Shoe of the Week: Skechers GOrun OG Hyper
This replay of the original Skechers Performance running shoe evokes memories, and a desire to take them out on smooth, speedy runs.
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Skechers GOrun OG Hyper Review
Weight: 5.4 oz. (men’s size 9), 4.1 oz. (women’s size 7)
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm
Price: $100
Top Line
A sweet replay of a now-classic model that epitomizes second-generation minimalist shoes, which encourage a light, quick stride while also providing a bit of cushioning and protection from the road.
What’s New
The upper and geometry are the same as the 2011 original GOrun, but this refreshed version uses Skechers’ modern Hyperburst midsole rather than EVA. It’s a welcome change if you’re going to put miles on this shoe, reducing the weight by 1.5 ounces and providing Hyperbursts’ unique feel of protective cushioning that firms up to bouncy responsiveness.
This Shoe Is For You If…
You enjoy being in touch with the road in a super-light model with just enough cushioning and a roomy, “barefoot” fit.
First Runs
Pulling the GOrun OG Hyper out of the box inspires a flashback… the year is 2011 and the minimalist craze is in full swing. Mainstream brands have begun making low-to-the-ground models with minimal cushioning and foot-shaped toe boxes, but the real excitement is coming from newcomers like Vibram FiveFingers and Altra. Entering the fray is a rather strange-looking model from a new performance division of Skechers, asking to be taken seriously. Really? Skechers?
Putting the GOrun OG Hyper on evokes another memory: the surprise of the remarkably smooth, comfortable and speedy ride. As it did in 2011, the beveled heel induces a light, rolling touchdown on the “M-strike” midfoot landing area and the flexible, upturned forefoot speed you quickly off the toes (dare we call it a rocker sole?). We relive how the 4mm drop and moderate cushioning let us run without the anticipatory bracing before each step, the foot fatigue and the adaptation time of other minimal models. We remember how they quickly became favorites and we wore them on longer runs than seemed advised for such a light shoe — without consequence, just a feeling of freedom, comfort and connection. And we remember defending them — Skechers? Seriously? — until Meb won the January 2012 Houston Olympic Marathon Trials in them.
Putting on the 2020 version made me feel young, even younger than I was when the brand was new a decade ago (has it only been nine years?). And the HyperBurst only enhanced the familiar barely-there feel — so light that it makes you take careful, protective landings at first, and then you laugh as the cushioning and geometry let you relax and roll speedily along in comfort.
The Bottom Line
Buy them for the retro nostalgia, but don’t be surprised if you end up putting more miles on them than you expected.
Similar Shoes
Altra Escalante Racer, Brooks Hyperion Tempo, Topo Fli-Lyte 3