ASICS EvoRide Speed 3 Review | Best-Value Non-Plated Trainer

ASICS has released the EvoRide Speed 3. The EvoRide Speed series has always offered strong value, and plenty of runners have been keeping an eye on this one.

In this review, I cover my firsthand experience with the EvoRide Speed 3 — including ride feel, ground feel, sizing, and weight.

I own the original EvoRide Speed but skipped the second version. The jump from v1 to v2 was reportedly a minor update, but the EvoRide Speed 3 is a completely different shoe.

Even early on, the EvoRide Speed 3 delivers what I can only call price-busting performance. Of all the shoes I’ve bought recently, this one offers the best value — and it’s not particularly close.

Product Specs

Item	Details
Product Name	EvoRide Speed 3
Manufacturer	ASICS
MSRP	¥15,400
Stack Height	Forefoot: 29.5mm, Heel: 34.5mm, Drop: 5mm
Weight	27.5cm (US M9.5), 222g (actual)

Why I Chose the ASICS EvoRide Speed 3

I was looking for a shoe that could handle any surface at a decent clip. I’d recently picked up the Nike Pegasus Plus and the ASICS SuperBlast 2, but both felt noticeably heavy when I tried to push the pace from a moderate jog to marathon pace.

On the other hand, leaning too heavily on carbon plate racing shoes in training puts extra stress on the body — particularly around the hips — and can lead to injury.

Finding a non-plated shoe that’s genuinely lightweight and delivers meaningful propulsion is no easy task. The closest thing I’d found was the Brooks Hyperion Max.

Another thing I pay close attention to during faster workouts is wet-surface traction. At easy effort, a little moisture doesn’t bother me. But push into marathon pace or faster, and a slippery outsole becomes a real problem.

It costs you speed, puts odd forces through the foot, and in unlucky moments can result in minor injury.

That’s when the ASICS EvoRide Speed 3 launched. It’s lightweight and features ASICS Grip on the outsole — the same compound used on the MetaSpeed series, known for its exceptionally strong traction.

I’d originally had high hopes for the SuperBlast 2, but it fell short. The EvoRide Speed 3 became my next pick.

Running Feel: First Impressions and Beyond

I ran in the EvoRide Speed 3 across a range of efforts — easy jogging up through 5:38/mile (3:30/km), plus strides at around 4:17/mile (2:40/km).

Fortunately, it had rained the day before and was still lightly drizzling, leaving the roads wet — perfect for testing traction.

My first impression was that the fit across the top of the foot runs snug. Runners with wider feet may find it tight, and might want to consider the wide version.

The rocker sole is aggressive. There’s a strong toe-up curve that creates a distinct rolling-forward sensation.

I started at 8:03/mile (5:00/km) for an easy jog. The lightness was immediately obvious. Even at that easy pace, the rolling-forward feel was already present — almost self-propelling. That said, if you want to run truly slowly, this might not be the right shoe.

I picked up the pace shortly after. Despite waking up at 4:00 a.m., I hit 6:58/mile (4:20/km) within the first kilometer — on par with what I’d expect in a racing shoe. Genuinely impressive.

Compared to a carbon plate racing shoe, propulsion is naturally lower. But the gap is small enough that it barely registers. You’d be hard-pressed to believe this is a non-plated shoe.

I kept pushing. By around 4km in, I was at my usual moderate pace of 6:34/mile (4:05/km) — and it felt completely natural, not forced.

My pace settled at 6:26–6:34/mile (4:00–4:05/km). Comparable in feel to the Nike Pegasus Plus or New Balance FuelCell Rebel v4. There’s no explosive pop, but the speed comes effortlessly.

Turnover was noticeably quick. My running cadence typically settles around 180 spm at moderate effort, but with this shoe it climbed to 182–184 spm. The lightweight build and clean release at toe-off stand out.

After the moderate run, I moved on to strides — 10 × 100m at close to all-out effort.

All 10 reps came in under 4:17/mile — on a wet surface known for being slippery. Zero slipping. The traction was every bit as strong as I’d hoped.

Update (May 2025): Gets Better the More You Run It

After nearly 200km in the EvoRide Speed 3, I keep thinking: is there a more versatile shoe out there? The more I run in it, the more impressed I am.

The sheer versatility is remarkable. It feels almost too capable for a slow jog, yet it handles everything from easy jogging to under 4:50/mile (3:00/km) without complaint.

The lightweight build and ASICS Grip’s strong traction work together to make this shoe adaptable across the board.

The last time I felt this way about a shoe was the Brooks Hyperion Max I bought about two years ago. The Hyperion Max had lackluster traction — on that front, the EvoRide Speed 3 is strictly better.

Bounce, Propulsion, Stability & Fit

Rebound is moderate. The midsole uses FF BLAST+, not the higher-end foam found in the MetaSpeed series, so the foam itself doesn’t deliver a pronounced spring.

Ground feel runs on the firm side, which translates to stability. There’s no plush cushioning underfoot, but the rocker sole generates strong forward propulsion regardless.

It’s less about pushing off and more about placing your foot and letting the rocker roll you forward. If your running style relies on a strong push-off, this shoe may not suit you.

One caveat: the fit. There’s no lace pressure across the instep, but the width runs narrow. Runners with naturally slim feet won’t notice, but those with wider feet should look at the wide version.

The upper material itself is soft, which contributes to an overall comfortable fit.

Sizing

I wear 27.5cm (approximately US M9.5) in most shoes, and I went with the same size here.

As noted above, the width runs narrow. It won’t crunch your toes, but it can feel tight for runners with wider feet.

Length, on the other hand, is generous. I had room at the toe even wearing thick winter socks. My foot measurements for reference:

If you’re ordering online, pay close attention to width.

Weight

The 27.5cm (US M9.5) came in at 222g on my scale. It’s lighter than it looks — which explains the quick turnover.

Durability: Tested to 700km

I’ll continue updating this section as more kilometers accumulate.

At Purchase

The midsole uses FF BLAST+.

The outsole uses ASICS Grip, and you can see the tread pattern first introduced on the ASICS HyperSpeed 4. The traction is excellent, and the compound looks durable.

At 200km

The midsole shows minimal creasing. Durability is holding up well.

The outsole shows almost no wear.

At 700km

At 700km, the midsole has developed noticeable creasing and has started to compress.

The outsole has worn down, though grip still feels adequate.

Continuing to run in a shoe with significant midsole compression risks injury, so I retired this pair at 700km.

Best Use Cases

Here are the use cases I found the EvoRide Speed 3 best suited for:

It works fine for easy jogs and long runs too, but I have dedicated shoes for those — the ASICS NOVABLAST 5 for jogging and the SuperBlast 2 for long runs.

Those are my personal use cases, but the EvoRide Speed 3 comfortably spans a wide range of paces. Technically overkill for easy jogging, but it handles everything from a slow shuffle to sprint drills with ease.

That said, for sustained high-speed sessions — specifically the zone between marathon pace and 5K race pace — you may find the propulsion lacking compared to a carbon plate shoe.

For those workouts, I reach for carbon plate shoes without hesitation.

For racing, the EvoRide Speed 3 is more than sufficient up to a sub-3 hour full marathon. There’s none of the instability that comes with carbon plate shoes, and in terms of ease of use, it actually edges them out.

Update (May 2025): Handles Speed Work Too

I thought speed work might expose the shoe’s limits — it didn’t.

It’s equally comfortable on hill sprints or strides under 4:50/mile. A genuinely all-purpose shoe.

Where to Buy the EvoRide Speed 3

The ASICS EvoRide Speed 3 is available from major online retailers including Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, and the official ASICS online store, as well as brick-and-mortar sports retailers.