Friday, May 18, 2018

Skechers GOrun Ultra Road 2 Review


I have been pleased with the Skechers Performance shoes that I have tested in the past.  The GOrun Ultra 2 is a max cushioned trail shoe and its sister shoe is the GOrun Ultra Road, which is made for running on pavement, hence the name.  I really liked both the Ultra 2 and Ultra Road.  They both have plenty of cushion and fit really well (both have been updated).  I have also tested the GOmeb Speed 3, which is an awesome, extremely fast shoe that is great for races, tempo runs, and speed workouts.  The GOrun 4 is a solid everyday trainer that can handle the fast and slow days.  Here are links to my past reviews.

 
I got the GOrun Ultra Road 2 to test out a while back.  It has more cushion than the GOrun and GOmeb shoes.   Just taking them out of the box, I was impressed with the look, materials, and weight.  Many people know about Skechers shoes, but most people don’t know how good their Performance shoe line is. 


The original GOrun Ultra Road was one of my favorite shoes back in the day.  It is extremely comfortable, had a wide enough toe box to not cause compression issues with my toes, and had enough cushion to handle whatever mileage I threw its way.  

The upper material is made of Skechers Performance flat knit material that is almost seamless.  It is not only light weight, but conforms to your feet and is extremely breathable.  There are some synthetic overlays that help add stability and durability to the upper.

Harder blown rubber in the forefoot and heel for added durability

There is a new Quick-Fit feature, which is a tab on the back of the shoe that makes putting the shoe on easier.  I know… it sounds like a gimmick, which was my thought when I pulled them out of the box, but it really does work and I used it more than I thought I would.  

Quick-Fit Tab makes putting on the shoe a snap.

There are drainage holes built into the midsole as well as a trough under a mesh material. The insole also has holes in them so the water can drain easily. I really liked this feature when running in the extremely wet spring that we had.  It also had a secondary benefit though.  In warmer temperatures, I found that the holes forced air into the shoe and provided a little extra ventilation.  A nice feature indeed.

Drainage trough under a mesh (sits under the insole)

The GOrun Ultra Road 2 has a nice roomy toe box like its predecessor, which is way better than most shoes that compress your toes.  I have slightly wider than normal feet and can’t run in most shoes without some compression issues.  Skechers has some of the only non-toe box shaped shoes that I can wear without pain (for longer distances).

Skechers Performance is using a new lighter weight insole.  They call it their 5Gen cushioning and I must say that I like it.  It might be slightly firmer than past models, but it is still cushy and provides a stable ride with a huge weight savings.  After almost 80 miles, the midsole feels as great as my first mile.  Some other shoes can tend to flatten out or the cushioning doesn’t protect your feet as well, but not these.

Drainage holes in the midsole
Now to the specs.  The GOrun Ultra Road 2 weighs in at a 8 ounces for a men’s size 9 which is incredibly light for a shoe with this level of cushion.  The first version of the shoe weighed in at 10.4 ounces.  That is a huge difference (new version is 2.4 ounces lighter).  It has a 24mm forefoot height and 28mm heel height (4mm heel drop).  

Pros
Great price ($120)
Low heel drop at 4mm
Super-Lightweight at 8 ounces (men’s size 9)
Upper mesh conforms to your foot and is extremely comfortable
Great drainage

Skechers Performance Social Media Links
 
The reality is that Skechers Performance is really putting out some great shoes that you should take a look at. The GOrun Ultra Road 2 is no exception.  It is fast and stable, but still provides enough cushion to make the miles fly by.  When I put them on, I don’t even think about the shoes, which is about the best complement that I can give for any shoe.  You can buy them for $120 at the Skechers Performance website.  Give them a try and I am sure you won’t be disappointed.  

Note:  I received this product in exchange for a review.  The review is my personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it.  I am not a doctor, so please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.

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