Revision as of 08:48, 4 January 2016

The Skechers GOmeb Speed‏‎ 3 is based on a shoe designed for the top marathon runner, Meb Keflezighi. I was expecting a remarkable shoe, especially as Skechers can be quite innovative. However, the GOmeb is rather heavy for the cushioning it provides, with midsole foam that's firm, verging on hard. The GOmeb has enough cushioning to improve your Running Economy, but only just. I've rated it as "worth considering." (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 top	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 bottom
Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 outside	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 inside

1 Characteristics

• Why you’d buy it. I'm not sure who the GOmeb would suit. You'd have to be looking for a shoe that is fairly light but offers little cushioning.
• Cushioning . The GOmeb has a respectable thickness midsole for its weight, but the form is quite hard. This provides only a minimal level of cushioning that is just enough to provide the full improvement in Running Economy.
• Drop. The GOmeb has 4mm of drop, which is not ideal, but not enough to annoy me.
• Structure. There's only a single density of foam, so there's nothing to interfere with natural biomechanics. (The white foam on the pictures is just paint, not a different density of foam.)
• Flexibility. The GOmeb‏‎ is quite flexible; more than I'd expect from such firm foam. There is also a hard plastic plate just under the insole that covers the middle part of the shoe, from just in front of the heel to just behind the forefoot. You can see part of this plate in the pictures of the bottom of the shoe as a black area. This reduces the flexibility of the middle of the shoe, but the human foot doesn't bend much in that area so it shouldn't cause a problem.
• Outsole. There are small round patches of outsole (blue on the picture of the bottom). The placement of these is a little odd; why put them under the arch where there's little or no wear, but not on the heel which is a common wear point for most runners. If Skechers expected the GOmeb to only be purchased by forefoot runners, why not move the outsole from the middle of the shoe to the forefoot? It seems the placement of the outsole has more to do with creating a pretty marketing picture than a practical running shoe.
• Shape. The GOmeb ‏‎‏‎ is not designed to fit a human foot, so I cut open the toe box to allow my toes room and my foot to move naturally. The GOmeb is also a little narrower than some shoes (version 3 is not as narrow as version 2 was.) (I recommend cutting open the toe box of virtually all running shoes, with the exception of a few shoes like some Altra shoes. When you have some worn out shoes, you should try cutting open the toe box. I've found that it's a big improvement, allowing my toes to move naturally and engage for toe off, as well as reducing the possibility of blisters.)
• Upper. The upper is a little thicker than I'd like and inflexible, but mostly seamless. There is a little padding around the ankle opening, but nothing else. Strangely the rear of the shoe has an extra lining where most shoes would have extra padding, but in the GOmeb it just adds thickness. The upper doesn't breath much due to the thickness.
• Tongue. The GOmeb has a thin, unpadded tongue that's the traditional design with a tab to hold it in place by the laces.
• Lacing. The thin flat laces worked well, and I had no problems with the laces coming undone while running.
• Heel Counter. The heel counter is a little stiffer than I'd like, but not enough to cause a problem.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 at Zappos Buy Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 at Road Runner Sports Buy Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 Comparisons

Here are some direct comparisons with its potential competition.

2.1 Sketchers GOmeb 3 and GOmeb 2

The GOmeb 3 is a little better cushioned than the GOmeb 2 was, but it's also about an ounce heavier. The net of these changes means the GOmeb 3 should be a little faster than the GOmeb 2 was. The ankle padding is a little softer than the GOmeb 2, which I found slightly uncomfortable. Overall the update is positive, but the GOmeb needs to be either a lot lighter or a lot better cushioned to be up with the top shoes.

Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 top	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 bottom	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 outside	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 inside
Sketchers GoMeb Speed 2 top	Sketchers GoMeb Speed 2 bottom	Sketchers GoMeb Speed 2 inside	Sketchers GoMeb Speed 2 outside

2.2 Sketchers GOmeb 3 and Asics Gel Hyper Speed

The Asics Gel Hyper Speed is far better than the GOmeb nearly every way. It's lighter, better cushioned, and it has a more comfortable upper. The only advantage the GOmeb has is a slightly lower drop, but I doubt if many runners would notice the 1mm difference.

Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 top	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 bottom	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 outside	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 inside
Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 top	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 bottom	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 inside	Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 outside

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Zappos Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Road Runner Sports Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Asics Gel Hyper Speed 6 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2.3 Sketchers GOmeb 3 and New Balance RC5000

While the GOmeb is lighter than many shoes, the New Balance RC5000 takes lightness to a fanatical level. The RC5000 is about half the weight of the GOmeb‏, and while not quite as well cushioned, it does the job. If you want to run faster, and you're okay with the cushioning of the RC5000, then it's by far the better shoe.

Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 top	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 bottom	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 outside	Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 inside
New Balance MRC 5000 top	New Balance MRC 5000 bottom	New Balance MRC 5000 inside	New Balance MRC 5000 outside

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy New Balance RC5000 at Zappos Buy New Balance RC5000 at Road Runner Sports Buy New Balance RC5000 at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy New Balance RC5000 at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

3 Cushioning and Shoes

It's intuitively obvious that the cushioning in a shoe will reduce the impact on your body when running. However, The Science of Running Shoes indicates that the reality is rather more complex. While slight cushioning may reduce the effort needed to run by improving your Running Economy, most scientific research indicates that more cushioning does further improve Running Economy. In addition, cushioning does not generally reduce impact and may actually increase it. This is counterintuitive, but is likely to be due to the way a runners mind and body adapts to softer cushioning. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence is far from complete and it's hard to give clear recommendations. I believe that some runners will prefer more cushioning, while others prefer less, and typically those running further have a fondness for greater cushioning. I also believe that a shoe should be as light as possible, and a shoe should justify its weight with the cushioning it provides. My advice is to decide what level of cushioning you're looking for, and then find the lightest shoes that also fit well and are comfortable.

4 Visualizing the Attributes of the Skechers GOmeb Speed

How Skechers GOmeb Speed compares showing rearfoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.	How Skechers GOmeb Speed compares showing forefoot cushioning against the performance penalty of its weight. Upper right is better.
How Skechers GOmeb Speed compares showing the price against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.	How Skechers GOmeb Speed compares showing the loaded drop against the benefit (cushioning/performance penalty). Upper left is better.

5 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
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