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Who says you need to spend $150 to $180 or more on a pair of premium everyday trainers? Well, OK, the big running brands with maximally stacked training super shoes certainly do. But if you’re not willing to break your budget for a pair of kicks, or perhaps if you’re just not sure you’re the type of runner who will benefit from top-tier training shoes, the Skechers Aero Spark is a good alternative at a more affordable price.
Before you snicker or roll your eyes, let me say what I’ve said for about 15 years regarding the Skechers premium-level SKX Performance running shoes: Skechers makes some very good running shoes. Although you won’t likely find them on the wall of your local running store, and you might not see them in the starting corral of your next race, the new Aero Spark ($130) is a very good training shoe with a fun, speedy vibe that you might even be able to use as your race-day model for your next 5K, 10K or half marathon. It’s a great option to lace up for your speed work day, your next tempo run, or any sort of up-tempo training run.
The Aero Spark represents Skechers’ renewed commitment to performance-oriented running shoes that had waned in recent years with exception of the extraordinary GoRun Razor 5.
What’s New: The Skechers Aero Spark features the brand’s new dual-density midsole setup of extremely responsive HyperBurst Ice foam embedded in a more stable HyperBurst foam carrier. It also features a stabilizing H-shaped carbon-fiber propulsion frame in the forefoot, a curvy ArchFit insole, a rockered HyperArc geometry, and a Goodyear rubber outsole. Those high-quality materials should be an indication of Skechers’ interest in building great shoes, even if the price seems like it’s half of what it should be.
Fit/Feel/Ride: The Skechers Aero Spark fits true to size with a snug, low-volume interior from the heel to the midfoot but a slightly wider and roomier forefoot. (I agree with some of the wear-testers who have reported the Aero Spark feeling a half-size too long. My 10.5 fit “just fine,” but I imagine a 10.0 would have felt slightly more precise, even if my toes would have been close to tickling the front of the toe box.) The densely woven upper helps provide a secure, locked-down feel, but it’s not as stretchy or soft as some other uppers on contemporary shoes in the marketplace.
The step-in feel is very soft with a semi-plush interior vibe thanks to the gusseted tongue and ample heel collar padding. An internal heel counter helped keep my foot in place, but a few female wear-testers complained about rear-foot slippage while running at speed.
The ride is soft and resilient with a mix of rolling responsiveness and bouncy energy return, but it’s also refreshingly lower to the ground. The midsole foam feels exceptionally soft, and while it doesn’t bottom out, it’s soft enough in the heel that it seems to make the effective heel-toe drop less than the 6mm differential at the moment of heel-strike impact at slower paces. It’s a hyper-flexible shoe from the heel to the midfoot, but slightly more stiff and structured in the forefoot as the foot rolls through to the toe-off phase. If you’re having maximal-cushioning fatigue and want a shoe that offers very good proprioceptive feel for the ground (especially running up-tempo paces), this is one to consider.
Price: $130
Approximate Weights: 9.7 oz. (women’s 8); 7.8 oz. (men’s 9)
Heel-Toe Offset: 6mm; 36mm (heel), 30mm (forefoot)
Best For: Everyday training or up-tempo training
Why It’s Great: It’s great because it could be either an everyday trainer or a speed-day training shoe. It has plenty of cushioning for long runs — and long runs with spicy pace variability — but it also has electric responsiveness to run fast workouts on the track like 6 x 800 meters, mile repeats, or spontaneous fartleks. I haven’t raced in it, but I have done a few faster longer runs, two tempo runs, and one set of moderately fast-for-me 400 repeats on the track. Perhaps the biggest indicator of the spring this shoe put in my step is the vibrant post-run strides I did after long runs when my legs were already tired and sluggish.
Why You’ll Love It: You’ll love it because it’s versatile. It’s a true do-everything everyday trainer that can handle faster paces and long runs with aplomb. It’s not a super light, but it’s light enough. Although it’s not at its best on slower, recovery-paced runs, it can hold its own at any pace.
Pro: The price is hard to beat, given all the performance-enhancing features that Skechers has packed into this shoe. I’d compare it favorably to shoes like the Adidas Evo SL ($150) and the Nike Streakfly 2 ($180), only at a much better price. I’m not saying the Aero Spark is better than those shoes, but it offers a lot for a more affordable price.
Con: The lacing system of the Aero Spark leaves a lot to be desired. It’s pretty basic with overly stretchy laces, and that results in a vague feel in which, combined with the narrow midfoot and wider toe box, it never really feels optimally locked down.
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Senior editor Brian Metzler has wear-tested more than 2,500 running shoes and is the author of “Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes” (2019). He has raced just about every distance from 100 meters to 100 miles, but he’s most eager to share stories about his experiences pack burro racing in Colorado.