Skechers GORun2 | In-Depth Review

Image from Skechersperformance.com

Introduction

It's about time for Skechers to be recognized as one of the elite running shoe companies.
When I tell people that I run in Skechers, they seem surprised, which shouldn't be too surprising since most of my friends are somewhat oblivious to the running and triathlon world. With elite sponsored athletes like marathon sensation Meb Keflezighi, football phenom Danny Woodhead, and a host of other elite athletes, including my running coach Caleb Masland, it is no wonder so many people are buying into the Skechers craze.  

Initial Impression

JORDAN: The Skechers GoRun2 hits so many sweet spots for me in terms of weight, flexibility, cushioning and simplicity. Feather light at 6.7 oz (Men’s size 10), I never feel weighed down. There is great flexibility on every axis so I never feel like my foot fights the shoe. The stack height (11mm forefoot, 20mm midfoot, and 15mm heel) provides a nice plushness without being overly soft. This shoe on paper looks stiff. I would look at that 11mm in the forefoot and think this is probably a pretty firm shoe. I would be wrong. It’s Goldilocks.

JOSHUA: I bought the Skecher's GoRun2 in early January when I was suffering from what seemed to be intermittent, though progressively more consistent, achilles tendinopathy. My coach, Caleb Masland of Team Wicked Bonkproof, recommended the shoe for achilles tendinopathy because of the 4mm heel to toe drop and ample cushioning. Furthermore, at 6.7 oz, it is a truly light shoe. I don't do well in shoes that way more than about 8 or so oz, so the weight of the GoRun2 really hits the sweet spot. I went with the neon green color, and I seem to get a lot of looks in 'em when I'm running. Great stuff!

Fit

JORDAN: The upper is light and stretchy making for a sock-like feeling over the forefoot. The four way mesh provides plenty of breathability, especially during these hot summer months. According to Pete over at RunBlogger, the Skechers team slimmed the forefoot width just a little from the original GoRun. My feet run a touch wide so I love all the help I can get in the width. I sized up to a 10 from my usual 9.5.

Even after 341mi, the upper has not broken down yet!

I get just a little heel slippage in the GoRun 2 that I think could be easily remedied with the addition of an extra eyelet similar to the vari-lock system in the GoRun Meb Speed.

JOSHUA: This shoe fits my foot perfectly. As Jordan mentioned, it has a sock-like feel over the forefoot. The mesh material of the upper means that my foot rarely sweats in the warmer weather, but it keeps my foot oddly warm and cozy during winter running. Furthermore, my heel feels nice and snug and it does not move when I'm running. 

Sizing wise, I am a 8.5 in the Skecher's GoRun2. To compare it to my either shoes, I'm a 9.0 in Saucony, an 8.5 in New Balance, an 8.5 in Skora, an 8.5 in the Merrell Barefoot line [though, to be honest, the 8.5 feels a bit tight now!!!], and so on. So, from my experience, the shoe runs true to size.

Durability

JORDAN: With just over 50 miles in the GR2’s I am noticing some significant wear in the heel and forefoot. I think it’s just part of the trade off when it comes to light weight shoes. Additional outsole rubber would increase both durability and weight. Most of time I’ll take light weight over longer miles. I expect to get close to 200-250 miles out of this pair. Since this shoe can be found for approximately $60 through online retailers I feel I’m getting my money’s worth.

Sole of the GoRun2 after 341mi

JOSHUA: Looking at my DailyMile shoe log, I have logged 341mi of mostly running [though some walking is also included in those miles]. At 341mi, they feel just as good as they did a mile 1. As you'll note in the picture, the pods in the forefoot seem to have lost a bit of traction. The wear in the heel is due primarily to a lot of hard downhill running, and I don't have the best downhill running form when I'm going fast. The shoe looks pretty good for 341mi, eh?

Best Suited For...

JORDAN: The GR2 has been my daily trainer now for a few weeks. I’ve used them for everything from track/speed workouts to longer runs upwards of 8 miles. They’ll be my racing shoe for an upcoming 10K. I would have no hesitations about this shoe for any distance up to a half marathon.

JOSHUA: There isn't much that the shoe cannot tackle. i have run up to 16mi in the shoe, and as of right now it would be my shoe of choice for the marathon distance. I have raced a 5k in them, a 10k, and 5.5mi of trail half marathon [before I DNF'd due to a twisted ankle, which had nothing to do with the shoe and more to do with a clogged, somewhat technical single track trail and jumping on and off the trail to keep pace]. I have run on wet road with NO problem, on roads when the snow is falling to the ground with NO problem, and on jeep trails and forest trails with NO problem. I have also done track workouts in this shoe, and it's great! 

For me, this shoe fits the bill for everything except technical and muddy trails. And this makes sense since it's a road running shoe. But... it makes me excited to see what the Skecher's GoBionic Trail would feel like. 

How fast are you? 

Cons

JORDAN: I find the shoes uncomfortable to walk in. The beveled heel and thicker mid-foot stack height make me feel unstable. I don’t, however, notice this lack of stability while running.  

As I mentioned earlier, I think the security of the fit in the heel could be improved with an extra eyelet.

JOSHUA: I wish the pods in the forefoot were placed in the heel [for fast downhill running] and more broadly in the forefoot, especially on the lateral edge.

Conclusions

JORDAN: The GoRun2 is a fantastic shoe overall. For a light weight, cushioned, flexible and simple trainer under $100, Skechers brought it.

Looking almost brand new after 341mi. Nice job, Skechers.

JOSHUA: I freaking love the GoRun2. It's is my go-to shoe for pretty much everything. I managed to snag this shoe for about $65 with a coupon code, and I could not be happier. I'll probably get another pair [or try to GoBionic next!] and get it in black this time so I can run to AND use them as casual work shoes. No complaints here. Well done, Skecher's, on making one of the best running shoes currently in the market.

Overall: 5 stars!

Disclosure: As part of Team Wicked Bonkproof, both Jordan and I have received free racing gear from Skecher's; however, we did not receive the shoes from Skecher's. We bought the shoes with our own money, and we couldn't be more pleased.