With the debut of the MetaRide™ – a brand new luxury concept running shoe designed with a mixture of original ASICS technologies geared at re-engineering the running gait, ASICS hopes to completely shake up the world of long distance running, by making it easier and more efficient to run far.

And they aim to achieve this by minimising movement in the area where most energy is expended: the ankle joint; according to ASICS, the shoe is scientifically proven to offer a total reduction of energy loss at the ankle joint by one-fifth.

This difference, according to ASICS, could be crucial for long distance runners who want to achieve their full potential.

Some Key Benefits Of The ASICS MetaRide™

As well, other key benefits of the MetaRide™ include an improved static fit and grip in order to reduce ankle movement throughout the stride whilst also maintaining stability, as well as bringing runners a completely new and exciting running experience.

In order to create these benefits, at the heart of the shoe lies the GuideSole™ technology, which is a precision shaped curved sole that works by shifting the body weight forward and propelling runners on to give the feeling of effortless motion.

A New Era For ASICS

Said Yasuhito Hirota, ASICS President, “We believe that this new technology has the potential to disrupt the world of long distance running. This is the beginning of a new era for ASICS as we bring the best innovations to our fans while attracting a new generation of runners.”

Intrigued By The MetaRide™

As a marathon runner myself, I admit that I had been rather intrigued by the premise of the MetaRide™ and curious to see whether it would really help my running.

And apparently the running gods must have been listening – because I got lucky at the recent ASICS “MetaRide™ Weekend” roadshow which took place a couple of weeks ago at the brand’s Plaza Singapura store – and I walked away with a brand new pair of the MetaRide™ shoes in a lucky draw.

Classy And Elegant 

I really love the colour-way of the MetaRide™ shoes. With their black and red tones, the shoes look very classy, sleek and elegant. And this makes them one of the more sophisticated-looking running shoes that I have.

And since getting the shoes, I have taken them out on several runs of differing lengths, with the shortest one being around 5km and the longest one being roughly two hours. My MetaRide™ shoes now have more than 80KM of total mileage on them.

Feels Radically Different To Other ASICS Shoes

When I slipped my feet into the shoes for the very first time, I immediately noticed that they felt radically different to any ASICS shoe that I have worn before.

The main reason for this is the curved sole, which took me some time to get used to – for both running and walking.

For walking, I would say that the curved sole made me feel rather imbalanced at first and my feet only adjusted to this difference after taking a few steps with the shoes.

And in terms of running, after getting through the first few initial wobbly steps, I could feel that the curved sole seemed to be tipping me forward slightly, thus easing my body into a more efficient ‘fall’ pose with my shoulders over my hips.

I would say that this curved sole technology probably benefits heel-strikers the most, but as a mid-foot striker, I could still feel the MetaRide™ shoes working its magic – during my runs with the shoes, I seemed to be running at a faster pace than I normally would, even though I was exerting the same amount of perceived effort. 

Said Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer and Senior General Manager at the ASICS Institute of Sports Science, “The MetaRide™ concept and the new GuideSole™ technology are fundamentally different to any other shoe we have ever made or that’s on the market today.”

And he continued, “We looked at run efficiency in a uniquely ASICS way to provide a new ‘feel’ whilst maintaining our promise of perfection and protection.”

As well, after looking at my stats after most of my runs with the shoes, I noted too, that my running cadence also seemed to be quicker than usual, thanks to the shoes.

To some extent, this improved cadence may have been due to the centre of mass of the MetaRide™ shoes being nearer the forefoot, as this is supposed to help runners to swing through each stride more quickly and easily.

Smooth And Responsive

As well, the MetaRide™ shoes also feel very smooth and responsive, from toe-off to landing, thanks to the presence of the FLYTEFOAM and GEL technologies that are present in the shoe, and I could feel this springiness when I land, and at the same time, also propelling me forward when I toe-off. As such, I thought this made the MetaRide™ shoes very easy and comfortable to run with.

Not The Lightest Shoes Around

However, at 251 grams for the Women’s UK Size 5, these MetaRide™ shoes are not exactly the lightest shoe out there on the market.

And despite the fact that the MetaRide™ are being marketed as a long distance running shoe, I could feel the weight of the shoe getting to me on the two occasions when I had used them for runs lasting more than 90 Minutes.

This came in the form of my pace gradually slowing down after this point and my calves feeling progressively heavier with each stride, at the same time. 

I may probably need to do some more of my long runs in the shoes in order to confirm this for sure. But considering that I am used to wearing light shoes weighing close to 200 grams these days, this would be a plausible reason.

Mid-Sole And Forefoot Feels Stiff

At the same time, despite the shoe containing a lot of padding and cushioning, I also felt that the mid-sole and forefoot areas of the MetaRide™ seemed quite  stiff and I could feel the hardness, especially towards the last half hour of two of my longer runs. This didn’t help an existing callus on my right foot, which felt more pronounced after my run.

But I do wonder whether these areas in the sole will soften over time and with prolonged usage.

Roomy And Breathable

That said, the MetaRide™ shoes are pretty roomy. With my regular size, there is ample room in the toe-box for my toes to wriggle around. The shoes are true to size and they fit me perfectly.

The knitted upper is also quite breathable, keeping my feet cool and dry when I am running in Singapore’s tropical, balmy weather.

Conclusion

Originally I had expected that the MetaRide™ shoes would be fun to run with, but after taking them out for a couple of my longer runs, I think that I would probably continue to stick to a lighter pair of shoes for my longer training sessions and marathon races, as I gradually gear up towards the London Marathon on the 28th of April. 

But that said, I would definitely continue to use the MetaRide™ for my mid-length steady and tempo runs of about 60 to 80 Minutes – because I love the feeling of how the springiness appears to propel me forward when I run.

Where To Get The Shoes

The ASICS MetaRide™ luxury concept shoes are available at ASICS stores across Singapore as well as the brand’s retail partners and they have a price tag of S$399.