ASICS MetaRacer Review: The Real Deal (Finally!)

Kinda surprised they went with the Nimbus Lite flytefoam instead of the flytefoam blast though. I guess the Glide/Evo/Meta line is less about soft and bouncy and more about the firmer guidesole anyways.

Flytefoam blast is an awesome foam. It's pretty similar to zoom X. I hope they make a racer with it in future

This is Jim Kiler wrote:

If Hoka didn't exist, and this shoe without the plate existed five years ago, it would be among the highest stack height shoes around. Yet it can trash your legs.

It's amazing how we survived.

Hear, hear.

I've done marathons in the Altra One2 and Solstice and I'm looking forward to being able to at least try these on.

I'm not sure about the fit since I haven't worn an ASICS shoe since the Onitsuka track spikes I wore had in high school nearly 40 years ago. I also like less drop but I'll still give them a try.

bloodbagviren wrote:

Flytefoam blast is an awesome foam. It's pretty similar to zoom X. I hope they make a racer with it in future

This was my first impression (and I think I have it in the review actually) was that the FlyteFoam in the MetaRacer felt to the touch just like ZoomX. It's denser than FlyteFoam Blast, and slightly more... organic feeling? Hard to explain - but you can tell visually and from feel that it's a new and different composition.

Agreed with Cheese r.e. innovation. Maybe the Carbon Rocket at some point, but we can't really say anything with a carbon plate is a "clone" anymore. Heck, we could even stop calling them competitors (i.e. FuelCell TC).

Also, to go back a couple posts (sorry, LetsRun forums aren't super conducive to actual discussion) - I believe ASICS did not have the production version finalized for, for example, Eikden. There were several prototype instances with a weird cut-out on the medial arch, and a different heel collar - that didn't make it to the market shoe. So there may have been reasons those runners didn't want to wear them. Or it may just be Nike sucking up more top athletes - it's certainly a hard pull to resist.

Alberto's Dog wrote:

bloodbagviren wrote:

Flytefoam blast is an awesome foam. It's pretty similar to zoom X. I hope they make a racer with it in future

This was my first impression (and I think I have it in the review actually) was that the FlyteFoam in the MetaRacer felt to the touch just like ZoomX. It's denser than FlyteFoam Blast, and slightly more... organic feeling? Hard to explain - but you can tell visually and from feel that it's a new and different composition.

Did you run in the Nimbus lite? Supposedly it is that version. Interested in the difference and choice between the two since RTR seemed to like the Nimbus Lite midsole and Novablast midsole a lot. My guess is the blast might have been a bit too soft to work well with what they were trying to do with their guidesole. Either that or the Nimbus Lite foam actually has more return than the blast. First seems more likely though given that the Glide/Evo sound like they are a bit firmer.

Haven't worn the Nimbus Lite. Maybe I'll try and get a pair. I think Sam said there were some additional fibers run through the midsole here (don't know what, exactly, that means) or it could be the exact same compound. Just in terms of malleability and pressure, you can squeeze or push the FlyteFoam Blast on the NovaBlast much easier than the FF compound on the MetaRacer. MetaRacer is considerably denser, but springier - ala ZoomX.

Allie Kiefer chose to wear Alphafly at the trials instead of the MetaRacer for what it is worth.

bloodbagviren1 wrote:

Allie Kiefer chose to wear Alphafly at the trials instead of the MetaRacer for what it is worth.

Yup! She won the Austin half in the MetaRacer, though (might suggest what distances it's aimed at). Is she even an ASICS sponsored athlete? I don't pretend to know all the behind-the-scenes arrangements, but she only seems to attest to being an Oiselle runner - no ASICS (or Nike) affiliations.