Shoe Name: Skechers GObionic

Model: GObionic

Weight: 6.0 oz for size 9

Price: MSRP $80.00

Drop: zero 0mm

Website: http://www.skechers.com/styles/performance/gobionic

Click here to purchase

Forefoot: Excellent wide forefoot with a design that makes it appear to be the width of a traditional shoe. It’s almost as if its an optical illusion!! Really a soft comfortable upper fabric allowing toes to move freely. Also, the sole is flexible to allow the toes to wiggle and bend etc.

Cushion: Perfect amount of cushion! Especially spoken from someone who loves Vibram FiveFingers and logs the majority of his miles in them! The ability to still feel the ground is present yet enough cushion to wear for an 18-20 mile run (in fact not a bad shoe for a marathon) The inside liner pulls out for more of a “barefoot” feel as Skechers” describes it. The shoe rests on its midfoot instead of sitting completely flat which encourages the midfoot strike.

Flexibility: Excellent flexibility by ability to be rolled up as well as twisting. Definitely allows natural foot motion to occur.

Overall: I am overly impressed with this shoe. In my opinion, Skechers has gone from a casual shoe manufacturer to creating one of the best minimalist shoes on the planet. USA Marathoner Meb Keflezighi trains and competes in Skechers. This shoe is without a doubt worth considering for those transitioning to a minimalist shoe or even for those who want a racing shoe for a longer distance race that has a bit of cushion. I would (an probably will soon) wear this for a
marathon.

UPDATED REVIEW

By Julie (36 y/o runner)

I have been running in a minimalist shoe for over a year. When I transitioned from traditional to minimalist, I quickly began in the New Balance Minimus. I loved my Minimus shoe so much that I trained and ran two marathons in the same shoe.

I am not one who is up for changing my running routine, and especially my footwear. It was a big stretch to even transition into a minimalist shoe! However, Nick was really excited about the Sketchers new minimalist shoe, GObionic, and he wanted my opinion about them. Of course I was willing to give it a try because I wanted to see for myself if they truly were as good as he thought they were. I tried them out 3 weeks ago. When I slipped the shoes on, I immediately noticed how light and “foamy” they were. It felt as if I was wearing a really comfortable pair of slippers. They were extremely comfortable and I noticed that I wouldn’t need to “break” the shoes in. It’s like they were made for my feet. I ran 6 miles the first day I tried them. I felt that my feet were getting a break from the super flat and harder minimalist New Balance shoe. I liked them so much that I ran 10 miles in the GObionics the very next day. My feet felt great. I liked the bright hot pink color and the laces stayed tied double knotted for the entire run.

For my current marathon training, I switch up my runs between the New Balance Minimus and the GObionics. The GObionics give me a little bit more cushion that the New Balance lack. I think the GObionic would be a great shoe for the traditional shoe runner who is looking to transition to a minimalist shoe. This would be the perfect shoe to try out.