Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes review: a stiff-soled shoe for speed days

An extended carbon plate makes for a fast and responsive wide, but you’ll need a strong and narrow foot to wear it

Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes
(Image: © Julia Clarke)

Advnture Verdict

We enjoyed a fast and light ride in these, but they’re narrow for a trail shoe and lack room in the toe box

Pros

  • +

    Full length carbon plate

  • +

    Good midfoot fit and heel lockdown

  • +

    Smart lace loop

  • +

    Light, breathable uppers

  • +

    Braided laces

  • +

    Vegan friendly

Cons

  • -

    Tapered toe box a bit narrow

  • -

    Sole may be too stiff for some runners

  • -

    Toe protection could be better

  • -

    Lugs not big enough for mud or technical trails

  • -

    Pricey

You can trust Advnture Our expert reviewers spend days testing and comparing gear so you know how it will perform out in the real world. Find out more about how we test and compare products.

Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes: first impressions

With the Fujispeed 2, Asics have focused on building a trail running shoe for race days. A full length carbon plate makes for a super stiff sole and is designed to return energy to you with each step and improve your running economy. They’re not the lightest shoes we’ve tested, but they’re as light as you can expect to find with current technology, and we’ve enjoyed a few pretty fast runs in these on forest trails and gravel roads.

Specifications

• List price: $160 / £160
• Gender specification: Men’s and women’s available
• Sizes: Men’s 7 - 15 US, 6 - 14 UK / Women’s 5 - 12 US, 3 - 10 UK
• Width: Standard
• Drop: 5mm
• Weight (per shoe): 10.5 oz / 300 grams (women’s US 6)
• Materials: FF BLAST PLUS foam, ASICSGRIP outsole rubber
• Colors: Gris Blue/Black, Bright Orange/Antique Red 

Beyond the plate and the sole, these shoes feature a moderate 5 mm drop for more of a neutral feel, enough cushion to wear on a long run without feeling like you’re trotting in trampolines, and lugs that are more than adequate for dry trails, but probably not quite enough for mud and technical terrain. The uppers are very breathable and the braided laces stay secured for hours. Our main gripe is that these shoes feel a little narrow on regular sized feet, and the toe box isn’t roomy enough for us to really spread our toes.

Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes: in the field 

Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes

The shape of the toe box doesn't leave as much room as I'd like (Image credit: Julia Clarke)

We’re in our second heat wave of the year here in Scotland and I’ve been hitting the trails early and sticking to shaded forest tracks to get my miles in without overheating. For the past 30k, I’ve been running in the Asics Fujispeed 2, which promise to be best for race days.

Here’s how they performed:  

Sizing and fit 

I’m a 3.5 UK and I sized up to a 4 in these, which did leave a little room in the toe box, but due to the shape of the toe box my toes still felt somewhat cramped. I don’t have a wide or narrow foot and despite being standard width, these felt quite narrow to me. On my foot that meant a secure fit but if your foot is wide, these will be too tight. I think I’d recommend going up a full size if you want enough room for your toes.

Asics Fujispeed 2 trail running shoes

The lugs aren't adequate for mud or ultra technical trails (Image credit: Julia Clarke)

Comfort and breathability

These shoes have an incredibly stiff sole, and even though the upper is super thin (you can see your toes through it) the material is also quite stiff so when I first put them on, I wondered if I’d need to break them in before I ran in them. As it turns out, I could wear them right out of the box, but I think the stiff sole, snug fit and tapered toe box definitely reduces the comfort for me and I wasn’t devastated to take them off after my run. 

As I wrote about in my article on finding the perfect running shoe, stiff soles are really only appropriate for those with strong feet and good ankle mobility, otherwise you change your gait to compensate for not being able to flex your joints. I think I have enough range of motion to pull these off, but they might be a bit too stiff for my liking, and for other runners.

The breathability is great. As mentioned, it’s been hot here and I’ve had no problems with sweaty feet.

Grip and responsiveness

The lugs are ample for the trails I’ve been on, which aren’t too steep and haven’t been at all muddy, but they’re not enough for muddy and technical trails. 

Though I don’t love how stiff they are and I don’t get enough toe spreading or trail feel to feel super connected to the trail, I have to admit that I run a little faster in these shoes and for the right runner, they definitely make sense for longer races.

Protection 

Because the shoe feels so stiff, I imagined there was more protection than there really is. The heel is really sturdy, but the toe could use a little more protection against rocks and roots, in my opinion.

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.