Asics Metaspeed Sky vs Metaspeed Sky Plus: Which One Should You Buy?

Introduction

Asics has an unusual situation with the Metaspeed Sky line: the Sky Plus is positioned as an update, but it is not really a refinement of the original. It is a very different shoe, and the differences are big enough that the better choice depends entirely on what kind of ride you want. This comparison breaks down the specs, the plate design, the midsole feel, and the fit so you can pick the one that matches your running.

Specs at a Glance

The Metaspeed Sky weighs about seven ounces, with 38mm of stack height in the heel and 33mm in the forefoot, for a five-millimeter drop. The Metaspeed Sky Plus comes in around 7.2 ounces and adds a hair more stack underfoot: 39mm in the heel and 34mm in the forefoot.

That extra millimeter of foam is not the story, though. The real change is what sits inside the midsole.

Plate Design: Curved vs Flat

The original Metaspeed Sky uses a curved plate that sweeps down through the midsole, while the Sky Plus has a flatter plate under the foot along with some geometry changes, including a slightly more aggressive toe spring. That plate layout is a large part of why these two shoes feel so different, even though both use FlyteFoam Turbo in the midsole.

Ride Feel: Soft and Bouncy vs Firm and Fast

The Metaspeed Sky feels softer underfoot. It needs a little break-in time, but once the midsole settles, it delivers that soft, bouncy sensation you would expect from a super shoe.

The Metaspeed Sky Plus feels firmer, and that firmness comes largely from the plate sitting right underneath your foot. At normal paces it reads as firm, and the bounce only really shows up when you are running genuinely fast. In other words, it rewards speed rather than offering it up front.

Fit and Sizing: The Half-Size Difference

This is the detail that catches most people out. The Metaspeed Sky did not fit true to size and ran about a half size short, while the Sky Plus finally fits true to size thanks to a more refined upper. If you are between the two, plan accordingly: many runners need to size up in the Sky but not in the Sky Plus.

In the rearfoot the two are similar, but the heel counter feels a bit more flexible on the original and a bit less so on the Plus.

Stability: Neither Is a Rock

If you need a stable shoe, neither version will be your answer. The Sky Plus is not a stable design either, and on that shoe it can feel like the foot hangs slightly off the medial side. The original feels a touch more secure in that respect, but both are race-day tools first.

Which One Should You Buy?

The decision is genuinely simple once you know what you want from a shoe:

• Want a bouncy, softer ride and do not mind sizing up half a size? The Metaspeed Sky is the pick.
• Want a firmer ride that comes alive at faster paces and fits true to size? The Metaspeed Sky Plus is your best bet.

Both share the same FlyteFoam Turbo family and a similar super-shoe silhouette, so the choice comes down to ride feel and fit rather than any dramatic spec gap.

Conclusion

The Metaspeed Sky and Sky Plus look like siblings, but they run like different shoes. The original is softer and bouncier but runs half a size short, while the Plus is firmer, faster-focused, and finally true to size. Match the shoe to your pace and sizing, and both are easy shoes to be happy with.