Skora Core giveaway! Only two days left!

  Skora Core  are  part of a very small select group of shoes I chose to bring with me on our move from Iowa to Washington.   I got rid of dozens of shoes and yet the Skora Core made the list of keepers!

 

First off, I think they are pretty!  Of course function is top priority but its so nice to have a pretty shoe.   I heart gray and blue color schemes  and love that the trends are in that direction these days.    As for function, its a zero drop shoe that weighs in at 6.7 ounces that lets your foot splay naturally with a flexible upper. 

The Core is not a gnarly trail shoe but does pretty good on light trails and does very well on roads.  The traction was great on wet roads and held its own in mud and wet leaves.  

The injection blown rubber sole lasts longer and is far more durable than the typically used EVA in other running shoes.  There is no "throw away after xx amount of miles" to this shoe.   You wear them for as long as is comfortable and mine get more comfortable with wear. 

  My favorite aspect of the Core is the wonderful padding around the ankle.     One of the dangers of being a shoe reviewer is the blisters!  I got blisters on the backs of both my ankles from another shoe, of which I won't name here, and with bandaids and then Skoras when I needed to wear shoes,  I was able to get through the next few days.   I couldn't wear any other shoes.

 Another unique and brilliant aspect of the Skora Cores is the asymmetric lacing system.  It lets you tighten for comfort and yet not put undue pressure on the top of the foot.  It also sports the fabulous Burrito Tongue!  No, thats not what it is really called but it should be!   The tongue wraps around the foot so no stopping to adjust the tongue.  All shoes should have this tongue!   

There is plenty of room for splaying of the toes and yet my feet don't slosh around thanks to the lacing system.  I have long narrow feet.   This seems to be a good middle of the road shoe as far as width goes.   A person with wider feet will find that the leather stretches well.

  A shoe should be flexible all over and I prefer a shoe that allows for wearing without socks for an even more intense sensory experience.   The inside is nice and soft and I had zero seam rubs or hot spots.  They get more comfortable with wear due to the leather of the upper.

  The crease at the top of the toes is not a problem like some shoes.  Actually I can't feel it at all.  Again, the upper is wonderfully soft!  

 The upper is "a perforated Pittards® Armor-Tan® Goatskin leather upper. The combination liner features seamless Agion antimicrobial mesh with a Pittards WR100X Sheepskin leather collar lining for ultimate comfort and performance. "   SO, Its really soft and comfortable and the shoe molds to your foot over time, which is another example of these getting more comfortable with wear.  The leather forms to your foot over time.   I know I keep repeating about the leather upper but it really is that comfortable!

 The Skoras are in a different minimal shoe category from the New Balance HI-REZ and the Merrell Vapor Glove.  The Skora Cores are for when you want a bit more between you and the ground.  Which is often!  Those really long runs or walks when you appreciate the cushion but still want to feel the ground a bit. 

  They measure in at 11mm stack height and 8mm without the handy dandy insole.  I love a good insole.  They make a good shoe even more versatile in different situations.   I prefer to wear them sockless but I like to leave the insole in most days when I am walking and take it out if I run in them. 

  The only thing that I don't like is that they have the same heel issues as I found to be annoying with the Skora Form are also bummin me out about the Cores. The circular bottom of the heel baffles me.  Im not sure what the deal is with that.  Its not that it makes a difference really in form or comfort  but I can't stop thinking about it when I am wearing them.  It throws off my groove to be distracted by it.   There is also a spot on the outer edge of the shoe that feels funny to me.  Its where the blue rubber end and the nubbies on the side.  This of course may be different for different foot shapes and gaits but worth a mention. 


( A little about the two compared)
I have previously reviewed the Skora Form  and was quite happy with those but am liking the Skora Core better.   The Cores keep my feet warm and pretty dry for the most part.  I can go through a lot of wet grass before it soaks into my socks which is something that drives me nuts with other all mesh shoes.   The Cores don't keep my feet quite as warm as the Form though and I am not a fan of hot feet.  It doesn't get that cold here in Port Angeles so its a welcome change.  In Des Moines with our brutal winters the Form would have been better for winter running. 

  The sole and insole are both great and I didn't notice a difference between the two.  

So, do you want a change to try a pair??


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow my tweets @BarefootAngieB and say Hello! 

Stop by my other blog www.babreviews.com

Check out my pics on instagram

Join the chat on  Facebook

Tumble baby tumble! 

Subscribe on YouTube 

and add me to your circles on G+

Cheers,

Angie Bee