Skechers GOrun Ride 8 Hyper Performance Review

What You Need To Know

• Features a Hyper Burst midsole for an incredibly responsive ride
• More comfortable engineered-mesh upper
• Medium-weight at 10.08 oz./285g for a US M10.5
• It’s Skechers’ version of Weezer’s Pinkerton, one of the best shoes of 2019

Thomas: Battling the stigma of the Skechers brand has been an uphill battle for the Performance team, even though they have been producing above-average running shoes for nearly ten years. Last year’s daily trainer surprise-hit, the GOrun Ride 7, put Skechers on a lot of nonbeliever’s feet. As such, the GOrun Ride 8 Hyper now has expectations to live up to.

Here is where updates can get tricky. You don’t want to let your new fans down by making too many changes to a near-perfect trainer. So is this shoe the Skechers’ Pinkerton? Or is the Green Album?

While the midsole/outsole tooling is almost identical to last year’s model and the silhouette looks the same, the materials are new. Does it work? Read on to find out.

The Good

Thomas: The upper was a problem for me on the Ride 7. It just wasn’t slick. The material was bumpy and rough, and the overlays looked like they were trimmed out from an old swath of vinyl lying around the factory floor.

The upper worked, but it didn’t look like a sporting shoe. Good news— the Ride 8 Hyper’s upper is cleaned up with an engineered mesh while the lightly padded tongue stays the same as the previous model. The fit is true to size and accommodates both narrow and wide feet.

The lacing is simple but does the trick when you are trying to find the perfect lockdown. During my runs, I didn’t find any hotspots or uncomfortable rubbing at all. The padded heel cup hugs the ankle, negating any heel lift. All this to say, the shoe fits well.

If you knew nothing about midsole foams, you might not notice that the Skechers GOrun Ride 8 Hyper has the new rock star “Hyper Burst!”

Hyper Burst is an EVA, but unlike the chemically-blown traditional EVA, Hyper Burst is mechanically blown with CO2 and Nitrogen. That’s what makes the shoe so Fast and Furious (eight).

From my experience in several shoes using Hyper Burst, I can vouch that it is one of the best midsole materials in the running market. Hyper Burst cushions on impact and then returns that energy into your stride. A close comparison is the adidas BOOST, but Hyper Burst is a fraction of the weight.

The final update is to the outsole. The rubber on the Ride 7 wasn’t trash, but the grip had a waxy feel. For the Ride 8 Hyper, Skechers added Goodyear® rubber. The ride is stickier and smoother.

The Ride 8 Hyper has a 6mm drop and weighs 10.09 oz. / 286g for a size US M10.5. Stick to your standard running shoe size.

Erin: I first got to experience Skechers’ Hyper Burst midsole material in the Speed TRL Hyper, and while I love that shoe, I have to say that I have an even greater appreciation for Hyper Burst after running in the GOrun Ride 8 Hyper.

For me, Hyper Burst is really the perfect marriage of cushion, bounce, and responsiveness. While this is marketed as a daily trainer, I think the Go Run Ride 8 Hyper would be a really great marathon shoe, maybe even a half marathon shoe.

The knit upper manages to be both structured and breathable; I really like the way it molds to the foot. The fit is true to size. Looks-wise, it doesn’t have the wow factor of the Speed TRL Hyper, but I dig an all-black (well, mostly black) shoe, so no complaints there.

The outsole is Goodyear rubber and offers excellent traction; I did a combined road-trail long run in these and enjoyed them on both surfaces. I also think the rubber outsole will add to the longevity of the shoe. The durability of the Hyper Burst midsole remains to be seen, but my pair shows no signs of wear after almost 30 miles.

I also have to mention the price point. Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to find a solid lightweight daily trainer for $115; the HOKA Rincon and Reebok Floatride Energy are the only other shoes that come to mind at the moment. Overall, think it’s a pretty good deal.

The Bad

Thomas: The Skechers GOrun Ride 8 Hyper is 99% pure goodness, but I can still find a little bit of criticism. The styling, while light-years better than the 7, still looks low-key.

Obviously, this is subjective; I mean really, the whole review thing is personal. That said, I freaking love what the design team at Skechers did for the Razor 3, Speed Elite, and the TRL Hyper. Those all look SICK. I would love to see some of that flair for the entire Performance line going forward.

I always have to mention when a trainer gains weight, and the Ride 8 went up .21 ounces / 6 grams. Honestly, that is small enough to be a manufacturing variance, but hey, I’ll be the jerk that points it out.

Erin: OK. I only have one complaint about the Go Run Ride 8 Hyper. This shoe is meant to offer a customizable fit and ride with a removable sockliner. Now, this isn’t something that particularly appeals to me, as I think the shoe fits and rides better with the sockliner in as opposed to out.

However, I don’t want to be forced to take them out. During my second run in the Ride 8 Hyper, the insole of the left shoe kept shifting and sliding back under my foot, which was annoying AF. After several stops to adjust, I ended up taking them out and carrying both insoles for the last 7 miles of my run. Total pain in the ass, but I’ll glue them down to fix the problem and continue to run in them.

Skechers GOrun Ride 8 Hyper Conclusion

Thomas: Skechers takes a winner and makes it a two-time champ. The GOrun Ride 8 Hyper is worthy of our “Best Shoes of 2019” roundup. It’s a daily trainer meant for medium effort paces and longer miles. For a training/racing cycle, I recommend pairing the Ride 8 Hyper with the Skechers Razor 3. Use the Ride for training runs and the Razor for speed work, tempo runs, track days, and racing.

Erin: The Skechers Go Run Ride 8 Hyper is a joy to run in (when the insole stays put). Skechers really has something special with the Hyper Burst midsole.

You can pick it up for $114.95 at Running Warehouse using the shop link below.