The YOGIRI SPEED is a carbon-plated shoe for heel strikers aiming to break 4 hours in the marathon. The plate splits in two at the heel to soften its stiffness, and it's about 13 g lighter than the previous version at about 227 g (27.0 cm, per shoe). Stack is 34.5–39.5 mm, price JPY 24,200. Released Sep 10, 2026, standard width only.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
Buy the YOGIRI SPEED as a METASPEED-height stack rebuilt for heel strikers.Max stack is about 39.5 mm, the same number as the two METASPEED shoes made for elite runners. The difference is the plate: it splits in two at the heel to release stiffness. My read: this is a shoe whose plate was matched to how runners around 4 hours land.
Key points
- About 13 g lighter than the previous S4+ YOGIRI. That's about 5.4%
- 31 g heavier, 2 mm thicker and JPY 4,400 more than the MAGIC SPEED 5. Only the MAGIC SPEED 5 comes in wide
- Sizes 22.5–29.0 cm, 14 in all. One unisex model; nothing at 29.5 cm or above
What kind of shoe is the YOGIRI SPEED? A carbon plate for heel strikers
Carbon-plated shoes are for fast runners. That's the common view, but here's a shoe that reworked the plate to widen who it's for.
The YOGIRI SPEED's plate splits in two at the heel. The idea is to soften that “carbon stiffness” and give a smoother landing. ASICS itself treated plate stiffness as a problem to solve.
Keep the plate that drives you forward, split it only where you land. The target: runners who want to break 4 hours in the marathon.
How I compare plated shoes is in the 10 max-cushion carbon shoes article.
YOGIRI SPEED weight and stack: the official numbers
| Item | YOGIRI SPEED |
|---|---|
| Release date | Sep 10, 2026 (early release on the official online store) / brand stores and sports shops from Sep 17 |
| Official price | JPY 24,200 |
| Weight | About 227 g (27.0 cm, per shoe) |
| Stack height | 34.5–39.5mm |
| Drop | 5 mm (calculated) |
| Width | Standard only |
| Plate | Carbon (split at the heel) |
| Sizes | 22.5–29.0 cm (0.5 cm steps, unisex) |
| Colors | 1 color |
Divide the price by the weight and you get about JPY 107 per gram (24,200 ÷ 227). The “SPEED” in the name was added with this generation, aimed at helping runners break 4 hours.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS YOGIRI SPEED
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,200 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 24,200. Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japanvs S4+ YOGIRI: what changed from the last generation
The YOGIRI SPEED replaces the S4+ YOGIRI, which traces back to the S4 released in Feb 2023. The table lines up the S4 and the YOGIRI SPEED; the weight gap to the S4+ YOGIRI is below the table.
| Item | S4 (2023) | YOGIRI SPEED |
|---|---|---|
| Official price | JPY 22,000 | JPY 24,200 |
| Upper midsole layer | FF BLAST TURBO | FF LEAP |
| Plate | V-shaped carbon | Carbon split at the heel |
| Width / sizes | Standard / 22.5–29.0 cm | Standard / 22.5–29.0 cm |
Weight: About 13 g lighter (27.0 cm, per shoe). That's about 5.4% (13 ÷ 240).
Midsole: FF LEAP on top, FF BLAST PLUS below. FF LEAP is said to be ASICS's lightest cushioning foam, and it's also used in the METASPEED. It aims to combine cushioning with energy return and ease the load on your legs late in the race.
Plate: Now split in two at the heel. The original S4 had a V-shaped plate running from the forefoot back. Redrawing the plate shape every generation is the hallmark of this line.
Outsole: ASICSGRIP, with a wider contact area from midfoot to heel. Rubber was also added on the inner midfoot. The goal is more stability on heel landings and less excessive inward roll.
List the changes: the plate at the heel, the rubber at the heel, the rubber on the inside. Two of the three are at the heel. This generation is a heel rebuild.
Compared with the original S4, the price is up JPY 2,200 (24,200 − 22,000). That's 10% in 3.5 years (2,200 ÷ 22,000).
vs MAGIC SPEED 5 and METASPEED
Three ASICS plated shoes, in price order.
| MAGIC SPEED 5 | YOGIRI SPEED | METASPEED EDGE / SKY TOKYO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max stack height | About 37.5 mm | About 39.5 mm | About 39.5 mm |
| Drop | 7mm | 5 mm (calculated) | 5mm |
| Official price | JPY 19,800 | JPY 24,200 | JPY 29,700 |
| Intended runner | First-time plate users | Sub-4 hopefuls | Elite athletes |
| Width | Standard / wide | Standard | Standard |
vs MAGIC SPEED 5: The YOGIRI SPEED is 31 g heavier (227 − 196), 2 mm thicker and JPY 4,400 more (24,200 − 19,800). The materials are the same: FF LEAP on top, FF BLAST PLUS below, and a carbon plate. The difference is the heel and who it's built for.
Price per gram: about JPY 107 for the YOGIRI SPEED and about JPY 101 for the MAGIC SPEED 5 (19,800 ÷ 196). Nearly the same, so it's not overpriced.
vs METASPEED: Same max stack, about 39.5mm. The YOGIRI SPEED is JPY 5,500 cheaper, about 81% of the METASPEED price (24,200 ÷ 29,700).
The METASPEED is “for elite athletes”; the YOGIRI SPEED targets “sub-4.” Same stack height, built for two different speeds.
- You want a plated race-day shoe while staying a heel striker → YOGIRI SPEED
- You want lighter and cheaper, or need a wide width → MAGIC SPEED 5
- You run at “elite athlete” speed → METASPEED
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS MAGIC SPEED 5
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 10,500 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 19,800. Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanHow does it compare with other plated shoes around JPY 20,000?
Next to other plated shoes in the JPY 20,000s, the YOGIRI SPEED sits on the lighter, lower-drop side.
Scroll the table sideways →
| Model | Weight | Drop | Plate | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YOGIRI SPEED | About 227 g | 5mm | Carbon | JPY 24,200 |
| Deviate NITRO 4 | About 250 g | 8mm | Carbon composite | JPY 22,000 |
| SONICBLAST 2 | 242g | 8mm | Resin | JPY 22,000 |
23 g lighter than the Deviate NITRO 4 (250 − 227), with a price gap of JPY 2,200 (24,200 − 22,000). A carbon plate with a rebuilt heel: 1 shoe aimed at race day for runners around 4 hours.
If you're used to an 8 mm drop, there's the Deviate NITRO 4; if you want to avoid carbon stiffness altogether, the resin-plated SONICBLAST 2.
What I like
Its target is set by finish time. Not something vague like “intermediate,” but 4 hours. From the original S4, three generations have been built for the same runner. Few shoes let you check by a number whether you're the target.
Plate stiffness, solved by plate shape. Instead of hiding it with more foam, they split the plate itself. The plate was fitted to heel strikers. Even the outsole rubber was added at the heel and the inside.
Race foam, and a stack inside the rules. The top layer is FF LEAP, same as the METASPEED. Max stack is about 39.5 mm, leaving 0.5 mm under the 40 mm road limit I covered in the max-cushion carbon article (40 − 39.5).
Rebuilt plate, and lighter still. Even with the added heel plate and rubber, it's about 13 g lighter than the previous version (27.0 cm, per shoe).
Things to watch
Only one width. Standard width only. Sizes run 22.5–29.0 cm, 14 in all ((29.0 − 22.5) ÷ 0.5 + 1), with nothing at 29.5 cm or above.
A race-day shoe. It's positioned as the “big-day shoe” for sub-4 hopefuls. You're paying this price for a shoe you'll wear on only a few days.
Who the YOGIRI SPEED is for
- Good fit: Heel strikers whose marathon goal is around 4 hours. Runners who read METASPEED's “for elite athletes” and felt it wasn't them. For anyone racing in a plated shoe for the first time, the split heel is a reassuring design.
If your feet are on the wide side, the MAGIC SPEED 5 comes in wide; for everyday training, a shoe without a plate.
Price and where to buy
| Model | Official price | Rakuten price range |
|---|---|---|
| YOGIRI SPEED | JPY 24,200 | JPY 21,200–24,200 |
| MAGIC SPEED 5 | JPY 19,800 | JPY 10,500–19,800 |
| METASPEED EDGE TOKYO | JPY 29,700 | JPY 26,070–92,258 |
If the previous generation is still around, the heel is the yardstick: the split plate and the wider rubber. If you know you land on your heel, get the new one; if not, the previous one is enough.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS YOGIRI SPEED
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 21,200 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 24,200. Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping Japan
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
ASICS S4+ YOGIRI (previous generation)
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 12,900 (as of 10/13). Depending on the shop it goes up to JPY 22,000. Prices change daily. Try shoes in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Sizing varies by brand, so check the shop's return and exchange terms before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee it on Yahoo! Shopping JapanFAQ
How does the YOGIRI SPEED fit?
It fits true to size. Length is spot on, and the forefoot is roomy for a race shoe. The toe box is low, though, so keep that in mind if the tops of your toes tend to rub.
My feet are 25.0 cm, and I'd pick 25.0 cm. Standard width only, 22.5–29.0 cm in 0.5 cm steps. If you usually wear ASICS wide, the MAGIC SPEED 5 comes in wide. Try them on in the evening with your usual socks.
YOGIRI SPEED vs MAGIC SPEED 5: what's the difference?
The difference is the heel. On weight and price, the MAGIC SPEED 5 is 31 g lighter and JPY 4,400 cheaper.
The reasons to pick the YOGIRI SPEED are the split heel plate, the 2 mm thicker stack, and the fact that it's built for sub-4 runners. Heel strikers: YOGIRI SPEED. If you want lighter: MAGIC SPEED 5. That's how I split them.
Can you train in the YOGIRI SPEED?
It's a race-day shoe. For training-and-race pairings by finish time, see the sub-4 row in the shoes by finish time article. For where it sits among the other 10 ASICS shoes, see the 11 best ASICS shoes article.
