ASICS MATFLEX 8
- Budget
- General training
Image coming soon
Product details checked against available sources.
Specifications
Our verdict
ASICS's entry-level wrestling shoe, with a mesh and perforated synthetic-leather upper and soft synthetic leather at the ankle, sold directly by ASICS UK. It is a straightforward first pair, though ASICS's UK page says nothing about the sole or the laces.
ASICS UK describes the MATFLEX 8 with a breathable mesh vamp (the front of the upper), a perforated synthetic-leather upper and soft synthetic leather at the ankle. ASICS also sells a separate kids' version, the MATFLEX 8 GS, on its UK store.
ASICS's UK page does not state the sole construction (split or full-length), the closure or any built-in lace cover. Nor does it give the cut height or any sizing advice. We record all of these as not confirmed.
UWW's Uniform Regulations (January 2026 version) require laces to be covered by adhesive tape and/or elastic fabric so they cannot come undone. With no built-in cover stated, plan to tape or cover the laces yourself for competition, and check your event's rules.
Beginners who want an inexpensive first wrestling shoe from ASICS's own UK store, including families who may also want the kids' MATFLEX 8 GS.
You want a built-in lace cover (see the adidas HVC PLUS or the ASICS SPLIT ELITE). You prefer a shoe whose maker states the sole construction.
Pros
- Upper materials named by ASICS: a mesh vamp, perforated synthetic leather and soft synthetic leather at the ankle
- A budget price, sold directly by ASICS's UK store
- A separate kids' version, the MATFLEX 8 GS, from the same store
Cons
- Sole construction, closure and lace cover are not stated on ASICS's UK page
- No sizing advice from ASICS that we could confirm
- Cut height and weight are not stated
Why we rated it this way
Rated on Construction / Materials, Fit & Movement, Durability and Value (the footwear criteria) - there is no Protection score for wrestling shoes.
Construction / Materials (3): the upper materials are named, but the sole is not described at all, so it is not rated higher.
Fit & Movement (3): soft synthetic leather at the ankle is confirmed; there is no sizing advice, closure or sole-flex detail.
Durability (3): no independent durability evidence.
Value (3): a budget price, but at the top of the budget range and with less confirmed detail than the adidas HVC PLUS - including no stated built-in lace cover.
Sources
- Manufacturer — ASICS's own UK product page, loaded in a browser (automated fetches get HTTP 403) - breathable mesh vamp, perforated synthetic-leather upper, soft synthetic leather at the ankle, style 1081A068.001, UK 5.5 to 14, and the GBP purchase route.
- Manufacturer — ASICS's UK page for the separate kids' MATFLEX 8 GS, with the same upper description - the junior option noted in the fit notes; we don't list junior models.
- Technical documentation — UWW Uniform Regulations, version January 2026 (printed; the file name says jan2025, and UWW announced it to federations on 21 January 2026). §4 shoes: no rough seams or hard eyelets, non-hazardous lace tips, laces covered by adhesive tape and/or elastic fabric so they cannot come undone, and flexible soles with no roughness and an absence of metal. No sentence makes shoes compulsory.
Methodology: research-based (not hands-on tested) · How we review products
Last reviewed 2026-10-21 · Last verified 2026-10-21