Skechers GOrun Ride 9 Review

 

Specs

·       Weight: 182 g / 6.42 oz (Men’s UK 8/US 9)

·       Price: $169 SGD

·       Stack Height: 28/34mm (6mm drop)

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
·       Great cushion-to-Weight Ratio ·       Great midsole bounce ·       Breathable upper	·       Could still be a touch softer

Background

There was a time when the GOrun Ride series was my favourite from Skechers. The 7^th iteration was hands down my favourite daily trainer when it was first released. The FlightGen midsole was soft yet bouncy and the upper was extremely comfortable. It was such a special combination in 2018.

Unfortunately, the 8^th iteration was a huge step back. With the transition of the midsole foam to HyperBurst, a supercritical EVA, one would think that the midsole would be somewhat softer and springier. What resulted was a rock hard and blocky ride that felt awful on foot. Every step in those was almost jarring.

With the introduction of the Ride 9, has Skechers fixed the problems of the previous iteration and restored the Ride to its former glory?

Upper & Fit

The upper is made from a breathable mesh upper. This is a much-welcomed update. The ride is much more breathable than both the 7 and 8. One of the main issues I had with the upper of the 7 was that my foot would slide around occasionally. The structure of the shoe here is perfect. It accommodates my wide feet at true to size without any foot spillage. It kept my feet well-centred on the midsole platform.

Moving on to the part of the upper which I’m a huge fan of The tongue and laces combination. This is by far my favourite fit of almost any daily trainer that I’ve tried. The tongue has a perfect amount of padding; it's thin yet it protects and wraps the foot so perfectly. This, coupled with the soft laces, provides a solid lockdown without needing to utilize the last lace hole. There was no lace pressure whatsoever. I hope that Skechers does not change this design for their future iterations!

Midsole & Ride

The midsole seems to be the same HyperBurst as the 8, but with a drastically different ride. Perhaps this is due to the outsole tweaks (which I’ll cover in the outsole portion of this review), but the ride is softer and more flexible. Transitions are much smoother here. Personally, I still find the FlightGen midsole my favourite. The HyperBurst is firmer and has a springier feel compared to the softer bounce in the Ride 7. I think the ride would have been better if the midsole durometer was softened slightly.

Nevertheless, the ride is one of the better ones I’ve tried with a daily trainer. Thanks to the supercritical EVA material, the ride is on the fun side thanks to the slight spring with every step. It's not as prominent as PEBA foams, but it's more stable. It performs well at almost every pace. So, if there’s a shoe that you’re looking to do both your speedwork and easy runs in, you might want to consider this pair.

Overall, the ride is a huge improvement over the previous iteration. It reminds me a lot of Reebok Forever Energy and Saucony Freedom, maybe just ever so slightly softer.

Outsole & Durability

The outsole is made from Goodyear rubber. This is the same manufacturer that produces tires, a similar concept to Continental rubber. The grip is pretty good here; no slipping on most surfaces (maybe except wet drains). The outsole pattern definitely helps with flexibility in the forefoot, something that Ride 8 lacked.

You can expect the Ride 9 to last a decently long time with this outsole!

Areas for Improvement

-         A slightly softened midsole

Conclusion

The Skechers GOrun Ride 9 is a versatile daily trainer that can be used for all your running needs, even a little gym work! While the midsole could be slightly softer, Skechers is doing a good job in restoring the Ride series back to its former glory!

Special thanks to Skechers for providing this pair for a review!