Skechers Aero Spark Review: A New Spark for the Skech

Introduction to the Skechers Aero Spark

SAM: Long ago, Skechers was known for two things: shape-ups and light-up shoes. If anyone from Skechers is reading, by the way, I would love a pair of light-up trainers. Back to business. Shape-ups were exposed as false advertising, and the age demographic reading this article has largely grown out of light-up shoes. So, what does Skechers have to offer?

Skechers has comparatively few running shoes that have broken into the mainstream shoe market. The MaxRoad has been a popular choice for those in the know, but that is about it. Skechers’ answer to this is the Aero Series. Including the Spark, Burst, and Tempo, Skechers has changed the look and feel of its shoes to make them attractive, lightweight, responsive, and energizing. Today, we will focus on the Skechers Aero Spark, the cheapest and lowest stack option of the series. Let’s talk about it.

RYAN: I’m not gonna lie — Sam nailed his intro. He expressed just the right amount of skepticism as to what Skechers has to offer for runners. At one point, I would have said that Skechers was a brand on the up and up. I reviewed the MaxRoad, the Ride, and a couple of versions of the Razor, and I always felt like they were steps in the right direction. Heck, Skechers beat most brands to the punch with forefoot plates and supercritical foams, how could it be stumbling?

Then, Skechers kind of disappeared for a year or two. It rocked up to The Running Event with a collection of pickleball shoes and apparel and thought it would make the same splash. To me, this felt like a dire sign. If Skechers couldn’t show up to a bunch of runners with a running shoe, how would it continue?

Well, the answer was to wait one more year to launch a revamped SKX Performance lineup. After basically radio silence through all of 2024, we got as much Skechers love as our feet could handle with the Aero Burst and Aero Spark landing at the same time, offering lower-cost takes on two of the hottest contested categories of running shoes: Daily trainers and max cushion beasts. Yes, technically, there’s also the Aero Tempo, but that’s a topic for another day.

Unfortunately, though, it’s not all good news. Around the time Skechers officially announced its new Aero trio, it also agreed to a deal to be purchased by 3G Capital, a venture capital firm with a long history of trimming fat.

Although the Skechers Shape-Ups also pledged to trim fat, we’re not talking about the same thing. Instead, 3G has a history of axing vanity projects from the companies it invests in. And, with how hard it is to break into the mainstream running market, I’m worried that SKX Performance will fall right into those crosshairs.

If it does, it’ll feel like losing an old friend. My shoes might not light up anymore, but I still crack a smile every time I unbox a Skechers shoe, and I think I’ll miss that if my fears come true. But for now, I have the Aero Spark on my feet, so let’s talk about it.

What we like about the Skechers Aero Spark

SAM: Coming in at a very reasonable $130 with a 36/30 stack height, the Skechers Aero Burst may immediately stand out as an affordable option for all-around daily training. Does it meet these expectations? I would answer that with a resounding yes.

The Skechers Aero Burst features all of the technology that makes Skechers shoes appealing as an alternative to the leading running brands. It has the Hyperburst Ice midsole, Goodyear rubber outsole, Arch Fit moldable insole, and an H-shaped carbon plate. Performance aside, that is a ton of good stuff packed into a $130 package.

Not only is the Skechers Aero Spark a great value, but its performance was a welcome surprise. I was moderately excited to run in this shoe as I was a fan of the Skechers Razor 4 back in 2022. Even with higher expectations, I was surprised by how much I loved running in this shoe.

My test for lower stack running shoes is the humble fartlek, the first thing I did in the Skechers Aero Spark. It felt great on the easy miles and shone on the uptempo portions. I got down to mile pace for my 30-second “on” segments, and I loved the way I could quickly get up to speed in this shoe. The HyperBurst Ice and 36 / 30 mm stack keep your stride rolling but have enough cushion to make easy running comfortable.

While on the topic of the HyperBurst Ice, I would generally say that the Skechers Aero Spark’s midsole is a pro. It’s soft without being too squishy and has enough bounce to make your runs fun as well. I also love the Goodyear outsole. I would put it third in my personal outsole rankings behind PumaGrip and the Adidas Continental rubber outsole. The confidence solid outsole coverage gives you running in wet conditions is often underappreciated, and the Skechers Aero Spark delivers there.

RYAN: I’m not gonna lie, I’d bet my house that Sam has more miles in the Aero Spark than I do. In fact, he probably put more miles on it in his trip down the NCR trail than I did across a handful of weekly club runs. Not because I didn’t like it but because I have so many other similar shoes. To me, this is a tempo trainer that takes on the likes of the New Balance Rebel v5 and Adidas Evo SL, and that’s a tough place to play.

However, I have to admit that I think the Aero Spark really can play. Its stack of HyperBurst Ice feels low and approachable compared to many of the built-up trainers we review throughout the year, and the forefoot H-plate feels like a stabilizing agent rather than Skechers simply slapping a plate in there for the sake of it. Does it absolutely have to be there? No, probably not, but I like that it is.

As mentioned, I can’t compare my runs to the ones that Sam checked off, but I can confirm I did my own little fartlek in the Aero Burst. Only for me, that means a haul-ass sprint followed by a stop to take pictures of 50 or more runners during a weekly Believe Run Club meetup. It’s a little shorter than Sam’s adventure, but I felt like the very slight rocker, soft foam, and Continental rubber outsole blended nicely to keep me just ahead of the pack on a late spring Thursday night.

What I’m somewhat surprised that Sam didn’t chime in on the Aero Spark, however, is with its aesthetics. If you ask me, this is probably the best-looking shoe that Skechers has ever created. While the MaxRoad and Ride and, to an extent, the Razor all kind of looked bubbly and basic, the Aero Spark is a little leaner and meaner with more of an edge to it.

The engineered mesh upper has a subtle texture that slims down the overall appearance, while the tiny reflective hit at the toebox helps to break up what’s otherwise a simple white fabric. Where the Aero Spark really catches my eye, though, is with its midsole. I mean, it looks like it’s somewhere between a chili pepper and a poison dart frog, and it comes off as a shoe I wouldn’t mind going fast in.

Overall, a lot to like out of the Skech, but I’ve yet to meet my perfect match, so let’s roll to what didn’t work…

What we don’t like about the Skechers Aero Spark

SAM: Despite my affinity for everything this shoe offers, it still has some significant drawbacks. My other test for any uptempo shoe is taking it through the paces of a fast long run. I used the Skechers Aero Spark for 15 miles on a wet day at the NCR trail (if you’re ever in Baltimore, I highly recommend visiting).

While the outsole performed adequately on the slick conditions, I found the softness of the Hyperburst Ice left me wanting more during extended marathon pace sections of my run. I could get up to marathon pace, but it felt like the shoe hit a ceiling where it was simply too soft to go any faster for an extended period of time.

Another challenge I had with the Skechers Aero Spark is the lacing. It gets the job done but feels simple and, dare I say, archaic. The fit was never perfect, and I felt that my feet were slipping around a lot while running. I can understand a $130 shoe having “cheaper” laces, but I do not think that is an excuse anymore because there are many similarly priced shoes with better lacing systems on the market right now.

RYAN: As mentioned in the stuff I like about the Aero Spark, I never took this shoe quite as long as Sam did, and reading his thoughts, I think that’s for the best. Sure, I pushed the pace in it a time or two, but my roughly four miles of start-stop action at run club certainly weren’t enough to make the HyperBurst Ice feel mushy.

However, I agree with him about the laces. Come on, Skechers, I know it’s a $130 shoe, but you could give me a firmer lace with less stretch — I want that sweet, sweet lockdown. I also feel like there’s a bit too much space in the toebox, which I’ve probably mentioned in every Skechers review I’ve ever written, so at least it’s consistent.

Final thoughts on the Skechers Aero Spark

SAM: There is a lot to love about the Skechers Aero Spark. It doesn’t look like a Skechers shoe, nor does it feel like one. It is a lighter-weight, lower stack, bouncy daily trainer with enough cushion to get you through easy miles and the ability to pick up the pace when you need it. My expectations were clearly surpassed, but after taking a step back, I cannot say the Aero Spark blew me away. Do I love the shoe? Or do I love lighter-weight, lower-stack daily trainers? I think the answer is the latter.

I told Thomas that I would probably love this shoe less had I run in the New Balance Rebel v5 or the Adidas Evo SL at any point this spring. While those options should not steer you away from the Skechers Aero Spark if you are looking for something outside the mainstream, it is important to remember that the best are the best for a reason. Enjoy the miles, friends.

RYAN: Well, Sam, I can’t argue with your conclusion. Having run in the Rebel v4 and v5 this spring and picked up a pair of the Evo SL with my own money, I can confirm that the Aero Spark lags behind. It’s still a good shoe, and probably my favorite Skechers experience to date, but it doesn’t compete with two of the greatest shoes ever designed for this purpose.

That said, there’s plenty of value in the Aero Spark. It’s priced aggressively at just $130, so you could grab a pair and still have cash left over to buy nutrition for your next long workout. And honestly, with the way the early summer weather is going here in Baltimore, nutrition might be the most important part of your training.

You can pick up the Skechers Aero Spark for $130 from Skechers by using the buttons below.