I love a versatile shoe, so when asked to review the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit, I was intrigued. What I found was a comfy, breathable, stable shoe that could handle any walk with ease.
To be completely transparent, I’ve never really been a big fan of the Skechers brand. They debuted in 1992, and for whatever reason the fit was always off when I would try on a pair. Plus, they always seemed to be more about style than substance, so I’ve essentially ignored them for decades.
But after I went to The Running Event in Austin last year and saw their enormous booth that featured shoes for every kind of lifestyle and performance type, I thought I might want to give them another try sometime.
So would the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit change my mind about the brand? The answer is yes and I’m excited to tell you why.
Who Is It Good For?
Who is the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit a good fit for? Let’s break it down with some common categories:
- Walking workouts: A great everyday shoe that you can walk in for a few miles around the park or for running errands.
- Wide feet: The extra wide version of this shoe can easily accommodate feet of any size.
- Standing all day: As a bigger guy, these offer a great combo of cushion and stability.
- Everyday wear: Perfect to wear for any on-the-go activity.
The Skechers Arch Fit was designed to do: contour to your arch and distribute weight across the foot. I guess the 20 years of data and 120,000 foot scans paid off!
Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit Overview
One of the first things that stood out to me when I opened up the FedEx package was a box filled with facts about the shoe.
Those included:
- Podiatrist Certified Arch Support
- Podiatrist Designed Shape
- Insole Was Developed With Over 20 Years Of Data And 120,000 Unweighted Foot Scans
- Insole Designed To: Mold To Your Foot, Reduce Shock, Increase Weight Dispersion
Wow! That’s a lot of data-backed tech in a pair of walking shoes! But once I slipped them on, I immediately could tell why.
In the middle of the insole, it felt like two nodules were sticking up in the arch. Initially I was a little concerned because the nodules didn’t seem like they were going to change, but after my first walk I was pleasantly surprised that they gave way and conformed to my foot.
While these shoes are a bit bulky and aren’t really my style, I didn’t mind wearing them around to walk my dog, run errands, take walks with friends and jaunt around my neighborhood.
Overall, these shoes lived up to every claim on the box and would make a great everyday walking shoe for folks who want to put in a few miles every day and get their 10,000+ steps in.
And while I never ran in them, I’m certain I could lace these up for a couple miles in a pinch.
Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit Specs
Let’s take a look at some of the details:
- Weight: 12 oz.
- Stack Height: 36mm heel, 27.4mm forefoot
- Heel Drop: 8.6mm
- Colors available: Navy/Orange, Gray/Pink, Purple/Pink, Navy/Pink, Gray/Coral
- Available in medium and extra wide (tested) widths
- Available on Zappos.com for around $100 depending on features
Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit – How It Fits
In general, the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit are really comfortable shoes. The material is soft yet sturdy, and feels like it was designed for consistent, everyday use.
The shoe’s mesh material is lightweight, breathable and promotes a lot of airflow throughout. I never once felt my feet getting too warm, even in the warmer spring weather we’re having in the Kansas City area these days.
As mentioned in the specs, I tested the extra wide version of this shoe, so the toe box is extremely roomy and provides flexibility for feet of all shapes and sizes.
Still, it was a bit too roomy… and then not enough. That might sound confusing, but let me explain.
While the toe box has a lot of space, it starts to feel a bit narrow right where the laces cinch, so the tongue material tends to bunch up. That area rubbed the top of my feet above my big toe slightly, which I noticed it on longer walks. I wouldn’t call it a “hot spot” because it wasn’t enough to cause any issues, but it was something to take into consideration.
The back of the shoe is also really important to me because I’ve developed a Haglund’s deformity in the past. That happened after a lot of road running in stiff heels, and I’m still really cautious whenever I purchase a new pair.
I’m happy to report that the heel felt very soft and silky, provided great support and kept my heel in place, even when I wasn’t wearing socks.
Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit Feel
Throughout my walks, I could feel that the Arch Fit tech really made everything very stable and cushiony. It makes sense that they call this line “Max Cushioning” because it really lives up to the name.
Also, the weight-dispersing tech in the insoles meant that I always felt a very even pressure throughout the shoe. As I’ve mentioned in past reviews, I’ve suffered from peroneal tendinitis in the past, so even weight distribution is always a plus.
The outsoles are made of Goodyear Performance rubber and the traction felt great. It’s been a bit rainy around here lately, and the grip on the ground was always incredibly stable. I never took these out on a trail, but they handled the uneven, soggy ground of my local parks with ease.
Apparently this Goodyear rubber is designed to resist flattening and abrasion, without feeling overly stiff. That mix is pretty attractive for an everyday walking shoe, and it’s easy to feel when you’re handling the shoe for the first time. The black treads are very sturdy and almost rugged like a tire, while the rest of the white sole feels soft and springy.
This durability is also due to the ULTRA GO foam that Skechers has developed to provide a soft, cushioned midsole that’s bouncy, responsive, and made to last.
And the proof is in the pudding because I didn’t notice any significant wear after testing them for a couple of weeks. I walked in these nearly every day on pavement, and so far nothing sticks out as a weak spot.
Durable and comfortable? Yes, please!
The only drawback to the Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit is they’re not lightweight. In fact, they’re relatively heavy at 12 ounces.
They didn’t feel particularly heavy to me, but they might to the casual walker. I’m a heavier runner with bigger legs, so a sturdier, heavier shoe doesn’t bother me. But at that size, running in them might feel like a bit of a chore for anything longer than a couple miles.
Just keep that in mind before you pick these up!
Go find them in a variety of sizes and colors right now on Zappos >>
Similar Shoes To Skechers Max Cushioning Arch Fit
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- On Cloudtilt – Great casual appearance, but enough cushion to walk all day
- Mount to Coast R1 – Moderate cushion that lasts a long time for all day on your feet
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- KURU Atom 2 – A great walking shoe for folks with Plantar Fasciitis
Who Tried It?
Hi, I’m Justin Gardner, one of those “5k a day” runners you’ll find in the middle of the pack at your local Turkey Trot. I began my running journey over a decade ago when some coworkers wanted to enter a 5K race for charity, and I thought it’d be fun to join. Little did I know that my competitive side would kick in and I’d finish 11th in a 500 person race with a 5k time of 19:55.
After that, I was hooked, and my journey has led me to a lifelong love of getting out on the roads and trails of Missouri and Kansas.
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