Nike Vaporfly 3 vs ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris: Marathon Racer Showdown

The two highest-scoring shoes in SoleHunt's entire catalogue, separated by a single point (94 vs 93). The specs read like twins — 186g vs 187g, 40mm stacks, 8mm drops, 88mm toeboxes — but the details diverge: the Metaspeed Sky Paris returns more energy (89% vs 87%) from a slightly softer 17 HC foam, and posts the highest performance score we've recorded (99/100). The Vaporfly 3 is $40 cheaper at retail ($235–$250 vs $265–$290), more widely available, and its 18 HC ZoomX ride is the known quantity half the marathon field already trusts.

Choose the Metaspeed Sky Paris if you want the outright best marathon racing data we've measured — 89% energy return and a 99/100 performance score — and particularly if you're a stride-type runner, which the Sky geometry is built around.

Choose the Vaporfly 3 for the same tier of performance at $40 less, easier availability, and a decade of proven race-day reliability. At this level the bigger gains come from picking whichever fits your foot better.