Skechers GOrun OG Hyper Review
The Skechers GOrun is technically on its 8th iteration as the 7+ (REVIEW). The original came during an interesting transitional time in the footwear world. It was a minimal trainer/racer with an anatomical but secure fit and a unique sole design to (supposedly) promote a different foot strike pattern. While we know a great deal more about footstrike patterns and what is/isn't important now, the original GOrun was the beginning of the fantastic line of Skechers Performance shoes you see today. In honor of the shoe that started it all, Skechers has redone it with a new Hyperburst midsole to bring a new twist on a classic shoe.
Specifications (per Skechers)
Weight: 5.4 oz (men's size 9)
Measured Weight: 6.3 oz Men's size 10
Stack Height: Not Provided
Drop: 4mm drop
Classification: Minimal /Lightweight Trainer/Racer
HIGHLIGHTS
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper brings the original GOrun upper back with an updated HYPER sole and a Goodyear outsole rubber. A low riding, mildly cushioned, responsive and comfortable fitting personality make for a shoe rare on the market these days. Those who want a fast workout/racing shoe and a very comfortable/sporty casual shoe will be equally at home with the GOrun OG Hyper. Those who are still minimally inclined will also enjoy an update to an old favorite.
FIT
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper fits true to size in my normal men's size 10. The fit is average width with a fairly stretchy upper that should accommodate a variety of foot types. There is no heel counter and the upper is fairly flexible throughout the length of the shoe. There is a mesh toe guard at the forefoot however it is flexibly and stretchy. The laces do need to be tightened to get a secure fit, although there is some additional structure to the midfoot with the Vari-Lock and the additional wrap around the heel counter.. The breathability of this upper is quiet high and the sockliner is very comfortable. Wearing this shoe sockless for casual or training is very doable, however for faster miles I would suggest socks due to the extra movement that may occur with turns. There is no insole in this shoe although the footbed is a comfortable mesh. The tongue is not free floating and is attached to the upper, so slippage is not an issue.
RIDE
Matt: The midsole of the Skechers GOrun OG Hyper is now fully Hyperburst. The ride is close to the ground, but lightly cushioned due to the Hyper. There is an M-Strike midfoot bump present at the posterior midfoot, so landing farther back can be a little odd. As with all Skechers Performance shoes, the sole is gently rockered so there is a decent heel bevel at the heel. The sole is extremely flexible overall with very little structure to it. The exception is the pods in the midfoot which create a little more structure. The forefoot in particular is highly flexible and those who use this shoe should make sure they have adequate mobility of their toes. There is a 4mm heel drop and it feels like a classic low riding racing shoe. However the heel bevel smooths the low drop out a little bit, so those with a little more calf/ankle stiffness may be able to use these for short distances. The close to the ground ride also makes this shoe best for road or tack. While the Hyper provides some cushion, there is very little protection for rocks, so these should only be used on the most well groomed trails or grass if you really want to.
SPEED
Matt: The lightweight, Hyper and low to the ground ride make the GOrun OG Hyper best for short workouts and fast miles. I have used this shoe for 200m/400m repeats and short tempo runs. The Hyper provides a very responsive ride combined with great ground feel. The GOrun OG Hyper could also be used as a 5k-10k racing flat for most and maybe a half marathon racing shoe. The responsiveness is high no matter where you land as running with a variety of footstrikes still provides a quick ride. The lower amount of cushion makes this shoe less of an option for recovery, easy or long runs unless you are looking for a minimal shoe.
STABILITY
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper is a neutral minimal shoe. There are no traditional methods of stability. The Hyper midsole is soft, but is stable thanks to great ground feel, decent heel bevel and slight midfoot structure. The upper is very flexible, meaning that one cannot turn too fast in this shoe. Lacing down the shoe helps somewhat, but the OG Hyper is best for going fast in a straight line. This is a minimal and very flexible shoe, so those with stability needs should transition cautiously into this shoe.
DURABILITY
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper features an exposed Hyper outsole with carefully placed Goodyear pods at the midfoot and along the medial and lateral forefoot. The pods have held up well with very little wear, however the Hyper shows a decent amount of wear. There is less outsole wear than I expected at 25 miles, however I expect these to last as long as most racing flats (150-200 miles). The upper has no wear, however picks up dirt very quickly. Overall the durability is decent for a racing flat, but do not expect a huge number of miles out of these unless you are light on your feet.
THOUGHTS AS A DPT
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper is a minimal lightweight trainer/racer type of shoe that is not common on the market anymore. The original GOrun was released during the miminal era of Vibram Five Fingers, New Balance Minimus series, the original Altra, the OG Saucony Kinvara and many long gone super light racing flats. Given that most shoes today are more on the maximalist end of things, people interested in this footwear type should transition slowly. Ironically, we know that more cushion does not decrease joint impact forces during running. It usually increases them as people land harder due decreased proprioception/body awareness. A minimal shoe like the OG Hyper will make many people land lighter due to better ground feel and body awareness to the lack of cushion. However not everyone will modify their landings. We know that due to variations in that proprioception and other factors, not everyone responds immediately to cushioning changes, geometry like pods or Skecher's M-Strike or even posting. For new runners or those who have poor shock absorbing capabilities, a minimal shoe may not be the best idea. However, that did not stop people in the past from thinking that switching to a minimalist shoe would fix everyone's problems and immediately shift people to a forefoot strike (which is also not the fail safe cure for injuries many thought it was). A shoe like this requires adaptation. It is like starting a new exercise program. You need to make sure you have enough ankle mobility, toe mobility, calf strength and general lower body strength before trying a shoe like this. Or you can start by walking in them to build your lower body strength, then transition to running slowly. This was one of the biggest mistakes during the last big minimal shoe era in running footwear. There is no such thing as a cure all type of footwear. No shoe will prevent injury, particularly for the entire population. Different shoes work for different people.
RECOMMENDED POPULATION/RUNNERS
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper will work well for those with experience with minimal running shoes and/or have adequate range of motion of their ankles/toes and strength of their intrinsic foot muscles, calves and general lower body. The lower heel drop and close to the ground ride requires more shock absorption and range of motion from the lower body. For those interested in trying this shoe, it is suggested that you have adequate ankle motion (20 degrees of dorsiflexion minimum), great toe motion (60 degrees minimum), be able to perform 20-25 single leg calf raises on each side and perform 10 single leg squats with good control.
CONCLUSION
Matt: The Skechers GOrun OG Hyper updates the original GOrun with the newest technologies from Skechers Performance. The full Hyperburst midsole provides additional bounce and responsiveness, making this a great shoe for shorter workouts and races. The new Goodyear pods provide additional durability, which is decent for a racing shoe. For those who long for a minimal shoe or the shoe that started everything for Skechers Performance, you would do well to check out the GOrun OG Hyper.
GRADING
Fit/Upper 9 /10 (Very comfortable fit, needs a bit more security)
Ride/Midsole 9 /10 (Very smooth for a minimal shoe, great ground feel and fast)
Stability 8.5 /10 (Decent due to ground feel, could use more upper stability)
Speed 9.5 /10 (Best for short fast workouts and races 5k-10k)
Durability 7.5 /10 (Upper gets dirty quickly, exposed Hyper wears somewhat fast)
TOTAL: 87% (M)
TESTER PROFILES
Dr. Matthew Klein is a
150 lb male with notable PRs of 14:45 for 5k and 2:32:44 for the full
marathon. He typically runs 70-100 miles per week and trains at a
variety of paces from 8min per mile recovery runs to 4:40 per mile 1k
repeats. He prefers firmer and responsive shoes with snug heels and
medium to wide toe boxes. He is particular to less cushioned and close
to the ground shoes, but can handle a little cushion when he gets beat
up. IG handle @kleinrunsdpt
Thanks for reading!
