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Skechers GOrun Speed Beast review

7 expert score
0 user's score
As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples. We purchased this pair at Running Warehouse with our own money.
Review written on 11th May by Brandon Law Marathon Runner and Shoe Expert
155 other reviews

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast Verdict

The Skechers Speed Beast is a marathon racer or long run trainer which has a firm but efficient ride. It doesn't provide as much speed assistance as other super shoes due to its forefoot-only plate and its dense midsole but its wide base makes it incredibly stable. The Speed Beast’s low price makes it excellent value for money.

The pros

  • Inherently stable ride
  • Excellent price point
  • Smooth transitions
  • Highly cushioned
  • Good durability

The cons

  • Subpar heel lockdown
  • Ride borders on firm
  • Heavy for a racer

Where to buy

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Rating breakdown

Comfort
7.0
Build quality
7.0
Upper
7.0
Sole unit
6.0
Landing
6.0
Transition
7.0
Toe-off
6.0
Traction
9.0
Durability
9.0
Value / Price
10

Facts / Specs

Model
GOrun Speed Beast
Weight
9.5 oz (269 g)
MSRP
$200.00

Heel
40 mm.
Toe
36 mm.
Heel drop
4 mm.
Carbon plate
Half length carbon plate

Size/Fit

Sizing
True to size
Heel fit
Normal
Midfoot fit
Normal
Toebox fit
Normal

Cushioning & ride

Type of cushioning
Balanced
Amount of cushioning
Highly cushioned
Stability
Very stable
Flexibility
Rigid

Usage

Racing  
Speedwork  
Daily training
Long distance racing
Ultra distance racing

Who should buy the Skechers GOrun Speed Beast ?

If you’re a runner aiming for a marathon time slower than 3 hours, the Speed Beast is a great option. It has excellent durability and represents remarkable value.

Who should not buy the Skechers GOrun Speed Beast ?

If you are looking for a light, very propulsive racer, the Speed Beast is not your shoe. Its hefty 9.5 oz weight holds it back from being a very fast super shoe.

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast Introduction

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

Skechers has a really great performance training range, from recovery trainers (Max Road) to daily (Ride), to speed (Razor), however they have failed to impress in the long-distance racing category. They are hoping to change this with the Speed Beast.

The Speed Beast is the bigger brother of the Speed Freak which was launched last year and it’s Skechers’ high end, long-distance racer. Skechers designed the shoe for runners aiming for 2:15 to 2:45 for the full marathon and they say that it will help you maintain form towards the end stages of the marathon when your form breaks down.

The Speed Beast uses Skechers’ new Hyper Burst Pro midsole, which is a supercritical TPU foam first used in their Razor 4 trainer. When I tested the Razor 4, I loved how energetic and well-balanced it felt. It felt much better than the older Skechers trainers which used Hyper Burst foam.

The Speed Beast weighs 9.5 oz (269 g) which is very heavy for a racing shoe. It weighs as much as the average daily trainer. It measures 40 mm in the heel and 36 mm in the forefoot so it has the stack height to compete with other marathon super shoes.

What sets the Speed Beast apart from competitors (aside from its weight) is its price of $185 which is an incredibly good deal. For less than the price of an Ultra Boost, you’re getting a top-of-the-range, carbon-infused marathon super shoe.

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast First Impressions

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

My first run was a moderately paced, steady 15-kilometre run. The Speed Beast felt smooth, efficient and stable. The ride was a bit firmer than what I was expecting but it felt very well-cushioned.

The shoe that it reminded me of most was the Razor 4 but the Speed Beast had a more pronounced heel-to-toe rocker and more cushioning depth.

My second run was a workout consisting of 1 kilometre and 500-metre intervals. The Speed Beast didn’t feel as fast as other super shoes during this workout and it didn’t have as much pop. I also found it a bit too heavy for this kind of run.

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast Upper

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

The Speed Beast’s upper is very similar to the Razor 4 with the same, furry monomesh being used. It isn’t a very breathable material so I don’t think you’ll enjoy this upper if your feet sweat profusely.

The fit is much better than the Razor though, and you can go true to size because the toe box isn’t as pointy. It should also be fine if you have wider than normal feet.

The thin tongue is not gusseted but it also doesn’t slide around because the laces go through a loop on the tongue.

There’s no heel counter so heel lockdown could be better but the loose heel didn’t bother me too much during runs.

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast Sole Unit

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

The Speed Beast isn’t as fast as it looks. This is because the Hyper Burst Pro midsole doesn’t return as much energy as other super foams and the plate in the Speed Beast is only a forefoot one so there’s no springboard propulsion when your heel compresses the rear of the shoe.

I found it to be an excellent long run shoe (above 25 kilometre runs) at easy or moderate paces but I found it lacking speed for short, fast runs like intervals and tempo runs. It also feels too clunky and heavy for speed work.

In their training shoes, Hyper Burst Pro foam is fantastic but it’s just too heavy and a bit too firm for a marathon racing shoe. I also find that it lacks bounce for racing so the Speed Beast’s ride isn’t as lively as the competition.

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

It’s a carbon-infused winglet plate in the forefoot of the Speed Beast. The winglet plate allows them to save some weight and I don’t think a full-length plate would work well with the Speed Beast’s Hyper Arc midsole geometry. This is because the entire midsole is curved to promote a midfoot strike.

My favourite thing about the Speed Beast is the Archfit insole which suits my flat fleet perfectly. This combined with the wide base makes it a really supportive trainer/racer for long distances above 25 kilometres.

The heel-to-toe rocker is the most prominent of any super shoe on the market and this results in very efficient, energy-saving transitions which feel natural. The stiff forefoot plate helps the rocker to work more effectively as it doesn’t flex during toe-offs.

Durability is the Speed Beast’s main strength. The outsole has no shortage of Goodyear rubber and the midsole foam which is exposed, is very durable. The Speed Beast could be your race shoe and your long-run training shoe. Traction is also very good.

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast Conclusions

Picture of Skechers GOrun Speed Beast

I often get runners asking me to recommend a beginner’s carbon plated shoe for them. The Speed Beast is what I would recommend first because it doesn’t have a jarring ride, it’s really stable and it’s affordable.

$185 is a bargain and it’s one of the best-value running shoes on the market. Its predecessor, the Speed Freek still costs $210 on the Skechers website. It’s extremely rare for a shoe to drop in price by this much.

If the Speed Beast is your first super shoe, you’ll be very happy with it but if you’ve run in something like a Vaporfly, Adios Pro, or Endorphin Pro, you’ll find the Speed Beast lacking in propulsion and liveliness.

I’ll continue using the Speed Beast in my rotation for long runs because it has really stable and energy saving properties but I won’t be racing in it- it’s a bit too heavy and a bit too slow.

How does the GOrun Speed Beast compare?

Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
Skechers GOrun Speed Beast
New Balance FuellCell SuperComp Elite v3
Expert score
8
7
8
User score
Best price
Retail price
US$225
US$199.95
US$230
Weight
7.2 oz
9.5 oz
7.7 oz
Heel Drop
8 mm
4 mm
4 mm
Recommended for
Racing, speedwork, long distance racing
Racing, speedwork
Racing, speedwork, long distance racing
Cushioning type
balanced
balanced
balanced
Cushioning amount
Highly cushioned
Highly cushioned
Highly cushioned
Flexibility
rigid
rigid
rigid
Stability
some stability
very stable
some stability
Sizing
buy half size bigger
true to size
true to size

Why you can trust us

As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.
We purchased this pair of Skechers at Running Warehouse  with our own money.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.
Lowest price:

$199.95

Skechers GOrun Speed Beast price comparison

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Reviewed by Brandon

This review was written by Brandon Law on 11th May.
Brandon is a South African who lives and trains in Malaysia. He is a marathon runner who eats, sleeps and dreams running shoes. While most people wear shoes to run, he runs to wear shoes.

User feedback (1)

  • avatar-comment-1027832
    Rob
    11 months ago

    Excellent, honest review! I agree that the Speed Beast is an excellent long run shoe–especially progression long runs while picking up the pace towards the end. One note: Skechers designed this shoe for 3hr+ marathoners–not 2:15-2:45 (this was misspoken by a skechers’ rep in one video clip from 2023 TRE). It also does not replace the Speed Freek or Speed Elite–it is a different style of racing shoe that for faster runners will work best for long runs and longer workouts.

Lowest price:
$199.95

Where to buy

Best offers today in United States, all prices in USD
Sorry - Product not found. Please try RunningWarehouse.Com to check in their assortment.
This page contains affiliate links Read more

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