the pinnacle of upper comfort. This shoe is no exception, but it has more than enough comfort to get you through a marathon.

We think the heel collar is just padded enough to prevent hot spots, and the tongue is comfortable. We didn't notice any hotspots or rubbing at any point.

The upper of the Metaspeed Sky Paris is stiffer than in its closest competitor, the Vaporfly 3. It's still malleable enough to wrap your foot and remain comfortable, but the added stiffness provides stability. It is also highly breathable.

Weight

6.85 ounces for a US men's 10.5 is insanely light. This is the only sub-7-ounce shoe we've tested in our lineup, and it is nearly half an ounce lighter than its closest competitor, the Vaporfly 3.

For context, some track spikes, which are designed for optimal speed and weight at the expense of comfort, weigh in around 5-6 ounces. This shoe packs significantly more comfort without the weight penalty we typically expect.

Traction

Our only concern with the performance of the Metaspeed Sky Paris is traction. The limited quantity of Asics Grip outsole doesn't perform as well as its competitors on wet or loose surfaces. While we didn't experience any issues on dry pavement, the lag of lugs and relatively minor siping didn't exude confidence on wet turns at fast paces.

Generally, race shoes tend to sacrifice traction for weight, and we're okay with that. We do think it's worth noting for runners who want confidence on wet roads.

Finally, while the midsole seems to have decent durability for a race shoe, we did find some premature wear in the outsole cutout near the outside of the toe after about 50 miles in the shoes. While it's unlikely to be a concern, the wear was unusual and worth noting.

Should You Buy the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris?

If you're comfortable with the price tag of super shoes, this is where your search should start — and likely end. This shoe is fast, comfortable, and versatile. Outside our minor concerns on wet pavement, there isn't anything we don't like about the shoe. For runners who are looking for a very stable race shoe, there are better options. A runner's response to super shoes is highly individual, so what works for us may not work for you. However, there are user reviews from a wide range of runners that suggest this is a shoe that will work for many. This is the shoe we would choose for any race, from the mile to the marathon.

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