[Guest Posts] Road review - Reebok Floatride Run

Thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of my contact at Reebok Canada I was able to help hook up a few of my RunNinja club athletes with a pair of their Floatride Run shoes for testing and review.

Did I lose any friends over this?  Read on and find out!
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I have been running consistently for about 6 years now, but I had never tried Rebook before. The shoes are simply amazing – very light and comfortable. They are completely different from other brands I have tried in the past, and I’m glad I got this pair of shoes. I would totally recommend these shoes to my running buddies. Thank you Reebok Canada!

[ Juan A., Ecuadorian ultra-runner, college student ]

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Reebok Floatride Run Ultraknit
Weight 7 0z. / Drop 8 mm

I tested these shoes on road runs between 5 km and 22 km.

Appearance
Stylish. I generally don’t wear purple, but the colour combo of purple and smoky grey with white soles is flashy on my feet. The geometric shapes, honeycombs and triangles, add to the shoes attractive quality.

Performance
Overall, running in Floatride is fast and light. The shoes felt seamless to my feet. The fabric knit material on the tongue, and upper section of the shoes shaped to my feet, making them very comfortable to run in. However, due to the flexibility of the fabric, my feet moved around in the shoes. The shoes made a flapping sound with every foot strike. That was remedied when I was more mindful to be lighter with each of my steps. The geometric plastic frame on the sides of the shoes have 6 holes for the lacing. It would’ve been nice to have 8, to do up the lock lacing to keep my heels in place.

Recommendation
I would recommend everyone to try on a pair of Floatride. They’re a fun pair to run in. They’re super light and have plenty of cushion and spring for the short and long runs. Just tie the laces a little tighter than usual for a snug fit.

[ Christina B.  trail runner, soccer player, graphic artist ]

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Give 'em a try yourself!  Head on over to https://www.reebok.ca/ (and why not check it out now while they're having a "VIP Sale" online ...?)!
 
Disclosure: My friends received these products from Reebok Canada gratis but was not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions expressed are those of the reviewer!

[Guest Posts] Road review - Reebok Floatride Run

Road review - Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro

I'm almost never an 'early adopter', so this is unusual territory for me ... testing out the Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro even before it's available to the public here in Canada!

All I can say is that the running shoe fairy dropped off a gift for me today! #floatride #runfastpro #reebok #bemorehuman

A post shared by Patrick Voo (@pbfvoo) on Jun 15, 2018 at 9:29am PDT

Here's my video review after about a total of 20k running in them ... but good golly I had to say something!

Disclosure: I received this product from Reebok Canada at their expense but was not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions expressed (however poorly) are my own!

Road review - Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro

Road review: Reebok Harmony Road 2

The 'Bok?

As in a running 'Bok?

Yup.

Having formerly been an employee of Nike in my twenties I recall Reebok being a bit of the 'also ran' of the sports-and-fitness world ... not quite a heavy hitter like Adidas, but had still enough of a recognizable presence that people would think of the brand when it came to athletic shoes.  We wouldn't quite snicker at their employees, but we wouldn't give them much thought either.

Well, Reebok has managed to hang around all these years.  The Union Jack logo has gone, and they've also found a new niche for themselves:  the CrossFit revolution.  They've also managed to snag an exclusive contract with one of the world's fastest growing professional sport associations, the UFC.  And now they're returning to the culture of running.

After a few notable attempts with the "Zig" tech design for running shoes the designers at Reebok appear to have returned to a more traditional approach to building performance running footwear - and it looks to be turning some heads.

Thanks to a friend who works with Reebok Canada's events and partnerships division I received a pair of the new Harmony Road 2 to test drive.

 Pretty!

My initial impressions as I picked them up out of the box was that they were much more shoe than I had become accustomed to wearing - and the specs bore this out as well.  At a reported 10.8oz for a men's size 9 and a stack height of 30mm-to-20mm (or 37.3mm-to-22.8mm if you take Runner's World at its word - which is it folks?!?) it is definitely one of the beefiest shoes in my rotation with the most significant heel-to-toe drop.

What contributes to it's weight?  It could be the carbon rubber applied to the outsole's 'impact zones' or the plush synthetic upper (which by the way provides a really nice wrap-feel on my foot).  But truth be told the empirical data may tell one tale while the subjective experience reveals another ... and in this case the actual ride of the shoe was not nearly as cumbersome as other shoes that I've had on which may have been equally as robust or even lighter.  My first outing in them involved a series of hill intervals with the RunNinjas and I was most pleasantly surprised at how they allowed me to pick up the pace and hold half-decent form.

The anticipation was there that a 10mm or more drop that I would find myself inadvertently heel-striking especially during easier effort segments but that didn't turn out to be a reality.  I was able to stick with a forefoot (or at worst, midfoot) strike even while going at recovery paces, which is all the more surprising given that the Harmony Road 2 doesn't quite pass the one-handed roll-into-a-ball flex test.

I cheated - pressing down against the top of my dryer!

Here's what I liked about the Harmony Road 2:

• Looks - Call me superficial, but the simple design of the HR2 actually appeals to me.  Normally I like glitz and glam on my footwear, but something about these kicks say 'dignified' and 'efficient'.  Plus there are just enough reflective accents to help keep me safe on the roads.
• Fit - True to size, suitably wide for some toe splay on impact, no heel slippage.
• Feel - The upper is comfortable without any noticeable seams along the top of the foot or around the sides/edges.
• Ride - There is an ample amount of cushioning thanks to their TriZone midsole design featuring the KOOSHRIDE TPU foam core, and it just seems nice and smooth without being marshmallowy/energy-depleting.
• Traction - Probably due to the amount of rubber on the outsole, but add to that a decently grippy design these shoes have fared well so far even on the slushy/mildly icy surfaces that I've use to test them.
• Durability - This is just going to be a guess of mine but based on my initial runs but there seems to me to be enough heft to this shoe to last well past 500kms of wear, so I should be keeping it in the rotation for a while.

 And what would I change?

• Weight - This is definitely the downside of the 'traction' and 'durability' pros that I listed above ... if it could come down to something closer to 9oz. then it would be what I would consider a great everyday trainer (but then it might just have to be called the "Floatride Run" ...!).
• Drop - As much as this doesn't feel quite like a shoe with a 10-14mm drop I believe that it would promote a better footstrike and running dynamic if it were closer to a 6mm heel-to-toe ramp.
• Flex - The fact that the shoe doesn't pass my 'fold in half with one hand' test means that it probably isn't conducive to a full range of proprioceptive feedback via the footstrike.  I'd like my shoes to work a little more with the flex of my foot and less against it.
• Price - At $145 CDN it's not cheap, but if it does last as long as I think that it will then it might pay for itself in the long run (no pun intended).

All things considered I would happily recommend that you give this shoe a try if you are looking for something to use for your easy run days or if you need one pair of shoes to last you a good while - I give the Harmony Road 2 a solid four footprints out of five:

Here's my video review for your entertainment:

So it looks like this player has re-entered the game ... and the other models in their current lineup (plus a crazy-light racing flat due out this summer!) lend credence to the fact that Reebok is a serious contender when it comes to what's shodding the feet of runners.  Welcome back, 'Bok!

Disclosure: I received this product from Reebok Canada at their expense but was not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions expressed (however poorly) are my own!

Road review: Reebok Harmony Road 2

Road review: Salming Speed 6

It's probably a bit premature, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts on my first pair of Salming running shoes.

I may have only logged about 24 miles in them, but 13.1 of them were at the Chilly Half-Marathon ... so they're not just road-tested, they've already been race-tested.

As for the bottom line?

(Wait for it ...)

As a new Salming ambassador I must say that I was excited to get my hands (and feet) on a pair of the Speed 6.  By all accounts these shoes are a strong everyday trainer as well as potential longer distance (e.g. half/full marathon) race-day shoe.  At just around 7.4oz for a men's size 9 they clip the boundary of racing flat territory, while the 22mm-to-16mm stack height from heel to toe provides ample cushioning for hammering out the miles.

Aside from the overall lightness of the package some of the more notable features of this shoe include the aesthetics - the fluorescent yellow/black colourway wreaks of velocity, but add to that the crazy prismatic effect that comes to life when light strikes the darkened panels on the upper and, well, you've got this pre-dawn runner giggling like a 7-year old on Christmas morning.

Noticeable on the outsole of the Speed 6 is the 62/75° flex groove, situated at what's described as the "ballet line".  The shoe bends at this point (on the announced 75°angle) to help optimize the natural movement axes of the foot, with 62% of the shoe toward the rear of that line and designed with extra stability (more on that in a moment).  You can also see the word "Recoil" printed underneath the heel area and this is the moniker given to Salming's midsole material which is marketed as an extremely lightweight cushioning material that provides a 'high rebound' (or energy-return) effect.  A good deal of midsole is visible on the bottom of the shoe with really only six notable rubber-laden sections for added durability and traction, so the added weight is not significant or without merit.

The upper on the Speed 6 is a mesh with the chromatically-responsive overlays affixed to provide a bit of a structured feel - it was snug without being restrictive, and I find that my medium-wide foot didn't experience any rubbing or cramping issues at all (a vital part of shoe functionality for me).  I swapped out a different pair of laces (because my shoes didn't come with any extra anythings out of the box) partly because I prefer flat laces (to the supplied round laces) and partly because I wanted to colour-match the orangey-pink lettering already printed on the shoe.

So how'd these shoes work out?

Honestly, there's part of me that feels like my review is a carbon-copy of another review that I'd read online (which I now can no longer locate!) that made some observations about the feel of the shoe.  My initial impressions were that the shoe felt rigid and resulted in a 'slapping' effect against the ground with each step - perhaps this is because of the 62% of 'stabilized' shoe and the only real flex points coming ahead of that 'ballet line'.  The sensation made me think that I was thudding my way all around town, but when I got home after my first workout in them it turned out that my splits were faster than I'd surmised ... so feel aside the Speed 6 actually delivered.  And during the half-marathon my friend Steve (who paced me for the final kilometre and to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude!) asked me how the shoes were feeling and my unfiltered response was "well, I haven't noticed them and that's a good thing".  This was true - the shoes pretty much disappeared on my feet and at no point did I process the 'pavement-slapping' feeling.

All in all I think that these shoes will do admirably well for marathon training and some uptempo workouts, although my preference will be to slide into a pair of the Race 6 shoes for my sub-3 attempt in May.  But for sheer funkiness and and performance results I gotta give these shoes a solid four footprints out of five.

Who knows ... now that I've #runSwedish, I may never go back! :)  Give it a try yourself at https://www.salming.com/ca/running/ and use the promo code "VOO20" for a 20% discount!

#nononsense #SalmingRunning

*** Disclosure:  I am affiliated with Salming Running Ambassadors (North America) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  All opinions are my own.

Road review: Salming Speed 6

Road review - Skechers GOMeb Razor

I can't say enough good things about these shoes!

The Skechers GOMeb Speed Razor is a new model to the Skechers Performance lineup and for some they occupy a weird in-between space ... they have properties that belong to a racing shoe while also blurring the lines as an everyday workout trainer.

At just around 7.9oz for my men's size 10, they're definitely on the lightweight side.  Even though I tend to like my racing shoes to be closer to the 7 oz. mark these feel much lighter than what the scales would indicate - and in the end, just that sense of being light on your feet might actually make a difference in terms of how you might carry yourself.

The heel-to-toe offset (or drop) is 4mm, and that's pretty much perfect for me when it comes to wanting to lay down some speed.  The stack height (23mm-to-19mm) means that it does sit up a bit, but the new 5GEN midsole material is light and poppy so I didn't feel at all like I lost any responsiveness while busting out intervals or 5km tempo runs.

The seamless knit upper is airy and breathable, and fits over a nice moderately sized footframe - all that to say that for a guy who likes some wiggle room for his toes that I don't feel squeezed in this shoe, nor do I feel sloppy in them either.  Like Goldilocks finally sitting in baby bear's chair, it feels just right.

All told this shoe has a permanent spot in my weekly rotation, and I'm always excited for those days that I get to don them out the door.  If there was any reason that I'd even for a moment hesitate when asked about this shoe it's the pricepoint - at $165 CDN (MSRP) it's on the more expensive side, especially if you're used to thinking of Skechers Performance as being the 'super-affordable' brand of serious running footwear.  Still, that's far from top-end when you peruse the shelves at running retailers and I think that you can probably find some good deals on them now as we head into the winter/2018 supplier season.

Here's my video lowdown on the GOMeb Razor:

Seriously, I give these shoes an easy five-out-of-five footprints:

More great things still to come from Skechers Performance Division!  #haveafastday #getyourmilesin

*** Disclosure:  I was provided with the GOMeb Speed Elite by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  All opinions are my own.

Road review - Skechers GOMeb Razor

First look - Skechers GOMeb Speed Elite

I couldn't resist ... they're just #sopretty ...

Full road review to come!

*** Disclosure:  I was provided with the GOMeb Speed Elite by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  All opinions are my own.

First look - Skechers GOMeb Speed Elite

road review - Skechers GOrun strada

maybe i'm a sucker for advertising.

when i saw meb's name first associated with this shoe (back at the start of this year in runblogger's teaser article) i thought that it must have some merit, and that it was worth trying.

[ photo from Runblogger.com ]

i can now say for myself that i'm glad i did.

the production version of the GOrun strada (as released to the purchasing public) is a neutral training shoe - overall a more substantial shoe than just about anything else that i have in my running rotation.  i feel a much more structured upper especially with the layered synthetic material wrapping about the midfoot and structured heel - while it provides a nice and snug fit it does also add some weight (with my size 10s coming in a shade under 10.5 oz).  inasmuch as they are heftier than what i would normally prefer in a road running shoe that's also what i was looking for - something to wear on easy/recovery days that would remind me that we're not trying to ramp up the speed.  i also wanted to have a pair of shoes that might offer just that wee bit more protection from the elements during my dead-of-winter runs.

the outsole features what appears to be a dual-density resalyte configuration - the darker segments are a little tougher and seem (to my untrained eye) to follow the impact zones from heel (if you're a heel striker) through the M-strike area through to the big toe.  this higher durometer but still cushiony material lends a bit more durability to the rubber-less bottom of the GOrun strada and again is a slight contributor to the overall weight of the shoe.  at an 8mm heel (25mm) to toe (17mm) drop, it's on the higher side of what i normally like to have - but interestingly enough i have not found there to be any issues when it comes to an unimpeded forefoot landing, and i don't even have to deliberately think about it.

no swapping around of insoles this time - they're glued down nice and tacky!

the ride is comparable to the upper - on the stiff side.  that being said, i've been quite surprised that it doesn't strike me as being overly clumsy ... and in fact i've managed to pull off some paces that would otherwise seem to be uncharacteristic of such a relatively built-up shoe (and that without any undue expenditure of energy).  so while i have mentally positioned the GOrun strada as a recovery day shoe it's actually performed quite admirably delivering as a well-rounded trainer.

after all's said and done i'd have to say that i grossly underestimated this shoe - i actually do look forward very much to the days that i get to don the Strada for a workout, whatever the pace and effort level might turn out to be.  whether or not they'll hold up the way that i want them to through the mighty canadian winter is yet to be determined, but for the time being i'll enjoy them as much as i can.  four feetprints out of five and recommended for anyone looking for a blue-collar beat-up-the-road-not-your-feet training shoe.

 

and here's a look at the video review - enjoy! 

road review - Skechers GOrun strada

road review: Skechers GORun 4 and GORun Ride 4

it's been a while since i've reviewed any shoes, but these two definitely deserve some long-awaited attention.

after being underwhelmed by the GOMeb Speed 3 i backed off on some of my expectations for the other '2015 gen' shoes from my friends at Skechers Performance Division.  my impressions didn't initially change when i unboxed and tried on the latest iteration of the cornerstone GORun shoe, the GORun 4.  it felt flat (what happened to my beloved M-Strike midfoot rocker?!?), a bit clunky and well-removed from the speedy feel of the GORun 3 to which i've shown much love on the roads.

alas, i'm not too proud of a person to recant.

having persevered in including the GORun 4s in my shoe rotation, i'm now happy to say that they are a staple in my key-workout arsenal.  although they still feel flatter to me and the fact that i perceive some additional stiffness to the outsole thanks to the 'power pillar' configuration under the arch area, they've managed to produce the kind of 'pop' that does seem to translate into a quicker turnover and stride.

to pick them up they feel like a light and fast shoe as well.  the official line on them is that they weigh in at 7.8 oz for a men's size 9, but my good ol' starfrit kitchen scale puts them in at just about the same weight for my men's size 10.

 i'm surprised that these aren't floating above the scale

plus i love the colours - they just scream "lookout, comin' through!"

the neat little feature that probably draws the most attention on these shoes is the Quick-Fit portal located up by the heel tab area.  it's a basic cut-out that allows for a quick-and-easy yanking on of the shoe by looping your finger through the gap - the initial impression is that it facilitates a quicker transition for all of those triathlete-types who want to minimize the time spent going from bike-to-run, but honestly it just feels cool to do it anytime that you're donning the shoe.  it's well-constructed so there's no fear of ripping that sucker straight off and it seems to keep that tab area soft so there's no abrasion issues on the achilles (even for a guy with a honkin' huge achilles tendon repair scar).

now for a quick word on the GR4's sister shoe - the GORun Ride 4.

the "Ride" series from Skechers Performance has proven to be an incredibly versatile and excellent shoe.  again, my initial thoughts before trying out the GORun Ride 3 was that these shoes would be a bit 'plush' for my liking.  they looked bulkier and had enough stack height to make me think that this line was targeting the 'easy-going' runner. 

boy, was i wrong.

this model is essentially the if-i-only-had-one-pair-to-take-with-me running shoe.  it's light enough (at a listed 8.4 oz in men's 9s) to enable rapid turnover for tempo runs and intervals and it provides sufficient cushioning for long runs (i've tested it to 27 miles at a time).  i'm also crazy about the fact that the GRR4s incorporate a super-breathable upper material (which feels like it is a close cousin to the FitKnit tech used in other Skechers shoes) that is soft to the touch and extremely comfortable as it conforms nicely with every footstrike.

so pretty and soft!

the Quick-Fit portal is also present on the GRR4 - and while i'm not sure that this presents itself as the same kind of sell-feature as it does on the GR4 (just because it doesn't seem to me to be a racing shoe) it's still adds a cool factor and helps with sliding into the shoe.

 don't they just tempt you to stick a finger in there ...?

even looking at the tongue padding can differentiate the plushness

 

after all's said and done i'm happy to give both the GR4 and the GRR4 a solid 4.5 footprints on the rendezvoo scale.
 

and if you are inclined to watch me fumble a camera and two pairs of shoes at once (!) check out the video review here:

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the GORun 4 and GORun Ride 4 by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own.

road review: Skechers GORun 4 and GORun Ride 4

road review - Skechers GOMeb Speed 3

have you ever been in the situation where you've really wanted to fall in love but something got in the way?

since the day that meb won the 2014 boston marathon wearing the prototype GOMeb Speed 3 i was keen on getting my grubby little hands feet on them.  i'd had a racing love-affair with the GOMeb Speed 2 and had anticipated only bigger and better things from the next iteration of the Skechers Performance Division racing flat.  i had even reserved (in advance) space for them in my waterloo marathon gear bag as my plans were to race to a new BQ time in them.

but some things are just not to be.

for the purposes of this review let's first look at what didn't have me raving about the GOMeb Speed 3:

• sizing - i'm not sure what's happened with this 2015 season of Skechers Performance footwear but i found (as did some others) that this generation's models fit smaller than before.  upon first donning of my 'normal' size 10s i thought that things would be okay, especially with swapping around insoles (although this was a tougher task than expected - like it's predecessor the insoles in the GOMeb Speed 3 were glued down to the footbed) ... but this proved to be wishful thinking.  crammed, crammed, crammed ...
• fit - wanting to make the best of the situation i next resorted to trying out some creative lacing techniques to allow for a roomier fit ... but again to no avail.  try as i might i found that my feet were feeling constricted not just laterally but also vertically - as if the volume in height was too low.
• weight - the Speed 3 only gained about 0.7 oz over the Speed 2, but combined with the bulkier look it provided less of a speedy feel to me.

• flex/pop - again this is probably a subjective observation but the substitution of new Dupont® Delrin® stability plate in place of the Dupont Hytrel™ plate made for a less 'snappy' response.  still racing flat responsive, just not as peppy as before.

... and yet ...

even though i opted at the last minute to wear the GOMeb Speed 2 at the waterloo marathon, i wasn't prepared to ditch these shoes completely.  what i wound up doing is removing even the paper-thin insole that i'd borrowed from my GOBionic Trail shoes and continuing to do speed workouts just on the unfinished footbed.  what this move afforded me was (a) a bit of extra volume in height and breadth and (b) a sliver less weight.  while they still don't feel like a go-to racing flat for me, they've managed to claim a place in my training rotation while i look forward to what meb may be sporting at this year's NYC marathon.

yep, looks a little bit like Frankenstein's neck ...

so for me the GOMeb Speed 3 scores a bit on the 'meh' side:

here's how it looks up close and personal:

has my confidence in Skechers Performance Division been shaken at all?  not in the least!  i know that there are all sorts of people who love the GOMeb Speed 3, and the fact that i'm not one of them just indicates that SPD is willing to continue to tinker and innovate - and i'm all for the path of creativity and change!

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the GOMeb Speed 3 by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own.

road review - Skechers GOMeb Speed 3

road review - Skechers GORun 3

ever feel like you're bringing last year's christmas fruitcake as a present to the party this year?

with so many great reviews of the Skechers GORun 4 already being posted out there, it seems almost redundant (if not unnecessary) to provide a write-up about the GORun 3s ... 

except that i really, really like this shoe.

the fact is that the GR2 has been a great performer for me - super-versatile for all kinds of training runs, and even getting me across the finish line in a marathon (although one of my worst, but due in no way to my footwear).  when i first checked out the GR3s in a Skechers retail store some 18 months ago, i didn't give them much thought ... mostly because i was so taken by the GORun Ultra.  but when provided with an opportunity by Skechers Performance Division Canada to put them through their paces, they have quickly risen to the top of my go-to arsenal.

what works about this shoe?

• light - what makes the GR3 a shoe that is really adaptable to speed and long-run workouts is that it doesn't weigh a ton.  the kitchen scale tells me that my size 10s come in at just around 7.3 oz (or thereabouts).
  
  
  
  
  
• bright - i deliberately wanted to test out Skechers Performance's Nite Owl technology, which is a photo-luminescent colour-saturated material that absorbs light and then emanates it as a glow for visibility.  in the daytime, these shoes are an unmissable bright alien green - and at night (after sufficient light exposure, of which natural daylight does the best charging job) it looks like each stride is being taken by neon glowsticks.
  
  
  
  the picture doesn't do any justice to the aura on these shoes!

• airy - the change in the upper material (especially over the forefoot) to the triangular sub-layer and open-mesh covering certainly factors into its overall lightness as well as it being a well-ventilated shoe.  i don't plan on trudging through a lot of mud and puddles with them, but i suppose that while its construction would mean that it provides less protection against moisture penetration it also would lend itself to decent drainage and evaporation.
• width - as with most Skechers Performance Division footwear to date, loads of forefoot room for adequate toe splay, plus a nice stretchy quality to that upper Power-Prene material.
• low-drop - by now pretty standard, the GR3 sports a 4mm offset from heel to toe, with the option to jack that up a bit to 8mm with the extra insoles included for a customizable ride.
• M-Strike - the distinctive feature first introduced in the original GORun, the mid-foot 'bump' provides subtle feedback about footstrike tendencies and encourages a more natural, under-the-center-of-mass landing.  there is a definite roll/convexity to the outsole, in part accentuated by a scoop profile towards the heel portion.  it may prove noticeable while walking but in the running stride it does exactly what it's supposed to - letting the runner know that the most efficient landing pattern is accomplished by not overstriding.
• tread - i like the pod-pattern on the outsole, with several key contact points being reinforced with rubber for durability and traction.  otherwise it's the proprietary Resalyte that for me provides decent durability without adding mass to the shoe.
• pricepoint - c'mon, $75 USD?  how can you go wrong - really.

get the up-close and personal look at the GR3 in my video review below:

as you might have already gathered, i do love this shoe.  no question that it garners 5 out of 5 footprints from me.

can you blame me now for being so excited to check out the GORun 4?!?

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the GORun 3 by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own.

road review - Skechers GORun 3

road review - Skechers GOrun ride 3

aside from the colour and the price, i wasn't crazy about this shoe at first.

when i received a pair of the Skechers GOrun ride 3 from Skechers Performance Canada i was thankful even though it would not have been the style that i would have selected for myself.  it looked bulkier than most of my other shoes (even my GOrun ultras!) and felt a little heavier than i would have liked ... so it initally kind of fell into a no-man's land for me in terms of perceived usability.

my first run in the GRR3 was a wednesday night progression run with the Barrie RoadRunners and they performed admirably well - decent cushion without being marshmallowy-soft, and light enough to let me drop down to a spry 4:03/km pace for the final two of 10 kms.  i was sufficiently impressed - not to say that they weren't going to become a part of my shoe rotation anyway(!).

here's the lowdown:

• fit - the GRR3s immediately felt plush (especially at the heel collar and tongue) - almost too much so for my liking, as it gave me the impression of too much shoe.  but the roomy forefoot (with supple mesh atop the toebox) scores big points in my books, and there were no pressure or friction points from the uppers.
• stack/drop - at a measured 17mm heel, 19mm midfoot and 13 mm forefoot this shoe is designated a 4mm drop shoe - decent as a transition to minimalist footwear option.  they come with an insole for another 4mm (total 8mm) drop, but i opted to toss in some old insoles from a pair of saucony kinvaras that would provide a decent, non-sloppy fit without adding any drop.
  
  
  
  as for being able to get in a decent forefoot strike, the GRR3s perform no problem, and though they measure out to have a 'rockered' outsole profile it was not discernible even when standing still.
• weight - for what is to my eye a substantial looking shoe there's no question that these kicks are lightweights.  the official stat is 8.4oz for a men's size 9, and my good ol' starfrit kitchen scale shows them in just hovering around 8oz.
  
  
  
• grip - i don't normally include this as a review criteria/feature, but one of the things that i've found with the GRR3 is that they are every bit as nimble on easy-to-moderately technical trails as they are on the asphalt.  in fact i do like to have them when navigating through the local forest as the seemingly wider base provides me with ample stability while the outsole design offers sufficient traction even across damp sand/mud.

overall this is a fairly versatile training shoe - which is where i end up having a problem with it.  basically it's a 'jack-of-all-trades' piece of equipment for me that doesn't quite give me the confidence of race-pace/tempo runs like the GOMeb Speed 2, is not as enjoyable a distance/recovery shoe as the GORun Ultra, and isn't quite as 'bring it on' as the GOBionic Trail.  as such i don't wind up looking for it specifically on any given run day, but will use it to fill the gap on days that i double up and need to let another pair sit for a day or two more before use again.

check out the video review on YouTube:

don't get me wrong - this is a very solid shoe.  it just suffers from the odd-man-out syndrome in my shoe closet.  still garners four out of five footprints from me.

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the GORun Ride 3 by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own.

road review - Skechers GOrun ride 3

road review - skechers GOmeb speed 2

i'd been shying away from these shoes for a while because (generally speaking) i have a preference for footwear with a wider forefoot or at least space for decent toe splay - and i'd read that (a) meb keflezighi has narrow-ish feet and that (b) in designing these racing flats with Skechers Performance Division (SPD) he'd requested that these shoes hug the foot rather snugly.  so after passing on the first iteration of the Skechers GOMeb Speed, i found myself with a pair of the GOMeb Speed 2 thanks to my friends at Skechers Performance Division - and this time quite excited about them!

it's hard not to be struck with a 'love at first sight' impression from these shoes.  i opened the box to see the gold/black New York colourway, and the words "Limited Edition" printed on the non-removable insole.  how can you feel anything but special when you don 'limited edition' racing flats?

so how did i really feel about them?

• fit - let's tackle this one off the top.  it was my biggest concern with this model, and as they were provided to me they weren't sized up or down compared to my other SPD shoes.  the first slip-on was surprising, as i definitely did not feel as cramped in the forefoot as i'd expected.  form-fitting would be a good way to describe it - a little north of snug and a little south of 'generous toe-box'.  length was spot-on, and i liked the way that the heel fit (not too high on the achilles, not sloppy at all).  although these shoes have very cool printed overlays and not stitched ones, i still opted to skip cross-lacing the first pair of eyelets like i did with the GORun Ultra to allow for a bit more breathing space.


• weight - many other people have commented that these shoes just feel fast, and i have to agree.  at somewhere a hair over 7 oz. per shoe, there's a 'hardly anything to them' kind of aura to them.  as a racing flat, this means that there's just enough structure to them to help your feet experience some support (especially in the later stages of a longer run like the marathon) without wearing you down by forcing you to carry unnecessary weight with every stride.


• drop - listed at a 4mm (18mm heel, 14mm toe) drop, the GOMeb Speed 2 give the impression of being level and low.  this shoe provides just the right platform for a mid/forefoot striker to activate all of the necessary tendons and muscles for efficient coiling and propulsion through the running gait.  


• outsole - i've found that most racing flats will give you very little jazz in terms of textured outsole design, basically because its about maximizing traction and ground contact.  the GOMeb Speed has a fairly straight-forward dimple/pod design, with strategically distributed GOimpulse rubber sensor pods (M-strike design) for durability and enhanced traction.  the remainder of the outsole is Skechers' proprietary Resalyte^TM mid-sole material which is tough enough while keeping the overall weight down.  all in all it's plenty grippy, doesn't pick up gravel (unless you manage to lodge it in the space where the stability plate is visible).


• midsole - a nice firm midsole which is great for a racing flat ... i definitely look for a stable platform which offers good impact rebound rather than cushy-ness for my marathons.  add to that the Dupont Hytrel^TM stability plate for some added 'pop' (which proved helpful over the last 7km of this year's mississauga marathon) and this shoe offers outstanding racing performance.


• aesthetics - these are a seriously groovy pair of kicks.  this colour combo is flamboyant without being flagrant ... you could totally wear them out for a night on the town and they would look cool without screaming 'jock'!


• laces - the GOMeb Speed 2 comes with two sets of laces, and while they contribute to the overall lusciousness of the shoe i found that they lacked the elasticity of 'standard' laces.  this might be part of creating a tight riding package for racing - and while they don't bother me at all while running there's something about the feel of laces without any give that makes me think that they belong on dress shoes.

here's the full video review for you as well:

i know that it becomes rather trivial to post a 'footprint rating' when it just appears as if i'm in desperate and utter love with all Skechers Performance Division footwear, but let me share two quick notes in passing:  

1. i am providing an honest - not obligatory - review of the shoes that i receive as a Skechers Performance brand ambassador.
2. i will soon be reviewing a pair of Skechers running shoes to which i will not be giving a full five-footprint rating (shock and awe)!

... but for now, the GOMeb Speed 2 receive a well-earned five out of five.

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the GORun Ultra by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own.

road review - skechers GOmeb speed 2