Skechers GOrun Razor 3 Review
Skechers updated Razor 3 is the perfect daily road training shoe for runners who like a fair amount of protection and cushion…yet… it’s light enough to double as a racing shoe. With the word SPEED printed on the outside of each shoe, it’s pretty obvious that the Razor 3 is built to move.
Key Specs
- Shoe Type: Lightweight road shoe
- Style: Neutral
- Weight: 6.4 oz (M9), 5.9 oz (W7.5) Size tested – Men’s 7.
- Sizing: Unisex, available sizes in half sizes from 3 to 12, as well as size 13 and 14. Women should size down 1.5 from your regular shoe size.
- Offset: 4mm
- Midsole: Hyper Burst, Skechers’ new, spring, ultra-lightweight, long-lasting midsole cushioning
- Upper: Seamless, non-stretch
- Color Options: Gray/Black, Red/Yellow, Blue/Red, Black/Yellow (pictured)
- Price: $129
Now for more details. In this review, we’ll break things down in to six areas:
- What’s good: the new, differentiating, or simply well designed or built features or aspects of the shoe.
- What could be improved: tweaks or improvements that could be made to make the shoe better.
- When to use it: the situations or scenarios where the shoe excels.
- How it compares: head-to-head comparison with similar shoes
- Should you purchase? My overall recommendation on whether to purchase this shoe or not.
- Purchasing Information: where to go to purchase this shoe.
I’ll try to be as succinct as possible. After all, you’ve probably got more running you can do today!
Initial Observations
When the Razor 3 arrived, the first thing I noticed was how incredibly light they were. I wasn’t even sure anything was in the box. My second observation was the unique foam of the midsole. This yellow-translucent foam is Hyper Burst, Skechers new highly responsive, ultra-lightweight cushioning midsole. It reminded me of high density packing foam and I was immediately skeptical of how it would hold up on the road. Turning the shoe over I noticed the outsole consisted of thin sections of rubber inlayed in the foam. Upon closer inspection, I realized the rubber wasn’t as thin as it initially appeared, as it was inset into the foam.
The upper is made a non stretch ripstop mesh, with graphic overlays. The front of the shoe is a single layer of fabric, while the heel area and tongue have additional padding for comfort and fit. laces are a flat style, and there is a set of additional eyelets to use heel-lock lacing, but the tongue looks like it is going to be too short to employ this technique. The insole is thin and glued to the bottom of the shoe, so it isn’t intended to be removed.
What’s Good?
Weight
The Razor 3 is so light you barely notice you are wearing it. It truly feels designed for speed. I noticed that without intending to, I was naturally picking up my pace, and I felt like giving speedwork a go (and I hate speedwork). The lightness of the Razor 3 makes it work as both a daily trainer and a race shoe—if you have any road races in your future. Word has it that this is Meb’s regular training shoe.
Cushion/Ride
The Hyper Burst midsole is Skechers buzzy new foam. They developed a new way of creating an EVA midsole, and it is designed to be lighter and more resilient. The design process yields a midsole that is lighter than EVA yet still responsive and well-cushioned. The foam is firm which allows for a responsive shoe, but takes the edge of the hard pavement, especially when you are trying to go for speed. The cushioning allowed for a very comfortable ride, and the shoe guides you towards a midfoot strike. My first jaunt out in the Razor 3 I hit the pavement for 10 miles, and the impact felt greatly reduced compared to some of my other less cushioned road shoes. Typically, you have to choose between cushion and responsiveness, but the Razor 3 combines them into one lightweight package.
Fit
The Skechers Razor 3 is soft and comfortable on the inside. The padding on in the heel collar is just enough to be comfortable, without weighing the shoe down. The insole is glued in, but if you do feel the need to remove it to throw in your own insoles, it doesn’t take much coaxing. The inside of the shoe is soft without any hard seams, so if running without socks is your thing you would be right at home in the Razor 3. The upper is breathable and durable, and they didn’t go overboard with the overlays.
Durability of the Skechers Razor 3
The Hyper Burst is lightweight and cushy, but how well will it hold up? Especially with such a minimal amount of rubber outsole? I was skeptical from the beginning, but after about 50 miles on the Razor 3, there was barely any noticeable wear. My guess is that this won’t be a 500 mile shoe, but I do think you’ll get at least 300 out of it.
What could be improved?
Tongue
Yet another shoe with a tongue that is too short. Shoe companies, please stop this madness! I don’t think it would have added any weight to the shoe to extend the tongue by an eighth or a quarter of an inch, and it would have allowed for good utilization of the second eyelets.
Cut
I found the cut on the Razor three to be a bit narrower than I would like, but this is based on your foot shape and personal preference.
When to use it?
This may be an ultra trail running site, but most of us have to put in a fair amount of miles on the road in order to get all of our training in. This is a great shoe for your daily road running miles, especially if you want or need some extra cushion to minimize impact. The Razor 3 will also feel right at home for a road marathon or ultra. With the minimal rubber outsole, I don’t think this would function very well on trails, at least not wet trails.
Should you purchase?
Yes. If you are looking for an everyday, neutral, cushioned shoe and you like to move fast, this is a solid option. However, if you if you have wide feet, or just want a lot of room in a toe box, the Razor 3 may not be a good fit for you. It tends towards a narrower cut.
Purchasing Information
Check out your local, independently-owned running specialty store, as independent stores are vital to our community and need all the help they can get. If that is not an option, please use this affiliate link for Amazon. They’ve got a great shipping and return policy and it’ll drop a few pesos into our bank account. Thanks!
Your Reviewer: Sarah Bradham
I started my love of gear as a climber and as I turned my attention to running I shifted from carabiners, ice tools, and crampons to hydration packs, midsole foam types, compression clothing, and everything in between. After several years of foot injuries, I’m enjoying getting back to my beloved muddy and rocky trails near my home in Portland, Ore. In my work life, I enjoy coordinating an annual Mountain and Ultra Running Camp at the base of Mt. Hood with Yassine Diboun, Amy Sproston, and Joelle Vaught.