ASICS launch the METASPEED SKY TOKYO and METASPEED EDGE TOKYO, along with a brand new, super-light METASPEED RAY

These three ASICS products represent the pinnacle of the brand’s innovation with key advances in minimising weight and maximising performance.

Developed in collaboration with their top athletes alongside rigorous scientific research from the team at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science, the new shoes continue to lead ASICS' pursuit of creating products that cater to different runners and running styles.

Following extensive research, ASICS has added a new addition to its speed line, the METASPEED RAY. Featuring a truly innovative design, the shoe weighs just 129 grams, placing it among the very lightest carbon-plated distance racing shoes available on the market today. This new super-light option in the METASPEED series is designed for athletes who prioritise a bouncy, weightless ride and is particularly efficient for forefoot strikers.

Named ‘Ray’ based on the inspiration from the speed of a ray of light and the Japanese ‘Rei’, meaning ‘zero’ to signify its weightlessness, the shoe benefits from ASICS’ latest scientific innovations in its all-out pursuit of speed. The midsole is made entirely from the brand-new ASICS FF LEAP foam, ASICS’ lightest, softest and bounciest foam ever used, which provides a super lightweight experience, enabling athletes to take a powerful and confident leap forward in every stride. Its Matryx upper is formed of a light woven material to maintain the shoe’s lightness while providing a secure lockdown of the foot, even as the pace increases.

The shoe features a minimal carbon plate to help propel athletes forward at the foot-strike phase without adding undue weight to the shoe. Also adding to the shoe’s energetic underfoot feel is its innovative Dynamic Drop Structure, in which the fast deformation of the FF LEAP foam as your foot hits the ground creates a significantly greater drop than the 5mm drop in the shoe’s original design. The METASPEED RAY also grips well even on wet surfaces thanks to its ASICSGRIP outsole.

Completing the new lineup are the METASPEED SKY TOKYO and METASPEED EDGE TOKYO, the much-loved pinnacle racing shoes from the brand that have now been made better than ever before. The main difference between the two shoes can be found in the shape and positioning of the full-length carbon plate, which in the METASPEED SKY TOKYO is designed for stride-style runners, who have a long, loping gait and increase their speed by increasing their stride length. The METASPEED EDGE TOKYO is optimised for cadence-style runners, who take smaller steps and increase their speed by increasing both their stride length and the number of steps they take per minute.

Both the METASPEED SKY TOKYO and METASPEED EDGE TOKYO feature a combination of the new FF LEAP foam and the high-performance FF TURBO PLUS foam in their midsoles, so while the shoes provide the softest, bounciest ride ever seen in the METASPEED series, athletes will also benefit from added stability to give them the confidence to deliver their top speeds over the longer distances. The shoes are fitted with an improved MOTION WRAP 3.0 upper, which is lightweight and breathable, while providing a secure hold around the foot.

 

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To celebrate and showcase the new products, ASICS will take to the streets of Tokyo on May 3, alongside over 2750 runners, to hold a unique speed race on a fast, flat course next to Japan's National Stadium. The event – named Tokyo: Speed: Race – will offer runners, including world-class elite athletes, the opportunity to unlock new levels of confidence as they chase down new personal bests.

Looking further ahead, ASICS is looking forward to seeing the new METASPEED models inspire athletes to new records at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 25 in September, an event in which ASICS is an official partner.

Bashir Abdi, who is a double Olympic marathon medallist and an ASICS-sponsored elite marathoner, said: “The new collection of METASPEED models is the result of extensive scientific development from the ASICS team to refine and update the shoe according to feedback from myself and my fellow elite athletes. Not only do the new shoes reflect some of the specific details we look for in a racing shoe, but it is also a real confidence boost having the option of three models, which we can test and evaluate to determine which best suits our running style.”

Shuhei Takemura, project leader of the METASPEED series product development at ASICS, said: “It is a great moment to be able to share the latest ASICS METASPEED silhouettes with the world. This collection of shoes is innovatively designed to match different running styles and preferences to give all athletes the comfort and confidence to find their speed. Furthermore, we are humbled that this series of products will take on the name of Tokyo, a city that has an incredible sporting heritage and will be welcoming fans from around the world for the World Athletics Championships 25 later this year.”

The METASPEED SKY TOKYO and the METASPEED EDGE TOKYO will be available to purchase for £270 starting from July 25 2025, at both offline and online, and at select partners.

The METASPEED RAY will become available as of August 12 for £300.

To find out more about the new METASPEED series and other ASICS products, visit here.