The Metafuji Trail super shoe from ASICS is a beast built for attacking tamer terrain.
The ASICS Metafuji Trail is the latest trail running shoe to deploy road-shoe-style tech for off-road adventures. It joins the likes of the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra and the HOKA Tecton X3 in combining a big stack of superfoam, a winged carbon plate and modified trail-friendly uppers and outsole, for a punched-up multi-terrain ride.
The result is a trail shoe that’s more aggressive than traditional off-roaders, capable of tackling road and trail. But are they too hot for us regular trail runners to handle when things get more challenging? I’ve raced marathons and ultras in the ASICS Metafuji Trail on a wide mix of terrain to find out.
Men’s Fitness verdict
With its road shoe DNA and carbon plate the Metafuji Trail is a dream on flowing trails. That mighty stack could make you come unstuck on steep, technical descents though.- Efficient, quick and powerful
- Well cushioned for the long haul
- Comfortable, roomy fit
- A bit aggressive for technical terrain
- Expensive
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ASICS Metafuji Trail: what’s new?
The ASICS Metafuji Trail looks like a road super shoe tweaked for the trails. Imagine taking a carbon race shoe and slapping a grippier trail outsole on the bottom. It’s got all the aesthetics of a lively, punchy shoe and the design credentials to back that up.
The standout feature is the massive midsole which deploys two of ASICS’ top-performing foams in a dual-foam set-up along with a full-length, trail-tailored carbon plate. Around that plate, you get a layer of light, responsive and bouncy Flytefoam Turbo and a layer of cushioned but more stable Flytefoam Blast Plus.
The stack height comes in at a whopping 45m in the heel and 40mm in the forefoot – that’s massive for a trail shoe. That creates a 5mm drop.
Up top, you’ve got a light, breathable technical mesh material that’s reinforced with Pebax yarn in the midfoot. Overlays also add support where it’s needed most. The Metafuji Trail also uses serrated lace-lock laces that stay put once you’ve laced in.
Flip them over and the outsole features ASICSGrip outsole rubber compound and a covering of 4.5mm lugs.
ASICS Metafuji Trail fit
When it comes to fit, I tested my regular ASICS size which is a UK 8.5 and I found the fit nicely on point. There’s plenty of room up front in the toe box, for length and across the top of the toes. That’s great for longer run adventures where feet can swell. Also for steep downhills where you want to avoid toenails jabbing the end of the shoe.
It’s easy to lock in across the midfoot for a good secure hold. I had no slipping off that midsole on rolling trails and my heels also held well. I found some sliding forwards on the very steepest descents but thankfully nothing too troubling.
Overall I was happy with the fit and I’d recommend going true to size.
ASICS Metafuji Trail performance
In testing I’ve covered close to 100 miles in the ASICS Metafuji Trail. That includes a full marathon race test on the mixed terrain of the New Forest Marathon where I clocked a 3:08 course PB. Plus a more testing 8-hour 55km at the 5 Valleys Ultra on the much steeper climbs, descents and more technical terrain of the UK’s Lake District.
The ASICS Metafuji Trail has a light, airy feel on the foot with plenty of toebox wiggle room that makes it long-haul friendly.
I ran in 23 degrees and it’s like they were built for those conditions. But I also ploughed through loads of puddles, shin-deep mud and bogs. Even when they got wet, they shed excess water and mud quickly, so I never felt weight down.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a trail shoe that shares much of its DNA with a road carbon race shoe (the ASICS Metaspeed), the ASISC Metafuji excels when you’re attacking tamer, flowing trails and firmer ground.
It’s brilliant on light off-road river paths, groomed gravel sections and singletrack trails that aren’t too steep. Basically anything that’s not too technical and doesn’t require rock-solid grip. When you’re running that kind of trail, the big stack of energetic foam and the carbon plate kicks in for an dynamic ride with all the wild energy you’re willing to risk unleashing.
Tarmac potential
In fact, the midsole performance could outperform some road shoes on the tarmac. During the road-to-trail marathon, where I was able to push close to my road marathon pace, it ran like a dream.
However, when you hit the steeper descents, on ground that’s less certain, that punchiness becomes a problem.
On the uneven grassy downhills of the Lake District where you rarely get a reliable landing and gravity already has you struggling for control, the midsole stack is simply too high, too unstable and too aggressive. At least for this average downhill runner. At times, the combination left me feeling massively out of control.
Gifted downhill runners might be able to control the ASICS Metafuji Trail but it’s likely to be too aggressive for the majority.
The grip is excellent on more rolling terrain. The 4.5mm lugs were nicely grippy for the flatter but wet conditions at the New Forest Marathon, not too sticky when I ran bone-dry trails and shallow enough to allow easy movement on road. On the steeper, slippier descents, faced with wet rocks, grass or surface mud, I wanted more. Even on the wet-grass climbs I found my wheels sometimes spinning.
ASICS Metafuji Trail verdict
This is an excellent turbo-charged trail shoe that’s ideal for fast runs on a very specific type of terrain – namely groomed off-road paths, gravel tracks and anything where there’s a certainty to your landings. It packs all the oomph of a road shoe and just enough grip to handle less taxing trail conditions. Those runs and races where you wonder if you can get away with a road shoe – that’s where this works best. Anything too uneven, that’s where it struggles for stability.
When you compare it to more traditional shoes like a HOKA Speedgoat 6, a Merrell Agility Peak or an ASICS Gel Trabuco, it’s like a trail shoe on steroids. There’s a clear difference between these punchier superfoam racers and the more traditional trail shoes.
The ASICS Metafuji Trail definitely drops into the mix with the HOKA Tecton X3, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra and the best faster trail options.
Trail shoes are changing fast and while this isn’t a shoe I’d recommend for every runner, or a shoe I’d choose to run steep, technical terrain, when the trails are smooth and flowing, this is a highly capable shoe that serves up a whole lotta fun over almost any distance.
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