Deric Lau, X-Trailblazers (July 2022)
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/3090259
“A teutonic ride for running shoes – if there’s such a thing”

When you drive past a hump, there are typically two possibilities. One, you experience a series of oscillations before you come to a halt; or two, a fairly abrupt halt. Most people would probably prefer the latter when they are in the car. Now, imagine if this feeling gets translated to a running shoe in each and every step in the form of the subtle vibrations you receive from each landing, which would you prefer?
Having read and seen a lot of good reviews about the Skechers Performance Hyperburst midsole foam, I was thrilled when given the opportunity to review its maximalist running shoe – the Maxroad 5, with all of its 32mm/38mm stack height. I was convinced this was going to be a special ride given the reviews about using super-critical carbon dioxide infused into the EVA midsole foam and my experience with similar gas infused foam… Boy, was I in for a major surprise!
TLDR: Positioned as maximalist road shoe, the Skechers Performance GORun Maxroad 5 comes in at a lightweight ~240g for US Men 8. This is considered very light when compared to its peers with similarly sized stack heights. Central to keeping the shoe ultra light is the Hyper Burst foam, which is infused with carbon dioxide. This creates pockets of air within rigid honeycomb-liked cells to maintain its light weight while providing optimal cushioning. To impart some stability to the thick later of foam, Skechers introduced a H-shaped carbon plate at mid-foot region. To top it off, Goodyear performance outsole rubber provides an exception grip in wet conditions.

Key Technologies of the Shoe
- HYPER BURST ® cushioning midsole: offers a highly responsive and ultra-lightweight running experience. This innovative resilient foam is created using a ‘Super Critical ®’ process with spherically-shaped cells compressed into the midsole
- Carbon Infused H-Plate provides a more efficient transition from mid foot to toe-off, and a snappier and faster toe-off
- Goodyear ® Performance Outsole delivers enhanced traction, stability and durability
- Skechers M-Strike ® technology promotes efficiency in each stride. This midsole configuration creates smooth transitions from landing to toe-off
Methodology of Testing out a Shoe and Scoring
For a maximalist shoe that is positioned for long slow distance (LSD) to ultra distance races, I brought the shoes out for my longest runs, which are typically on
the weekends. I also brought it out for easy runs in the mornings when I commute to office. I also tried running in it the day after 18 loops of Bukit Timah hill repeats in over 11 hours of running, just to see if it is a good recovery day shoe. In order to test out its traction under wet conditions, one of the test run was to do a fast paced run run (4:45 pace for 5 km) under wet conditions.
Fit and Support / Comfort (Upper)

As of this writing, I have ran over 180km in them through various park connectors, pedestrian pavements and some buffed-out trails.
I can safely say that Skechers spared no efforts here in terms of providing top notch comfort and fit of the foot. A simple looking engineered mesh upper, there were plenty of all around cushioning around the heel area and all around the top of the foot. You couldn’t ask for a better fit here as there was no specific hot spots or juttings which caused abrasion and blisters. The tongue is gussetted and on the semi-thin side but just adequate such that you don’t feel the laces with its felt-like material. The heel counter provides very good heel support. A semi-rigid toe guard completes the structural support for the shoe.
The engineered mesh is fairly water-resistant but being on the thicker side, it also has lower breathability. When soaked through due to rain, it took a fairly long
time to dry. Sizing fits slightly on the long side and going down by half a size works well for me. I would highly suggest going down to the shop to try to get the best fit.
Overall, the lock down was good even without the need for a runner’s knot. Overall, I would give the fit/support and comfort factor a high score of 8.5. It is fair due to the light-weight construction of the shoe for such a tall stack height, extremely comfortable overall foot support all around and no hot spots felt at any parts of the shoe. Only breathability was slightly on the low side.
Cushioning and Energy Return (Midsole material and stack height)

The Hyper Burst midsole foam cushioning was an extremely unique experience. Like I said in my teutonic suspension analogy, every foot step felt soft but very “abrupt” in terms of dampening vibrations. It is not something I have ever felt in a shoe. In a more traditional type of foam, every step would compress and rebound – i.e. squishes downwards and then goes back into shape. Because of this “abrupt” type of cushioning, I would not put this shoe in the recovery shoe category.
Now, I have heard about the foam being very soft; even some what squishy which is why the H-shaped carbon plate was introduced to provide some stability – rather than adding to propulsion. For some reason, this squishiness was never felt for me. I wonder if I am either not heavy enough or “stamping” hard enough to compress the carbon dioxide infused foam or that I just really need to “break down” the foam after many more miles. I had not intended to run so many miles but in the effort to “soften” the foam, I did. I could say that the foam some what mellowed ever so slightly after 100km but at no time during the entire testing, did I experience the “squishiness” of the Hyper Burst that some testers had experienced. After 30km of running, there is some “fatigue” which comes in from the “abrupt” dampening. It could just be a personal preference where I desire that soft squishiness underfoot feel after tons of mileage.
There is also the M-Strike technology geometry which supposedly promotes efficiency in each stride. This midsole configuration creates smooth transitions from landing to toe-off. Honestly, this wasn’t very pronounced compared to some other brands but given the light weight, having consistent cadence even when your legs get tired are fairly easy to achieve.
Overall for the slightly firm cushioning and minimal energy return, I would give it a 6.5 in this category. Cushioning and energy return is one of the key factors where I would give a 2x multiplier.
Stability (Midsole material and design)
The Maxroad 5 is a neutral running shoe and possibly for those who needs some stability (light overpronators). Given he shoes is targeted for the long slow distance runs, stability is not a very key factor. That said, the shoe is very stable when running straight and slight bends. The only unstable part of the shoe is the very weird, overly aggressive camber at the rear of the shoe. Coupled with the H-shaped carbon plate and not so squishy Hyperburst foam, stability is very good for a tall stack height shoe. Overall, I would give a 7.5 on stability.
Protection (Foot overlays, heel counter and rock plate)
This is not a key factor for what the shoe is supposed to be used for which is mainly on road and park connectors. Given the very thick slab of Hyperburst midsole foam, even if you step on nail or some sharp glass, I am pretty confident it would not pierce through to your sole. The upper was also very well padded so stabbing your toes on some kerbs or rocks would not likely cause you much pain. Overall, it is a 7.5 in terms of protection for the Maxroad 5.
Traction (Outsole – rubber compound and lugs)

The Maxroad 5 benefits from the use of Goodyear performance outsole rubber compound. This is in the form of strategically placed pods of rubber across the
forefoot and midfoot and larger slab across the heel area. Skechers helped to keep the weight of the shoe down given that rubber was used very strategically, with much of the underfoot consist of exposed foam. I tested the Horizon Vanish on some very slippery tiles and wet cemented pedestrian paves and it came out pretty well. At no point was there any side or backward slippage. I felt that I could stop when I needed and didn’t need much additional braking distance even in the wet.
Overall, grip gets a nice 8.0 because it just works in all sorts of conditions be it is dry or wet but especially in the wet. Throughout running in wet conditions, I felt I was in control and was not in danger of slipping. I wasn’t pushing the speed envelope but neither was I holding it very conservatively.
Durability Prediction (Uppers, midsole and outsole)

So then, how long can do I think the Maxroad 5 can last before wearing out areas of its upper or outsole and before it starts losing that rebound? I would say very, very long for the foam, very long for the upper and quite long for the outsole.
For those who run light and don’t drag their feet, have good shoe rotations where the shoes have typically 48 hrs of “rest”, I would say it can go as far as between 1,200km to 1,600km thanks in large part to its well constructed upper and the use of Hyperburst midsole foam. It is the Goodyear outsole rubber which I have some doubts whether it could last the distance. After close to 200km, I could see some wear in the heel portion of the outsole. For Hyperburst, it could outlast beyond the 1,000 mile range. I have not even managed to “break down” the foam after close to 200km.
For the heavier runners or those who run “heavy” and have a tendency to drag when they are tired, or for those with little to no rotation of their shoes, I would still expect between 600km to 800km of usage before any parts start to give way. That said, please exercise your own judgement when it comes to replacement of shoe based on mileage. It is a fairly subjective topic and some websites would advocate a new pair after 500km regardless of the condition, with some even at lower mileage. For your foot and leg health, please do not go beyond what you can tolerate in terms of loss of cushioning and replace it once you feel any onset of foot discomfort. For durability of the Maxroad 5, it receives a score of 8.0.
Price / Value for money
At a discounted retail price of S$129 (Skechers Performance concept stores), it is on the low end of shoe spectrum vs. its comparable peers for maximalist running shoes. To make it more apples-to-apples for comparison, I would recommend to compare it based on a “cost per likely lifetime mileage” you can get out of the shoe, i.e. what is the cost per km for both light and heavy spectrum of usage? Based on a minimum of 600km to a maximum of 1,600km, the S$ per km is between S$0.215 and S$0.081, with a median of S$0.241. Overall, I would rate it at 8.5 in terms of price/value for money. This factor also gets my 2x multiplier.
Factor matrix | Stand-alone score | Multiplier / Matrix score |
Fit and Support / Comfort (Upper) | 8.5 | 1x |
Cushioning and Energy Return (Midsole material and stack height) | 6.5 | 2x |
Stability (Midsole material and design) | 7.5 | 1x |
Protection (Foot overlays, heel counter and rock plate) | 7.5 | 1x |
Traction (Outsole – rubber compound and lugs) | 8.0 | 1x |
Durability Prediction (Uppers, midsole and outsole) | 8.0 | 1x |
Price / Value for money | 8.5 | 2x |
Total | 54.5 | 69.5 |
Based on the scoring matrix above, the Skechers Performance GORun Horizon Vanish 3 arrives at a matrix score of 69.5 out of 100 or a standalone score of 54.5 out of 70.
Conclusion

A very good value for money maximalist running shoe that can be used for LSD and easy day runs, the Skechers Performance GORun Maxroad 5 (click on link
to bring you to Skechers Singapore official website for full details) really shined for me in the area of being lightweight and protective for such a tall stacked height shoe. The use of some premium material in the form of the Goodyear Performance outsoles, the ArchFit insoles and mono-weave upper are great reasons for choosing this pair.
The shoe is ideal for those who wants a very long-lasting pair of running shoes that will grind out the daily miles and weekend long runs – ultra distance. That said, if you prefer a very soft and plush underfoot feel, Hyper Burst probably ain’t the foam for you. At $129 for a pair (post discount), it is a fantastic value for money shoe, particularly if you count the cost per km!
Pros:
- Great value for money for the purposes it sets out to do. Will give you tons of mileage given the longevity of the Hyper Burst midsole foam.
- Lightweight for that long distance run, particularly for those who prefers a light ride for that very long run.
Cons:
- Breathability is on the lower side.
- Cushioning is on the slightly firm side for a maximalist shoe.