Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 4 vs Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
Two shoes people weigh up against each other constantly. Here is what actually separates them, taken from the same database that drives the Shoe Finder quiz, with nothing added by hand. The short version: only the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 4 comes in a wide fitting.
Side by side
| Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 4 | Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £239.99 RRP | £239.99 RRP |
| Type | Race day | Race day |
| Support | Neutral | Neutral |
| Weight | 166g | 169g |
| Heel drop | 6mm | 5mm |
| Heel stack | 34mm | 39mm |
| Widths | Standard and wide | Standard only |
| Plate | carbon | carbon |
What the differences mean
Weight
There is almost nothing in it, 166g against 169g. Weight is not the deciding factor between these two.
Heel drop
Both sit at around 6mm, so neither will feel unfamiliar if you are coming from the other. Nothing to choose here.
Width fittings
The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 4 comes in a wide fitting and the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is standard width only. If your feet are broad this is likely to settle it on its own, because no amount of cushioning makes up for a shoe that squeezes. Sizing up does not fix width, it just makes the shoe longer.
Price
Effectively the same price at full price, so this is not the thing to decide on. Whichever happens to be discounted on the day is the better buy.
Which should you buy?
Neither, until you have tried both on. Fit decides more than any specification on this page, and the two shoes above are close enough that a foot shape will separate them faster than a spreadsheet will.
Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 4
Marathon race day only. Nike claims 6mm drop but the lab measured 8.6mm, and the heel is narrow.
Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
Very light racing shoe built for runners who lengthen their stride at speed.
Or let the quiz decide
This page compares two shoes. The shoe finder compares all 227 of them against your width, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute.