Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris - Women's Review

The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris has a 26.5-degree rocker angle. This, combined with its carbon plate and Motion Wrap 2.0 upper, offers natural-feeling propulsion that is perfect for race day efforts. The Metaspeed is more stable than other super shoes we've tested, securing its standing as an ideal speed shoe for runners seeking a lightweight and responsive option.

Performance Comparision

Landing Comfort

Asics stuffed some serious magic into the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris. With a measured heel stack height of 36 mm and a 6 mm drop, the forefoot sits a comfortable 30 mm above the ground as you run.

The Metaspeed Sky Paris it a standout for intervals and quicker efforts as well as races, though it maintains its comfort during longer efforts. The rocker provides a smooth transition at higher speeds without sacrificing propulsion during longer races or slower training runs. This versatility makes the Metaspeed Sky Paris a strong recommendation for a wide range of runners seeking a responsive and comfortable option.

The Metaspeed Sky Paris midsole, infused with FF Turbo Plus, delivers a comfortable responsiveness that truly lives up to its name. This material offers exceptional energy return while maintaining a slightly forgiving feel, striking an ideal balance between speed and comfort. Compared to other top-tier racing shoes, the Metaspeed Sky Paris's midsole stands out for its softer, more natural ride, enhancing the overall comfort of this road runner. At the heart of the midsole lies a carbon plate, but the foam's cushioning effect mitigates the typical harshness of carbon, allowing for a smoother and more enjoyable running experience. The placement of these elements feels precisely crafted to serve midfoot strikers on a mission to PR, though heel strikers will also appreciate the rearfoot's thickness.

Among the many impressive features of the Metaspeed Sky Paris, the integration of its rocker and platform design truly shines. The platform, carefully crafted for performance, offers more toe box room than other speed shoes, making it adaptable to a variety of foot shapes. This extra space allows for natural toe splay, alleviating the common issue of numb toes during runs. The 26.5-degree rocker angle is noticeable without being overbearing — instead of forcing the foot forward into a cramped toe box, the shoe's wider platform provides a balanced, supportive feel that is atypical in the world of super shoes. These elements create a harmonious blend of propulsion and comfort, setting the Metaspeed Sky Paris apart from its competitors this season.

Responsiveness

The Metaspeed Sky Paris stands out as one of the most responsive shoes we've tested, thanks to a combination of factors.

The FF Turbo Plus foam perfectly balances softness and energy return, delivering an incredibly dynamic ride at a variety of paces. Its softness provides comfort without inhibiting its responsiveness, which is unusual and also delightful. Paired with the well-engineered carbon plate, the midsole foam provides exceptional propulsion without the extra bounce of some of the PEBA-based midsoles.

Shoe Responsiveness Over Varying Effort Levels

Product	Easy (Recovery)	Moderate (Marathon)	Threshold (10K)	Fast (5K)
Best	3	4.5	5	5
Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris	3	4.5	5	5
Average	3.3	3.3	2.8	2.7
Worst	2	2	1	1

The levity of this shoe's makeup is remarkable. Especially considering its relatively high stack and plentiful tech, the nimble ride it provides is unlike other racing shoes we've tested. The foam, plate, and lightweight makeup create a seriously strong running economy and performance, particularly in race settings.

The Metaspeed Sky Paris is marketed as a shoe that is designed to encourage longer stride lengths, thus leading to quicker times and less energy expended by the runner. While we didn't specifically feel like our strides were longer during our training runs, the Metaspeed offers the most natural feeling responsiveness of any shoe we've ever tested (yes, ever). This is because of the rocker angle, apex location (68.0% forward from the back), and slightly softer foam. The intuitive design helps runners conserve energy as they rely on their own running economy and organic gait patterns for success. In stark contrast, some of the most well-known super shoes encourage more specified gait patterns, which can ultimately cut down on the efficacy of a runner's inherent economy.

Stability

When it comes to race day speed, the Metaspeed Sky stands out for its superior stability compared to its rivals. Its slightly structured upper provides a more secure fit, eliminating the unstable, wobbly sensation that's common in many high-stack, ultra-responsive racing shoes. This added support makes the Metaspeed Sky Paris feel more controlled without compromising its quick, race-ready performance.

The slightly wider forefoot of the Metaspeed Sky Paris adds a comfortable base of support that adds to its stability efforts. The heel cup is well-structured without adding bulk — this pairs well with the functional midfoot lock. Overall, the Metaspeed Sky Paris is not a stability shoe, but it is the most stable racing shoe we've had the pleasure of testing. If you are looking for a training shoe that will correct overpronation, Asics makes better options. But if a racing shoe that offers some stability is more your style, the Metaspeed Sky Paris is the gold standard amid this season's fantastic lineup of racing shoes.

Upper Comfort

Racing shoes aren't known for their plush uppers. In fact, most racing shoes have uppers made of unstructured engineered mesh. While the upper of the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris appears to be constructed in the same manner, its functionality knocked our moisture-wicking socks off (sorry, there are only so many sock puns one review editor can come up with).

The heel collar of the Metaspeed offers more rigidity compared to other racing shoes, enhancing comfort with its plush, soft-touch feel. The breathability and structure of the Motion Wrap 2.0 mesh create a snug fit, offering just the right amount of support to keep your feet stable throughout your run. The tongue, at about 0.75 mm thick, provides minimal padding, but the lacebed's design is forgiving enough to make the tongue's thinness functional. That said, we do wish the Metaspeed featured a gusseted tongue. While not a dealbreaker, the soft, thin tongue requires a bit of adjustment to ensure it lies flat when lacing up. While there are other uptempo road shoes that provide a bit more overall softness and comfort, the balance between upper comfort and responsive power makes the Metaspeed Sky an easy favorite.

Weight

At 5.10 ounces per women's size 6.5 shoe, the Metaspeed is one of the lightest shoes in our lineup. As shoes become lighter, it seems that some sacrifice inherent comfort in the name of shedding weight. We are pleased to report that the Metaspeed rides like the antithesis of that notion.

The second lightest road shoe we've tested on the women's side, the Metaspeed Sky Paris provides a bit more comfort and stability than its most similar competitor. For lightweight racing, this shoe is a chart-topping favorite.

Traction

We'd love to say that the Metaspeed Sky Paris is perfect for agility as well, but it lacks the traction needed for rapid directional changes.

With an essentially flat outsole, we found ourselves dialing back the speed to steer around gravelly corners or across oily eucalyptus leaves. We did find that the minimal traction offered by this shoe is perfectly capable of handling the predictable curves of a track with ease.

Should You Buy the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris?

We are keenly aware of the diverse needs that many runners face when shopping for a new road shoe. However, the Metaspeed Sky Paris is a race shoe built for the masses. It won't be a magic bullet to Olympic-level speed, and its fit can't Sisterhood-of-the-Traveling-Pants its way into fitting all feet, but it is as close to a universal racing shoe as we have seen. The biggest gripe we have with this shoe is its price. There are a few other high-performing shoes that cost a bit less, but the top echelon tends to cost a similar amount. If you have the budget and want a race-ready shoe, this is our top racing shoe recommendation.

What Other Road Running Shoes Should You Consider?

From a fiscal standpoint, the Metaspeed is at the top of the pack with the likes of the Nike Alphafly 3 and the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4. All three of these super shoes offer incredible performance, with each one offering slight nuances that will appeal to different running styles and tastes. The SuperComp Elite v4 is another tester favorite and scores almost identically to the Metaspeed. The SuperComp has a minutely more narrow profile, weighs about an ounce and a half more, and has a slightly taller stack. The Alphafly is ever-so-slightly more responsive but lacks the comfort and stability of the Metaspeed. The Brooks Hyperion Max 2 is super-shoe-adjacent and has an excellent balance of comfort and responsiveness. It isn't quite as responsive as the aforementioned shoes, but it is significantly more affordable. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 costs nearly the same as the Hyperion, but offers a more plush landing pad.