I did never tried the first version of
Skechers GoBionic. 0mm drop was never an attraction for me and I was very happy with my shoe rotation last year. I read and heard really good things about the Bionics and during NYC Marathon expo, I received lot of questions from runners when the new Bionic2 was going to be released. I was asked by Skechers Performance Division to log some miles in the new Bionic2 and I have to say I was excited to finally get to test the Bionics. Over the winter I have been logging about 250 miles in the new Bionic2, as a part of Skechers Performance Division wear tester program.
Skechers GoBionic2
Whats new
SkechersBionic2 carries over the same mid sole unit as the first Bionic. The big changes comes to the upper. Skechers also offer a 2:1 insole system. For the Bionic2 that means that you can chose between 0mm/4mm drop.
Upper
The upper on the Bionic2 is like a stripped down version of Skechers GoRun3. You get the same stretchable mesh in the front, which gives your toes lot of room to spread out. The mid foot area has less overlays and a lighter mesh then GoRun3. The lace system is also different from GoRun3. You will find less rows for the rounded laces. At times I have found it hard to get an even pressure from the laces and they can create hot spots on top of your feet if you're not careful with the lacing. The mid foot area offers a really snug fit and you can go sock less in these. Due to the cold NJ weather I have only tried this a few times. Over all the upper is really snug with minimal overlays that interfere, go sockl ess if you want, the upper wont cause any problems for you.
Midsole/Outsole
Bionic2 carries over the same mid sole unit as the the first edition. You will find the same deep open flex grooves. The whole unit is build around 18 different Resalyte pods, this makes shoe very flexible in every possible direction. Some blown rubber are placed at strategically places. For some runners including myself, the rubbers might be placed on the wrong pods. I could have used more blown rubber in the mid foot front area. You can see my wear and tear on the pictures below.
Performance/Conclusion
I have really enjoyed the close to road feeling of the Bionic2, this and the really close snug fit has made the Bionic2 one of my favorite shoes in my current rotation. I have used the Bionic2 with the insole for a 4mm drop on most of the runs, this gives you some extra cushion, but still you have that great road feel. Bionic2 can be used for all different kinds of runs. Longest run for me has been a 16 miler. In the end I could feel that my feet and legs got a bit fatigue from the flexible mid sole unit. In my experience it takes a bit to get use to the flexibility of the Bionic. When going 0mm drop I could feels some tension in my calves as I'm not use to this drop level. The Resalyte makes the Bionic2 very responsive and the grip of the road is great. I have been thinking that this could be a shoe for shorter races as it is very responsive and I get a fast feeling, but the fact that the deep flex grooves pick up every pebble you pass, its a bit of a problem on a race day. Over all I have really liked every run with Bionic2, they kind of makes you happy when you lace them on.
Pros
- Great upper, with a really nice close to the feet snug feeling. Offers plenty of room for your toes
-Very responsive and flexible.
-Outstanding road feel.
-2:1 insole system. 0mm or 4mm drop options
Cons
-Flex grooves, is a pebble magnet. After each run I have too clean the shoes from stones and pebbles.
-Durability of the out sole. Some of the pods goes down really quick.
-Probably not the best pick on a snowy day, due to the deep flex grooves.
-Laces could create hot spots on top of your feet.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I receive Running shoes from Skechers Performance Division as part of their Skecher Performance Division brand ambassador program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Did the Miles for Music 20K over the weekend. Had some hamstring issues prior to the race, after my mid-week work out, I felt a some pressure point in right hamstring. Nothing big but they were there. I took a couple of easy days and thought I would be able to do Miles for Music 20K. I did warm and felt that I could give it a push, felt some tightness but nothing to worry about. Legs really good, plan was to start at marathon pace and work down to half marathon pace. At start it was very cold and windy. I started up well paces around 6:35 ish. I had no problems controlling the pace, I started to work down toward half marathon pace. Unfortunately at 7.5 mile mark, my hamstring had enough and started to cramp up a bit. I decided to play it safe and called it a day. At this point I started to hunt down runners in front of me and I felt really good. Legs extremely good and no problems with pace.
