Skechers Performance GOrun Ride 7 Performance Review

The Good

Thomas: I won’t bury the lead, this shoe is an amazing trainer. The GOrun Ride 7 glides through the stride with a balance of cushion and springiness that will propel you through your run. The new “Flight Foam” midsole material is 30% lighter than the foam Skechers used on the previous Ride. The lighter weight material helped Skechers Performance add more stack height to the midsole. What does that mean for the runner? It translates to more soft landings and less pounding the pavement. The Ride 7 has a rocker shape midsole, so it rolls through your stride with a 6mm drop. This trainer is SMOOTH. There is rubber on the outsole designed to grip and increase durability, but it is on the smoother side. I would keep these on the road.

The upper of the Skechers GOrun Ride 7 is a little different looking. The fit was perfect on my foot. Normally Skechers pucker when I lace them tight enough to fit my narrow foot. The Ride 7 did not need too much tightening over the arch and eliminated the wrinkle. The beautiful thing for you fat footed runners is, the material has a little stretch so while it fits my narrow foot well, you will be able to get a good fit too. I did not experience any rubbing or hotspots in my usual size 10.5.

Skechers designed the GOrun Ride 7 with a cushioned footbed and then added another insert on top of the built-in footbed.  Taking out the insole allows you to vary the feel of the shoe. Leave the footbed in for more cushion, take it out for a lower to the ground more responsive feel. This makes the Ride 7 an ideal shoe for the runner that wants a shoe that can deliver softer recovery runs and firmer feels for fast days. With the insert in the Ride 7 Weighed 10.15 oz, 9.5 oz. with the insert removed.

This is the first shoe from Skechers Performance that I liked the look of. I got compliments on them when I was running with a group, no lie.

Meaghan: If you’ve run in the Skechers GOrun Ride before, be prepared for a complete 180. Skechers brought us a brand new, knit upper in this model. It hugs the foot snugly. The tongue is minimal in design, and sewn into the upper so it doesn’t move around. The flat lacing system runs through a single overlay to keep the foot secured down. It does exactly that. There’s a pull tab behind the heel to help get your foot in.

The midsole is designed with FLIGHT GEN (a new foam Skechers is using), and a midfoot strike zone (a reinforced area of rubber on the lateral edge of the outsole). These shoes have a slightly rockered shape, which I love. Much like the HOKA Clifton, the rocker delivers a smooth transition from landing to toe-off. The shoes feel good underfoot. They’re not too firm and not too soft – perfect for an everyday trainer. I wore the GOrun Ride primarily on easy running days, anywhere from 5 – 10 miles. They felt good throughout the entire run.

While the weight went up a tad, 7.55 oz vs. the 7.2 oz in the previous model; it’s still a lightweight shoe for a durable, daily trainer.

The Bad

Thomas: There isn’t a bad to this shoe. If I get picky, the overlays don’t do it for me. They look cheap. Slap down some welded overlays, and this shoe will look better thought out.

Meaghan: I found this shoe to be too snug through the midfoot; I have wide feet and I could have used some more room. Aesthetically, as Thomas noted, the overlays take away from this shoe; the material and styling looks low grade.

Skechers Performance GOrun Ride 7 Conclusion

Thomas: I know there are people that just won’t try Skechers period. But I am guessing that if you are reading this review, you are willing to try them. Trust me; you won’t be disappointed with the Ride 7. The Skechers GOrun Ride 7 is an exceptional shoe. The fit and feel are harmonized to give you a great run. For $90 you can’t pass this shoe up.

Meaghan: The Skechers GOrun Ride 7 is a solid daily trainer. With that said, it has always been second-tier to the Skechers GOrun for me. Nothing has changed with the latest iteration. While I enjoyed miles in this shoe, I still prefer the GOrun model. We’ll dive into the updates on that guy soon. In the meantime, feel free to check out these guys.