After looking at this shoe for a while, I finally received the
Skora Phase (click here to go straight to the product page)
and I can now lay claim to all current models of the the Skora family, giving
me a shoe in each of their models: the Form, the
Base, and the Core. I received a sample of one of their new color schemes, available
online from Skora on October 1, and have found the shoe to be put together
quite well.
First off, the shoes look awesome. As I mentioned in my out
of the box comments, the synthetic material allows Skora a platform to display vivid
colors and a sense of style. They have bright neon colors (look for the orange
and blue one coming out at the same time or the current black model if you want
something more timid), something great for night running and also stylish by
current market color schemes. They are bordered in a black material reflective
material, that when hit with a bright light, is highly reflective. In fact, when
you take a picture of the phases with a flash, they seem to be a different shoe
(and to almost glow).
In terms of fit, the synthetic material is flexible and has
a great give to it. Unlike in the
Base, where my feet sometimes felt trapped, the material here is more
conforming—it doesn’t depress, squeeze, or agitate. The toe box is spacious,
not Core
spacious, but roomy enough to avoid smashing your toes together like in conventional
shoes, thus they allow for a natural feel. They are a roomy shoe, but much more
snug than the Core, tightening up easily and reminding me of the Form. Breathability is high, whether sockless or not, and they shed water
quickly and efficiently in the rain. These are not slosh around shoes, none of
the Skoras are, and my feet while damp were not in the puddle of water Nikes
would have provided.
Outsole only. |
In terms of platform, they are zero drop and neutral in
style, with an 11mm stack height. Lacking a midsole and with the same injection
blown, RO2 platform as the Core,
they have a ton feel. Rocks, pebbles, pieces of rubber on the turf—you feel it
all. While I know people that run extreme distances in them, as of now I have
limited them to recovery runs and workouts sub 8 miles, runs where I want to focus on form, regenerate
the legs, and work to connect with each and every step or 400m style intervals where form is a focus as I push for more and more speed.
Pros:
- Synthetic materials are great in Florida. While I love the leather Skora models, a more breathable shoe is a godsend in the humidity.
- You feel everything, with or without the insole. You can walk and run the way you are intended to, with full sensation.
- Flexibility. These shoes bend every which way, and they do so with little to no effort. They are neutral, they are light, they can run fast even though I tend to stay slower in them. As of late I've used them to do more and more speed based running though, so time will tell.
- This shoe is sexy. They are synthetic versions of theCore, we get colors, improved breathability, and an overall good looking shoe.
- As I noted with my review of the Core: the heel is fixed. On the Form, it tended to sag, now it is a bit more rigid and hangs where it should.
Cons:
- You feel everything. I love this fact, but many people may not. Understand that Skora’s motto is run real. You will run real in this shoe. Expect to feel the run, but in the process you will run lighter, more efficiently. You will adapt in the way that you need to, but if you are used to an overly padded shoe, you will not like this fact.
- Padding. This is an elaboration of con one. If you want to run on a pillow, don’t buy this shoe. If you want to run real, it has sufficient padding for speed workouts, trail runs, and road runs.
- The heel piece is a bit tough. I have tender Achilles tendons so I notice this fact each time I put the shoes on. During my first couple runs it bothered me a bit on my left foot, rubbing and making me feel as if it might blister. I’ve only noticed this rubbing once, so perhaps it was a onetime deal for me, but it happened so I’m putting it down.