We had an on-again-off-again relationship with last year’s Skechers GOrun Maxroad 4, particularly due to the knit upper that would run very warm. The underfoot feel was fantastic though and the run experience was great, delivering on the promise of Skechers’ Hyperburst midsole technology. To that end, we were super excited to have a look at this new updated version for 2020, the GOrun Maxroad 4+ Hyper with an all-new upper!
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- A fresh upper gets added to last year’s successful Maxroad 4 for a lighter, more breathable experience.
- Designed as a solid all-around shoe for all types of runners, but will definitely work best for those that do not have stability issues.
- Weighs in at 8oz or 227g for a US Men’s 9, 6.3oz or 179g for a US Women’s 7.
- Features 28mm of cushion and has a 6mm heel/toe drop.
- Retails at $140.00 USD and available mid-September.
Run Test
Okay first off, all of us were huge fans of the run experience in the Maxroad 4. The bounce was almost joyful to some degree because you would find yourself just bopping along without a care in the world, it delivered. The upper did not. It was hot, it pinched on the lateral side of the toebox because it gave very little. When we saw the Maxroad 4+ back at TRE we were excited, but when we saw them actual arrive we were pumped.
The first take out of the box was a mix between “finally” and “bleh” due in large part to the styling of the shoe which we will get into later. We reserved judgment though and went into testing with a focus on the feel. The midsole feels as blissful as always and leaves you just wanting to jump around a bit in them. The upper holds you well and the way it is designed, you still kind slide in like a sock even though the design is traditional. Toes seem to have ample room and the lacing column widens to allow varying width of feet.
In a run, they feel just as good as last year’s model underfoot. The Hyperburst compresses and rebounds really well and you can take these up or down as much as you like. It will also suit varying foot strikers well because the beveled heel encourages heel strikers to rotate properly off to the toe and then the midfoot has plenty of traction to rotate into toe-off. They don’t put much of a rocker on here so nothing is really forcing you forward and if they added this it would really increase performance for the midfoot strikers.
The upper does feel much better than the old Maxroad 4. We still have a few complaints, but they are on the right track. It does breathe better but can still get hot. It will make for a great Fall shoe though for most markets as the temperatures drop. The other thing is that there is very little stability in this upper, so while it has loosened up it has become almost to loose for some. All Skechers needed to do was put in some support structures internally near the upper portion of the lacing area and it probably would have solved this. Not a deal-breaker, but some will complain. Overall, we are glad they made the changes they did.
Construction: Upper
The upper gets all the changes on the Maxroad 4+. They moved from their old knit bootie to a more traditional mono mesh coupled with polyester and this radial design is what you get. Ideally, this should deliver a more breathable experience and it does, but it is still a very sealed off upper so we would love to see some slits added in the future in the toebox for airflow. The laces are also now more traditional and they can really expand to accommodate varying foot sizes. The tongue is not gusseted but is cut in a way where it stays in place quite well. The only other negative callout on the upper is around midfoot stability. There are really zero supports on this, so if you need this at all just be warned.
2A close-up look at the new mono mesh and polyester upper 
The new more traditional lacing column that handles a variety of widths well 
The updated heel and collar which will also feel more traditional than prior.
Construction: Midsole
The midsole is all Hyperburst, just one big 28mm block of the stuff and the value with Skechers Hyperburst tech is that it offers a ton of cushion, but with very little weight increase. It also breaks down very slowly so the midsole doesn’t really lose that “pop” we all love before quite a bit of use. Heavier runners will love this as well because it absorbs shock really nicely keeping a lot of strain of the lower extremities.
Midsole – Lateral Rear 
Midsole – Lateral Front 
Midsole – Medial Front 
Midsole – Medial Rear
Construction: Outsole
The outsole on the Maxroad 4+ is composed of pillars of Hyperburst that end in Goodyear rubber pads. Skechers has placed a large block on the heel and toe area to increase grip and durability in those areas most runners land on the most. The rest of the foot is covered with small ovals of rubbers and this helps with the contact throughout the foot transition. The rubber works really well for traction, but you will notice the exposed midsole just on the edge of these pads break down quite quickly. It should not affect grip or shoe life, but it is very apparent even after only a few runs.
Outsolve overhead, notice the large pad at rear for heel strikers as well as the toe reinforcement.
Style & Aesthetics
Styling on the Maxroad 4+ is a tough one for us and we look forward to seeing some of the other colors because the sample units are definitely a little bland. This is definitely an area of constant struggle for Skechers because sometimes we get these hot little colorways from them (just wait until you see the Razor+) but then we get something like this that leaves us shaking our head. They aren’t bad by any means, just kind of eh in a world of a lot of color and liveliness.
Overall Conclusion
The updates to the upper on the Maxroad 4+ are a welcome change and the run is still pretty fun. Hyperburst as a midsole technology remains one of our favorites due to its simplicity coupled with the bounce it delivers. We don’t see these as a performance standout, although you could of course run these as fast as you like, we would grab the Razor 3 for that, the Maxroad 4+ just deliver easy comfortable miles. These will work great for heavier runners, but if you have any sort of upper foot instability just be careful because there is very little support in that upper.
Visit the Skechers website to learn more or buy now
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
