Skechers Aero Burst Introduction

Skechers Performance was MIA in 2024. Only the Razor received an update and it was a minor, upper-only update. They used this time to develop their new Aero range.

The Aero Tempo, Aero Burst and Aero Spark replace the old Speed Beast (Alpha Tempo), Max Road and Ride series. Skechers said that the inspiration for the Aero series came from aerodynamic shapes in various industries.

In the brand new collection, the Aero Tempo is the speed trainer/racer, the Aero Burst is the max-cushioned trainer and the Aero Spark is the mid-range, daily trainer.

The Aero Burst replaces the Go Run Max Road 6 and is the most cushioned trainer in the Skechers performance range. The Max Road 6, which came out in May 2023 was my favourite Skechers trainer to date. It had the cushioning depth of a max-cushioned trainer but it could move like a daily trainer. It was stable, durable and it had an energy-saving rocker.

The Aero Burst weighs 10.9 oz (309 g) for a men’s US 9 which is exactly the same as the previous generation Max Road 6. It has 42 mm of stack height in the heel and 36 mm in the forefoot. It costs $150 on the Skechers website but it costs $140 on Running Warehouse.

Skechers Aero Burst First Impressions

My first run was an 8 km recovery run. The Aero Burst felt very different to the Max Road 6: it was softer, less rockered and had more relaxed transitions. It felt like a plush ride for recovery runs only.

The other thing that I noticed was that there was a less prominent arch than its predecessor. It still has the Arch Fit insole but it has been toned down under the arch of the foot.

The shoe that it reminded me of was the ASICS GlideRide Max, another max-cushioned trainer with a stiff forefoot. The Aero Burst felt softer and slower than the GlideRide Max.

Skechers Aero Burst Upper

The upper of the Aero Burst is generously padded and this makes it feel like a plush, max-cushioned trainer upper. It’s made from double-layer engineered mesh which has decent breathability but because of all the padding, it’s better suited to cool climates.

When it comes to fit, the Aero Burst is true to size but it has a narrow forefoot and toe-box. The narrowness was an issue for me whenever I wore thick socks. I didn’t experience any blisters or chafing but it was slightly uncomfortable in the forefoot during longer runs.

The padded tongue is semi-gusseted so it doesn’t slide around and foot lockdown is great. The “S” logo is reflective and there are also reflective strips on the sides of the toe-box.

Skechers Aero Burst Sole Unit

The great thing about Skechers midsoles is that they’re filled with tiny C02 bubbles so the ride feels soft but not mushy. They actually have the patent, so they’re the only ones allowed to supercritically infuse C02 into midsoles.

Even though the Hyperburst Ice midsole of the Aero Burst is EVA, it’s supercritical so it doesn’t feel like EVA. I like this midsole foam a lot more than Nike’s ReactX and HOKA’s compression molded EVA- it feels plusher and more lively.

The Aero Burst has the same midsole setup as the Max Road 6, a soft Hyperburst Ice core and a firmer Hyperburst carrier foam surrounding it. The difference is that this version of Hyperburst is the softest to date. It compresses a lot more when it’s loaded than previous versions.

The Aero Burst is best suited to recovery runs and very slow, easy runs- any run slower than 6 minutes per km (9:40 per mile). It has incredibly deep cushioning (42 mm in the heel) that absorbs all the impact from the ground so there’s very little ground feel in the Aero Burst.

The Aero Burst is now one of the softest max-cushioned trainers on the market. It’s softer than the Bondi 9, Triumph 22, Glycerin Max and the Vomero 18 but the big difference between the Aero Burst and these other maximalist trainers is that it has a carbon-infused H plate in its forefoot.

The H-plate stiffens up the forefoot to make toe-offs feel more powerful. It makes the rocker feel more prominent and it gives it a more efficient ride. The plate also provides additional stability- it’s a very stable ride.

There’s Goodyear rubber on the outsole of the Aero Blast that covers the high-wear areas. It’s a relatively soft rubber so the outer lateral heel of my pair is already smooth after only 93 kilometres. Its outsole is definitely not as durable as the Max Road 6. Grip however is excellent, even in rain.

Skechers Aero Burst Conclusions

Skechers is back. It was worth the wait. The new Aero Burst feels fresh, exciting and polished at the same time. It’s a max-cushioned trainer that I would recommend to other runners, provided they don’t have wide feet.

The Aero Burst is a good max-cushioned trainer for relaxed paces but I miss the versatility of the Max Road 6. It was firmer and it could pick up the pace much more easily. It’s not a requirement for a max-cushioned trainer to be versatile but the Max Road stood out because it had the ability to speed up.

Most runners (and walkers) will prefer the softer, more flexible ride of the Aero Burst. It also has a sleeker, more modern design. It still has the H plate in the forefoot which makes it more efficient and more stable, and the arch support has been toned down.

$140 for the Aero Burst is a really good price. You’re getting a max-cushioned trainer for the price of a mid-range daily trainer. The average max-cushioned trainer will cost you upwards of $165.