Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 Performance Review

As has been the case with recent Skechers that I’ve had the opportunity to test, there’s a lot to love, but also a lot to be desired. The Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 boasts a no-nonsense aesthetic and I’m all about it.

Under the hood, it features a lot: A carbon-infused plate, proprietary Arch Fit insole system, Hyper Arc technology (to “promote efficiency in each stride”), Hyperburst foam (a dual-density approach), a Goodyear outsole and they’re vegan and machine washable, to boot. As a marketer, they really bring the heat with it when it comes to RTBs (Editor’s Note: this acronym means “Reasons to Believe”. God I hate acronyms). But, let’s jump into the performance…

Pros

Tyler: Cushioning: While also a personal detriment (see below), the Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 is up there with any other max-cushioned shoes you may be familiar with…and they just might eclipse them. There is no sensation of a plate in the midsole and the upper hugs the foot and has a plush feel around the ankle.

Durability: Just shy of 40 miles in, there are only slight marks of wear on the exposed Hyper Burst foam, but the Goodyear outsole looks like new.

Design: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think back to the days of the GORun Razor 3 Hyper (my reintroduction into Skechers running), and my mind is plagued by the overlay designs that enveloped the upper. The Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 is a far cry from those days and you’d be hard-pressed to find any blatant branding aside from the Skechers “S” on the lateral side of the heel.

Drew: I have to agree with Tyler’s take on the cushioning. In my mind, it’s a less expensive Nike Invincible. The supercritical dual-density foam setup is super squishy. It’s on trend with today’s cushiest competitors. If someone asked me for the plushest shoes on the market, the Max Road 6 is going to make my list.

Skechers’ ArchFit is super polarizing but one thing remains certain. Runners with high arches can finally feel what other runners feel underfoot and get some extra support. Some flat footers will also appreciate the mountain of arch support. Others, like Tyler below, think it should be named Arch(villain)Fit. I mention it here because if it’s a positive for you, it’s a huge one.

The shape of the shoe itself creates a very nice rocking motion. The Max Road 6 is a smooth shoe. Running in it feels like less effort. Which is impressive considering this thing’s massive weight.

And the upper, it’s a winner. It’s thick and comfy like a warm sweater. And that sweater may be a little too warm for summer use depending on where you live so take note if you live somewhere it’s eternally summer.

I’d expect winter performance to be great thanks to the warm upper I mentioned above and the Goodyear rubber outsole. It gripped everything and breezed through traditionally slick sections of my local greenway. And the outsole hardly looks worn after the testing period. I really want someone to run 500 miles in them and show me what wore out first, the cushion or the outsole. Both are so good, I’m just not sure which would be less durable.

Cons

Tyler: My cons list can’t be broken up into specific nitpicks, instead, I think it’s a combination of all the seemingly great things the Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 has, just not completely connecting for me. Overall, the arch support and extreme cushioning give me a sensation that my midfoot is elevated and that my heel lockdown isn’t secured. To compensate, I tighten the laces, but since my midfoot feels elevated, that causes some annoyance.

And this sensation is consistent whether I’m running or walking, which is a bummer because even if a shoe falls short in performance, it can move to the casual side of my closet for comfort. But not these. There’s just too much going on and when I have something like the Hoka Clifton 9 in arm’s reach, it’s hard to ignore a shoe like that, which really gets the recipe right.

Drew: The Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 is heavy. Skechers gives us an extra comfy upper and thick, juicy cushioning for the devil’s bargain of more weight. Luckily, this shoe hits and moves across the ground smoothly so it’s easier to feel light(ish) on your feet.

The Max Road 6 is too squishy side-to-side (despite the dual-density setup) so your ankles and lower legs may work more than usual trying to keep your feet level. And due to that side-to-side energy loss, the Max Road 6 is good for everyday running but not great for workouts or speedier sessions.

Not everyone will love it for casual wear either. It’ll be too squishy for many people to wear all day. But some people will appreciate the massive squish. Your opinion on squish is what’ll matter.

Is the Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 wide foot friendly?

The Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 has ample room in the toebox and heel but the midfoot is snug. So it really depends on where your foot is the widest. If you’re not sure, go up a 1/2 size because that should expand the interior space enough for almost all wide footers.

Is the Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 worth $130?

This durability, cushion, and comfort for the price of $130 doesn’t exist outside the Skechers GoRun Max Road 6. No brands give you this much super soft cushion for under $150. Skechers is delivering the value of a $150+ shoe for $20 less. That’s significant.

Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 Summary

The Skechers GoRun Max Road 6 is a polarizing but value-packed high stack, max cushion running shoe. The squish, the comfort, and the durability are all top-of-class and deliver more than expected. But the ArchFit system, brand name, weight, and squish will also turn a lot of people away.

For a shoe like the Max Road 6, remind yourself what you value most in a shoe and see if you can take advantage of this low-priced gem.