ASICS Magic Speed 4 Review: Grip, Ride Feel, and Who Should Buy It

The ASICS Magic Speed 4 launched in July 2024 and quickly became one of the most popular carbon plate shoes among recreational runners. More than a year after release, I finally picked up a pair myself.

The Magic Speed 4 sits one tier below ASICS’s flagship MetaSpeed series — making it a high-performance carbon plate shoe that’s built for a wider range of runners.

What drew me in was the ASICS GRIP outsole — designed to hold traction even on wet roads — combined with a price that had dropped significantly since launch. I picked it up as a training shoe.

In this review, I’ll cover how the Magic Speed 4 feels to run in, sizing, and which runners and training types it suits best.

By the end, you’ll know whether the Magic Speed 4 belongs in your rotation.

Product Specifications

Item	Details
Model	Magic Speed 4
Brand	ASICS
Retail Price	¥18,700
Stack Height	Forefoot: 35.5 mm, Heel: 43.5 mm, Heel-to-toe drop: 8 mm
Weight	246g (US 9.5 / 27.5cm, measured)

Why I Bought the ASICS Magic Speed 4

I rotate through several running shoes in my training, but rainy days narrow my options considerably. The limiting factor is always the same: traction on wet pavement.

At easy jogging pace, traction isn’t much of an issue — but once I push into moderate-run territory and beyond, wet-road grip becomes a real concern. A moderate run sits just above easy jogging pace.

Wet roads — whether during rain or after it — are genuinely slippery. Shoes with poor traction give you a clear sliding sensation, and beyond the obvious slip risk, I’ve tweaked my foot from the awkward forces involved.

I run outdoors regardless of the weather, and there are times I need to push the pace on wet roads. That means I need a shoe that grips confidently on wet surfaces.

Of all the shoes I’ve run in, only two outsole compounds have delivered truly outstanding wet traction: ASICS GRIP and PUMA GRIP.

ASICS GRIP made its debut on the MetaSpeed series and has since appeared on shoes like the EVORIDE SPEED 3. On wet roads, it grips so well that slipping is almost never a concern.

PUMA GRIP, which I first encountered on the Nitro Elite 3, delivers comparable traction. It also appears on the FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 and the easy-day VELOCITY NITRO 4.

Among my current training shoes, the Nitro Elite 3 was the only one with outstanding grip — but it was nearing the end of its lifespan. I started looking for a replacement.

The Magic Speed 4 looked like it could handle faster paces, and the price had dropped considerably since launch. With strong word-of-mouth from recreational runners, I decided to pull the trigger.

How Does the Magic Speed 4 Feel on the Run?

Here’s how the Magic Speed 4 performed across two types of effort: a moderate-paced run and 200m strides.

Paces ranged from 8:03/mile (5:00/km) down to 5:54/mile (3:40/km) for the moderate run, and 5:38/mile to 4:34/mile for the strides. I normally use non-plated running shoes for these sessions, but deliberately switched to the Magic Speed 4.

Starting just 20 minutes after waking, I went out slowly — but from the very first steps, there was a propulsive drive that no non-plated shoe can replicate. The shoe has some noticeable weight, yet the propulsion more than compensates.

Ground feel is firmer than I expected. Early in the run, running cadence felt difficult to bring up — partly because of the shoe, partly because my body wasn’t fully awake yet.

By the 2km mark, pace had already dropped under 6:59/mile (4:20/km). The carbon plate lengthens each running stride noticeably. My usual ceiling for a moderate effort is around 6:42/mile (4:10/km), but 6:26/mile (4:00/km) came without forcing it.

From 3km onward, I settled into a cruise. Running cadence climbed to around 180 spm as my body woke up — the same cadence I hit in regular moderate runs. Any early resistance to picking up cadence was gone.

Once in rhythm, I held 6:26–6:42/mile comfortably. Compared to my usual trainers — the adidas EVO SL and New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 — this felt about 5 seconds per mile faster at the same effort.

The session ran 60 minutes total. I finished without any notable fatigue.

After the moderate run, I moved to 200m strides at roughly 1500m race effort — around 4:50–4:34/mile.

The shoe handled fast paces without issue, but for pure speed work I prefer a lighter non-plated shoe. The thick stack inevitably dulls ground feel, and the Magic Speed 4 isn’t quite optimized for that type of session.

Response off the ground is slightly delayed, and at higher paces the weight of the shoe becomes more apparent.

A Training Shoe for Advanced Runners — A Race Shoe for Mid-Level Runners

The Magic Speed 4 is a capable shoe, but I wouldn’t personally race in it.

At my level, the MetaSpeed series is the better race-day choice. I’ve raced full marathons in the MetaSpeed, and my legs held up through the second half.

That said, as a training shoe the Magic Speed 4 is excellent. It’s stable, delivers solid propulsion, and the sturdy construction suggests strong durability.

For runners targeting around the sub-3-hour marathon level or slower, the Magic Speed 4 works well as a race shoe too. High-end models can feel unstable for some runners, and in those cases the Magic Speed 4 is a smarter choice.

Upper Construction and Build Quality

Compared to the MetaSpeed series, the Magic Speed 4 has a noticeably more robust build.

The upper is engineered mesh — lightweight, but with enough body to feel substantial.

The overall construction is solid throughout, and it looks like it will hold up well under hard training use.

Sizing and Fit

I went with a US 9.5 (27.5cm), which is my standard size in most running shoes. The Magic Speed 4 fit true to size.

Compared to other ASICS models, it fits slightly wider than the EVORIDE SPEED 3 or SUPERBLAST 2 — but only marginally.

Below is a reference table of shoe sizes and fit across all the shoes I’ve worn.

Outstanding Grip Performance: ASICS GRIP Delivers

The grip performance I was counting on didn’t disappoint. ASICS GRIP locks onto the ground with impressive force.

On wet roads, there was zero slipping — not even during strides on damp pavement. It delivered exactly what I hoped for.

Weight: 246g (US 9.5 / 27.5cm)

The Magic Speed 4 weighed in at 246g in US 9.5 (27.5cm). For a carbon plate shoe one tier below the flagship, this is a typical weight.

Going lighter would put it in flagship territory, so this weight seems intentional — and it contributes to the shoe’s stability.

Durability

Based on the upper construction and the ASICS GRIP outsole, I expect strong durability.

Condition When New

Midsole condition

Outsole condition

The Magic Speed 4: Built to Be Used Hard

I see the Magic Speed 4 as a shoe built to be used hard. Strong durability and all-weather traction mean you can run in it whenever, whatever the conditions.

I wouldn’t reach for it on easy jog days, but from uptempo jogs all the way up to OBLA intensity, it covers a wide range.

One thing to watch: it’s easier to run faster in this shoe than in non-plated running shoes. A session you planned to keep easy can drift into harder territory without you noticing — that’s how comfortable it is.

How I Use the Magic Speed 4

Here’s how I plan to use the Magic Speed 4 in my own training:

I plan to use it across a wide range, from uptempo jogs to pace runs at OBLA intensity. For high-effort VO2 max interval training, I’ll stick with something lighter.

For those demanding sessions, I prefer a lightweight non-plated shoe or a moderate-stack shoe like the Takumi Sen 11.