Asics just dropped its most ambitious racing shoe lineup yet, headlined by the ultra-light Metaspeed Ray, in a bold bid to close the gap on Nike and Adidas in the elite distance running arms race.
What’s new
Asics launched three new super shoes at a high-profile event in Tokyo:
- Metaspeed Sky Tokyo (for stride runners)
- Metaspeed Edge Tokyo (for cadence runners)
- Metaspeed Ray, a brand-new silhouette that is now Asics’ lightest-ever carbon-plated racer
Release dates:
- Sky & Edge Tokyo: July 25
- Ray: August 12
- Prices have not yet been officially disclosed, but expect a premium tier ($250–$300), in line with competitors.
Specs Breakdown
Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
- Foam: Top layer FF Blast Turbo Plus, bottom FF Leap
- Carbon plate: Flatter, higher in the stack for vertical propulsion
- Target runner: Stride-based runners (long, loping mechanics)
Metaspeed Edge Tokyo
- Foam: Top layer FF Leap, bottom FF Blast Turbo
- Carbon plate: Curved, lower in the midsole for horizontal propulsion
- Target runner: Cadence-based runners (higher step rate)
Metaspeed Ray
- Foam: Full-length FF Leap (15.2% lighter than FF Blast Turbo Plus)
- Carbon plate: Ultra-minimal, ¾ length, tapered
- Weight: 129g (Men’s UK 8.5) — lighter than the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 (138g)
- Design intent: Forefoot-focused elite racer — “a dream model for athletes,” says project lead Shuhel Takemura
- Durability pitch: “Designed to last more than just one race”
All three shoes feature the new Motion Wrap 3.0 upper and ASICSGRIP outsole, with minor outsole placement variations to cater to different running mechanics.
Why it matters
Asics is going all-in on performance innovation after years of trailing Nike and Adidas in the super shoe game.
- In 2020, the company launched a skunkworks team known as the C-Project (short for chojo, meaning “peak” in Japanese) to reinvent its elite racing line.
- Since then, the Metaspeed line has steadily improved — but 2025 may be its breakout year.
“The [Asics] athletes didn’t use our shoes… we realised we’d fallen behind,” Takemura admitted at the Tokyo launch.
Race-Proven…Quietly
Asics’ latest models haven’t just dropped out of nowhere — they’ve been making stealth appearances in some of the world’s biggest races.
- John Korir wore what appears to be a prototype of the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo to win both the 2024 Chicago Marathon and 2025 Boston Marathon.
- In Chicago, he ran one of the fastest second halves of a marathon ever — sub-60 minutes — fueling speculation about the shoe’s assistive power.
- An Asics prototype has been registered in the World Athletics shoe compliance database for months, suggesting these shoes were quietly tested at top-tier events before public launch.
The Super Shoe Wars
The Ray’s entry comes amid a super shoe arms race hotter than ever:
| Brand | Top Racer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nike | Alphafly 3 | Holds both marathon WRs |
| Adidas | Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 | London & Tokyo 2025 wins |
| Puma | Fast-R Nitro Elite 2 | Released April 2025, early tests suggest unmatched speed |
| Asics | Metaspeed Ray | Lightest in class, durability angle |
The Adidas Evo still leads in elite podium wins so far in 2025, but Asics is closing the gap with recent victories.
The Big Picture
This launch marks a turning point for Asics, long known for durability and comfort rather than podium finishes.
- While Nike still dominates with market share and record books, Asics is making an aggressive push, both in tech and athlete partnerships.
- According to a 2024 Running USA report, Nike held 42% of the racing shoe market, followed by Adidas (28%) and Asics (14%) — but Asics was the fastest-growing brand year over year.
Unlike some elite-only shoes, Asics claims the Ray will be more widely available — though exact release numbers remain undisclosed.
What’s next
The C-Project team is already working on the next-gen Metaspeed line — possibly for the Olympic cycle — and Tokyo’s race exhibition suggests Asics plans to build more media buzz around its tech.
As other brands race to create faster, lighter, and more exclusive shoes, Asics is betting on a mix of innovation and accessibility.
