Asics has always taken a different approach to its carbon plate running shoes than other brands, offering two options in the Metaspeed Sky and Metaspeed Edge that are meant to suit different running styles.
This sounds good on paper, but has never tallied up with my real-world experience of the shoes — I’ve always preferred the Sky despite having a running style that should suit the Edge. The waters have been muddied further this year by the introduction of a third racer, the Asics Metaspeed Ray.
All three are excellent carbon racers that have impressed me in testing, but I slightly prefer the ride feel Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo to the Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, while the Metaspeed Ray offers something quite different as a super-light and very soft shoe.
Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo (Black) at Amazon for $269.95Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo review: price and availability
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The Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo launched in June 2025 alongside the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo and Metaspeed Ray. It costs $270 / £240, which is a $20 price rise on its predecessor, the Metaspeed Edge Tokyo.
That’s the same price as the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, and a little cheaper than the Metaspeed Ray, which costs $300 / £265.
Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo review: design and fit
The Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo is currently only available in the red and black color that I tested, and it has a unisex fit. I found that it fit me well in my normal running shoe size, but it’s a little tighter around the toes than cushioned running shoes like the Asics Novablast 5 in the same size.
It’s an extremely light shoe, weighing just 5.9oz in my US men’s size 10, with the only shoes I’ve tested that are as light or lighter being Asics’ other racing options.
Despite the low weight, you’re still getting a generous stack of cushioning on the Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, which stands 39.5mm tall at the heel and 34.5mm at the forefoot for a 5mm drop.
Upper
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The Metaspeed Edge Tokyo has a very lightweight and breathable mesh upper made from a material Asics calls MotionWrap 3.0. I found that it held my foot securely and was comfortable over long distances, despite the limited padding on the upper, and I had no hot spots or rubbing with it.
Midsole
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The midsole on the Metaspeed Edge Tokyo is made from two different foams, with a top layer of FF Leap foam and a bottom layer of FF Turbo+. FF Leap is the softest and springiest foam Asics has, while FF Turbo+ has a firmer, more resilient feel.
In between the two foams, there is a full-length carbon plate, which differs from the one used on the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo in being more scooped, so it sits lower in the foam under the forefoot. The Sky Tokyo also differs in having the FF Leap foam in its midsole on the bottom, with FF Turbo+ on the top.
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Asics says these design differences make the Edge Tokyo more suitable for ‘cadence’ runners, who mostly increase their step rate when running faster, while the Sky Tokyo is for ‘stride’ runners, who mainly increase their stride length.
In practice, I’d say that while the shoes do feel a little different, I wouldn’t base your choice on running gait. I’m a ‘cadence’ runner and prefer the Sky Tokyo, and I noticed recently that British elite runner Eilish McColgan prefers the Edge Tokyo, and she is very much a ‘stride’ runner.
Confused? I’m not surprised. It is confusing, and I’m not a fan of the way Asics sets up its range myself. Short of trying on both shoes to see which you prefer directly, it’s hard to make a call on the Edge vs Sky, but I’ll endeavor to help you do that below.
Outsole
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There is not a lot of outsole rubber on the bottom of the Edge Tokyo, with just the forefoot and sides of the shoe covered. The foam that’s left exposed will start to show wear and tear quite quickly, but I haven’t found this has affected performance at all, and the grip has been good for me so far.
Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo review: running performance
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I’ve tested every generation of the Asics Metaspeed Sky and Edge shoes, and each time I’ve found both to be good shoes, but I preferred the Metaspeed Sky. That’s still the case here, but I put a lot of fast miles in the Edge Tokyo, and it did perform well.
Along with two tempo workouts, I did a 20-mile run in the shoe during marathon training and two track workouts where I swapped to the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo during the session to compare the two directly.
For me, the higher plate in the midsole of the Sky Tokyo gives it a more responsive feel, with more punch off the toes. But there are advantages to the setup of the Edge Tokyo, with the main one being that it’s a bit softer because it has the FF Leap directly underfoot, and the lower plate under the toes.
I think a lot of runners will find it more comfortable for long-distance events as a result, and those who land on the forefoot might get more bounce from it than I do with less loping style.
It’s a hard shoe to rate as a result. I think the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is one of the two best racers available, along with the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3, and the Edge Tokyo is probably just as good if you prefer its ride feel to the Sky Tokyo’s, but I remain a Sky man after a lot of running in both shoes.
Should you buy the Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo?
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The Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo is one of the better racing shoes on the market, but in a direct comparison with the Sky Tokyo, I prefer the latter, which makes the Edge Tokyo hard to recommend given the way Asics has approached its lineup.
However, many runners could well prefer the feel of the Edge to the Sky, and if you did prefer the Metaspeed Edge Paris, then I’d stick with it and get the Edge Tokyo over the Sky.
I’m not sure it helps Asics to have two shoes available in this way, but I will say that both are very good, and you won’t go too far wrong in picking up either of the Sky Tokyo or Edge Tokyo.
The Asics Metaspeed Ray offers a softer and springier ride, and is lighter than the Edge Tokyo, but it’s also less stable and durable. The Edge Tokyo is also more affordable and a more reliable pick than the Ray I’d say, even if I prefer how the Ray feels on the run.
Outside of the Asics range the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is the standout carbon racer available for me, with a highly efficient and rockered ride. The Metaspeed Edge Tokyo is more comfortable, especially if you have marathons in mind, and cheaper than the Puma, but the Fast-R 3 feels faster to me.
Asics Metaspeed Edge Tokyo: Price Comparison
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