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Asics Metaspeed Sky Plus(2022)

Discontinued · road · Race day · $250

Sky with more foam and more bounce.

Built for race day, at a target pace of 4:50–7:00 /mi on road.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris.

The spec sheet

Weight
205 g / 7.2 oz
Heel stack
38 mm
Drop
5 mm
Plate
Carbon
Cushioning
4 / 5
Energy return
5 / 5
Responsiveness
5 / 5
Rocker
5 / 5
Flexibility
2 / 5
Stability
2 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~200 mi
Price
$250

How it rides

The foam

Asics tuned this midsole soft (4/5 on our cushioning scale). The foam is highly resilient — it gives energy back rather than swallowing it, which is what makes the shoe feel eager when you push. 38 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as explosive at 5/5 responsiveness.

The plate

A full-length carbon plate stiffens the forefoot and works with the foam as a lever: it smooths the transition off the toes and cuts the effort of holding fast paces. It also asks for speed — at easy paces a carbon plate feels stiff and does little for you, and it is the main reason super-shoes wear out sooner than trainers.

The geometry

A low 5 mm drop encourages a midfoot landing and keeps the ankle working through a fuller range. The rocker is aggressive: the sole is curved and stiff enough to tip you into the next stride on its own, which saves the calf on long runs but feels strange when you slow right down. The forefoot is stiff, so it rolls rather than bends — a lever, not a slipper. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 200 miles from the outsole, about $1.25 per mile at $250.

For the foams and plates Asics uses across its line, read the Asics brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

205 g / 7.2 oz

70 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

38 mm

2 mm taller than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

5 mm

1 mm lower than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$250

90 pricier than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

5 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

4 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

5 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~200 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Asics line it is lighter than the brand's median (268 g / 9.5 oz) and sits taller than its median stack (38 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

On Cloudboom Strike 2(2026)

204 g / 7.2 oz · 39 mm · 4 mm drop · Carbon · $290

On finally nails the super shoe: light, rockered and genuinely fast.

On Cloudboom Strike LS

190 g / 6.7 oz · 38 mm · 4 mm drop · Carbon · $330

Spray-on upper and carbon Speedboard — On's flagship marathon racer.

Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris(2024)

183 g / 6.5 oz · 39 mm · 5 mm drop · Carbon · $250

The cadence-runner's Metaspeed: firmer toe-off, quicker turnover.

Under Armour Velociti Elite 3

195 g / 6.9 oz · 39 mm · 6 mm drop · Carbon · $250

UA's featherweight carbon racer, all rocker and snap.

On Cloudboom Strike(2024)

210 g / 7.4 oz · 40 mm · 4 mm drop · Carbon · $290

On's carbon racer: light, snappy, narrow and unmistakably a race shoe.

Lineage & siblings