SHOE REVIEW: Asics Magic Speed 4

The Asics Magic Speed 4 is a high-end trainer that’s light, quick and the ideal tool to get you ready for an upcoming race (or even for the race itself). Designed to feel like the Metaspeed Sky or Edge but with a more affordable price tag, the Magic Speed is a great shoe for any sort of track or road workout. The newest version now also has a full-length carbon plate to make your workouts pop even more!

Category: Neutral/racing
Drop: 8 mm
Weight: 242 g (men’s), 207 g (women’s)
MSRP: $220 CAD
Available: July 5, 2024

Upper

The Magic Speed’s upper has had a notable makeover, with a mesh that’s extremely light, with minimal overlays, and highly comfortable. The shoe fits like a slipper, and the upper feels less ridgid (while still holding your foot firmly in place) than its predecessor. 

Midsole

The midsole has had a full-length carbon resin plate since the third version of the shoe came out last year (carbon resin is not quite as stiff–or as expensive–as carbon-fibre); coupled with the plate is the addition of FF Blast Turbo cushioning toward the front of the shoe, giving you an extra pop at toe-off and mimicking the design of the Metaspeed shoes. Throughout the rest of the shoe, Asics’ FF Blast Plus is used, which provides excellent cushion and support. 

Outsole

The outsole remains Asicsgrip and the placement is unchanged. It’s a sturdy and effective outsole, especially considering how light the shoe is. I’ve run in rainy conditions and found no slippage (which is an impressive feat on a track surface). 

Final thoughts

I really enjoy this new version of the Magic Speed; the updates are significant, and make the shoe a near stand-in for the Metaspeed series–Asics’ premium racing shoes. I use this shoe for road or track intervals, generally when I’m running tempo pace. It gives a nice pop in my stride and eases my effort, helping with my confidence at faster paces. 

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This is an ideal shoe for someone training for anything from the 800m to the marathon. Use this to execute some of your harder workouts and, if you can, swap it for the Metaspeed on race day. If a Metaspeed isn’t in the budget, the Magic Speed 4 also makes an excellent race-day shoe.