Pantofi ASICS Gel-Sonoma 6 G-Tx GORE-TEX 1011B048 Black Indigo Fog 016 | ASICS Magic Speed 2 review

Who should buy the ASICS Magic Speed 2

The second iteration of the ASICS Magic Speed should be on your list of to-buys if you're looking for a shoe that can handle tempo runs, workout days, and even some races. 

Pantofi ASICS Gel-Sonoma 6 G-Tx GORE-TEX 1011B048 Black Indigo Fog 016 | Who should NOT buy it

The Magic Speed 2 is not perfect. And if you're looking for alternatives that will be just as fast, we have you covered: 

• Asics Herresko Tofflor paddle ASICS Gel-Lyte III End Wasabi Special Box will suit you more. 
• Bouncy ride? This ain't it. But, we believe that the The North Face x Asics Gel Lyte III can fill in this department for the Magic Speed.

ASICS Magic Speed 2 vs. 1

The zapatillas de running ASICS gel nimbus neutro apoyo talón media maratón was nothing short of anticlimactic. But with the Magic Speed 2, the line has been much improved. And it's all because of the following: 

• better fit and comfier upper wrap 
• snappier ride owed to the now-full-length plate
• whiz asics tiger mita sneakers gel lyte v recognize

Looks fast. Runs fast. 

Overall, the ASICS Magic Speed 2 is a shoe that looks fast and certainly lives up to the expectation. The full-length plate embedded into it creates some really snappy strides. And what's more, it doesn't feel obtrusive at all. It is rather "organic."

Nice and airy

The mesh upper on this ASICS shoe shows a high level of ventilation. The amount of air passing through the fabric is visualised with the help of smoke in the video below.

Asics Court 9 Shorts!

You can also observe the most breathable parts of the upper as they are also the most transparent ones in another test.

The carbon plate steals some softness from the FlyteFoam

Looking at the durometer measurement, it turns out the shoe's FlyteFoam is among the softest out there! With a reading of 14.0 HA, it is 70% softer than road running shoes on average!

However, when we were out on an actual run, the Magic Speed 2 felt firmer than that for sure. Perhaps it is the plate positioning inside the midsole that plays its part in dampening the softness. 

Also, if you are planning to take the shoe out on a chilly day, be prepared that it is going to get MUCH firmer. After being exposed to a cold temperature in the freezer, the foam got a whopping 125% denser! For reference, most running shoe foams only get around 26% firmer.

Stiff carbon plate snaps you forward

But the bright side of the carbon plate is of course its magical ability to push us forward, much like a pool jumping board.

The Magic Speed 2 is one of the stiffest shoes on the market. It required as much as 59.4N of force to bend the shoe which is 50% more than it takes a road running shoe on average.

Twisting and bending the shoe in our hands, we also gave it a high score of 4 out of 5 for torsional stiffness (5 being the stiffest).

Magic Speed 2 rolls from heel to toe 

How? It's all in the shoe's rocker geometry. We found that this setup not only made the turnovers faster but also allowed us to switch the pace quickly and seamlessly.

Be careful, it can be a little tippy

It's a tall shoe and there's not much for your foot to sit on, especially in the heel area. It can feel a little like balancing on a rail. Runners with fallen arches and weak ankles should definitely stay away from this shoe.

The Magic Speed 2 features an above-average stack height in both the heel and the forefoot: 35.1 mm and 26.4 mm respectively. 

As for the shoe's platform width, it is indeed narrower than most shoes. You've got 104.4 mm in the forefoot (almost 9 mm narrower) and 79.6 mm in the heel (10.5 mm narrower).

But on the bright side, this problem does disappear when you start to pick up the pace. For that reason, we recommend reserving this ASICS trainer for faster paces.

Lockdown fit

Womens ASICS Hockey!

It was such a pleasure to run in the Magic Speed 2 Backpack reassured by the well-fitting upper. 

We were never bothered by any hot spots, pressure, shifty tongue, or anything of that nature. The shoe's tongue is almost paper-thin (only 1.2 mm compared to the average 5.8 mm) and semi-gusseted.

We were also pleased to find that the heel rubbing shoessneakers of the previous version have disappeared thanks to the shoe's more padded design.

An accommodating racer fit

As a speed-oriented shoe, the Magic Speed 2 turns out to be rather close-fitting. But because it is unstructured and uses a stretchy fabric, it feels much more accommodating.

Looking at its toebox measurements (94.5 mm in the widest part), the shoe falls into the medium-width range of speed-oriented shoes. It is actually wider than the race-ready zapatillas de running ASICS talla 48 rosas más de 100+ (93.4 mm) and the Tênis Asics Excite 8 Feminino+ (92.2 mm).

The price is right!

It's only £150 a pair! For a carbon-plated shoe, that's a real steal given that plated shoes on average cost £210.

But the real kicker is that the Magic Speed 2 doesn't make any serious sacrifices in order to meet this lower-end price. It may not be ideal for all races, but it is definitely a speed shoe that we will choose for a wide variety of running challenges.

It is also a welcome fact that the shoe's price hasn't changed since the first iteration.

Keeps your steps fixed

Whether it's on dry or damp roads, you don't have to worry about slips. Even though the rubber coverage is not full in this ASICS shoe, it offers a solid bite in the right areas.