Two Years? What’s Left: Asics DS Light X-Fly 5

*This article was originally written in September 2025 on other social media. Modified and uploaded to the blog in July 2026.

Intro:

The X-Fly 5 is a 2.5 years old model that was first released on April 13th, 2023, priced at 23,100 yen. It has been worn by professional players such as Yuta Nakayama, Miki Yamane, and Ryotaro Ito. Time flies. I still remember World Cup 2022 clearly. Hard to believe World Cup 2026 is already around the corner.

At the time of this review, the X-Fly 6 has already been launched, featuring the new “Silky Wrap” upper—previously used on the X-Fly Pro 3—though with a slightly different tuning. This new generation marks the end (at least for now) of the kangaroo leather era in the X-Fly series. However, today we’re not talking about the new X-Fly 6, but rather the older, popular X-Fly 5, which is still worn by many pro players today.

Let’s begin by going over the specs of the X-Fly 5 and my personal experience with it.

Soleplate:

The X-Fly 5 features a soleplate with 12 conical studs: 4 on the heel, 3 on the medial side, 4 on the lateral side, and 1 centrally placed stud. This configuration is typical for Japanese football boots, designed mainly for HG and AG surfaces, which are widely used in schools and clubs. They work fine on FG as well, although traction isn’t the best.

If you play on both natural and artificial grass, this stud pattern is what I’d recommend. Asics claimed this to be a “stability” soleplate, and I agree. I didn’t feel any stud pressure. Everything was stable underfoot. The performance has been consistent, and running felt quite smooth on both ground types.

The full-length shank seems to be mixed with paper fabrics. The style is similar to Morelia 2. When playing on AG in summer, I felt less heat from the ground. I assume the shank and insole blocked certain amount of heat compared to some other models. Snapbacks are pretty neutral and the bending point of the soleplate is correctly placed, making everything comfortable on feet.

Upon closer inspection, we’ll notice subtle carvings on the soleplate—some recessed, some raised. According to Asics, these are designed to increase or reduce rigidity in different areas of the soleplate (though I’m not sure how noticeable that actually is).

One unique and often overlooked feature is the upward curve at the forefoot. Like some running shoes, this design encourages a smoother toe-off and helps your foot roll forward more naturally. However, during the first couple of sessions, I kept hitting the ball with the toe area when trying to shoot with my instep. The shape makes it a bit difficult to point the toes downward, so it took some time to get used to.

There are two rivets—one on the medial side and one at the toe—helping to secure the soleplate to the upper. They have also put something new to deal with the notorious issues on X-Fly 4. Good news: Asics added a raised toe cap extending from the soleplate to reduce separation, addressing a durability issue reported by X-Fly 4 users. Bad news: I discovered a split-open section right next to the toe cap after 6–8 hours of use on both natural and artificial ground.

Unlike most other Asics boots (except the Acros 3, which shares the same soleplate), the X-Fly 5 uses an external heel counter integrated into the soleplate rather than an internal one. This leads us to the next topic: the heel.

Heel:

Personally, I’m not a big fan of the X-Fly 5’s heel design. While it works fine for me, I prefer the heel setup on the Ultrezza 3 and X-Fly Pro 2. Compared to the X-Fly 4, the width—or collar opening when viewed from above—is increased. This makes the boot more accommodating for different foot shapes but reduces lockdown for those who had a perfect fit with the X-Fly 4. My heel has slipped horizontally inside the shoe once while planting for a shot.

The external heel counter doesn’t provide the same locked-in feeling as models with internal counters. It wraps the heel with a softer feel instead of locking everything in place. Even though I don't like it as much as other designs, some players may find the X-Fly 5 more stable because of this setup. At the end of the day, this is subjective.

The medial sides of the collar rubbed slightly against my ankle bones, but didn’t cause any blisters and didn’t bother me much during play. The thick padding around the collar fills the space well so not many rubber pellets got into the boots when playing on AG.

While some users have reported blisters with Asics boots (myself included, though with a different model), I expect most discomfort to disappear after breaking them in. Despite my personal preferences, I didn’t experience any real issues with the heel.

Upper:

The upper follows a classic Japanese leather boot formula: kangaroo leather at the forefoot and synthetic material for the rest. The padding under the kangaroo leather has changed from 3mm low-density foam (used in the X-Fly 4) to 4mm high-density foam. The “Moistect” technology remains, helping the leather stay soft and resist stiffening after getting wet. This gives the leather a slightly different feel compared to other kangaroo models. Each company tunes their leather differently. I wouldn’t praise the leather’s quality or softness too much when compared to Mizuno MIJ, Diadora, or Lotto MII but it’s acceptable for the price.

Although Asics promotes the X-Fly 5 as offering a “barefoot feel” (common marketing for leather boots), the sensation here is a bit unique. The high-density foam creates a more spongy, cushioned touch rather than a soft, pliable one. Personally, I prefer a thin and crispy feel (like boots with knitted uppers) so this isn’t exactly my type of upper.

The synthetic midfoot is soft enough, though slightly rigid to the touch (possibly an intentional trade-off for lockdown), and there’s no internal padding. It’s not the most premium synthetic material I’ve seen, but it performs fine. Unlike the X-Fly Pro 2, there’s no internal reinforcement in the midfoot, making the lockdown slightly weaker in comparison.

Sizing & Fit:

I usually wear size JP 27.0. My right foot is slightly longer, and my left slightly wider. I went true to size with the X-Fly 5 (JP 27.0), and the insole length matches the size label exactly. Width-wise, it's a typical Asics width—between E and 2E.

I also tried size 26.5 (as I’ve worn that size in other Asics models), but found the toe box too tight—my toes had too much pressure at the front. Even with 27.0, the toe box needed some time to break in. The toe box volume feels lower than in the Ultrezza 3 and X-Fly Pro 2, possibly due to the curved-up forefoot soleplate. Given the shape of my toes, the fit wasn’t as comfortable as those other two models, but it wasn’t a major issue.

Conclusion:

The X-Fly 5 represents a more traditional and conservative design approach. Asics knows its target consumers well. It’s lightweight, features kangaroo leather, and has a stable, versatile soleplate that works on various surfaces. It’s designed to fit most people—a safe, all-around option. I believe that’s why it remains one of the most popular boots in the Japanese market. You can buy it without much hesitation. Nothing would go wrong.

However, if you're looking for standout performance in a specific area, this probably isn’t the boot for you. Want better traction? Go for the X-Fly Pro 2. Better lockdown? Acros 3 (though honestly, I’d still choose the X-Fly 5 over it). Stronger soleplate? Ultrezza 3. The list grows even longer when considering boots from other brands.

Do I like it? No. But do I think it’s a product that accomplished what Asics wants? Yes. The design language and purpose of the X-Fly 5 set its limitations. It’s the gatekeeper to the line of excellent boots—but it can’t quite pass through the gate itself in my opinion. For all excellent boots would stand out in some aspects, sadly there’s no such breakthrough on X-Fly 5 (as Asics didn’t intend to do any). For fans of the X-Fly 4, the 5 brings some improvements but loses some traits that made the 4 special. Whether the trade-off is worth it is up to each player.

How does it compare to the X-Fly 6? I wouldn’t say they’re THAT different, despite the 3 major changes with the X-Fly 6. The main design language has remained the same.

Given the current price of the X-Fly 5 (around 10,000–13,000 yen or 67–88 USD), I would recommend it to anyone interested in trying an iconic Asics boot. You can basically buy 2 pairs of X-Fly 5 for the price of 1 X-Fly 6 right now. Personally, I wouldn’t pay more than 100 USD for the X-Fly 5, as I don’t consider it particularly special or a must-have. (Honestly, I might even prefer the Copa Pure 2.) I got my pair for around 70–80 USD from an official retailer, so it was a good deal, no complaints.