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ASICS Metaspeed Ray
Road Racing

ASICS Metaspeed Ray

A forgiving, bouncy short-range racer best suited to stronger runners at 5K/10K pace; too soft and narrow to trust over longer distances. — EDDBUD

$300.00 at Fleet Feet See all prices →
Physical blueprint

Where this shoe sits

Weight 130 g
Heel stack 43.0 mm
Drop 5.0 mm
Cushioning Maximal

Best for

Marathon Racing5K / 10K Racing
Suits Forefoot, Heel, Midfoot strikers
Pronation Neutral
Surface Road
Lifespan 150-200 mi

Specifications

Weight (M9)
130g (4.6 oz)
Stack (Heel)
43.0 mm
Stack (Forefoot)
38.0 mm
Drop
5.0 mm
Midsole
FF Leap (supercritical A-TPU)
Plate
Carbon (Full-length carbon fiber plate)
Outsole
ASICSGRIP rubber
Upper
Matryx upper
Lacing
Traditional

Fit Profile

Length
True To Size
Forefoot Width
Wide
Midfoot Width
Narrow
Heel Width
Average
Lockdown
Good
Toe Box
Average
Sizing
True To Size

Ride Characteristics

Cushioning
Maximal
Stability
Neutral

Durability

Expected Miles
150-200
Outsole
Average

Expert reviews · 5 reviewers · grouped per channel

BI
Believe in the Run Youtube ↑

Megan's pick over the Sky/Edge Tokyo. Knocks out the Adidas Pro 4 in her bracket — soft landing + really propulsive forefoot once you adjust to the instability.

source
+1 earlier review from Believe in the Run

After 103 miles, the Metaspeed Ray's foam still delivers — bouncy and lively despite ugly cosmetic wear — making it Megan's top ASICS race-day pick over the Sky and Edge.

Best for: Marathon racing and marathon-pace workouts for runners who like a soft, forgiving underfoot feel and want a lighter alternative to the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2.

103 miles tested · source
DO
Doctors of Running Youtube ↑

A top-tier 10k/half racer at 4.5oz — incredibly light, very bouncy, very soft, but the compliant foam runs unstable for anyone with stability needs and on sharp turns.

Best for: Neutral-mechanics runners racing 10k to half marathon (some can manage marathon); track-spike weight feel with World-Athletics-legal stack

6 miles tested · source
E
EDDBUD Youtube ↑

EDDBUD finds the Metaspeed Ray's Flight Foam Leap incredibly soft and light but too unstable at slower paces, suggesting it's limited to half marathon at most for many runners.

source
+4 earlier reviews from EDDBUD

EDDBUD's #1 shoe of 2025. Minimal outsole, angel-wing upper, super-squashy bouncy midsole with tons of impact protection. Paid ~£220 on discount and the joy was worth every penny.

Best for: Pure racing nirvana

source

EDDBUD's #1 race shoe of 2025. Super cushioned, very soft, feels from the future. Lightest racer in his collection. FF Leap durability surprisingly good. Used across parkruns, 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathon pace. Don't use on leaves/mud.

source

The best race shoe for the money right now. EDDBUD ran 20:22 at an Exmouth parkrun off poor 5K-specific prep while ill, which convinced him he doesn't need the £450 Pro Evo 2 — he could buy two pairs of Rays for the price of one Pro Evo 2.

Best for: Runners who want a completely transparent race-day shoe that reveals their true fitness without being embellished — for 5K through marathon distances.

source

A forgiving, bouncy short-range racer best suited to stronger runners at 5K/10K pace; too soft and narrow to trust over longer distances.

Best for: Stronger runners racing 5K to 10K on smooth even surfaces

source
K
Kofuzi Youtube ↑

Kofuzi's preferred ASICS racing shoe — a super-lightweight racer built entirely from FF Blast with a teardrop 3/4 forefoot plate; squishy and potentially unstable for heel strikers but very exciting and the lightest in the lineup.

source
+2 earlier reviews from Kofuzi

#3 carbon racer. Incredibly light, very dynamic foam. Set a women's world marathon best at Valencia, but John Korir DNF'd Chicago in it — very specific shoe for specific runners.

source

Kofuzi's dream racer — extraordinary 4.5oz weight, FF Blast that smushes and rebounds without feeling mushy, paper-thin Matryx upper. At $300, a bargain vs the $500 Adios Pro Evos.

Best for: Marathon to 5K racing for runners who like a soft, fast-rebounding underfoot feel — slight tilt toward forefoot/midfoot strikers who prefer the Metaspeed Sky character.

source
TR
The Run Testers Youtube ↑

A genuinely exciting hyper-light racer — softer, bouncier, more fun than the Pro Evo 2, and a fraction cheaper. Stability is the only reservation for longer races.

Best for: Runners who want a very fun, fast, super-light racer for 5K–half marathon, with potential for marathon use if you can handle the softness.

source
+3 earlier reviews from The Run Testers

Best for: Shorter-distance racing — Nick set 10K PB in it.

source

For pure fun at fast paces, about as good as it gets if you can live with a little instability. Sky Tokyo / Edge Tokyo are safer bets (cheaper, more durable, also very light).

source

Nick found it a fantastic aggressive racer at shorter distances, preferring it to the Metaspeed Edge, but too punchy and unstable for longer racing.

Best for: 5K and 10K racing at full effort

28 miles tested · source

Frequently asked questions

How does the ASICS Metaspeed Ray fit?

Reviewers note: Notably narrower heel than the Feidian 6

Per EDDBUD.

How much does the ASICS Metaspeed Ray weigh and what is its drop?

The ASICS Metaspeed Ray weighs about 130g (men's 9), has a 43.0mm heel stack and a 5.0mm heel-toe drop.

What shoes is the ASICS Metaspeed Ray compared to?

Reviewers compare the ASICS Metaspeed Ray to Li-Ning Feidian 6 Elite, ASICS Metaspeed Edge Tokyo, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1.

Per EDDBUD, The Run Testers, Kofuzi, Believe in the Run, Doctors of Running.

How many experts have reviewed the ASICS Metaspeed Ray?

Next Pair aggregates 15 expert reviews of the ASICS Metaspeed Ray, including EDDBUD, The Run Testers, Kofuzi.

Per EDDBUD, The Run Testers, Kofuzi.

Where it sits among similar shoes

Compared to other road racing in the same lane.

Weight · lower = lighter Men's size 9
ASICS Metaspeed Ray
130g
Nike Streakfly 2
128g
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
139g
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
130g
Heel stack · higher = more cushioning mm
ASICS Metaspeed Ray
43.0mm
Nike Streakfly 2
26.0mm
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
33.0mm
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
39.0mm
Drop · higher = more heel-leaning mm
ASICS Metaspeed Ray
5.0mm
Nike Streakfly 2
4.0mm
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
3.5mm
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
3.0mm

Continue reading

Compare with

ASICS Metaspeed Ray vs Nike Alphafly 3
Side-by-side breakdown
ASICS Metaspeed Ray vs Saucony Endorphin Elite 2
Side-by-side breakdown

Foam guide

How Supercritical foams foam works
Read the explainer

Similar shoes

Nike Streakfly 2
128g · 4.0mm drop
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
139g · 3.5mm drop
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
130g · 3.0mm drop
Altra Vanish Carbon 2
215g · 0.0mm drop

ASICS Metaspeed Ray

Data-driven recommendation backed by expert reviews.

Ask the advisor
Methodology. Specs come from manufacturer data and authoritative third-party catalogs. Reviewer verdicts are summarized from named, linked sources — never copied verbatim. We weight clinical and lab-tested sources more heavily than community commentary, but the specific weights stay internal. Never sponsored, never paid placement.
Last updated 2026-06-19