Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo vs Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 SC:
Which to Choose

October 2, 2026

Verdict

These are two of the most similar super shoes you could line up — same stack, same drop, same neutral platform, same race zone — so the decision comes down to two things, not price. Go Metaspeed Sky Tokyo if outright lightness and a firm, snappy turnover matter most; go Phantasm 3 SC if you want the bouncier PEBA ride and the rolling energyBLADE toe-off, and the snug wind-tunnel fit suits your foot. For most runners the deciding factor will simply be which platform locks your foot down best and which ride feel you prefer at race pace.

Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

270.00 USD

Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 SC

249.95 USD

Pace

6 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

6 of 6

Stability

2 of 6

Drop

6 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

Carbon

Distances

HalfMarathon

Pace

6 of 6

Cushioning

5 of 6

Responsiveness

6 of 6

Stability

2 of 6

Drop

6 mm

Support

Neutral

Plate

Carbon

Distances

HalfMarathon

At a Glance

Asics Metaspeed Sky TokyoSalomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 SC

Who Should Choose Each Shoe

Choose

Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

Choose the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo if you want the lightest possible racer and value quick turnover above all — at 163g it's the featherweight here, and forefoot or midfoot strikers who spend real time at genuine race effort will love how its firm-but-lively FF Leap foam and plate snap them forward. It's the pick for the efficient, competitive runner who wants a dedicated marathon tool and is happy to trade upper plushness and lockdown for grams saved.

Choose

Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 SC

Choose the Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 3 SC if you prefer a bouncier, more eager PEBA ride with a pronounced rolling toe-off, and if a snug, aerodynamically shaped race fit appeals to you more than shaving every last gram. It suits the experienced fast runner who wants that insistent, propulsive energyBLADE roll over marathon distance and doesn't mind a slightly heavier shoe or a fussier pull-on for it.

Head-to-Head

On the hard numbers these two are closer than almost any pairing you'll find: same 39mm/33mm stack, same 6mm drop, same neutral, low-stability rating, and both optimized for the same 3:00–3:15 min/km race zone where plate and foam return the most energy. Where they genuinely part ways is weight and the feel of the engine driving them. The Metaspeed Sky Tokyo is the lighter of the two at 163g versus the Phantasm 3 SC's 184g in a men's US 9 — a real, felt gap of roughly 20g that favors the Asics for pure turnover speed. The foams differ in character too: Asics' FF Leap (A-TPU) feels lively and springy with a race-firm edge that wants pace before it rewards you, while Salomon's PEBA-based optiFOAM+ reads as bouncier and more eager underfoot, with the spoon-shaped energyBLADE plate delivering an insistent, rolling toe-off. Both use a full-length carbon plate and a rockered geometry, but the Phantasm's spooned plate emphasizes that forward roll, whereas the Metaspeed's setup feels snappy and propulsive in a way that nudges you onto your toes. Uppers reflect different philosophies: the Metaspeed's minimal MOTIONWRAP mesh is thin and breathable, prioritizing weight over lockdown, while the Phantasm's wind-tunnel-shaped engineered upper chases aerodynamics with a snug race fit that can be fussy to pull on. Both share the same caveat — tall, narrow platforms that feel tippy at jogging speeds and demand a confident, centered footstrike — so neither is a forgiving pick for a runner who slows down or fatigues mid-race.