SKORA Running

I am the Social Media Coordinator for SKORA. In 2011 I was wear testing some shoes, got to know the brand, and was invited to join the team :) The brand has had shoes on the market since early 2012. We design and manufacture high quality performance minimal shoes. Since SKORA is very much a small company, I do a lot for the brand. I manage various social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr. I also write for their blog, as well as interact with athletes all over the planet.

Prior to actually working for SKORA, I was a wear tester in 2011. I ran in their Base for my first 100 mile finish at the Lean Horse 100. As of writing this, I have done a 100 and two 50's in the Base. 

This is an updated review of sorts. I have logged 1020 miles in a single pair of Forms, as well as having logged approximately 1200 miles combined in a few pairs of Base, over all types of terrain. 

I would also like to note that the amazon links are attached to my affiliate account. If you were to purchase the Form or Base through this blog, a small % of the sale would come back to me and it would be much appreciated :)

The R01 Platform at 0, 100, and 600 miles
My original Form & Base review

FORM

 The Form is constructed of Pittards goat and sheep leather. Pittards is the prefered supplier of high performance and quality leather for many global brands.

As you can see to the right, the leather in this model has held up extremely well. I've taken the photographed pair through 800,000 steps each and have had no separation between seems. There has been some stitches that I've cut off, but there is enough thread that the structural integrity of the shoe has never been compromised.

I know a couple people who have had some separation of the rubber from the leather right above the toes. I have a very small amount of this. I do attribute the good durability of this pair to my my slow ultra marathon pace, my good running form, many of the miles being on trail, as well as the quality construction of the shoe itself.

Because of it's laces, the Form can fit much tighter than the Base. For this reason, I would recommend the Form for people running technical trails or doing dynamic workouts such as Crossfit.

Not bad for a 9mm sole with 1000 miles on it!

The outsole is constructed of high density EVA and rubber. I feel the higher density increases ground feel compared to a soft material. It also slows down wear.

You will also hear people say they know when to replace their shoes if their knees start to hurt. That is because thicker shoes that have a lot of wear on them will actually negatively effect the runners form. With a thinner higher density material, the sole wears more gradually.

BASE

To me, the Base is a much more relaxed shoe. It's slip on, no laces, much more simpler than the Form. 

Due to its lack of laces, it obviously does not get quite as tight as the Form. For this reason I would recommend the Base for people who do not spend a great deal of time on technical trails. Oddly enough, all of my trail ultras have been in the Base, and I've never complained or wished for the Form. I have had the Base's mesh upper damaged while on a trail, and this would never have happened to the leather Form. 

Of course, all of my recommendations are personal preference. I have talked to others who feel the exact opposite of me ;)

Currently I am running in the Base, and will likely continue to do so. I prefer the simplicity. 

The Base may be a quarter size larger than the Form, and I remove the insole. I believe that many people wear their shoes too small. They often like the snugness to prevent their foot from moving around inside. However I believe that foot movement inside the shoe is almost always due to the runner's form. I make my best effort to land under my general center of mass, and try to not push off. This limits the movement of my foot inside the shoe. For example, when I walk I do not like the Base since my foot does move a great deal inside the shoe with that type of heal strike walking gait. 

The insoles can be removed for a number of reasons. 1. If you want a lower drop shoe, the insole brings it from 9mm to 13mm tall. 2. If you want more room in the shoe, taking this out will give that to you. 3. It's possible that removing the insole helps the shoe hold less water. 

Future Models

In early 2013 SKORA will release two new models, the Core and Phase. I have both pairs, but to not put out any new information I will not be posting images of my own pairs (yet). However Minimalist Running Shoes has posted a couple sneak peak images!

CORE

The Core is a blend of Pittards leather and our synthetic material. It features the Form's asymmetrical laces and perforated leather. 

The R02 sole the Core and Phase are built on is lower than the current R01 At 8mm with no insole and 11mm with.

What really stuck out to me was how comfortable these were around the ankle collar, very well done!

PHASE

The Phase is a fast shoe! At 7 ounces, it's a bit lighter than the other three models. The R02 unibody outsole platform is constructed of IBR (Injected Blown Rubber) which is fairly new in the running shoe scene. This sole is unibody, which means the IBR functions as both the midsole and outsole. 

IBR, compared to injected blown rubber, offered better ground feel, flexibility, and grip. All while at a lower density and weight.

This IBR sole really impressed me. Right out of the box, they were more flexible than my Forms with 1000+ miles on them! Also R02 is a bit more..flat than R01, and it is instantly noticeable.