During the entire run I had this morning in the MetaFuji Trail 2 I pondered what the meaning of elite is in 2026. Elite trail racing performance are the 4 words thrown around a lot in our industry. I thought to use your attention span to break that down in relation to where the MetaFuji Trail 2 fits in.
In terms of speed, elite performance can mean many things:
At Western States 100 the winning pace is 4:39 per kilometer which is pretty speedy. Compare that to Hard Rock 100 at 7:54 per kilometer and it is a different story. As it turns out, elite pace is not always fast. Elite pace has to do with efficiency through technical terrain. Elite trail racing performance is not a factor of pure speed and we should stop holding it to a single metric.
Brands are designing these shoes for their most capable athletes. Athletes with the best technical skill and the largest aerobic durability in the world. They are not always for the rest of us.
The MetaFuji Trail 2 is an incredibly capable shoe on the right terrain and on the right feet. As pure trail is starting to expand into gravel this shoe looks even more interesting. Before we get into the details, I want to highlight the tagline with a definition.
The phrase “schoolboy racer” is primarily a British and Commonwealth English term that describes a young male driver who operates a vehicle recklessly, at high speeds, and without care for the rules of the road. Let’s jump into it.
Upper and Fit of the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2
What works for me
The upper is a glove. The unique woven upper construction combining ultralight components and using an elastomeric yarn delivers a perfect fit for my foot. Asics are calling it a Motion Wrap and I have to say, it delivers on the name. The toebox is just roomy enough (although wide footed people would call it extremely narrow). The midfoot literally hugs my foot with the perfect amount of pressure.
The new ankle collar is just the right size and gives absolutely zero rub anywhere. The achilles feels snug and gives no chase. The speed lace system works in wrapping it all together in a snug fit over the metatarsals that delivers hugely in a straight line. You could legitimately transfer the upper to a road midsole and it would be an amazing road shoe too.
The laces themselves are plentiful in length and are fairly lacking in stretch, allowing the knit to offer a little give. I wondered about the lockdown feeling tight but my concerns went unwarranted.
The upper has been tested during the Summer 2026 heatwave and with a lightweight sock I have had absolutely zero issues with heat. These are the best materials Asics have on offer and the MetaFuji Trail 2 upper delivers in the upper.
What doesn’t work for me
There are a few elements that do not work but they are more a byproduct of the nature of the shoe than the actual technical element themself.
The upper is quite flexible and with great (relative) speed comes great responsibility, for mere mortals that are not Tom Evans. I do look forward to my first shoey after a trail race to mimic his CCC performance in one way. I digress. The knit is not as stable as a traditional shoe and having just finished up with the Brooks Cascadia 20, the lack of stability in the upper is immediately present.
In more technical trails you have to be more careful with your feet as the shoe is less forgiving of bad technique. Looking down while running, you notice that the material around the ankle bulges out a little as you strike the ground. There is no structure to the top of the collar and it does mean a little dirt gets in the shoe there.
The speed lace pocket also sits a little high for me and the laces tend to pop out of it from time to time. A small gripe but this has happened on almost every run.
Midsole and Ride of the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2
What works for me
ASICS overhauled the midsole from the MetaFuji Trail substantially. The midsole is less stacked (41.5mm down from 44.5mm) and they have adapted the plate to be X-shaped vs a full-length plate from before. The drop remains at 5mm and the weight is give or take the same. ASICS took their time to rework the midsole as the original MetaFuji was not very well received.
I am pleased to say the new midsole is more stable and feels very connected to the ground. Combining the FF Leap top layer with the FF Blast Plus bottom layer means the shoe feels crisp in its compression and decompression phases of the leg turnover. From open trails to technical trails the midsole feels responsive and gives a powerful energy return. It also absorbs trail chatter very well.
The midsole rewards most with more straight line speed where the bounce of the midsole is most apparent. The shoe begs you to run faster in these areas and with the imminent rise of gravel races I think the MetaFuji Trail 2 will shine in this emerging discipline.
Technical uphills are a pleasure in this shoe. The X-shaped carbon plate maintains its propulsive power and allows some independent deformation to occur without any effect on torsional rigidity. The wide forefoot platform shines in this arena.
The plate in the MetaFuji Trail 2 feels more forgiving on the trails than it feels giving it the old flex test when you have it in your hands. The tuned forefoot foams and X-shape of the plate are a definite improvement over the previous model which was overly rigid for the instability of the foam, exacerbating the problems with it. The new combination of foams and plate feel more like they work together for the purpose of faster, more stable efforts out on the trails.
What doesn’t work for me
The schoolboy racer moniker comes to shine a little more brightly with the midsole. There is a firm disconnect in the platform between the front half and the rear half of the shoe. Off-camber downhill running is trickier than I would like. It can feel like the midsole is slightly disconnected from the upper. The midsole is incredibly fun but it barely deforms which leads to the upper having to offer that stability and it just cannot bear the load, amplifying bad technique. I would imagine on tired legs this could be further exacerbated.
The Metafuji Trail 2 rewards speed but can feel a little lacklustre at lower speeds. The foams definitely reward with pressure and lower contact time and more in a straight line.
The lack of torsional rigidity is apparent in technical terrain, combining with the knit upper to give more than a few wobbles where I am not used to wobbles in comparative shoes like the Brooks Cascadia Elite or the On Cloudultra Pro. I have to think a lot more when descending in this shoe than I want to. The shoe does not feel cumbersome in technical terrain, just lacking in torsional stability. In extremely tight turns the 50% difference in width between the forefoot and heel is quite apparent and it is more akin to a Cascadia Elite forefoot and a Zinal 3 heel. This shoe would suit analytical runners more than ‘close my eyes and hope for the best’ descenders like myself.
As an athlete who is not risk-averse, the midsole of this shoe has me running slower in the technical terrain I absolutely adore, even when I know the terrain like the back of my hand. A small price to pay for the unadulterated speed the shoe offers.
Outsole of the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2
Grip and Traction
ASICSgrip is an industry leader and I cannot fault the compound used on the MetaFuji Trail 2. The 3.5mm lugs look much bigger than they are, especially as they are only 0.3mm taller than the lugs on the Cascadia Elite. The spacing is generous and there have been absolutely no issues with traction going up or coming down.
Durability
After around 70km in these they are showing absolutely zero signs of wear and tear. The upper will likely not resist rocks or thorns well as it is so incredibly light but that is the price to pay for Elite Trail Racing Performance. The midsole and outsole should hold up just fine, but as with all super foams, the shoe will not last as long before there is degradation in these materials.
I will revisit after 150km.
Conclusion
Value for Money
€250.00 is a high price but it is comparative to other shoes in this category. Considering what we spend on preparing for the race and actual racing itself, €250.00 is indicative of the cost of racing in 2026. This is not a training shoe and if its specific characteristics work for you, it would be value for money in a racing environment. Racing is a premium experience and the MetaFuji Trail 2 is a premium shoe.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
The MetaFuji is an unapologetic race day shoe for efficient, durable athletes. I would fit it into the rotation for short, intense efforts and race days that are not overly technical.
Final Verdict
ASICS have produced a shoe that has proven to be a winner on winning feet in the most important races on the planet. The materials are top tier, the midsole is so much fun to run in and the grip… Well, it’s ASICSgrip. So you know it’s good!
This shoe is the most specific Elite Trail Racing Performance shoe I have had the pleasure of testing. Comparative to the other shoes in this category, this is the most niche application. We have seen the input from athletes and we know ASICS have been tuning it for a year.
I cannot wait to race this shoe over faster, runnable courses!
The MetaFuji Trail 2 is an unapologetic schoolboy racer and while I do not think it will be a ‘shoe of the year’ as an overall category winner, I do think those who can handle this wild horse will rate it their absolute shoe of the year.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 vs. Brooks Cascadia Elite
The MetaFuji Trail 2 is the greyhound to the Belgian Malinois that is the Cascadia Elite. Both shoes have incredibly fun foams, knitted ankle collars and offer plenty of grip. The Cascadia Elite is possibly a little slower but a ton more stable and durable. Torsional stability is much more pronounced on the Brooks. The Cascadia Elite is a lot more versatile for the average runner and for me is a more rewarding shoe than the MetaFuji Trail 2.
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 vs. On Cloudultra Pro
The MetaFuji Trail 2 is a much more energetic shoe than the Cloudultra Pro. Both are the pinnacle shoes for their respective brands and these are probably my two favourite trail supershoes to go uphill in. They both offer incredible decompression of the midsole and beg you to keep going, even on the steepest climbs. The Cloudultra Pro is more stable in the midfoot and heel as a more rounded shoe, but also feels more dull in most areas.
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 vs. Salomon S/Lab Ultra v2
Two of the best-fitting uppers in the game! A lot of similarity in the forefoot vs heel widths and both shoes are plated (carbon vs plastic) and offer laces. This is where the comparisons split. The Salomon is less responsible but oh so stable. Despite similar width, narrow heels, the Salomon begs me to run faster in technical terrain. To me, the Salomon is a daily shoe compared to the ASICS being a race / fast day shoe. The MetaFuji is the schoolboy racer to the S/Lab Ultra V2’s gentleman racer. Same same, but different.
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 vs. ASICS MetaFuji Trail
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 is a much more stable shoe than the MetaFuji Trail. They both claim 3.5mm lugs but the MetaFuji Trail has more bite. This is possibly due to a different shoe geometry, aided by an improved lug design. The new iteration is far more stable and locked down through a gorgeous sock-like upper. Thus making it now an option across most terrain. This is unlike the MetaFuji Trail that shined on flat packed trails for the rare flat trail races.
Other People’s Takes on the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2
Esther’s Take on the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2
When our team reviewed the MetaFuji v1, we all came away with a similar takeaway. The shoe was shockingly unstable. Through corners and on uneven descents along our regular trail routes, it felt more like running in platform shoes than in a technical trail racer. The combination of a towering stack height and an aggressive carbon plate left you not only perched high off the ground but constantly pitched forward. Ironically, a shoe designed to help me run faster often slowed me down by forcing caution whenever the terrain became technical.
The MetaFuji 2 is a radical rethink of the original model. Rather than tweaking that super niche concept of a super trainer for fast runners on flat trails, ASICS has radically transformed this trail racer. It’s now a versatile long-distance performance shoe suitable for almost any trail you can think of. I found this iteration to be stable on alpine lines and forgiving for all footstrikes. Where before it was relegated to a niche audience, the MetaFuji 2 now deserves to be mentioned alongside the Brooks Cascadia Elite, KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT Race, HOKA Tecton X line and norda 055. They each take a different approach, but all represent excellent options for long-distance trail racing.
For me, the upper is the standout feature of the shoe. Comfort is exceptional, but more importantly, the fit strikes an impressive balance between race-ready precision and all day comfort. The foot sits deeper inside the platform than on the previous version. Now it creates a much more secure sensation despite the stack.
My test pair was unfortunately a couple of sizes too large, so I can’t confidently say whether the slight lateral movement I experienced was due to the shoe itself or simply the sizing. Aside from that, lockdown was pretty great. The upper wraps the foot evenly without pressure points or rubbing and provides a secure hold that never felt restrictive.
Underfoot, the MetaFuji 2 delivered one of the smoothest rides I’ve experienced in a trail racer. The combination of generous cushioning, a progressive rocker and the carbon plate creates an effortless rolling sensation that remains lively without stiffness you sometimes get in a plated shoe. Unlike the first MetaFuji, this version feels comfortable enough to run for a very, very long time.
I have to disagree slightly with Raoul on who this shoe is for. While it was designed with elite athletes in mind, I don’t think its appeal stops there. Plenty of subelite runners tackling races like UTMB or simply looking for a premium long-distance race shoe are going to snatch this shoe up. And get along perfectly very well with it.
The strengths of the MetaFuji 2 become most apparent during sustained climbing and descending in my opinion. The carbon plate provides a responsive toe-off when climbing or running on the forefoot, while the cushioning removes much of the fatigue from long descents without ever feeling cumbersome.
The only situation where I found the shoe less convincing was on very soft terrain. Here, the deep cushioning can compress into the ground and lose some of the foam’s propulsion properties.
In terms of grip, the ASICSGRIP outsole was excellent across rock, dirt and mixed terrain, giving the MetaFuji 2 confidence well beyond what I’d expect from such a cushioned race shoe. Road transitions felt comfortable too, making it an attractive option for races that mix surfaces. The only caveat there being durability. The relatively soft rubber on my pair was already showing minor signs of wear after about 50km with a few stretches of asphalt.
I wasn’t convinced after the first MetaFuji, but this sequel completely changed my mind. It’s faster where it matters, dramatically more stable and allowed me to run long, very comfortably. It’s not a cheap shoe by any means, but if you’re after a premium racer, it’s among the best trail racing shoes available today.
ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 Quick Questions:
How should I use ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2?
For fast sessions and race days.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 a good shoe for long runs?
For the right athlete, absolutely it would be an incredibly fast long run shoe.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 a good shoe for fast sessions?
It was built for fast sessions and rewards with every step.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 a shoe for daily training?
It is not an ideal shoe for daily training.
Can I wear the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 as a lifestyle shoe?
It would take some commitment (and a puffer jacket to match) but it is a performance running shoe.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 suitable for all terrains?
It is suitable for all off-road terrains.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 a good shoe for racing?
Yes, this is an incredible racing shoe.
Is the ASICS MetaFuji Trail 2 a good shoe for stability?
No, it is not a stability shoe and should be avoided by those with stability needs.
