Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Performance Review

The Reebok Floatride Energy 4 is the latest entry in Reebok’s under-the-radar, high-performing, budget-friendly everyday running shoe line. Having run in and enjoyed both the Energy 2 and Energy 3, I was excited when I found out Reebok was sending them.

When they got delivered, I absolutely loved the white/cream/iridescent colorway Reebok sent. I’ve actually rocked them a fair bit casually during my review process. They handle casual wear easily and comfortably, but that’s not why you’re here. You’re here to find out how they run…

Reebok Floatride Energy 4

Release Date: March 2022

Price: $110

Weight: M 8.9oz, W 7.3oz

Drop: 9mm (17.5mm forefoot, 26.5mm heel)

Sizing: True to Size

• Rundown: A smooth, comfortable, and nicely cushioned running shoe that easily outperforms its price point.

Pros

• Floatride Midsole
• Smooth Rocker
• Comfortable Upper

Cons

• Crappy Pull Tabs
• Slippy Tongue

Pros

Floatride Midsole

Floatride Energy foam is Reebok’s premier cushion and the main attraction any time it’s included in a shoe. The Reebok Floatride Energy 4 is no exception. While the Floatride started out a little firmer than normal, it broke in well.

There’s not a ton of Floatride underfoot, which is how Reebok can get the jordan 1 visionaire to such a competitive price point. But that’s also the beauty of Floatride, you don’t need very much to get a solid cushioning experience. Think of it as slightly firmer than Boost but still providing a nice bounce and very good impact protection.

Smooth Rocker

Reebok calls their rocker Engineered Bevel. The heel and forefoot both swoop up from the ground in an arc-like way to keep your stride smooth. It works very well. A good rocker motion works hand in hand with the cushion to prevent jarring impact as the foot contacts the ground. Reebok’s makes the motion feel very effortless.

Comfortable Upper

From the outside, the Reebok Floatride Energy 4’s Speed Shift upper feels a bit rough. It worried me at first…but on foot, it feels great. Part of why it feels good is the mesh inner lining and part of it is the material’s malleability. Nike KD 15 uses the large iridescent logos, consisting of both sewn in pieces and overlays, to provide ample support along both the lateral and medial sides of the shoe. The construction and location of the support pieces help keep the foot on the footbed.

In addition to the comfort and support, there are no potential hotspots. If we’re nitpicking, which we often do, the heel collar could use some more foam padding. But what’s included is about what’s expected on a shoe with a $110 price point.

Cons

Crappy Pull Tabs

The pull tabs look fine but they’re poorly sewn along the top edge. After about two weeks of using them to pull the shoes on and off, one of them detached along the top side. I had a dangly pull tab on one shoe until I surgically removed both pull tabs. It doesn’t affect performance, just looks. If you buy them, don’t use the pull tabs to pull the shoes onto your feet or they’ll eventually fail and you’ll need to cut them off.

Slippy Tongue

This one is strange. The Reebok Floatride Energy 4s tongue is gusseted and includes a lace pass-through loop but still slips a bit to the side. It won’t happen to everyone, but if you often get tongue slippage while you run, it will happen to you. Other than the slippage issue, the tongue is great. It’s nicely padded down the middle, light, and comfortable. But slippy tongues are annoying so I always point it out when it happens.

Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Summary

The Reebok Floatride Energy 4 is a smooth, comfortable, and nicely cushioned running shoe that easily outperforms its price point. $110 for this shoe is a very good deal. It’s a great shoe for beginners and budget shoppers. And the best part is, you’re not giving up much versus shoes priced $30-$40 more.

Skechers Razor Excess 2 Performance Review

The Skechers Razor Excess 2 is a carbon fiber plated, max cushion running shoe following in the footsteps of the original (and well-reviewed) Razor Excess. Skechers sent pairs for both Tyler and Drew and they’ve put in the miles. This is their review.

Tyler: Meh. That’s what I have to say about the Razor Excess 2. Drew can attest, but I was beyond giddy when I heard that these arrived at kd10sale. After really enjoying both the Skechers GOrun Max Road 5 in 2021, as well as the GOrun Razor 3 (chef’s kiss) back in 2018, I assumed that the Razor Excess 2 would follow-suit and be another great experience with Skechers. Not so much.

Drew: The Skechers Razor Excess 2 does some things I really like and some things I don’t. This review is going to touch on everything so you see if any of the cons are dealbreakers.

Skechers Razor Excess 2

Release Date: May 2022

Price: $140

Weight: M 7.9 oz, W 6.5 oz

Drop: 4mm (30mm forefoot, 34mm heel)

Sizing: True to size

• Rundown: A peppy, breathable, and fun shoe with solid Goodyear traction but an uncomfortable toebox.

Pros

• Price
• Hyperburst Cushion
• Looks

Cons

• Fit
• Toebox

Pros

Price

Tyler: At $135, you’re getting a lightweight uptempo (or daily) shoe that includes a carbon-infused forefoot H-plate, Goodyear outsole and a mighty-fine looking design, no matter what colorway you choose. While it didn’t deliver what I wanted, the cost alone was enticing enough to roll the dice.

Drew: Skechers is bringing the competitive pricing despite post pandemic inflationary concerns. I gotta hand it to them as that’s much needed.

Hyperburst Cushioning

Tyler: For all my nitpicks on this shoe, the one area I can’t shoot down is the midsole. Hyperburst, Skechers carbonated EVA foam, is resilient, light and extremely responsive. Give me more!

Drew: I’ve tried Hyperburst several times and it’s always peppy. Especially when paired with the H-plate in the forefoot, the Skechers Razor Excess 2 pops. I love it when bouncy foams like Hyperburst are used on daily trainers. It just makes it a little easier to log the endless miles of a typical marathon training schedule.

Looks

Tyler: Since the inception of Skechers resurgence in the running world, their designs have been spot on (ok, ok, the Razor 3’s overlay was a little over-the-top). With enough color and pop to catch eyes, they balance that with simple executions and understated branding.

Drew: Skechers is always going to try interesting upper ideas. This one is a play on the various animal-esque prints they’ve done previously. While I don’t love it, I do appreciate that they take risks unlike some of the more boring running brands.

Cons

Fit

Tyler: I don’t know where to start. There’s a lot going on with the shoe that didn’t accommodate my relatively normal foot. The combination of the Arch Fit insole, 4mm drop and Hyper Arc rocker bottom all led to a fit that felt like my heel wasn’t fully in the shoe and my midfoot was tightened down for dear life.

Drew: For me, the lockdown was fine and I enjoyed the drop and rocker. The Arch Fit insole is weird though. It felt odd on my right foot for two runs before it broke in and felt fairly normal. To start, it feels a lot like the arch of the original Nike React Infinity Run. The extra arch support on the Skechers Razor Excess 2 may work well for flat footers that need a lot of arch support.

Toebox

Tyler: RIP pinky toes. I can not believe how narrow the forefoot of this shoe is. With the fit issues stated above, my foot felt so constricted during my initial run that I chalked it up to needing a period of break in. After about 12-15 miles in the shoes, it became evident that these weren’t planning on opening up at all. As a last-ditch effort, I yanked the insoles out (props for an easily removable insole) and threw in a pair of standard insoles from another pair of daily runners. While that did open up the fit slightly, it wasn’t enough for me to change my mind.

Drew: The forefoot narrows precipitously. I made it work but I didn’t love the feeling. I can’t recommend this shoe for wide footers as even going up a half size won’t solve the issue.

Skechers Razor Excess 2 Summary

Tyler: I was so excited and hopeful for the Skechers Razor Excess 2, but this just isn’t a shoe that jives with me, nor would I recommend it to most runners. If you’re looking for an uptempo, lightweight and poppy shoe, I’d set my sights on something like the Jordan 1 Yellow Toe or Nike KD 15.

Drew: The Skechers Razor Excess 2 is a peppy, breathable, fun shoe with solid Goodyear traction. But the narrow forefoot fit is going to annoy a lot of people. If the fit doesn’t bother you, you’ll get a right-priced tempo-ready shoe.