Shoe of the Week: Skechers GoRun Ultra Road
Our wear-testers think the GoRun Ultra Road is one of the best maximally cushioned shoes out there.
Fit-Feel-Ride: Although Skechers Performance was founded around lightweight, low-to-the-ground neutral training and racing flats with a decidedly natural feel, the brand has evolved to include a few slightly more structured shoes with additional cushioning and support. The best one so far is the maximally cushioned GoRun Ultra Road, a neutral model with an engineered knit upper that moves and flexes with the foot while also providing some dynamic support to keep the foot locked in place. It’s not a stability shoe (and isn’t meant for severe overpronators), but it has more material underfoot than previous Skechers Performance and it’s not nearly as marshmallowy soft as the original GoRun Ultra and GoRun Ultra 2 or as flimsy as some of the original GoRun models. Like some of its svelte cousins, it has a soft, flexible feeling underfoot, but it also has enough structure for long-distance running, thanks in part to much more durable outsole interspersed with sturdy rubber pods.
What makes this unique from many maximally cushioned shoes is that it’s both soft and cushy but amazingly responsive too, due to thick layers of absorbent and resilient foam sandwiched together in the midsole. It’s a shoe that can accommodate 2-hour-plus training runs with long-wearing comfort, while also serving as your shoe of choice for long intervals and tempo runs. Several of our wear-testers suggested it was one of the best maximally cushioned shoes they’ve ever run in.
This is the shoe for you if … You’re looking for a max-cushioned, smooth-riding shoe for long-distance running.
Price: $115
Weights: 10.4 oz. (men’s 9.0), 8.3 oz. (women’s 7.0)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm; 30mm (heel), 26mm (forefoot)
Info: Skechers Performance