Tuesday, July 04, 2023

GOrun Max Road 6 Multi Tester Review: 11 Comparisons

Article by Peter Stuart, Jeff Beck, Mac Jeffries, and Derek Li

Skechers GOrun Max Road 6 ($130


Introduction

The Skechers Max Road 6 is the latest iteration of, you guessed it, a max cushioned daily trainer. With a 41mm heel and a 35 mm forefoot, this is one stacked shoe. The shoe weighs in at about 10.9 oz and features a carbon infused “H plate” to help keep things moving forward. 


Pros:

Not too mushy considering all the foam  Peter / Jeff B/ Mac / Derek

Relatively stable  Peter / Jeff B/ Mac / Derek

Great outsole that will run forever  Peter / Jeff B / Mac / Derek

More traditional build (not prior pods/columns) midsole leads to zero collapse Jeff B

Comfortable, adaptable upper: Mac

Strong value at $130 for a max cushion plated shoe with supercritical foam


Cons:

So high up off the ground that there’s almost no proprioception. Peter

Upper could be more breathable  Peter / Jeff B  / Derek

Feels a bit heavy.  Peter / Jeff B  / Mac  / Derek

Tongue is ridiculously over-padded  Peter/ Jeff B

Stats

Weight: 10.9oz / 309g (Men’s 9)  /  8.5oz/241g (Women’s 7)

  Samples: men’s  12.17 oz  / 345 g US10.5, 11.25oz/319g

Stack Height: men’s 41mm heel / 35mm forefoot ( 6mm drop spec)

$130.  Available now at our partners including Running Warehouse HERE


First Impressions, Fit and Upper

Peter: The Skechers Maxroad 6 is a pretty basic looking old school upper on top of a huge whack of foam. The tongue is way too padded adding to the hotboxing that my foot gets from the somewhat dense engineered mesh. Fit is good. The shoes I got were a half size smaller than what I usually wear, but didn’t take any toenails or produce any blood.  Overall the upper feels a bit claustrophobic to me. 

Jeff B: Peter isn’t wrong, there’s an element to this shoe that screams “standard issue dad shoe” outside of the super fluorescent yellow colorway. It’s not terrible looking, just a little blah. I appreciate that Skechers Performance has gotten away from the individual column/pods that they’ve used in the last few models of the Max Road. 


As a heavy weight supinator that spends a lot of time on the lateral edge of every shoe, I could absolutely feel previous iterations’ columns collapse as I landed on them. So while it is a big block of solid foam, the new geometry helps keep the shoe from being overly dynamic in all kinds of ways you don’t want (seriously, I had a 200% blister rate any time I took the MR3 longer than 2 miles).

The fit is true-to-size lengthwise, and overall the width is about average. I wouldn’t mind just a bit more room in the toebox, but it isn’t cramped - I just always appreciate a wide setup in the forefoot. 

The engineered mesh upper has reinforced overlays throughout the shoe, with a fairly beefy heel counter all the way to a slightly reinforced toe bumper. 

They’ve gone fairly standard with the heel collar being decently padded, though I experienced an odd fit a few of the times I ran in them that I had to really get my heel planted before lacing them, otherwise I’d get some slip.

 I couldn’t replicate it on purpose, but it happened a few times. If it was more common I’d just use the extra eyelets for a runner’s loop, which usually kills any heel slip issues, but it wasn’t enough to bother. They did include a heel pull tab - and unlike so many others, this one is very well thought out and very functional. We’ve reviewed more than a few shoes over the last year with really cool looking, and completely impractical pull tabs, so I always appreciate that.

The overlays and extra 3D-printed layers of the upper are no joke. It’s a toasty shoe. The tongue isn’t plush, it’s way beyond what most plush shoes have, which makes for a pretty comfortable upper - though I’d imagine it’ll be more popular in fall and winter.


Mac Man, it always feels cool to receive a pair of shoes that come in a bag instead of a box. Makes it feel like someone snuck these off of the assembly line to smuggle them to the RTR wear testers. 

I hope you can hear all of our thoughts over the color of the Max Road; this neon is LOUD! Personally, I dig it. 

My 13.5E foot had no issues with the 14s that I received. The sock-like upper adapts to the shape of my foot nicely, even if I do need to cinch it down a little harder for serious runs. Some of my colleagues complained about the overly padded tongue; in my experience, I was GRATEFUL for the padding, which allowed me to cinch the laces down without any discomfort.


Derek: After going with a more eye-catching design in the MaxRoad 5, Skechers seems to have opted to go back to a more vanilla appearance in the MaxRoad 6. I also received this yellow colorway to test, though i’m sure that Skechers will have a few more color options down the line. 

The big update for the MaxRoad 6 is that Skechers have finally decided to finally come out with a max stack, max cushion trainer after several years of the MaxRoad being relatively modest in stack by modern trainer standards. Accompanying the jump in stack height, we are also seeing a much more substantial upper. 

Step in feel is very luxurious and you feel like your feet are fully encased in plenty of foam and the fit is true to size for me. The upper stretches and conforms very well to my feet, and worked well with several thicknesses of socks for me. Everything from the mesh to the tongue to the very substantial heel cup says premium trainer yet the retail price in the US is only $130. 

As much as the upper is comfortable and very form fitting, I have to admit that the upper is a little overdone and feels quite warm for running in the relatively hot and humid conditions in Singapore. I have found myself gravitating to going with thinner socks or even running sockless with the shoes to try to minimize heat build-up in the shoes. 

Overall, the upper provides good support and lockdown, considering the substantial midsole/outsole underfoot, but i would have preferred a more breathable upper as seen in the MaxRoad 4+ and MaxRoad 5. To Skechers credit though, this upper works well to provide good balance for the shoe, where there is none of that bottom heavy feeling when running.

Midsole

Peter: Perhaps there is too much foam underfoot in the MaxRoad 6. It utilizes the same Hyperburst Ice foam that is featured in the Ride 11, but more of it. Because of this there’s very little feeling of the road. There’s a “carbon infused” H plate under the front of the shoe, but it doesn’t propel you forward the way it does in the Ride 11. 

The foam, while very thick, isn’t particularly mushy. 

Jeff B: This midsole is massive, and despite the large stack, it isn’t remotely mushy. The H-plate may help, though I think the plate played a bigger role when the midsole would inherently collapse, this very stout midsole doesn’t seem to need much reinforcement. I’ve long held Skechers Performance Hyperburst as one of the best midsole materials on the market, and the followup Hyperburst Ice here in a dual density with a firmer outer carrier of what we are used to with Hyperburst  and a softer inner carrier doesn’t change much from the original flavor.


Inside the shoe there’s two things that set it apart from so many of its brethren: it’s the most built up Skechers insole I’ve ever run on, and there’s no partially finished liner underneath the insole inviting you to remove the insole altogether if you’d like a slightly less cushioned/more roomy fit. The insole has pretty substantial cushioning, especially around the arch, and bears the ARCHFIT label. For what it’s worth, I didn’t notice it much while running, either good or bad, but it definitely plays a part in one of the most cushioned shoes out there.


Mac: Hyperburst still has a special place in my heart, as Skechers was the first company to truly challenge Nike’s Zoom X foam with its supercritical Hyperburst. Oddly, what I have historically noticed about Hyperburst is that it seemed to perform better the less of it there was: it would get mushy when used in large deep amounts. The H plate used in the Max Road 6 - as well as in the Razor Excess - perfectly rectified that phenomenon. The end result is a highly cushioned trainer with zero sluggishness.


Derek: The others have done a good job with the description of the midsole. I have to say, I’m not really feeling a significant difference in foam characteristics between the HyperBurst Ice here and the regular HyperBurst used in the MaxRoad 4+ and MaxRoad 5. The foam retains its familiar energetic spring, albeit denser feeling than some of the newer PEBA based foams from other brands. 

I will say that with the current stack and geometry, and maybe to some extent the plate, the MaxRoad 6 seems to transition the best of the recent MaxRoad shoes. Despite the lower drop on paper, it does transition and feel very much like a traditional drop shoe when you get rolling. 

The major difference from MaxRoad 4 and 5 is the added stack, and that extra few mm of foam has done enough to give the underfoot feel a bit more of that maximalist bottomless foam feel that the early GoRun Ultra Roads had, and the recent MaxRoads seemed to lack. There will always be pros and cons to this. The drawback is the lack of response when you try to pick up the pace, something that the MR4 and 5 were actually pretty good at. 

Outsole

Peter: The Goodyear outsole is a durable, grippy and has lots of  rubber. Works well and will last “forever”.


Jeff B: I appreciate all the branded rubbers we’re seeing, and Goodyear outsoles have always been impressive. This is no different, with great performance in both traction and durability. Between the overbuilt upper, midsole, and insole, this shoe truly might never wear out. They designed the outsole with some gaps in the rubber, but the shoe doesn’t have much flexibility - though the exposed midsole isn’t a concern, and anything they can do to help keep the weight down is appreciated.


Mac: Once again, Skechers has hit a home run in their partnership with Goodyear. This partnership - along with the one of Adidas + Continental - remain the gold standards in outsole partnerships. Exceptional expected durability, zero slippage on wet pavement, and the grooves work perfectly with the flex point of the foot. A+


Derek: GoodYear rubber never fails to disappoint when it comes to durability and grip. Don’t expect any big surprises here. I have to say, I am not sure if moving away from the old podded design is necessarily the best move for the shoe. There is a lot more rubber coverage which would be good for durability, but it surely adds more weight to the shoe, and i think it also takes away from the torsional flexibility that the MR 4 and 5 had so transitions are a little less smooth at mid-stance. I do know that people have complained about the rubber pods having premature glue separation from the midsole in the past, so perhaps this more traditional outsole approach is an attempt to remedy that.


Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations

Peter: The ride is a bit detached from the road. The MaxRoad is well cushioned without being mushy, but lacks some of the fun factor that I get from the Skechers Ride 11 which while also massively cushioned doesn’t get to the heights of the Max having  7mm less stack front and back.. The upper is a bit dated and the tongue is way too thick. Overall a decent recovery day shoe/daily trainer for some but, for me, is likely to stay at home while I go frolic around in the Ride 11 (RTR Review). If you want a ton of protection and don’t mind hot feet, the MaxRoad is a good choice. 

Peter: 7.5/10

I wanted to like the Max Road 6 more than I did. It pales next to its stable partner the Ride 11 . Overall not a lot of fun to run in, though very protective. I think the Ride 11 is pretty much as Max as I can take. 

😊😊😊


Jeff B: Peter nailed it. It doesn’t have the same super bouncy (and kind of out of control nature) the Max Road 3/4/5 flirted with, though I don’t think that’s completely a bad thing. It’s not the most fun shoe, but it does make for a great easy day or recovery shoe, especially for bigger runners. The upper and heat retention can be an issue, but if you are getting out first thing in the morning, it’s not a deal breaker for a supremely cushioned shoe. It might be the best value in a running shoe at $130, I could see this thing lasting almost until the heat death of the universe with that thick of a midsole, that overbuilt of an upper, that robust of a midsole, and rhwn paired with Goodyear rubber. While it isn’t nearly as exciting as other versions, it’s much easier to live with.

Jeff B: 8.55/10

Ride (50%): 8 Fit (30%): 9 Value (15%): 10 Style (5%): 7  

😊😊😊


Mac: I have a much higher opinion of these than my colleagues. Possibly because I am a larger runner, currently 220 lbs, the ride is exactly what I want in a highly cushioned trainer. Lots of energy return, very little mushiness, and plenty of shock absorption. Great recovery day shoe, and larger runners should even consider these for longer races. For the money ($130), these are a no-brainer for me.


Derek: The ride of the MaxRoad 6 is very plush and springy, with a nice forward roll at easy paces. I did find myself struggling to hold the pace if i picked it up in this shoe so i’d say it’s best use case is easy recovery runs. This is quite different from the MR4+ and 5 for me, where i was quite happy using those shoes for longer runs up to moderate and uptempo paces, and where the slower recovery paces didn’t in fact feel as smooth and forgiving. 


I would also say that if you run in warm conditions, you might start to feel the heat build-up after 6 miles or so. I know i started to feel the sockliner heat up as the runs progressed. 


I do want to point out that this is one of the more stable max cushion shoes for me, especially when you consider how relatively soft the heel is in this shoe. I think it comes down to the relatively wide heel footprint and the raised midsole sidewalls. If you like max cushion shoes but need a little more heel stability, this could be the ideal shoe for you. 


Overall, I’d say Skechers now has a good recovery day shoe in the line-up, but it’s not a shoe i would readily use for long runs in Singapore. I was also somewhat disappointed in the big weight increment over the previous version. Yes the stacks are higher now, and there is a lot more outsole coverage, but this is supposed to be ameliorated somewhat by advances in midsole foam technology. 


The MaxRoad 6 was a 70g jump from v5 for my size, a near-3oz jump, which is a lot to swallow. I expect a lot more wow from the ride and i didn’t quite get enough of a ride improvement here. 

Derek’s Score: 8.525 / 10

Ride (50%) 8 Fit (30%) 9.5 Value (15%) 8.5 Style (5%) 8  

Smiles Score 😊😊😊


11 Comparisons

Index to all RTR reviews: HERE


Skechers Max Road 6 vs. Max Road 5 (RTR Review)

Peter: The 5 felt a bit mushier and, for me, a bit easier to run in. The 5 is about half an ounce lighter than the 6. 


Jeff B: The 5’s plate was necessary for me to stay upright so I didn’t collapse the outer pods with my front supinating landing, and it ran much lighter and bouncier. The 6 cleanly slots in as a well-cushioned daily trainer/recovery shoe, while I never quite figured out where the 5 fit into my rotation.


Derek: I am true to size in both shoes. I found MR5 to be the more responsive and versatile shoe, and a massive 2.5oz lighter than the MR6 in my size. I did find the MR5 to be a little less stable than MR6 but when it comes down to it, the two shoes are just very different and have different best use cases for me. The MR5 is much more of a daily trainer for me, while the MR6 is now more of an easy run/recovery run shoe. 

Skechers Max Road 6 vs.GO Run Ride 11 (RTR Review)

Peter: the Ride 11 is the hands down winner here. Plenty cushioned while still being fun and fast.


Jeff B: As a parent you look for teachable moments of “too much of a good thing”, which is why I’m going to make my 9-year-old read this review. The GRR11 shares more DNA with the Max Road 6 than it does with previous GRRs, but the 11’s restraint works better, and makes it a much easier shoe to recommend for daily use. And for the slow/easy/recovery stuff, it still has plenty of cushioning for that.


Skechers Max Road 6 vs. Hoka Bondi 8 (RTR Review)

Jeff B: The Bondi has been the max king of the road for years, but I think it may have been dethroned. In head-to-head, the Bondi platform is wider, with  the interior space is much tighter, especially in the arch and toebox. The MR6 midsole is miles better, feeling both more dynamic and overall much more cushioned. The Bondi upper is more breathable, even though it’s a heavier shoe.


Skechers Max Road 6 vs. NB Fresh Foam More (RTR Review)

Jeff B: I missed out on the FFMv4, but I did review the 3. Very similar to the Bondi, the FFMv3 has tons of cushioning, but it doesn’t feel nearly as good as the Hyperburst Ice in the MR6. Its upper is a step up from the MR6, but otherwise the Skechers Performance is the better shoe.


Skechers Max Road 6 vs.ASICS Nimbus 25  (RTR Review)

Peter: The Nimbus and the Max Road both just feel a bit slow to me. A little ponderous on the ground and not the snappiest of shoes. Pretty similar.


Jeff B: Nimbus 25 was a massive step forward for the Nimbus line, and it felt truly max cushion - but against the Max Road 6 it feels …just well cushioned. The N25 has a much softer landing, and actually has a “sinking in” feeling compared to the MR6. The N25 upper is also a big step up and even though it’s still uber plush, it’s much more breathable and comfortable. 


Skechers Max Road 6 vs.ASICS Superblast  (RTR Review)

Superblast is far lighter and far more expensive.

Derek: I am true to size in MaxRoad 6, while i went a half size down in the Superblast. The Superblast is noticeably harsher underfoot, but is a whole lot smoother and more efficient at faster paces. At the same time, MaxRoad shines at easy paces while the Superblast does not like to go slow at all. In terms of versatility, the Superblast is the more fun shoe to own.


Skechers Max Road 6 vs.Saucony Endorphin Shift 3  (RTR Review)

Jeff B: The Endorphin Shift is much firmer, though both have similar stacks, and has a pronounced rocker. The bounce of the Max Road 6 is muted compared to early Max Road models, but is a world away from the borderline dull ride of the Saucony PWRRUN midsole.


Skechers Max Road 6 vs. Hoka Clifton 9  (RTR Review)

Peter: The Clifton feels softer but somehow more responsive and easier to push through miles. For sheer cushion I’d consider Clifton, for a bit more of a standard trainer on Max volume perhaps the Max Road. The Clifton has a better upper for sure. 


Mac: I offer this comparison because each uses a slab of Hyperburst coupled with an H plate to mitigate mushiness. MR6 for training; Excess for races for me. 


Skechers Max Road 6 vs Puma Magnify Nitro 1 (RTR Review)

Derek: I am true to size in both shoes. The Magnify Nitro was the first shoe that came to mind as a comparison when I went for that first run in the MaxRoad 6. They are very similar in terms of thickness of the upper and outsole performance. Magnify is a little more traditional in terms of midsole feel, and is consequently a more stable shoe for me, while the MaxRoad 6 is softer and bouncier. I see myself using both shoes for very similar types of runs: the kind of run where you need to squeeze out that extra 5-6 miler on dead legs. I am currently leaning more towards the MaxRoad 6 as the recovery shoe of choice.

  

Skechers Max Road 6 vs Nike Zoom Invincible 1 & 2 (RTR Review)

Derek: I am true to size in all 3 models. I had major issues with hot spots on the inside of the 1st met head with Invincible 1. This was better with Invincible 2 though it would occasionally happen deep into longer 13 milers. So far in terms of comfort and hot spots, the Max Road 6 is the best of the lot, though the overall warmth of the upper is highest among the 3. The Invincibles are softer and bouncier,but also tend to bottom out a little for me, making MR6 the more cushioned shoe with less ground feel. I want to point out that I don't own the Invincible 3 so am unable to comment on that model. Overall, and perhaps somewhat of a surprise even to myself, the Max Road 6 is the best of the bunch for me now, if I want to go for a recovery run. I think i might lean more toward Invincible 2 if I were aiming for a little bit more of a moderate pace. 


GOrun Max Road 6 is available now at our partner
Running Warehouse SHOP HERE

Tester Profiles

Peter lives in Austin, Texas and has been a sub 3 hour marathoner as well as a 1:21 half marathoner in recent years.

Jeff Beck is the token slow runner of the RTR lineup, and as such his viewpoints on shoe and gear can differ from those who routinely finish marathons in three hours or less. Jeff runs 20 miles per week on roads and trails around Denver, CO (and sometimes on the treadmill when the weather gets too much for a Phoenix native). Jeff only got into running in his 30s, as a result his career PR's are 4:07 for the marathon and 5K at 23:39. Jeff has finished several ultra marathons, from 50K up to 50 miles, and is still debating if he wants to go down that road again.

Mac is a former 275 lbs American football defensive lineman who took up running at age 30. Now, at 6’4” (193cm) 220 lbs (91kg) , he has PRs of 19:19, 1:33:34, and 3:19:20. He coaches high school runners.

Derek is in his 40’s and trains 70-80 miles per week at 7 to 8 minute pace in mostly tropical conditions in Singapore. He has a 2:39 marathon PR from the 2022 Zurich Marathon.


Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes.RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.


Comments and Questions Welcome Below!
Please let us know mileage, paces, race distances, and current preferred shoes

RUNNING WAREHOUSE US
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
FREE 2 Day Shipping EASY No Sweat Returns

EUROPE Men's & Women's SHOP HERE

Europe only: use RTR code RTR5ALL for 5% off all products, even sale products 


AUSTRALIA Men's & Women's SHOP HERE

ROADRUNNERSPORTS
Men's and Women's SHOP HERE
Join RRS VIP

FLEET FEET
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE

REI 
Men's & Women's  SHOP HERE

BACKCOUNTRY
Men's & Women's  SHOP HERE

TOP4RUNNING EUROPE
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
Use RTR code RTRTOP4 for 5% off all products, even sale products

MOOSEJAW
Men's & Women's  SHOP HERE

HOLABIRD SPORTS
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE
FREE Shipping on most orders over $40

AMAZON  
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE

NEW BALANCE
Men's & Women's SHOP HERE

SAUCONY
Men's and Women's SHOP HERE

WATCH OUR YOUTUBE REVIEWS ON THE ROADTRAILRUN CHANNEL


Find all RoadTrailRun reviews at our index page HERE 
Google "roadtrailrun Shoe Name" and you can be quite sure to find just about any run shoe over the last 10 years

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by Following RoadTrailRun News Feed

Please Like and Follow RoadTrailRun
Facebook: RoadTrailRun.com  Instagram: @roadtrailrun
Twitter: @RoadTrailRun You Tube: @RoadTrailRun

No comments: