Skechers ProSpeed at First Glance

Who would've thought that Skechers - the second largest footwear brand in the US, would be evolving rapidly from casual and fashion shoes to athletic line of shoes catering the vast age groups on the athletic industry with their Skechers Shape-Ups and Skechers Resistance Runner?

Back in the late '90s to early 2000 where I think as far as I remember, was the time when Skechers made their landing here in the Philippines, I was eagerly excited then to see and have a pair of a Skechers shoes. Unfortunately that time, the stocks and designs that were made available in the stores did not capture my attention nor my "ocular" standard. I don't know why, but it seems to me that Skechers wasn't really my foot's brand.

Then last March of 2010, I first saw the start of their evolution to fitness industry as they introduce the Skechers Tone-Ups and Shape-Ups at the BDO Race for Life.

And just a week ago, 16 September 2011, I never knew that Skechers has been really serious about their Fitness campaign as they launched to the Bloggers, another shoe product from the "Skechers Resistance Runner" group that this time has captured my attention - the Skechers ProSpeed - an evolution from the Shape-Ups shoes.



A few minutes after my arrival at the Skechers Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City, I was able to try the Skechers ProSpeed for about three to four minutes at the treadmill. I didn't get to read or research about this product beforehand, so my observations after the treadmill test of the shoe was pretty much raw and "original" and fresh from my very own experience of the shoe. And here are what my feet has to tell you about the Skechers ProSpeed:

• Lightweight - How can I tell? I was wearing my Adidas Adizero Boston before I wore the Skechers ProSpeed but I did not feel any change in weight after wearing it.
• Midfoot friendly - I never felt my heel striking the ground/treadmill even while the treadmill was still moving slow (I do heel-strike on slow pace unless I'm on barefoot or on minimalist shoes). I was actually amazed how does the shoe does it until I learned that it was really designed to help the runners strike on their midfoot.
• Springy - Each stride that I make feels like my feet are being pushed back that I don't have to exert more effort to stride faster. Since it is "ProSpeed", I put the treadmill at 8.5kph with level 5 incline just to know why it is called a ProSpeed, and my feet got the answer with it's energy-return feature.

Those were my top three observation beforehand until the technology behind this shoe was explained to us by Gail Cowper - Skechers Technical Representative, expounding the features of the Skechers ProSpeed as a shoe designed for efficient and explosive power.

• Smart (Efficient) - SmartShoe^(TM) guides your body into a position that transforms impact into elastic or reusable energy through the Mid-Foot striking. No heel strike means reduced wasted braking energy. While Mid-foot strike diffuses impact energy evenly across the foot, creating a smooth transition and giving more launch power and fluidity of stride transitions.
• Kinetic Return System (Explosive) - It combines the strength and flexibility of the DuPont^(TM) Hytrel^(R) material with the efficiency of an elliptical shape to deflect and convert impact forces and elastic energy into forward motion.
• More Energy Less Impact (Lightweight) - The ProSpeed outsole is constructed with ultra-lightweight and soft Resalyte^(TM) - a proprietary injection-molded compound with memory retention for a supported, comfortable ride. Resalyte helps absorb G-forces at ground contact to reduce impact when running. This means that the ProSpeed runner can focus energy and power on achieving his or her speed potential.
  

Keep posted on this blog for a future actual run and race experience review for this shoe (update: actual race shoe review of the ProSpeed now posted). Meanwhile, enjoy some of the shoe's photos below.

The ProSpeed SRR from Skechers Shape-Ups

Closer Look at the ProSpeed

ProSpeed Outsole

ProSpeed SRR Insole

Tongue Lock system - you'll never have to worry about misaligning tongue

The gap creates the Kinetic Return System without sacrificing the arch support

Skechers ProSpeed was developed by the Skechers Fitness Group - a global leader in maximum performance fitness footwear.

Special thanks to the following people:
Ms. Chinggay Andrada - Fitness Coach and Trainer, Biggest Loser Phils (thank you very much for the short, yet motivating words)
To the Staffs of Skechers
and to all my friends in the Running and Blogging Community