ASICS METASPEED SKY TOKYO TRAINERS
| £239.99 | BUY NOW FROM SPORTSSHOES.COM |
PLEASE NOTE: I paid for the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo trainers myself and was not gifted these trainers or paid by Asics to give a honest review. This page contains affiliate links. Making a purchase via our affiliate link means I may receive a small share of the sale.
A top tier racer with instant energy, held back by what feels like a poor build quality.
Having loved the Asics Superblast 2’s (check out that review here) and previously enjoying the Metaspeed Sky Paris.
I wanted to check out the new Metaspeed Tokyo with FF Leap foam as a potential race day option for a spring marathon I have my eye on.
I’m deep into ultra training at the moment and haven’t done much speed work, so I wasn’t expecting anything special from my legs, but I gave them a proper go on a 5K tempo effort. They held pace well and did their job. Stable, efficient, and with enough pop to keep things ticking.
I’ll be interested to see how they feel over a longer effort once I start reintroducing marathon and threshold work in a few weeks, but my initial reaction was positive and it feels like Asics have finally produced a marathon racer that stacks up against the competition.
FIT & COMFORT
They slipped on easily with minimal fuss from the non gusseted tongue but lacing them was hit and miss.
I went with my normal method of lacing right to the top using a runner’s loop, but it felt overly tight across the top of my foot and quickly became uncomfortable. I switched back to standard lacing, leaving the top eyelet unused, and that felt far better. No heel slip either, so happy with the lockdown once adjusted.
Fit is true to size for me with enough room in the toe box to handle marathon miles. That said, the shoe overall is on the narrow side, especially noticeable through the midfoot. If you’ve got wide feet, it might not work. However no feeling of instability.
The heel pad is a single piece with no obvious pressure points or stitching. As someone who’s prone to blisters, I’d expect this to be a safe option once I start logging longer efforts in them.
However the finish of this was one of the first things I noticed, the edges are raw, open material which gives it a less than premium feel and look, I get that weight saving is a priority but I think the finish here could have been better.
MIDSOLE & RIDE
The Sky Tokyo has a 5mm drop with an upper layer made of Asics tried and tested FF Turbo plus while underneath that you’ve got a large slab of the new FF Leap foam.
There’s a flat carbon plate in the midsole, set higher than in most racers to better suit a stride style runner. It’s a big, dramatic looking midsole, there’s no subtlety here but it works and I like it.
They don’t feel soft when you first put them on and walking in them was more firm than plush (almost the opposite of something like the Adidas Pro 4) but when I started properly moving the energy return is instant.
A pleasant surprise compared to the previous Metaspeed Sky Paris which felt dull for the first 50km, this one feels lively straight away. There’s a real pop off the forefoot, and the ride feels propulsive, stable, and surprisingly fun.
OUTSOLE
The sole has a sliver of Asicsgrip with a large area of exposed FF Leap foam.
The initial 5k road run showed no sign of wear, although id be really disappointed if it had.
I will need to put some more miles on them to properly comment on the sole durability.
UPPERS & LACING
The new motion light 3.0 upper is light, breathable, and holds the foot well. No pressure points or bunching.
The laces are excellent, textured and non-slip, premium feel, and they stay tied. Just avoid over-tightening; there’s not a huge amount of give.
WEIGHT
They come in around 170g for a UK men’s 8.5, which is very light and noticeably so on foot.
PRICE
Price is roughly in line with other top tier carbon racers, though I do think Asics could have done better on the finish for the money.
WHERE TO BUY
I bought the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo trainers from SportsShoes.com using the link below.
| £239.99 | BUY NOW FROM SPORTSSHOES.COM |
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is a strong step forward from the original. It’s light, fast, and delivers instant energy return with a firm but responsive ride. It feels like a race shoe from the moment you lace up, no breaking in or waiting for the foam to soften.
Lockdown is good once adjusted, and the single piece heel pad should help avoid any blister issues.
If you’re looking for a racer that feels snappy and efficient at tempo and threshold pace, it’s a compelling option.
AFTER 100KM
After running 100KM in them I can safely say: this shoe feels like it was made for ninja assassins.
I’ve now put about 100k into the Sky Tokyo and WOW, what a shoe. It has genuinely blown me away and cemented itself as my number one pick for a fast racing shoe. Right now, it’s the shoe I’ll be lacing up for my March marathon.
One of the first things I noticed (aside from the instant bounce and the grin it put on my face) was just how quiet they are. At 85kg, I often get a bit of slap from other super shoes with each stride, but not here. The Sky Tokyo barely whispers, a soft compression of foam before snapping back and launching you forward. It’s addictive.
In the last two weeks I’ve used them during ultra training: a few sharper 10 mile efforts, and then across my peak week back to back long runs. That included 30k in the Sky Tokyo on Saturday (plus 20k in the Superblast 2), then 20k in them again on Sunday (plus another 10k in the Supers). Truthfully, I wanted to keep them on for the full 80k, but I’m trying to save them for harder efforts and races once the ultra is done.
The energy return hasn’t faded. They still feel electric underfoot, they’re incredibly light, surprisingly stable, and now I can confirm the durability is excellent. At around 100k, the outsole grip looks untouched and the exposed foam has only minor wear, mainly in the toe off area. Honestly, if these were Alphaflys, they’d be looking far worse by now.
With regard to my initial concerns on build quality and that slightly less than premium feel, I have to say there has been one issue with the heel pad. Where there’s no stitching, the inner pad has come unstuck and rolled up a little. It’s not something I’ve noticed while running, and I do like the one piece, unstitched heel pad as it’s been very comfortable with zero rubbing, but it did let me down a touch. To ASICS credit, they’ve offered to exchange them under warranty, and I’m hopeful it’s just an isolated issue with my pair.
Overall, I’m extremely pleased with the Sky Tokyo. They’ve more than lived up to the hype, they feel genuinely special on foot, and I’d happily recommend them to anyone looking for a fast, durable racer.
PROS
- Instant bounce and energy return from the dual foam setup
- Whisper quiet ride, even for heavier runners
- Excellent durability: outsole barely touched at 100k
- Incredibly light and race ready straight out of the box
- Surprisingly stable for such a soft, responsive shoe
CONS
- Heel pad quality issue (though likely isolated and covered by warranty)
- Upper finish still feels a little less premium compared to rivals
- Price in line with top tier racers (so not cheap)
CONCLUSION
The Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo has blown me away. It’s light, fast, durable and fun, and right now it’s my top choice for my March marathon.
If you’re after a true racing shoe that feels special every time you lace it up, this is the one I’d recommend.