Skechers GoRun2

The king of the mid-strike sole was launched by Skechers in India quite sometime back and yet it remains one of my favourite launches of the time. Super-light, easy-to-pack, simplistic top design with a drastically different sole, the shoe was definitely something curious to look at. Coming from the brand that made those bum-enhancing shoes some years earlier (I must re-check this before Skechers sues me…nah!), no surprises that they would be the ones to deploy a new approach to an old sport.
The run quality is great, smooth easy ride, once (once) you get used to the idea of a mid-foot strike. This basically means that instead of hitting the ground with your heel (or with the ball of your toe when you run barefoot), this one is somewhat between the two. It does make for a slightly more jerky landing (for me) but the cushion in middle of the sole is thick was good enough to absorb the impact. However, in a half marathon, the impact over the long distance did give me some lower backache. But for anything upto 10kms, or a leisurely weekend run, this is pretty much the perfect shoe. One thing I would love to see in the newer versions, more colour options. The international site had a lot more exciting variety whereas what we got in India were a few rather boring combinations that made the shoes look a generation old even on being launched.

PROs: slick, low profile, lightweight, lovely mid-foot strike, grippy laces, fast!

CONs: not for long distances, less ankle support, jerky landing with heel strike, dull colours