A meaningfully reworked Magic Speed — trimmed stack, more premium FF Leap-style foam, race-flat feel — that rewards heel strikers and tempo work but felt too firm and unprotective at easy paces for forefoot strikers. — Kofuzi
A fast, stable, and beginner-friendly carbon trainer/racer that's firm underfoot and best reserved for faster running rather than easy miles.
Best for: Tempo and threshold sessions, and a good entry point into carbon-plated shoes for beginner/intermediate runners
A genuinely good speed trainer that finally finds its niche between the GlideRide Max and the Metaspeed/Metaplus, but the £170 price is hard to justify when a Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is the same price and can also race.
Best for: Threshold workouts, intervals, marathon-pace tempo runs as a dedicated speed trainer in an ASICS rotation between a max-stack daily and a race-day shoe.
A stripped-down, race-like tempo shoe with carbon plate and FF Leap foam designed for short punchy redline intervals; Kofuzi enjoyed its updates but notes other shoes in the lineup can cover its role.
A meaningfully reworked Magic Speed — trimmed stack, more premium FF Leap-style foam, race-flat feel — that rewards heel strikers and tempo work but felt too firm and unprotective at easy paces for forefoot strikers.
Best for: Heel and midfoot strikers looking for a tempo / up-tempo shoe that can also race 5K-10K distances.
Reviewers note: Minimally padded tongue and lightly padded heel collar — race-like upper. Heel cup has rigidity without being restrictive.
Per Kofuzi.
The ASICS Magic Speed 5 weighs about 201g (men's 9), has a 36.0mm heel stack and a 7.0mm heel-toe drop.
Reviewers compare the ASICS Magic Speed 5 to ASICS Magic Speed 4, ASICS Sonicblast, Puma Deviate Nitro 4, Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 11.
Per Kofuzi, FORDY RUNS, Ben Parkes.
Next Pair aggregates 4 expert reviews of the ASICS Magic Speed 5, including Kofuzi, FORDY RUNS, Ben Parkes.
Per Kofuzi, FORDY RUNS, Ben Parkes.
Compared to other road speed training in the same lane.
