Skechers GO RUN Ride 11 review

We recommend the Skechers Go Run Ride 11 as an excellent choice for:

• Runners of all experience levels who prioritise comfort in their daily trainers
• Anyone looking for a plated shoe that's responsive while still being relatively flexible and forgiving
• Runners in the market for a versatile daily trainer that is capable of long distances as well as some speedwork
• Mild pronators who want a neutral road shoe that feels stable underfoot
• Thrifty runners who want a premium feeling shoe that won't break the bank

Despite the carbon plate and supercritical midsole foam, the GRR 11 isn't a race-ready performance shoe. For a daily trainer that makes a better race day companion, we recommend the slightly more expensive Saucony Endorphin Speed 3.

The GRR 11 could use a bit of a diet, especially for those who prefer lightweight shoes. Instead, we recommend checking out the Brooks Hyperion Max which also boasts a healthy stack but at a feathery 7.51 oz (213g). 

While the GRR 11's toebox isn't snug per se, we think that runners with broad feet would benefit from a shoe with more internal real estate like the New Balance Fresh Foam X Kaiha Road.

Using our calliper, we measured the GRR 11's heel stack to be 34.1 mm thick; quite a bit lower than the 38 mm stated by Skechers, but within the average range for road shoes. 

This amount of foam underfoot allows us to really sink into and savour the GRR 11's plush midsole foam, thus improving our sense of perceived cushioning as the shoe effectively dampens our landings before propelling us forward. We, therefore, recommend the GRR 11 to heel-striking runners who want a daily trainer that's protective enough for the occasional long-distance run. 

We found a similar discrepancy with the official forefoot stack measurement provided by Skechers. While stated to be 32 mm thick, we found it to be significantly lower at only 27.6 mm according to our calliper measurements. This is only slightly higher than our current lab average with more than enough protective foam in that area to mute out the harsh asphalt below and provide us with nice and peppy toe-offs. 

We use World Athletics guidelines in order to provide the most accurate stack measurements possible and have, over the course of testing well over a hundred pairs of running shoes in our lab, found many similar inconsistencies with brand-stated stack heights as this article explores. 

Despite the rather significant disparities in the official stack height figures, the GRR 11's heel drop is surprisingly accurate at 6.5 mm; only 0.5 mm higher than stated. 

This classifies the GRR 11 as a mid-drop shoe which makes the shoe suitable for a wide variety of runners, whether heel or forefoot/midfoot strikers.  

Pressing our durometer against the GRR 11's midsole yields a softer-than-average reading of 19 HA. That, however, doesn't tell the full story. 

The GRR 11's HyperBurst Ice midsole foam is Skechers' supercritical foam that plays a massive part in the shoe's exceptionally comfortable, premium-feeling ride. It's made through a CO2-based process that expands a small and dense slab of EVA foam by infusing gas bubbles into it. 

The end result is cushioning that's not only protective and plush but also very responsive underfoot, with a propulsive rebound that makes accelerating in the GRR 11 an absolute breeze. 

Moving up to the area around the big toe, the GRR 7's toebox is actually on par with our current lab average at 77.4 mm according to our calliper. 

This means that the GRR 11 doesn't taper as dramatically as the average road shoe does, with this more square silhouette giving us plenty of room for our toes to splay out naturally and comfortably without bumping up against the sidewalls. 

The midsole also reacts pretty well to cold conditions, becoming only 25% more firm after chilling in our freezer for twenty minutes. This makes the GRR 11 about as consistent as the average road shoe when temperatures drop, though it remains softer than average with a post-freezer durometer reading of only 23.8 HA. So while it might feel a little less plush as winter rolls around, the GRR 11 should still provide a balanced level of cushioning no matter how frigid it gets. 

At 5.2 mm thick according to our calliper measurements, the GRR 11's patented Arch Fit insole is thicker than average and provided us with excellent arch support during our test runs. Additionally, it nicely complements the midsole cushioning with a well-padded and soft internal surface.

This easy-to-overlook feature makes the GRR 11 an excellent daily trainer for flat-footed runners and those with mild overpronation in their strides who don't want a dedicated stability shoe. 

Using our calliper, we measured the GRR 11's toebox to be narrower than average at only 96.4 mm wide at its widest point. This will provide a nice and snug fit for those with narrow to normal feet which, combined with the somewhat wide base, also improves stability. On the other hand, those with broad feet will almost certainly find the GRR 11 constrictive, especially toward the end of longer runs when the feet tend to swell up from repeated impact. 

For those broad-footed runners who prefer a little more real estate in the toebox, we recommend the New Balance Fresh Foam X Kaiha Road as a similarly plush maximal daily trainer with good arch support. 

Moving up to the area around the big toe, the GRR 7's toebox is actually on par with our current lab average at 77.4 mm according to our calliper. 

This means that the GRR 11 doesn't taper as dramatically as the average road shoe does, with this more square silhouette giving us plenty of room for our toes to splay out naturally and comfortably without bumping up against the sidewalls. 

The patented Arch-Fit insole is fully removable, so replacing it when needed is possible. 

We were met with a fair amount of resistance as we attempted to bend and twist the GRR 11 in our hands, leading us to give it a somewhat stiff torsional rigidity score of 4 out of 5 on our subjective scale. This is no doubt a result of the shoe's H-shaped, carbon-infused shanks that effectively offset the softness of the midsole by preventing excessive lateral movements. As such, the GRR 11's base remains relatively level throughout our stride giving us a stable landing platform while testing this shoe. 

The GRR 11's generously padded and well-structured heel counter is moderately stiff, earning a middle-of-the-road score of 3 out of 5 in our manual assessment. 

The rearfoot lockdown does feel somewhat loose as we start to run in the shoe, but the sheer amount of padding in the collar does manage to keep our heel from rubbing up against it. 

Using our caliper, we measured the GRR 11's midsole to be 110.9 mm wide at the forefoot. This is slightly narrower than our current lab average but still provides a broad enough platform to ensure we enjoyed steady landings and toes-offs without the shoe feeling too blocky when taking corners. 

Back at the heel, the midsole is slightly wider than average, measuring 92.4 mm wide. 

This means that runners with a heel-striking stride should also feel surefooted and stable in this shoe. 

To test the flexibility of the shoe, we secured the GRR 11 to our workbench and used a force gauge to measure the amount of force required to torque it to 90 degrees. 

With 25.8N of force needed to bend the shoe to the desired point, the GRR 11 is more flexible than the average road shoe, making it able to conform with the natural flexion of our foot during our stride. This is despite using a carbon-infused plate embedded in the midsole which does provide decent energy return during our test runs. This just attests to the ingenuity of using an H-shaped plate to strike a balance between responsiveness and flexibility. 

We also repeated the stiffness test after leaving the shoe in our freezer and found that 35.2N of force is needed to bend the chilled GRR 11 to the desired point. This might be a little stiff, but ist' still more flexible than the average road shoe under similar conditions. What's more, with only a 36.1% increase in stiffness when exposed to the cold, the GRR 11 should feel pretty consistent all year round. 

With all that foam in the midsole and the generous amount of padding throughout the shoe, it's no wonder that the GRR 11 is heavier than the average road shoe at 10.1 oz (285g). 

Despite this, however, the shoe still feels pretty light on the foot and isn't too prohibitive for pushing the pace or long-distance efforts. This is thanks in part to the lively midsole and its rockered design that promotes incredibly smooth transitions and an efficient stride. 

The GRR 11's HyperArc rocker geometry is among the most pronounced we've seen, it's virtually a rocking horse! For a better understanding of what rockered running shoes have to offer, check out this article on the matter that dives into the subject based on our findings here in the lab. 

Despite a slow start in our breathability test, the GRR 11 eventually lets out a steady stream of smoke that filters out through various parts of the shoe. This leads us to give the shoe an above-average score of 4 out of 5 which makes it a good choice for runners living in warm climates. 

The Adidas Runfalcon, on the other hand, performed abysmally in this test by not even allowing a wisp of smoke to escape the shoe. 

As we can see from inspecting a backlit cross-section of the GRR 11's upper, the light is able to shine through the many pores in the mesh with ease, clearly indicating the many avenues for heat to vent out of the shoe. 

Looking at the engineered mesh upper under our microscope, we can see that it is made up of interwoven braids with lots of games that promote airflow throughout the shoe. What's more, they open up to form a pattern of perforations that reveal the less dense layer of mesh underneath which might explain the slow start to our smoke test. 

First up in our series of durability tests designed to simulate extreme wear and tear is the GRR 11's toebox. Spinning at 5K RPM, we set our Dremel's grinding element against it with 3.2N of force for four short seconds. 

That was enough time for the tool to mince through the shoe's mesh. However, it only managed to go clean through the thick outer layer without doing too much damage to the layer underneath. This leads us to give the GRR 11 a toebox durability score of 2 out of 5. 

Next, we turned our attention to the heel counter and set our relentless Dremel against it for another four seconds of grinding. The tool, once more, makes quick work of the lining and sends shreds of padding flying almost immediately. 

The gaping hole left in the heel counter earns the GRR 11 a heel padding durability score of 1 out of 5. We therefore don't recommend going sockless often in this shoe as the repeated friction of heel rubs will likely compromise the integrity of the heel collar and, in turn, the GRR 11's lockdown. 

The GRR 11's outsole marks another collaboration between a shoe company and a tyre company to rival Adidas' partnership with Continental. The rubber provided by Goodyear gives us a slightly softer-than-average durometer reading of 76.9 HC. 

Softer outsoles usually indicate better grip but worse durability, but we have high hopes for the GRR 11 in the following section which will test the latter. 

We fired up our Dremel one last time, this time spinning at 10K RPM, and set it against the GRR 11's outsole. The abrasive element seems to have no effect at all, with only the occasional flecks of debris being sporadically cast aside throughout the twenty-two-second test. 

Using our tyre tread gauge to measure the indentation left in the aftermath of the test, we found that only 0.4 mm of rubber had been shorn away, thus validating the confidence we had in the GRR 11's outsole. We, therefore, expect the shoe to surpass the 400-mile mark with very few signs of wear and tear to the outsole. 

The GRR 11's outsole is on par with our current lab average at 2.9 mm thick according to our caliper measurements. This is more than enough rubber as our previous test clearly demonstrates. 

The GRR 11's outsole is incredibly grippy and gives us great traction over a variety of surfaces. Not even wet patches could deter our surefooted and confident strides while testing this shoe. 

The finger loop at the heel of the GRR 11 features a small series of reflective elements that provide minimal added visibility. We recommend sticking to well-lit routes or using additional high-vis gear if going for a nocturnal run by the road in the GRR 11. 

The GRR 11 has a girthy tongue that measures 8.5 mm thick. This provides incredible comfort around the instep while also contributing to the shoe's secure midfoot lockdown. 

It also means that lace bite was the furthest thing from our minds while testing the GRR 11. 

The GRR 11's tongue isn't gusseted, though we didn't have any issues with it slipping to the side while testing thanks to how broad and generously padded it is. 

The GRR 11 features a handy little finger loop at the heel which makes sliding the shoe on a little smoother and easier. 

The patented Arch-Fit insole is fully removable, so replacing it when needed is possible.