Metaspeed Sky Paris vs Vaporfly 4

The Metaspeed Sky Paris is ASICS at full race trim: a carbon racing shoe built for one job, chasing a personal best on the road. It is the cadence runner's racer, the half of the Metaspeed line tuned for runners who get faster by keeping their stride length and turning their legs over quicker, while the Metaspeed Edge Tokyo handles those who lengthen their stride. At 215g with a full-length carbon plate and a 5mm drop, it is light, aggressive and unmistakably a marathon shoe rather than a do-everything trainer. The bouncy, springy foam and stiff plate work together to roll you forward and reward a committed effort. Hold goal pace and it comes alive. Jog it easy and you will wonder what the fuss is about. In our view it sits right at the top of the carbon racing shoe pack alongside the Nike Vaporfly 4, and at £260 it is priced like the elite tool it is.

The Vaporfly 4 is Nike's pure road racer, the carbon racing shoe that started the super-shoe era and still sits near the top of it. This is a marathon shoe built for one job: returning as much energy as possible when you run fast. At a claimed 190g with a carbon plate and an 6mm drop, it is light, snappy and unmistakably race-focused. It is not a do-everything trainer and it does not pretend to be. Park it for easy days and bring it out when the pace matters. We rate it as one of the most accessible elite racers you can buy, because it suits a wider range of paces than the bigger Alphafly 3, which rewards a stronger, faster runner. If you want a proven 5k-to-marathon racing shoe with real pop and a forgiving ride, the Vaporfly 4 is an easy shortlist pick. At £260 RRP it is a serious investment, so it earns its place as a race-day specialist rather than a daily option.