The Hoka Rocket X2 is a performance shoe designed for all-out racing. The new ProflyX design sees a carbon plate that sits between dual-density layers of PEBA foam, providing a cushioned landing and a propulsive toe-off.
The synthetic mesh upper is designed to be lightweight and offer a high level of lockdown, thanks to a lean gusseted tongue and an internal midfoot cage.
The Asics Metaspeed Sky+ takes the impressive Metaspeed Sky and updates it with extra midsole foam to provide additional bounce, a lighter modified upper and a repositioned carbon plate.
That jacquard mesh upper is built to improve breathability, while the FF Blast Turbo midsole cushioning aims to proving greater compression and responsiveness when picking up the pace. In addition, there’s a healthy layer of Asicsgrip outsole rubber to improve durability and grip.
Tom and Nick have been testing the shoes out which they’d pick for race day.
To find out more about the Asics Metaspeed Sky+click here (we don’t make any money if you click on this link):
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00:00 – Intro
00:30 – Stats
00:53 – Design
02:03 – How’s the Fit?
04:46 – The Run Test
11:48 – Should You Buy it
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Hey Tommy from the Run testers in this Video we are going to be doing a Comparison between the A6 metaspeed Sky Plus and the Hawker rocket X2 now myself And Nick were both sent the Met speed Sky Plus from the guys over at sports Shoes We're not paid to do this review We can say whatever we want but big Thanks to sports shoes for getting us These shoes so we could do this review Right let's Dive In The A6 metaspeed Sky Plus costs 225 Pounds or 250 dollars it weighs 198 Grams or 7 ounces for men in a size 8 And the drop is 5 millimeters the Hawker Rocket X2 costs 220 pounds or 250 Dollars it weighs 208 grams or 7.3 Ounces for men in a size 8 and the drop Is five millimeters The Hulker rocket X2 is a performance Shoe designed for All Out Racing the new Proflyx design sees a carbon plate that Sits between two dual density layers of Piva foam providing a cushioned landing And a propulsive toe off the synthetic Mesh upper is designed to be lightweight And offer a high level of lockdown Thanks to a lean gusseted Tong and an Internal midfoot cage the shoe also Features an early stage metal rocker Design for a smooth transition and zonal Rubber placement across the outsole to Provide grip and protection for the Midsole the A6 metal speed Sky Plus
Takes the impressive metal speed sky and Updates it with extra midsole foam to Provide additional bounce a lighter Modified upper and a repositioned carbon Plate that jacquered mesh upper is built To improve breathability while the FF Blast turbo midsole cushioning aims to Provide greater compression and Responsiveness when picking up the pace In addition there's a healthy layer of A6 grip outsole rubber to improve Durability and grip the shoe is designed For runners who increase their stride Length more than Cadence when moving Faster while that speed Edge Plus is for Runners that increase their Cadence both Aiming to optimize the specific style of The user Foreign Sky Plus and the Hawker rocket X2 how's The fit been in these two shoes here uh Largely very good um on the Asics it's Been spot on I really actually really Love Asics up as relating I've learned a Single problem with the matix upper in So long now uh they're really Comfortable around the front really nice Amount of padding at the back even on a Racing shoe like this it's just the run Out of padding to hold the foot no Rubbing yeah really perfect fit mine all Sides in the Asics which converts to UK Knives to US 10 in the hopper that Converts to a US 9.5 and it's got
Slightly more cramped fear but actually The shoes seem similar size and I'd be Certainly very happy true to size in the Hoka as well in terms of length and fit Around there but it has got quite an Aggressive heel I found I had to heal up The shoe quite tightly to avoid getting Heel rub it's certainly a narrower more Cramped shoe in the toe box as well than The Essex foot not in an unpleasant way And cramps a bad word but I like a nice Tight fit narration shoe like this and It if it's fine in my normal size but as Always with hope you probably gonna have To look out for it a bit if you've got a Wide foot but yeah I was very happy in My normal size in both how about you Tom Uh I was also happy in my normal size in Both but I would say about the Met speed Sky I much prefer the fit of that shoe Um SV Sky plus uh it just is a little Bit more wiggle room for me in the Forefoot um it I don't have a skinnier Foot as you Um Griffin measured how skinny your feet Are but I also don't have massively wide Curing feet either so Um I I think it's a it's such a perfect Fit for me it's just just plenty of Space for me and I find it to be really Comfortable when I've been out for like Training runs in the shoe it's a very Comfortable shoe to do like a training Running as well just because it just
Works for me personally nice bit of Padding on it as well which you don't Often get in there This level of performances uh the rocket X2 yes I did find it a little bit more Restrictive I struggled to get it on I Remember the first time I wore it um I Really had to sort of pull the laces Apart a bit which I don't normally have To do with shoes Um I think it's definitely when you're Wearing the Red Rockets too you can you Know it's a ratio you know you know That's why it fits like that it's very Lean just hugs your foot Um and as a result I I don't like Wearing this for like training runs or Stuff it's Purely for race day for me I wouldn't Look at this account it's going to be a Comfortable you know Tempo run or something like that and Just it's a race day shoot for me and I Wouldn't use it for anything else Um and also there is less padding on it Um so it does feel a little bit There's not as much comfort in this shoe So I'd stick to my size but yeah Definitely worth thinking that the um Hawker might be a problem for people With white effect Okay so we've done quite a lot runs in These now Nick how have the runs has Been for you in both of these shoes uh
Good I like both of these shoes let's be Sky plus it's always a bit of an odd one It came out last year and they're all Glot of shoes and we kind of tested it I Raced in it I pb'd in it over the half Marathon and kind of moved on thinking Oh I really like that but it's not my Favorite one been revisiting a bit Lately uh just because I I really Enjoying the FF turbo phone and suit the Blast but also got this cherry red color Which is obviously a lot of fun to play With and I really like it it's a really Excellent Super Shoe probably slightly Underrated in my eyes now that I've gone Out and used it again but I feel it's a Slightly more demanding Super Shoe than Most including the Hoka rocket X the Foam's a little bit firmer I think you Really have to hit a good pace and be Running hard and running well to engage The plate in the phone in the most Effective manner I noticed it when we Talked about in the review when we did I Did a half marathon out the box felt Amazing but as I tied towards the end For lucky to shoot I can rock back on a Little bit and not really get the best Performance from it and then I was doing It a session the other day whilst Wearing it running what was I running I Was running K reps it was a slightly Longer reps basically in the shoe and um Again I felt like okay I've got to focus
A bit here glue engage lean forward a Bit and I'm going to get more from the Shoe when I do and it feels a bit firmer When you are running well I think it Really is it's almost as good as Anything out there just a bit firmer Probably slightly less bounce than some Of the other shoes slightly less of that Squishy feeling but yeah very very fast And that's as someone who is not a uh Whatever they call the runner for this One the abounding runner I know Shuffling Runner and I still really love This guy Um how about you Tom Yeah I've had a little bit of a Um re-interest in it because of you uh I Think I think we would however which Video we were doing we were talking About uh revisiting shoes and the Met Speeds guy first came up and I I think When we were testing this originally and The original metal speed Sky Um I wasn't in a period where I was I Was training for a marathon or anything So I didn't really get the best of it And I think during that period I think There's a lot of new shoes that got Released just after it so my attention Went towards some other shoes Um and I I sort of forgot about it and Then recently I've been wearing it quite A bit well sports shoes have just sent As these and they've that we've got this
New colorway on it so I've been tried it Out again and now I'm marathon training I've been using it for a lot of quite a Few of my um interval sessions and um Thought Lex and things like that Recently and I'm really enjoying it and I think I think they um I mentioned Earlier that it feels like a more Comfortable shoe for me like I can Actually go out and do a an easy an Easier run I wouldn't go out and do like A slow reading but uh easier than a race Pace and I feel still feel it's quite Comfortable and accessible and Relatively natural feeling and I think That's that's why I like it because it's Um it just feels it doesn't feel very Aggressive to me it just feels like it's Got all of the elements of a super shoe But probably wouldn't wear it instead of Some of my other shoes like you know It's not as fast for me as something Like the vapor fly 3 and things like That but it it's it's just a look it's a Really nice performance here I think if You were buying your first top let top End carbon ratio and you your comfort Was one of the deciding factors I think This would be a good option so that's Interesting so I think we're probably Gonna differ on both shoes in quite long So I like I said I think it's quite a Demanding machine you've got to be Running well to really go and nail runs
In it whereas I think the rocket X2 is a Really accessible super shoe you're Probably gonna differ on this as well But I think it's quite soft it's Comfortable you can just slip it on and Then go and run hard and I think you Really feel how much bounce you're Getting from the shoe quite you know Straight away it feels like a very Springy issue very exciting shoe to run In and I have loved running an issue in Racing and issue but I think over time I feel like the phone doesn't perform Quite as well as the phone on The Meta Speed Skype so in a few of the videos I Feel like over a long run or a long race I feel like I lose a little bit of the Bounce towards the end from the rocket X2 whereas I think then FF turbo phone Just never does that until it's really Consistent delivers a high level of Bounce for outruns I think I maybe not Bottomed out as too big a work because It's bottom went out entirely I said That in reviews but it is that's that is What's happening it's just losing a Little bit of that spring for me Um but I still think it's a really great Shoe and I think I've done some track Sessions in it the grips exceptional as Well which is a thing you don't often Hear with super shoots but it's quite a Thick layer of rubber out in a really Wet track session I was amazed how good
The grip was but yeah I do think you're Going to notice it straight away how Bouncy and spring it is I think it might Work for more people as a result I think It might feel a little bit more Accessible maybe than the metal speed Skype plus I get the feeling you're Going to say something entirely Different here I I've used I've used the rocketix a few Times now and I definitely think it's Fast I think it's faster than the amount Um I I what I find about it is that I Think that carbon plate that the Experience from the carbon plate is very Um what's the word it's like there's a Lot of Um The energy return but it's like a the The torsion from the the plate really Does like flip you forward quickly Um and I think that's great for you know If you're running fast I just don't when I'm not running fast I don't it feels Like I'm not really running in it Effectively Um and almost like I'm holding the issue Back a bit Um I I do I do like it I think it's I think It's a very nice fast shoe I I probably Don't like it over I won't go over half Marathon in it um I just think it's a Little bit too lean for me
Um I want a little bit more cushioning In it as you know I like the talking Dolphin Pro 3 things like that they're a Little bit more natural Um so yeah I I don't enjoy it I don't Think this is comfortable I don't think It's Um as uh enjoyable a shoe to whereas The Meta speed Skype plus but I do think It's faster and definitely for me it Does feel a little bit like it's doing More it's really propelling you forward A bit more Fair enough okay and for all the things You just said I think the opposite Perfect Well on the last bit yeah you were Talking about the outsole there yeah I've actually picked up the wrong shoe Here I should have picked up the The Ripped that one off as well have you no I've not read this one but I did Completely tear off the All the way to the back there and it Hasn't happened to me yet I think I've Only done a couple of runs on this one But you will start to flake off the Rubber there as a heel Striker you won't Do what Tom does which is to just remove Entire sections of rubber which I just Find it's only happening on shoes where The rubber starts at the back uh okay Yeah that's the sky plus it's fine all Of those sorts of shoes that wear you
Must just scuff your foot very slightly In a way it just picks up the rubber so There is a problem though a few shoes Because I think a lot of us have that With the cloudview Mac O3 didn't we um But you know I think you're the only one Who's doing it to this one yeah I've got A problem no problem Okay so Nick verdict for these two shoes Uh I think I know what you're gonna go For but um go for it uh both very good Shoes both are actually the slightly Lower drop shoes within the Super Shoe Category that's really the case with the Hawker rocket X I mean it feels very low For the uh very low Drop I think this is So soft for me at the heel but I do Prefer the metal speed Skype plus I just Think it's just you that I think it's Never really let me down I've always Performed really well in the shoe and I Think I should start using a bit more Just to ride that out because of all the PBS I've set in shoes in recent years The only ones that have been sitting on Nike shoes have been the Max B Sky Plus And both times it was the first run in The shield in my 10K PV in the original And then my half marathon PB in this one Although that was only two seconds on a Downhill course so I really can't give It too much credit Um but yeah I do think when I'm on it Engaged leaning forward really putting a
Lot of force of the shoe running hard to Get an enormous amount back from it I Really feel like I can run and run hard In it and it's very comfortable and Really really quick just like I say it's A shoe that I have to be aware of a bit Like the Mizuno waiver approach it has To have to think run well don't start Sitting back don't lose your form too Much because then it doesn't work as Well for me whereas I think the rocket X Is a shoe that works pretty well for uh Just straight out of the box because it Is nice and soft feels fun feels really Bouncy um it's good but I think in terms Of performance over longer hard runs in Particular I think it loses out a little Bit to the motor speed Sky Plus so I get The F6 myself how about you Tom Uh well that's physical Plus for me oh Interesting does anybody think the Hawker rocket X is faster you had guy From Sky I just it's this thing with Shoes like uh well I definitely use the Um Mastery Sky Plus um over Marathon Distance instead of the rocket XT yeah Um I just I just think it's a really Just it takes a lot more boxes for me Than the rocket X2 Um I just think it's more enjoyable to Run in I don't think there's much in the Speed if I was to pick out the top five Carbon plate ratios out at the moment These these two these two would be in my
Top five okay so there's it's very Marginal difference uh and I'd rather Take a very very tiny hit on Um the you know the speed of them for The comfort and and the enjoyment that I Get from it so I will go for the um A6 Minus two Sky Plus for that I think that I think the metservice cloud plus is More accessible for people I don't know I think the rocket X is actually a Little bit less accessible Um but uh yeah So I said all this stuff before but um This is completely useless versus for Most people they're trying to decide Between these two shoes with different Different styles right here maybe it was Weird then they're saying that I think Uh the latest beats guys is the hardest Shoes well maybe because I'm Shuffling You are you are a slightly more boundary Runner so maybe that's why you think It's more accessible but um yeah it's Odd yeah well sorry about that guys uh You've got you basically just take a Break both your shoes though you're not Gonna go too far but they're both Fantastic shoes and it's a very Difficult decision to make and I'd be Happy racing in either of these but uh I Would just go for these expensive Sky Plus if I was push push game show fair Enough I don't need to come to shop for Me I would just go for messages that's
It from us on this comparison thanks a Lot for watching don't forget to like Subscribe click the little bell and uh If you go into the captions below you Can find a link to our podcast which Comes at the end of each month lasts About an hour good length of time if You're out on a 10k run 12K run so head Into caption and give it a listen right Catch you later
