
I first heard about Skechers as a running shoe brand from a physio, who recommended me to use either Asics or Skechers trainers for my runs, as I wasn’t actually using a running shoe. I was quick to pick up the GoRun 400, considering how light the shoe was, and most importantly the price tag. I thought I'd be loyal to Skechers then, but I couldn't be when I moved to a more versatile Pegasus series. Felt they went off track for a few years and then never earned at least. I was wrong!

I've got a chance to run in Skechers GORun Ride 9, sent to us by Skechers India. As much as my intention was to put a disclaimer here, I'm glad they sent us one for a review. That said, rest assured about a neutral review since this is neither a sponsored post nor Skechers India got any say over the review. Unboxing the Ride 9 felt like a throwback to my first Skechers trainer, pretty nostalgic, so light, yet again from Skechers. So read on to understand my experience with the shoe in-depth. Spoiler alert, both the shoe and the review are worth your 10 minutes. 

<ShoeCard shoeCode="003004009M"></ShoeCard>

##### What makes up Skechers GOrun Ride 9?

The Skechers GOrun Ride 9 is a lightweight neutral daily trainer. The shoe features the brand’s proprietary Hyperburst midsole, a rocker for quicker transitions and Goodyear’s rubber on the outsole for durability. Ride 9 is the lightest trainer sitting on my rack, weighing barely 237g for US9.

The trainer is available for ₹10,999 MRP in India, in par with other daily trainers. 

**Midsole**

Skechers GOrun Ride 9 features Skechers’ proprietary HyperBurst foam on the midsole. This is the second time Skechers has featured HyperBurst in the Ride series, moving on from the Flight Gen cushioning. The midsole is created using Skechers trademarked "supercritical" foaming process, where a smaller form of EVA is expanded to a defined shape. Unlike the traditional injection moulding process, their proprietary process is believed to make the foam both lighter and responsive.

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    <LightBox src="/images/weight-ride9.jpg" caption="Lightest daily trainer" alt="" ></LightBox>
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We have measured the softness of the midsoles of a few popular daily neutral trainers with a Shore Durometer. In terms of midsole softness, Ride 9 is softer when compared to the competition and yet doesn't feel cushion heavy. The softness also varied throughout, the midfoot area being softer than the heel. 

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    <LightBox src="/images/midsolesoftness-ride9.jpg" caption="One of the softest midsoles" alt="" ></LightBox>
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The shoe has a stack height of 34 mm on the heel and 28mm on the forefoot with a 6 mm heel-to-toe drop. The midsole additionally features M-strike technology, commonly known as a rocker, to promote a midfoot strike and for a quicker transition from heel to toe.

**Upper**

The upper is another softer aspect of the shoe and yet another thing I love about the shoe. The upper here features a multilayered engineered mesh, which feels soft and light and yet manages to lock in the foot pretty well. The upper feels more clothish, as against a rigid mesh is more flexible. The tox box is a little wide and it is a blessing for those with wider feet.  However, not so great for those with narrow feet like me. The tongue is mildly padded non-gusseted and is attached in between the laces and the midsole. You’ll see a diamond pattern on the upper meant to provide ventilation, overall making the Ride 9 a good contender for a highly breathable daily trainer.

The standard laces are long enough for a triple knot. Some reflective elements are present in the pull tab and in the lateral front part of the shoe to help you safely run through the dark. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/sride9-upper.jpg" caption="Soft upper offers good ventilation" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Heel**

I’m indeed falling short of the checklist to keep praising the Ride 9. The heel counter is moderately padded. Unlike the Hoka Clifton 8 which irritated my Achilles, I had no such problem with the Ride 9. The scope for heel slip is largely reduced courtesy of high lacing on the upper. The pull tab is also attached to the heel counter. At the bottom, the long heel bevel is there to help progress you forward, something which is more common in new-age daily trainers. 
 
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      <LightBox src="/images/sgride9-heel.jpg" caption="Design of the heel offers excellent support" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Outsole**

The outsole of the Gorun Ride 9 makes use of the Goodyear Tyre’s rubber. The rubber almost covers the major of the forefoot and only the edges of the heel. It is probably an intentional decision to manage the overall weight and it makes sense. The rubber is thick enough and is well placed in high-impact areas. Like the tyres, they are tough and grippier. 

##### Why did I consider this shoe?

Straight out of the box, the Gorun Ride 9 is a neutral daily trainer. The shoe is meant for clocking miles after miles, regardless of the distance one is training for. I was surprised to see how soft and yet extremely lightweight a trainer can be. There are generally a lot of sacrifices to keep a shoe lightweight and Skechers has found a magical balance to not sacrificing any important features required in a daily trainer. Since a lot of daily trainers are also placed in the same price range, Ride 9 would be a good choice for someone who’s planning to clock in a variety of miles using a variety of trainers. 

##### Ride In Ride 9

I have run a variety of test runs on Ride 9. Kicked off it with a recovery run, followed by an easy run the next day. The recovery run didn’t actually feel like a recovery one since the midsole was offering me some bounce, as much as soft it is. The pace almost became like an easy run and the next day’s easy run was no different. The ride was pretty comfortable. You got to compliment the midsole for offering such a ride. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/sgride9-grooves.jpg" caption="Deep grooves in midsole offers excellent flexibility" alt="" ></LightBox>
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Skechers uses its proprietary HyperBurst foam in the midsole of the Ride 9 and pairs it with M-strike technology to offer a smoother transition and a propelling ride. The HyperBurst is light and soft, a perfect ingredient for easy-paced runs. HyperBurst also offered some bounce on the midfoot, further making it a perfect easy-paced run trainer. The deep flex grooves on the midsole gives plenty of flexibility for the foot to move naturally. As much as M-strike’s role was to encourage midfoot landing, I felt the Ride 9 is more efficient and enjoyable landing on the heel. The high heel bevel helped the momentum to set-going. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/sgride9-flex.jpg" caption="Highly flexible midsole" alt="" ></LightBox>
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Since there’s a rocker as well, so why not test it out on well paced runs. So took it on a short tempo ride, the rocker midsole aggressively tries to propel me forward, but since the overall structure is flexible and soft, the feel of propulsion is mild. I wished the midsole was a bit firm but that would beat the purpose of the speed trainer from Skechers, the GOrun Razor Excess 2. 

Finally, the long-run. This was the ice in the cake. Took it on a 16KMs run, exactly where I understood how fun it is to run on these. Right from the 1st KM to the 16th KM, I was able to enjoy every stride of it. The ride felt fresh until the end, courtesy the softer and the midly responsive midsole. The mildly soft and responsive midsole is the strength of the Ride 9. 

**Fit & Comfort**

The Ride 9 is not easy to slide on since the tongue area is quite narrowish than the toe box. But once you lace them on, they fit quite snug on the midfoot in contrast to a roomy toe box. The trainer fits true to size and can be a go-to for wide feet runners, but doesn’t really bother narrow feet runners like me. As much as I appreciate the flywire mechanism like the one in the Pegasus series for lock-in, Ride 9’s narrowish midfoot worked aptly. The trainer also offers some arch support in the underfoot for more comfort.

During the runs, the lighter and softer engineered mesh with good ventilation offers breathability. Even in Mumbai’s hot-humid summer, the shoe barely got warm unlike a lot of my trainers. The mesh upper is flexible and would no doubt benefit broader feet runners. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/sgride9-comfort.jpg" caption="Offers a comfortable ride" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Stability**

For the stack height and the softness the Ride 9 offers, it’s a no-brainer neutral trainer. The wide midsole and a rigid outsole aided with a rocker might offer some stabilisation, otherwise, the trainer is genuinely not meant to offer any stability. If you are someone who trains a day in and out on neutral trainers, this one deserves to be on your watchlist. Ride 9 will also work well if one only requires mild stability provided they are broad feet runners, unlike me. 

**Durability** 

The grip in the Ride 9 is the best out there, courtesy of the rubber from Goodyear tyres. I genuinely felt the Pegasus series had the best outsole, but the one here beats it. It’s tougher and equally grippier as Pegasus. I wouldn’t hesitate to take these out on a rainy day but will prefer the Pegasus series for the urban trails considering the structure of the outsole. That being said, Ride 9 is a prime example of how durable a daily trainer should be. 

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      <LightBox src="/images/sgride9-outsole.jpg" caption="Outsole offers excellent grip, and Goodyear rubber adds durability" alt="" ></LightBox>
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**Aesthetics**

Genuinely not exaggerating here, but don’t be surprised if your fellow running mates come to you and compliment the shoes. In a week’s time, quite a few of them reached out to me with compliments for them. I have the sky-blue and optic orange colorway, which is the best in the range. I have not really appreciated any trainers from Skechers for aesthetics, but this one is just above the box. I can certainly give it a 10 on 10 for its aesthetic. 

##### Review Summary

<ReviewSummaryCard shoeCode="003004009M"></ReviewSummaryCard>

<ProsCard
  title="PROS"
  pros={[
    "Extremely lightweight and sufficiently cushioned",
    "Breathable upper",
    "Smooth and responsive ride",
    "Durable outsole",
  ]}
/>

<ConsCard
  title="CONS"
  cons={[
    "Responsiveness could have been better",
    "Low Stability",
    "Too much of room for narrow feet",
  ]}
/>

<InfoCard title="RECOMMENDATION">
I highly recommend the Skechers GOrun Ride 9 as a neutral trainer to clock some mileage. Ride 9 is a mash-up of a classic trainer and modern updates like rocker, super-critical foam and flex grooves. The cushion here is just right enough to comfortably clock your easy runs and mid-long runs on them.

Rotation - Ride 9 is best for daily training with easy to moderate paced runs. From Skechers line-up, one can consider GOrun MaxRoad 5 for runs longer than the half marathon mark, and GOrun Razor Excess 2 for more versatile training, especially for speed workouts. 
To consider other brands for rotation along with Ride 9, I use Hoka Clifton 8 for recovery runs, and Asics EvoRide 2 for up-tempo.
</InfoCard>

An extremely lightweight daily trainer to take you on a fun ride

Skechers GOrun Ride 9 Review


Who can forget Molly Seidel's Olympic marathon celebration at  finish line with her Puma shoes over her shoulder? Deviate Nitro Elite is the first super-shoe from Puma. It is the super shoe counterpart of [Deviate Nitro](https://shoegeeks.in/review/puma-deviatenitro-005001000/) which we have reviewed earlier. 

It is a full package with Carbon Fiber plate and Puma’s PEBAX-based Nitro Elite foam. As with other super shoes, it is primarily meant for racing longer distances. It is however versatile enough to be used for distances from 5K to Marathon.  The price point is attractive when compared to other super shoes, which makes it an excellent choice for speed training too.

So the question is how does it perform as a super-shoe? 

<ShoeCard shoeCode="005012000M"></ShoeCard>

##### What makes up Puma Deviate Nitro Elite?

In terms of geometry, it looks very similar to Deviate Nitro. Geometry is more traditional, the rocker effect is very minimal when compared to similar shoes from Nike and Saucony. What you notice immediately is how light the Elite edition is. At 190 grams for UK 8, it is one of lightest.  

To compared, for UK 10 Deviate Nitro is under 274 grams, while Deviate Nitro Elite undercuts it by 60g with a weight of 213 grams for UK 10. The stack height is 36mm. The shoe has a heel-to-toe drop of 8 mm, which is ideal for mid-foot strikers but works fine for forefoot and heel strikers too. 

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-weight.jpg" caption="Lighter in weight compared to Deviate Nitro" alt="" ></LightBox>
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Here is comparative view of weights of all the carbon plated shoes available in India. At 190 grams, it is one of the lightest, next only to VaporFly. 

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-weights.jpg" caption="One of the lightest in its category" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

**Midsole**  

This is the most interesting part of the shoe. It is made of Puma’s take on PEBAX foam, called Nitro Elite. Nitro Elite is a completely different foam from Nitro foam which is used in other Nitro series shoes like Deviate, Velocity, and Liberate. The midsole is very soft and bouncy.  

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-midsole.jpg" caption="Nitro Elite foam is very responsive and yet is soft" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

Here is a comparative view of how soft is Nitro Elite's midsole is, when measured the softness with a Durometer. At 25 HA, it is the softest. 

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-durometer.jpg" caption="One of the softest midsole" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

No super shoe introduction is complete without the mention of carbon fiber plate. The plate is curved and wedged within the two layers of the  midsole. As soon as you step into the shoe, you will feel the plate.

**Upper**  

The upper is one of the key highlights of the shoe, and is one of the best among the modern shoes. It is thin, transparent, and yet keeps its shape. It is extremely breathable, nothing like I have ever experienced before.  Puma has nailed it to perfection. Liberate Nitro Cool Adapt edition also has a similar upper, but the upper here is much superior. The upper has several reflective elements and it looks glorious in the dark and is inspired by the Puma, the cat.

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-upper.jpg" caption="Upper is thin, transparent and highly breathable" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

The tongue can cause inconvenience as it moves around, and is not attached to the sides. The Lacing system however is excellent except that the laces are too long.

**Heel**

The heel is as minimal as it can get.  The padding is almost non-existant, but it feels better than Deviate Nitro.  While one might feel heel slipping, it is not as pronounced. The heel has very minimal reinforcement and expect no support.

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-heel.jpg" caption="Heel support is minimal" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

**Bottom sole**

There is not much to talk about the bottom sole, when compared to the other shoes in Nitro series. PUMAGRIP of Nitro series is one of the best in the business. The variation of Puma Grip used here is called PUMAGRIP LT, which is thin rubber, and doesn’t offer much traction.   The bottom sole has a cut-out through which you can see the Carbon plate. 

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-bottom.jpg" caption="Durable rubber grip, traction is good enough for tarred roads" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

##### Why did I consider this shoe?

I have been running in Deviate Nitro for a while.  Despite the carbon plate and Nitro foam, I didn’t enjoy the shoe because of its weight and not-so-great heel fit. When I first heard from a friend about the release of the Elite version, I considered it a good candidate to replace my Deviate Nitro. A lighter shoe definitely will help me in my current training cycles which primarily involved building speed. An extremely good price point by Puma India helped me to seal the deal.  In fact, I bought the shoe on the first very day of its release in India.

##### Ride In Deviate Nitro

Given the purpose of the shoe, I have used it primarily for faster runs close to the race pace. I have also used them for speed training. I have so far run about 100km in the shoes.  The runs included a couple of half-marathon distances at marathon pace,  a 5KM race, Tempo runs, and a few VO2 max Interval workouts. 

The shoe is comfortable no matter whichever distance and pace you choose to run. Nitro Elite foam-based midsole is well cushioned and yet bouncy. 

For longer runs at my marathon pace (about 5 min/km), the shoe feels extremely comfortable in handling the distance.  The lightweight nature of the really helps towards the finishing kilometers, keeping the fatigue in check.  At this, you can’t feel the carbon plate effect much, but the bounce is pronounced enough to make the ride enjoyable.

Tempo effort runs at paces under 4:30 is when I really feel the carbon plate in action.  One can feel the springboard effect at these paces. The shoe just responds as you hit the road harder.

I wasn’t in my best shape for the 5K race I ran in the shoe.  But the shoe did a fantastic job with bounce and getting a good stride. However, the lack of rocker effect is evident to me.  When compared to other carbon plated shoes I have used such as AlphaFly, and Endorphin Pro 2, the transition at push-off is not as enjoyable.  The weak rocker effect is also the reason why the shoe also promotes higher cadence.

##### Fit & Comfort

I am using UK 10, which is the usual size for me.  The fit is perfect for me in every way.   The Forefoot and toe box area are very roomy and never had any issues so far.  

The laces are too long, but the laces work perfectly and keep themselves in place.  The tongue moves around a bit, a minor inconvenience.

The heel slip feels uncomfortable at times, but it is not a deal-breaker.  With a bit of lacing adjustment, it is managed well.

The upper is extremely breathable.  As I’ve mentioned earlier, the shoe feels most natural as it is very light. 

##### Stability

As with other super shoes, the shoe is a neutral shoe, and there are no pronation control measures in the midsole or at heal. However, with a reasonably wider base of the shoe, it feels quite stable.  If you are looking for pronation control, this is not the shoe for you.

##### Road Grip

The grip is good enough for tarred roads.  Unlike regular Puma Nitro series shoes, the grip doesn’t work very well on roads with sand, and construction debris.

##### Aesthetics

During the launch, there is only one colorway option available. The white colorway with the Puma racing strip is flaunt-worthy. The reflective overlays at the heel, and around the laces gives it a cool look in the dark.  

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        <LightBox src="/images/pdne-night.jpg" caption="Glows in the dark!" alt="" ></LightBox>
</div>

Through the translucent mesh upper you can see the socks you wear.  So the color of the socks gives the shoe a distinct aesthetic. In a way, it gives plenty of options to match your shoe color to the apparel you wear.

##### Review Summary

<ReviewSummaryCard shoeCode="005012000M"></ReviewSummaryCard>

<ProsCard
  title="PROS"
  pros={[
    "Extremely light and feels fast.",  
    "Excellent bounce at faster paces",
    "Well-cushioned and offers a soft ride",
    "Well made, good premium feel and aesthetics",
    "While a racing shoe, it is versatile enough to be used for a run",
  ]}
/>

<ConsCard
  title="CONS"
  cons={[
    "Heel slippage can be an issue for some runners.",
    "The grip is not that great, and using on surfaces other than tarred roads is tricky."
  ]}
/>

<InfoCard title="RECOMMENDATION">
  Puma's Deviate Nitro Elite is an excellent carbon plated racer, and lives up to its super shoe hype. It is light, fast and bouncy. It is well cushioned and offers a soft ride. While is a racing shoe, it is versatile enough to be used for any type of run. More importantly, it is the lowest priced super shoe in India.
</InfoCard>


Puma's carbon plated super shoe lives up to the hype. It is light, fast and responsive.

Reviews

Skechers GOrun Ride 9 Review

Puma Deviate Nitro Elite Review