The SKORA Tempo has really grown on me. I usually lean toward the “less is better” side of the discussion when it comes to running shoes, preferring to have very little between my foot and the road. But somehow, this comfortably padded shoe has found its way into my rotation.
I received a pair of the SKORA Tempo shoes to try out before they were officially released for sale. That’s one of the many perks of being part of the SKORA Ambassador program. Unfortunately, the pre-production models did not come in half-sizes, so I received a size 13. I normally wear a size 12.5 in all of the SKORA models. This created a bit of slippage and rubbing on my heel and a sloppy feel going around turns while running. I put roughly 60 miles on this pair and held off giving any feedback on the shoe or writing any reviews until I got a chance to try a proper sized Tempo out.
My pre-production SKORA Tempos
When I finally got my hands on a production model of the shoe, I was still slow to introduce it into my shoe rotation. I usually switch between the SKORA Fits, for easy runs and longer distances, and the Phase for tempo runs and races. This rotation has worked for me for over a year, so changing it was something that needed to be done gradually. After a few short runs in the Tempo, I realized that the extra padding was very nice. The shoe feels and looks totally different than the Fit and Phase. The sole is less flexible, but that is expected with extra padding. The Phase have 11mm of padding, the Fits have 16mm and the Tempo has 22mm. After several runs, the sole lost a lot of that stiffness and the ride smoothed out a lot.
The upper of the shoe is quite different than other SKORA models. It is a more airy mesh. My pre-production model came in the dead of winter, so that made for some chilly feet during my runs. But now in the warm weather, I am enjoying that breathable material. This light, airy mesh also helps keep the weight of these shoes down. Usually the more padded shoes weigh more than their lower-to-the-ground counterparts. The Tempo weighs in at 7.2 ounces. The same as the Phase and an ounce less than the fit. This really surprised me because it feels like a lot more shoe when you wear it. SKORA found the perfect combo of materials to pack a “plushious” ride while still keeping the shoe light and responsive.
Triplets? On a recent run, my two running buddies also had Tempos.
I now use the Tempo more than I use the Fit. In fact, in the past few months, the only time the Phase hit the pavement was for race days and track workouts. So, somehow these padded shoes have found their way into my rotation of zero drop minimal shoes.
The best part of this new introduction is that I have more options. I think of my shoe collection like a tool box. There is a shoe for every type of workout. The more different tools you have, the more work you can do.
The Tempo would make a great transition shoe into zero drop. They provide the cushion to keep your feet from feeling beat up while your foot and calf muscles adapt to having less padding under the heel. I think the Tempo will open people’s eyes to zero drop shoes and the lineup of great shoes that SKORA has to offer. I will continue to happily RUN REAL in my SKORAs!
