The Skora Fit is a breathable, flexible, and comfortable zero-drop shoe for the transitioning crowd. It actually provides more flexibility than its 16mm stack height would lead you to believe and it features 3D-printed support patterns for enhanced…
The Skora Fit is a breathable, flexible, and comfortable zero-drop shoe for the transitioning crowd. It actually provides more flexibility than its 16mm stack height would lead you to believe and it features 3D-printed support patterns for enhanced durability, without sacrificing breathability. It’s a fantastic shoe for new runners with a love of traditional laces (asymmetrical in this case) and a little bit of cushioning around the foot.
And if you’re really interested in trying the fit and want to pick up another pair of Skoras, they are running a sale until midnight, February 5, 2015, whereby you get a free pair on orders over $109 from SkoraRunning.com!
Read on for the full review!
FIT is the ultimate all-purpose running and training shoe, designed for flexibility, speed and agility. Lightweight, breathable airmesh is combined with a revolutionary 3D-Printed support pattern and 16mm of tuned cushioning for the ultimate in responsive performance and comfort.
Weight — 6.8 oz (size 9 US/41 Euro)
Total Stack Height — 16mm
Pros
Nicely padded around the collar
Lightweight (for its stack height)
Very good twist flexibility
Breathable uppers
Cons
Toe box could be a little wider
Laces could be a little thicker for extra durability and security
Barefoot Scale — Transitioning runners and long-distance minimalists.
Testing Background — This review was written after running 75 miles along hiking trails and roads alongside the Charles River.
Take a spin around the shoes via these photos:
Sole
The sole of the Skora fit is a combination of high-density rubber and EVA with a total stack height of 16mm. The sole itself is zero drop—with no difference in height between the heel and forefoot—and the sole has plenty of flex grooves that allow for a lot of flexibility for such a thick shoe.
Many manufacturers have been adding more flex grooves in their shoes to allow for enhanced shoe dexterity and I am glad to see that Skora has included quite a few cuts in the sole of the Fit. You can think of the rubber sole pieces as “floating” in a sea of EVA foam and they can all independently flex a fair amount as you move around. The shoe itself has the same flexibility of shoes a great deal thinner than the Fit.
There is a cutout along the inner ach of the shoe, which allows for even more flexibility and a lighter run. This cutout is provides zero arch support and only serves to aid in added some minimalist chops to the shoe.
The sole has plenty of little nubby rubber bits to provide traction in dirty and makes the Fit an excellent trail running shoe.
Fit and Materials
The Skora Fit uses a lightweight upper with 3D-printed support patterns to aid add durability towards the front of the shoe where your shoes are likely to snag.
Aside from the tongue, the entire upper is of one single piece of breathable material that allows for a bit of stretch and has quite a bit of cushioning to secure the shoe to your foot. There is little else to add any sort of “structure” to the shoe in any way, which is appreciated.
I was able to test the durability of the painted on support patterns of the breathable upper when I stubbed my foot on some old roots during a trail run. The twiggy bits hurt like a son-of-a-gun, but the shoe held together and showed zero signs of tearing or puncturing.
I am quite sure that if I hit the same root with my original KSOs or Seeyas that I would definitely have needed to provide some shoe goo to mend the tear.
The insole of the Fit does provide a bit more cushioning (as part of the 16mm stack height) and is only lightly glued in so it is removable. However, I did not test its remove-ability for this review.
The heel area of the shoe is pretty snug and will keep your foot from wiggling around while making turns, or running hills. If you have a wider heel, you may want to look elsewhere, but for me it is a very good fit.
Overall, the shoe is made for agility and the footprint is a little narrower than most minimalist shoes—not quite as narrow as some of Merrell’s offerings, but definitely less wide than a Vibram Bikila LS or EVO, and ZEMGEAR shoes, so keep your foot shape and shoe preferences in mind when purchasing.
Even with my wide feet, I found the Fit to be very comfortable and enjoyable to wear. While they are a bit thicker than what I typically run in, they performed very well as a transitional shoe and I enjoyed the flexibility, lightness and ground feel they were able to provide.
I found the little rubber nubs especially useful in the snow and was able to run with more confidence than my KSO EVOs, which have shallower tread. I would rate the traction as above average for snow and dirt while the ground feel was quite good for what it is. There is just enough protection for newbies, but the cushioning is not so forgiving that you can just pound your heel into the ground like you might do with traditional running shoes.
The colors for Skora’s shoes are very tasteful and not nearly as IN-YOUR-FACE as some other shoe companies. Nothing is obnoxiously neon or radioactive, which is appreciated.
Durability
Clocking in at nearly 100 miles, everything is in one piece and there is little wear on the sole of the shoe. There are zero punctures, tears or rips to speak of and the sole has held up very well.
I anticipate that these shoes will last a little more than average for a shoe of this type, perhaps 400-500 road miles or so, comparable to a Vibram Bikila.
Summary
The Skora Fit is a great shoe for beginner barefooters and anyone interested in minimalist running. While there is a 16mm stack height, the shoes are zero drop and provide a good deal more ground feel than normal running shoes, while having greatly improved flexibility over other shoes of this thickness.
The uppers are durable and breathable and the fight is a little snugger than some other shoes, which is good for those with narrower feet or sharp heels.
This was my first experience with Skora and it has been a great one. The FIT is best enjoyed by a transitioning runner, but even an experienced barefoot can appreciate its merits and design.
You can find the Skora Fit on Skora’s website for $95. But if you’re really interested in trying the Fit and want to pick up another pair of Skoras in a sort of BOGO type sale, they are running a sale until midnight, February 5, 2015, whereby you get a free pair of the Fit on orders over $109! Check it out!
A huge thanks goes to Skora for sending me the FIT for review. I am looking forward to testing out more of their shoes in the future, especially those more geared towards the enthusiast crowd!
Minimalist ultra-marathon runner with flat dinosaur feet.
50K Ultra-Marathon Runner
I hold a PhD in Political Science.
You can follow my photography adventures at jarvischen.zenfolio.com and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chenjarvis
Actually, the insole is removable, and it’s made to be removed! Doing so provides a lot more room for the toes, and obviously improves ground feel.
My issue with the shoe is the rounded heel, which forces my peroneals to work doubly hard on landing to prevent rolling out. It’s much more rounded than my actual heel, or VFFs.
Loved the review, and love those shoes 🙂 My last pair ran over 1000 miles of primarily road and track before I retired them.
Like Brian above me said, the insole is removable, but doing so will add a lot of extra volume to the inside of the shoe, which could mess up the sizing for many people.
I agree it’s not a super wide option, but the upper does fit much like a sock or moccasin, quite form fitting.
Brian,
The insole in my pair was lightly glued in. This is typical for many shoes, but the glue was a little more aggressive than I expected!
In any case, we have updated the review to reflect this new information!
If you land more midfoot or forefoot in your runs, the heel becomes less of an issue, but the heel in the Skora fit is definitely more rounded than many other shoes.
-Jarvis
I had high hopes for these, but as someone with a flat foot, I need a completely flat shoe. I know they are zero drop, but the way the sole is constructed, it allows parts to rise up into my arch/heel. What isn’t shown in Jarvis’ pictures is a little black ring of flexible material in the middle of the sole at the heel. Basically it doesn’t sit completely flat and pushes up into my foot. Other reviews have pointed to similar “arch” feelings. If you have flat feet, you’ll probably notice a bump and that is an ABSOLUTE deal breaker for me.
Beyond that, the toe box is way too narrow/tapered for me. My feet aren’t even as wide as Jarvis’ and the width in the middle was okay, but the toebox could have allowed alot more room to spread my toes.
I also found the total volume of the shoe a bit snug, so I would have only been comfortable with the insole out (which defeats the purpose of trying to have a thicker zero drop shoe).
Philip,
I’m playing with my pair from Skora right now and I cannot recreate the same pushing effect when I press on the black circle section of the heel. As far as I can tell, the sole is quite flate in my pair, but that may be a manufacturing defect.
The thing about fit, toe pslay, and all that jazz is that everyone’s feet are different, but minimalist footwear should be more accommodating. The toebox is a great deal wider than Vivobarefoor’s The One, but not as wide as a Vibram KSO EVO. For me, the width is adequate, even with my wide feet (perhaps my toes are shorter than yours?), but it’s definitely not the widest toe box on the market.
I will keep an eye out for flatness and toe boxes in my future reviews! I think I have a good idea of how your foot is shaped based upon where my toes are inside the Skora Fit.
-Jarvis
How rounded is the heel compared to the Skora Core? I had to return the Core because the heel was so curved I couldn’t balance well when my foot landed and it put a hot spot of pain at the heel.
Avoid SKORA.
I bought TEMPO and bloodied the back of my heel. I only worn them once and returned them in an impeccable condition. They are now telling me I am not getting the refund but rather a store credit. What do I need a store credit if SKORA’s shoes are just crap and bloodied your feet?
Another charlatan boutique store who values nothing but the bottom line. Oh! And they slip on the wet surface (not severely) but they do slip. The last thing a runner needs is a broken leg in the region that rains on a daily basis.
7 replies on “Skora Fit Review”
Actually, the insole is removable, and it’s made to be removed! Doing so provides a lot more room for the toes, and obviously improves ground feel.
My issue with the shoe is the rounded heel, which forces my peroneals to work doubly hard on landing to prevent rolling out. It’s much more rounded than my actual heel, or VFFs.
Loved the review, and love those shoes 🙂 My last pair ran over 1000 miles of primarily road and track before I retired them.
Like Brian above me said, the insole is removable, but doing so will add a lot of extra volume to the inside of the shoe, which could mess up the sizing for many people.
I agree it’s not a super wide option, but the upper does fit much like a sock or moccasin, quite form fitting.
Brian,
The insole in my pair was lightly glued in. This is typical for many shoes, but the glue was a little more aggressive than I expected!
In any case, we have updated the review to reflect this new information!
If you land more midfoot or forefoot in your runs, the heel becomes less of an issue, but the heel in the Skora fit is definitely more rounded than many other shoes.
-Jarvis
I had high hopes for these, but as someone with a flat foot, I need a completely flat shoe. I know they are zero drop, but the way the sole is constructed, it allows parts to rise up into my arch/heel. What isn’t shown in Jarvis’ pictures is a little black ring of flexible material in the middle of the sole at the heel. Basically it doesn’t sit completely flat and pushes up into my foot. Other reviews have pointed to similar “arch” feelings. If you have flat feet, you’ll probably notice a bump and that is an ABSOLUTE deal breaker for me.
Beyond that, the toe box is way too narrow/tapered for me. My feet aren’t even as wide as Jarvis’ and the width in the middle was okay, but the toebox could have allowed alot more room to spread my toes.
I also found the total volume of the shoe a bit snug, so I would have only been comfortable with the insole out (which defeats the purpose of trying to have a thicker zero drop shoe).
Philip,
I’m playing with my pair from Skora right now and I cannot recreate the same pushing effect when I press on the black circle section of the heel. As far as I can tell, the sole is quite flate in my pair, but that may be a manufacturing defect.
The thing about fit, toe pslay, and all that jazz is that everyone’s feet are different, but minimalist footwear should be more accommodating. The toebox is a great deal wider than Vivobarefoor’s The One, but not as wide as a Vibram KSO EVO. For me, the width is adequate, even with my wide feet (perhaps my toes are shorter than yours?), but it’s definitely not the widest toe box on the market.
I will keep an eye out for flatness and toe boxes in my future reviews! I think I have a good idea of how your foot is shaped based upon where my toes are inside the Skora Fit.
-Jarvis
How rounded is the heel compared to the Skora Core? I had to return the Core because the heel was so curved I couldn’t balance well when my foot landed and it put a hot spot of pain at the heel.
Avoid SKORA.
I bought TEMPO and bloodied the back of my heel. I only worn them once and returned them in an impeccable condition. They are now telling me I am not getting the refund but rather a store credit. What do I need a store credit if SKORA’s shoes are just crap and bloodied your feet?
Another charlatan boutique store who values nothing but the bottom line. Oh! And they slip on the wet surface (not severely) but they do slip. The last thing a runner needs is a broken leg in the region that rains on a daily basis.