Details
Brand
Skechers
Model
GOrun Strada
Key Features
• Foam outsole and midsole• Resagrip helps the outsole get better traction• GOimpulse Sensors improve responsiveness and flexibility in each step• M• Strike technology encourages a midfoot strike for a balanced landing and faster transitions• Resalyte midsole provides durable cushioning, protection, and responsiveness• Passive Stability Power Pillars slow overpronation and help the user maintain a neutral stance• Lightweight synthetic leather and mesh upper• Layered Support Zone supports and stabilizes the midfoot
Upper
The upper is made of lightweight synthetic leather and Performance Fit mesh. It is well-structured, which is great for those who need extra durability and support. The tongue and ankle collar are well-padded. The toe box is roomy. The Layered Support Zone secures the midfoot and the heel counter secures the heel in order to prevent rolling or sliding and help the foot stay balanced. The laces can make the stitched-on overlays as tight or loose as the user wants. The upper is breathable enough to prevent overheating, flexible enough for comfortable movement, and responsive enough to maintain a comfortable speed over long distances. The rubber from the outsole extends over the big toe to create a toe cap that protects against rocks or objects in the road.
Midsole
The midsole is made of Resalyte, a foam made of Ethylene-vinyl and rubber compound. It provides a bouncy step, durable cushioning, and protection against landing shock. The Passive Stability Power Pillars slow the inward rolling of the foot to prevent overpronation. The drop is 8mm to promote forward momentum and improve running form. The midsole creates a smooth ride, a neutral stance, and a natural gait cycle. It is flexible, supportive, and responsive.
Outsole
The outsole is made of two types of durable foam that give a soft ride and a springy step. The denser foam covers the high-impact areas for support and maximum durability: the midfoot, the big toe, and the heel. The softer foam covers the rest of the foot. The outsole uses Resagrip technology on its treads for traction, round GOimpulse Sensors for responsiveness and flexibility, and M-Strike technology to guide the foot into a midfoot strike that creates balanced landings and faster transitions. It also protects the user from feeling objects on the ground.
Comfort
Testers found the GOrun Strada to be a very comfortable shoe right out of the box. The lightweight feel, light flexibility, and springy responsiveness make the shoe easy to wear over long distances without the joints or muscles getting sore or tired. The outsole uses foam instead of traditional rubber in order to create a cushioned, bouncy step. The midsole has Resalyte to absorb shock and cushion landings. The sole has a height of 17mm in the forefoot and 25mm in the heel, which means there is a high amount of cushioning. The upper is breathable, which allows users to wear the shoes on long runs without experiencing the discomfort caused by irritation, blisters, or hot spots. The laces and the Layered Support Zone create a snug and secure fit. The toe box is roomy to allow the toes to comfortably splay and bounce into takeoffs. The tongue and ankle collar have lots of padding. The width is medium and the shoe fits true to size to a half-size large, depending on the user, potential buyers with narrow feet might want to consider ordering a half-size down. Heel strikers noted that, while the shoe gently encourages a midfoot strike, it was not enough to make running uncomfortable.
Style
The Skechers GOrun Strada received mixed reviews on style. Some reviewers really liked it, while others thought the colors were too bright or the design didn’t suit their tastes. Currently available styles for men include Black /Blue and Blue/Lime, and previously available styles are Charcoal/Orange and Red/Lime. For women, the only currently available style is Hot Pink /Green, and previously available styles were Black/Hot Pink and Charcoal/Multi. The men’s shoe generally had more favorable style reviews than the women’s.
Weight
The men’s shoe weighs 10.4 oz and the women’s shoe weighs 8 oz. This is slightly heavier than other running shoes, which means the GOrun Strada isn’t a good racing shoe, although testers did like it on long distance runs, saying it felt lightweight and comfortable. Adding to the weight are the high amount of cushioning, padding and support: the M-Strike technology, the Passive StabilityPower Pillars, and the Layered Support Zone. Taking away from the weight are the foams in the outsole, which are lighter than traditional rubber, and the lightweight synthetic and mesh used in the upper.
Durability
The GOrun Strada has great durability. The outsole, made of foam, is surprisingly durable for not being rubber, with the denser foam in the high-impact areas of the midfoot, big toe, and heel. The midsole uses a durable cushioning called Resalyte. The upper has extra structure and padding that makes it last longer than other long-distance running shoes. The GOrun Strada lasts up to 350 miles before it begins to wear down, although a few testers experienced wearing down of the treads after a few runs.
Protection
This shoe offers protection at every level. The thick foam outsole protects users from feeling cracks or objects on the ground, and also helps cushion landings to protect joints. The midsole’s Resalyte foam absorbs shock and the Passive Stability Power Pillars protect the foot against inward rolling. The upper has laces, a heel counter and a Layered Support Zone to protect against rolling or sliding, mesh to protect against heat, and overlays and padding to protect against cold and wind. The toe cap protects against accidental stubbing on objects in the road.
Breathability
The Skechers GOrun Strada received surprisingly good reviews on breathability. Much of the upper is taken up by overlays and the Layered Support Zone, and shoes generally need as much mesh as possible in order to allow air to travel in and out of the shoe and around the foot. The overlays are stitched on, which normally leads to problems with blisters and hot spots directly under the stitching. However, testers reported that they did not have problems with irritation or blisters, and their feet stayed cool and dry during long distance runs.
Protection
This shoe offers protection at every level. The thick foam outsole protects users from feeling cracks or objects on the ground, and also helps cushion landings to protect joints. The midsole’s Resalyte foam absorbs shock and the Passive Stability Power Pillars protect the foot against inward rolling. The upper has laces, a heel counter and a Layered Support Zone to protect against rolling or sliding, mesh to protect against heat, and overlays and padding to protect against cold and wind. The toe cap protects against accidental stubbing on objects in the road.
Responsiveness
The Skechers GOrun Strada gives runners a bouncy ride and smooth transitions. The outsole has GOimpulse Sensors that allow the shoe to bend with the foot and around objects in the road, and M-Strike technology to help users have a midfoot strike. The midsole has Resalyte to bring some springiness to the user’s step. The upper forms to the shape of the foot while still allowing comfortable movement. The shoe is responsive enough to improve the running form and to be used on long distance runs, while being too heavy and supportive for speed training or races.
Support
The GOrun Strada provides great support, which makes it good for long distances. The foam outsole and midsole lift the foot off the ground and support the foot from below. The Passive Stability Power Pillars offer a stability level of arch support to help overpronators and those with fallen arches. The upper has the Layered Support Zone to support the midfoot, a heel counter to support the heel, and a well-padded tongue and ankle collar to support the top of the foot. The insoles are glued in, so users who require a medical orthotic may have some trouble replacing them.
Terrain
The treads on the outsole tell us that this is a road running shoe. It can go on dirt or paved roads, tracks, and paths. Some testers were also able to go on light trails without any problems. It does not have aggressive lugs to go on heavy trails, nor does it have spikes to go on snowy, icy, or slippery terrain.
Price
The Skechers GOrun Strada is a slightly-more-expensive-than-average shoe. Compared to other road running shoes, it has a high amount of cushioning in the outsole and midsole, stabilizes the foot against overpronation, and the upper is extremely supportive, which can be helpful on longer runs. There is a later edition available called the Skechers GOmeb Strada 2, so some retailers are offering a discount of up to 50% depending on the size and color.
Drop
The heel height is 25mm and the forefoot height is 17mm, making the drop 8mm. This is a sort of sweet spot between the traditional 12mm drop and the more natural-feeling 4mm drop. An 8mm drop maintains the extra cushioning in the heel for runners with plantar fasciitis and still promotes forward momentum, but gets the midfoot strike and more evenly-distributed cushioning of the lower drop.
Stability
The Skechers GOrun Strada provides good stability to prevent injury in neutral runners and light to moderate overpronators. The denser foam in the outsole helps stabilize the foot in the big toe area for takeoffs, the midfoot for landings, and the heel to help prevent sliding. The midsole has Passive Stability Power Pillars to stop the foot from rolling inward. The upper has a heel counter to stabilize the heel and the Layered Support Zone to stabilize the midfoot in order to prevent the foot from sliding or the ankle from rolling.
Flexibility
The GOrun Strada has just enough flexibility to allow it to be comfortable without taking away from its stability. The outsole uses GOimpulse Sensors to help it know when and how to bend. The Resalyte foam is flexible enough for comfortable toe-offs and landings. The upper supports and locks the foot down, but also bends to the shape of the foot and allows it to move, and the toe box is large enough for the toes to splay and push off.
Traction
This shoe has great traction on hard surfaces such as roads, tracks, and paths. The treads use Resagrip technology to help users achieve stable footing during push-offs and landings. Testers got good traction going uphill, downhill, or on light trails, although heavy trails tend to not get as good of a grip, risking slipping and sliding, and make the treads wear out faster. The shoe does not get good traction on snow, ice, or slippery surfaces.
Bottom Line
The Skechers GOrun Strada is a good road running shoe. It has a lot of cushioning and support, and stabilizes light to moderate overpronators. It is responsive enough to comfortably run long distances, but is too heavy, too padded, and not flexible enough to pick up speed for training or races. It has decent breathability and protects against the elements and objects in the road. The ride is smooth yet bouncy. The shoe promotes a better running form, a neutral stance, and a natural gait by encouraging a midfoot strike. Possible areas for improvement include a removable insole, a slightly lower price, neutral or non-bright color options (especially for women), and better durability in the treads. In short, the GOrun Strada is great for runners who need a little extra stability and cushioning in a daily training or long distance shoe. Neutral runners may want a lighter shoe with less padding in the upper, and moderate to heavy overpronators will want a more stable (i.e. motion control) shoe.
