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 7th 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 8th 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!
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