Skora Fit, Running Shoe Review

The Basics

The Skora FIT is a zero-drop, lightly cushioned shoe for running and cross-training. The upper of the Fit is a seamless, stretch mesh, and has asymmetrical lacing. The shoe features a 16mm stack height, 360° reflectivity, and a flexible, high-abrasion outsole with rounded edges. The women's version weighs in at 6.8oz, the men's 6.6oz (according to Skora's website).

The Down and Dirty

The Fit is the most minimalist shoe I have ever ran in. My closest comparison would be the Saucony Virrata, which was my favorite shoe for a while, but the only similarities really are weight and the fact that they both have a zero offset. If you were a Virrata fan though and haven't found a replacement for them, you should give the Skora Fit a try.

The look of the FIT, like most shoes from Skora remind me of weightlifting or cross-fit shoes. If you're put off by the look, just remember they will make your feet look smaller (yes, women like their feet to appear smaller). The color I received for this review is the black/light teal/white, it is also available in cyan/florescent yellow/white which I would have preferred but I'm just not a black shoe fan. My husband really likes the look of these, including the color.

You can kind of see the texture of the insole in this photo

I was impressed with the FIT when I first slipped them on; they seriously felt like a pair of slippers. I would put the comfort level right up there with my Sanuk Sidewalk Surfers. Super soft upper and very flexible sole. The inside of the shoe is soft and smooth making this a great choice for sockless running with an antimicrobial insole to cut down on odor. I got my normal size 8.5 in the FIT and it's spot-on. The length is a little longer than Saucony and a little shorter than Nike. The forefoot width is excellent, letting my toes sit comfortably in the shoe, without feeling sloppy. One thing about the insole worth noting is that it has a slight texture to it, little bumps. This doesn't bother me at all (and I'm easily bothered) but I do feel it while running, it's just different.

Plenty of cushion in this minimalist shoe

My first run in the Fit was 8 miles; I don't normally go for that long of a run in a new pair of shoes, but I was still strictly following my training plan at the time and was itching to give them a try. My biggest worry when trying a minimalist type shoe is that the soles of my feet will feel sore or bruised afterwards, especially since they are used to more material between them and the road/sidewalk. I did not have that problem at all with the Fit. The high-abrasion rubber outsole provides ample protection, and though the cushioning is minimal (Skora calls this a medium cushioned shoe), my feet were very pleased with it. To give a Virrata comparison, while the Virrata had a softer cushion, I never wore them on runs longer than a 10k because my feet and knees would hurt afterwards, as if they were absorbing too much impact. I've worn the FIT on a 13 mile run and see no problem wearing them for longer distances. If my upcoming marathon (1 week guys!) weren't my first, I would consider them for a marathon shoe. While I have been experiencing some knee pain after my runs, that started before I tried the FIT, so they are definitely not to blame, though I did start wearing them a little less when the pain increased, just to be extra cautious during marathon training.

Here you can see where the back of the shoe has curved in to push on my heel

There are just two issues I have with the Skora FIT. The first problem I noticed was that the shoe started folding in just above the rounded outsole at the heel, this caused the fabric to push into the back of my foot a bit. Since I'm a forefoot striker, this wasn't a big issue but has the potential to cause a problem for someone who is more of a mid or heel striker. I have not used the FIT for any cross-training but could see this causing some discomfort in that context as well.

Next, I feel like the shoe could be more responsive. It's hard to describe, but I feel like my feet just hit the ground dead, with very little to no energy return. I'm sure if I was running with used car tires strapped to my feet it would feel much the same way as far as energy return (though not near as comfortable), so maybe that's just another characteristic of minimalist running shoes. This issue doesn't bother me much, but it would make me hesitate in choosing the FIT for racing a 5k.

Summary

I like it. This is definitely a shoe I will keep running in and has me interested in trying other shoes from Skora as well (like the Tempo). I've ran just over 30 miles in the FIT so far, the longest being 13 miles. I've ran in them on asphalt roads, sidewalks, and paved trails. Oh and accidentally on some ice, ha. I did find them a little warm on hot/humid days but not enough to avoid wearing them on such days. I was pleasantly surprised by the FIT. It's comfortable, flexible, and seems like it will be very durable. When my biggest complaint about a shoe is the color, then it's doing pretty good. If you're looking to try something more minimalist but are unsure how you'll like it, give the Skora FIT a try.

Skora shoes can be purchased directly from their website, with free shipping and returns.

(Disclaimer: Skora provided me with these shoes for review purposes, I was not otherwise compensated and all opinions are my own, unbiased ones)