ASICS Magic Speed 3 review

We believe the ASICS Magic Speed 3 is an excellent choice for:

• Runners seeking a similar experience to the ASICS Metaspeed Sky+/Edge+ but at a more affordable price point, avoiding the £250 tag.
• Anyone searching for a feather-light shoe focused on tempo runs or faster paces.
• Those exploring their first carbon-plated shoe and aiming to spend the least amount possible.

The Magic Speed 3 presents a great mix of features at a reasonable price, but we think it may not be suitable for every runner.

For those chasing peak performance, we know a carbon plate alone isn't enough. It should be complemented by a top-tier foam offering substantial energy return, and unfortunately, FF Blast+ doesn't quite make that cut.

While you might have to spend a bit more, we believe that faster alternatives like the Nike Vaporfly 3, ASICS Metaspeed Edge+, or Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 are worth considering.

Additionally, the Magic Speed 3 might not be the best fit for runners with wide feet due to its very narrow midfoot. If you're looking for an uptempo shoe with a wider upper, the ASICS Superblast or the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 are excellent alternatives to explore.

The Magic Speed 3 is taller than it appears, as we were surprised to measure a generous 36.3 mm in the heel.

This makes the shoe a delight for heel strikers, and it even allows for comfortable use on long runs if necessary.

The forefoot turned out to be a bit thinner than we expected, yet it's still thicker than the average at 26.5 mm.

This means there's plenty of cushioning underfoot for those who strike the ground with the front part of their feet.

ASICS claims the shoe has a 7-mm offset, but following World Athletics' official guidelines, we measured it at 9.8 mm.

Despite this, the shoe feels very universal, suitable for all types of footstrikes, much like a daily training shoe.

We mentioned earlier that this shoe is £90 cheaper than its Metaspeed counterparts, and here's where most of the savings come in.

Instead of the PEBA-based, super-bouncy FF Turbo foam, the Magic Speed 3 uses a dual-layer configuration of FF Blast+. This is a mix of EVA and OBC, the same as in the daily trainer ASICS Novablast 4. And it's really different from the firmer feel that the Magic Speed 2 delivered.

FF Blast+ is a pretty good foam with a soft feel, clocking in at 18.3 HA in the bottom layer. However, don't expect a super energetic foam, as that's not what FF Blast+ is about. But for training purposes, and even for racing for many people, it's more than sufficient.

The top layer (red) is slightly firmer to enhance stability at 21.1 HA, and it sits above the carbon plate. This combination works really well because the softer foam beneath the plate, in direct contact with the ground, provides a more comfortable ride.

All in all, the FF Blast+, combined with the carbon fibre plate, offers a great pop at both aerobic and tempo paces.

To see how the lower foam—the one that contacts the ground—behaves in cold temperatures, we placed it in our freezer for 20 minutes and then re-tested it with the durometer.

Now, it registered at 20.3 HA, which is almost the same.

That's only an 11% increase, which is fantastic for an EVA-based foam. It seems that blending EVA with OBC (Olefin Block Copolymers) really paid off!

The insole is impressively thin at just 2.9 mm, aiming for significant weight reduction.

Plus, it's perforated for enhanced ventilation—a fantastic feature that only a few shoes offer and one we truly appreciate.

Boasting a full-length carbon plate, we anticipated maximum torsional rigidity, and that's exactly what the MS3 delivered. We had to give it a 5/5 rating since it's nearly impossible to flex or bend.

The carbon plate brings both advantages and drawbacks. It makes the shoe very stable and provides a peppy ride, but it can also be too uncomfortable for long runs. This is especially true for those sensitive to rigid elements, like runners with Morton's neuroma or similar issues.

With its slim platform, we anticipated a tight-fitting upper. But we couldn't be sure until we whipped out our callipers.

Measuring at 93.2 mm, the Magic Speed 3 offers a race-like fit, perfect for those with narrow feet. If you have average-sized feet, it's still manageable, provided you're okay with a snug, performance-oriented upper.

Runners with average-width feet can comfortably sport the Magic Speed 3, thanks to ASICS making the big toe area wider than the average, at 79.4 mm.

This creates a unique fit that suits many runners—snug in the midfoot but spacious in the toes. It's also ideal for running at marathon pace and faster.

In our opinion, the ASICS Magic Speed 3 is a neutral shoe, yet it includes features that add a bit more stability, like midfoot sidewalls. These aren't too noticeable but offer great support.

Overall, we think those needing slight stability can comfortably use it for short to moderate distances or track workouts.

Boasting a full-length carbon plate, we anticipated maximum torsional rigidity, and that's exactly what the MS3 delivered. We had to give it a 5/5 rating since it's nearly impossible to flex or bend.

The carbon plate brings both advantages and drawbacks. It makes the shoe very stable and provides a peppy ride, but it can also be too uncomfortable for long runs. This is especially true for those sensitive to rigid elements, like runners with Morton's neuroma or similar issues.

The heel is actually the opposite of stiff, scoring just 2/5 in our manual assessment. Despite this, we found that the MS3 delivers a solid heel lockdown, something that ASICS has consistently excelled at in their latest models.

At this point in our thorough lab review, we were wondering—how on earth did ASICS manage to keep the shoe's weight so low with such a high stack height and more rubber than the Metaspeeds?

Well, here's the answer. At 104.9 mm, the shoe is quite narrow, and that's where its agility and lightness come from. Because of this, runners who prefer wider landing platforms should probably avoid this one and look for something like the Hoka Mach X.

The heel follows the same design approach, measuring just 85.1 mm.

These dimensions, along with the carbon plate, are also why this shoe is less suited for everyday runs and more geared towards faster, intense workouts.

Another surprise came during our longitudinal stiffness test. Here, we bend the shoe to 90 degrees and measure the force needed to do so, which was 31.4N this time.

We found that the carbon fibre plate in the Magic Speed 3's midsole is more flexible than those in the Metaspeeds. ASICS clearly understood that this shoe would primarily be used for training, so delivering a hyper-stiff ride wouldn't make sense.

Under cold temperatures, the shoe changed slightly. We re-tested it after spending 20 minutes in our freezer and got a pretty similar result at 35.6N.

That's just a 13.4% difference, once again highlighting the impressive performance of the FF Blast+ foam.

Weighing in at just 7.4 oz (211g), ASICS did an incredible job keeping the shoe under 8 ounces.

In fact, it's a mere 0.17 oz heavier than the Metaspeed Sky+, which is quite a feat. This is especially impressive considering it has more rubber on the outsole and extra padding in the upper.

We were totally sure that the Magic Speed 3 would excel in our breathability test. Right from unboxing, the upper appeared super thin to us, promising great airflow. But we're not here to make guesses—we're here to do lab tests.

When we pumped smoke into the MS3 with our machine, we discovered that the upper is incredibly breathable, even without having large ventilation holes. That's a good 4/5 for us.

A major plus of this design is the overall excellent airflow throughout the shoe, not just in the toebox, as our light test showed. This means the midfoot area stays cool, which is fantastic.

To really get why the shoe breathes so well and evenly, we headed over to our microscope. The sight was astonishing—a single-layer mesh with thousands of mini-ventilation holes in the upper. We were totally impressed.

This is one of the most outstanding uppers we've encountered in the lab, and it looks absolutely amazing under the microscope.

And here's the kicker—ASICS managed to vary the upper's density in a single piece by tweaking the thread patterns. The closer you get to the toebox, the thinner it becomes. Simply awesome.

Given the incredibly thin mesh, we were worried about the durability test even before firing up the Dremel in the lab.

But, we had to face it. As expected, it's a disappointing 1/5—the upper was totally wrecked after the test.

We then shifted our focus to the heel, hoping for a better outcome—and we weren't disappointed.

With a solid 3/5, this area performed significantly better than the toebox. We're confident you won't see any early wear and tear here.

Switching to the outsole, we discovered a super soft rubber with a hardness of 69.4 HC that clings like claws in dry conditions.

This shows the shoe's heritage from the Metaspeed Edge+, all around. But here's the question—will this racing outsole work well from a durability standpoint?

To assess the outsole's durability, we fired up the Dremel for the third time.

Once the Dremel had worked its magic at 10K RPM, we noticed a minimal 0.5-mm indentation—an exceptional result.

This leaves us with one clear thought—ASICS used the same world-class rubber found in their £250 racing shoes. And the best part? You get it for £90 less.

In the outsole, we found 2.4 mm of rubber, which seems more than enough to last the entire lifespan of the shoe. It's also 0.3 mm thicker than on the Edge+.

We were totally sure that the Magic Speed 3 would excel in our breathability test. Right from unboxing, the upper appeared super thin to us, promising great airflow. But we're not here to make guesses—we're here to do lab tests.

When we pumped smoke into the MS3 with our machine, we discovered that the upper is incredibly breathable, even without having large ventilation holes. That's a good 4/5 for us.

A major plus of this design is the overall excellent airflow throughout the shoe, not just in the toebox, as our light test showed. This means the midfoot area stays cool, which is fantastic.

To really get why the shoe breathes so well and evenly, we headed over to our microscope. The sight was astonishing—a single-layer mesh with thousands of mini-ventilation holes in the upper. We were totally impressed.

This is one of the most outstanding uppers we've encountered in the lab, and it looks absolutely amazing under the microscope.

And here's the kicker—ASICS managed to vary the upper's density in a single piece by tweaking the thread patterns. The closer you get to the toebox, the thinner it becomes. Simply awesome.

ASICS skipped the reflective elements on the Magic Speed 3, and honestly, we're pretty bummed about it. Maybe they'll add them in version 4?

With its 2.9 mm tongue padding, the MS3 hits a sweet spot.

It's more cushion than what you'd find in a racing shoe—usually less than 1 mm—and less than in a training shoe, which often has over 5 mm.

The tongue is semi-gusseted, which we believe is the perfect approach for a shoe built for speed.

It doesn't add unnecessary bulk or weight inside the shoe, yet it greatly enhances the lockdown, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit.

Since it shares design cues with the ASICS Metaspeed series, the heel tab wasn't even in the cards.

You can switch out the insole in the Magic Speed 3 since it's not glued down.

But remember, the original insole is super thin and the heel is really narrow. So, if you pick a different one, make sure it's about the same thickness, or you'll end up with less space inside the shoe.