ASICS Magic Speed 4 Reviews

Just over 200 km through a marathon build, covering tempo runs, interval-style quality sessions and the occasional easy 10 to 14 km. They found it close to a race-day feel but more comfortable and less aggressive, with the tall stack leaving their legs fresher, a stable foam, a noticeable but not extreme plate, a true-to-size fit with no hot spots and room for a full-length orthotic. They expect 600 to 800 km of life and recommend it for first-time carbon-plate users and as a dedicated workout shoe.

About 70 km over four weeks of daily runs, tempo work, marathon-pace efforts and strides. They found the ride stiff, dense and clunky at easy paces, decent at marathon and tempo pace, and bulky with little response towards 10K speed, since the forefoot foam insert is tiny and it rides like a plain EVA shoe. The upper is true to size, secure and breathable with no blisters, and the outsole has held up well so far. Overall not a favourite, though they see it suiting those after a firm, rigid first racing shoe.

B+/A- and A-: an extremely durable, well-priced carbon workout trainer for uptempo work and long runs that saves your race shoes. One tester is disappointed by the weight gain and says it's too stiff for easy runs and not stable enough for long efforts. Another tester wants smoother easy-pace transitions.

At 30 miles, the Magic Speed 4 feels like a more durable but lower-quality Metaspeed; the upper is bottom tier for the price.