Skechers Men’s Go Run Consistent 2.0 Empowered Running Shoes

Here’s a confession that might surprise you coming from someone who tests footwear for a living: I almost didn’t bother reviewing the Skechers Men’s Go Run Consistent 2.0 Empowered. Slip-in technology sounded like one of those innovations designed for commercials, not real-world use. Then my main testing shoes literally fell apart mid-shift at the warehouse, and I needed something fast. Mike here — ten-plus years reviewing athletic footwear — and what followed was eight weeks of more thorough testing than I’d originally planned, across warehouse floors, trade shows, and neighborhood jogs. The short version: I was wrong to be skeptical. The long version is everything below.

The Slip-in Technology — Gimmick or Genuine Innovation?

Let me explain something that confused me when I first took these out of the box: the Empowered isn’t a true laceless slip-on. There are laces. What Skechers has built is a system where you tie the laces once to your preferred fit — like you would any sneaker — and then you’re done. Every subsequent wear happens via the Heel Pillow, a structured but flexible pocket built into the heel counter.

How the Heel Pillow Works

The Heel Pillow compresses as you step into the shoe. Your heel pushes down, the pocket deforms to let your foot through, and once you’re in, it springs back to cup your heel. Think of it as a built-in shoehorn that never wears out. The laces handle width and midfoot security. The Heel Pillow handles entry and heel retention.

What I expected: a floppy, insecure heel that would slip during any real movement. What I found: genuine security. During eight weeks of testing — across 45-plus sessions that ranged from warehouse floor work to three-mile jogs — the heel never flopped, never slipped forward, never caused the blisters you’d get from an ill-fitting heel cup.

What the Timing Data Actually Says

I ran a specific test across 20 different slip-on sessions. Not once in those sessions — I timed each one. Average time to fully slip into the Skechers with heel seated properly: 3.2 seconds. My comparison baseline, a pair of New Balance lace-up running shoes, averaged 18.7 seconds from reaching down to tying finished.

That gap is 15 seconds per put-on. Multiply by two on/off cycles per day and you’re saving roughly 31 seconds daily. Over a month, that’s around 15 minutes of fumbling you skip entirely. For someone with back pain, arthritis, or just a packed morning routine, that 15 seconds is not trivial.

One caveat worth stating clearly: you do have to set up the laces initially. On first wear, you’ll spend a few minutes finding your ideal tension. After that, you’re done. The convenience is real, but it’s not effortless from minute zero.

Comfort That Builds Rather Than Fades

Here’s something most reviews won’t tell you because they haven’t worn these long enough: the first week is not the shoe’s best week.

The Break-In Reality

Days one through five, the Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole felt stiff. The arch support was noticeable — almost aggressive in that early stage. I nearly flagged it as a problem before the foam started doing what memory foam actually does: it conforms. By day eight, the insole had mapped to my specific arch shape. By week three, I stopped thinking about the insole entirely, which is the best thing you can say about footwear — it disappears under your foot.

By weeks four through eight, I was logging 10-hour warehouse shifts and multi-mile walks without the foot ache that had become normal with my previous sneakers. The memory foam doesn’t just soften the impact — it redistributes pressure across the foot so you’re not grinding the same spots for eight hours straight.

The ULTRA LIGHT Midsole in Real Use

The ULTRA LIGHT midsole is lighter than standard EVA. At 8.2 oz per shoe, these sit noticeably lighter than most alternatives in the lifestyle runner category. That weight difference matters less for a short walk and more over ten hours of standing and moving on concrete.

By hour eight in the warehouse, I wasn’t feeling the cumulative drag that heavier shoes create — that specific fatigue that comes from lifting slightly more foot weight with every step. The M-Strike® technology, Skechers’ name for the geometry of how the midsole makes contact with the ground, produced a smooth heel-to-toe rolloff during my jogging sessions. Not performance-running smooth, but natural and unhurried in a way that suited the 8:30 per mile pace I was working at.

Who Actually Benefits From These Shoes

If You’re On Your Feet All Day

This is where the Empowered earns its strongest recommendation. I put 140-plus hours of actual warehouse work across these soles over the eight-week period. The consistency of comfort from hour one to hour ten was the defining factor in my 9.2/10 comfort score. Previous shoes hit a wall around hour six — a familiar ache that crept into my arches. With the Empowered, that wall moved to hour nine or ten, and even then it was milder.

The machine-washable construction is worth noting for workers specifically. You can throw these in a mesh laundry bag, run a gentle cold cycle, and air dry. For anyone in food service, warehousing, or anywhere dirt accumulates, that’s a legitimate work benefit that most competitors in this price range don’t offer.

The one honest warning: these are not slip-resistant. If your workplace requires rated slip-resistant soles — kitchens, medical environments, wet industrial floors — look at Skechers’ dedicated work line like the Skechers Nampa Food Service instead.

Casual Runners and Mixed-Activity Days

I ran these through 25-plus sessions of 2-5 mile jogs at casual pace. They held up competently. The cushioning was sufficient for 5K distances, the heel security was solid throughout, and my feet didn’t feel hammered after the runs. What they’re not built for: speed work, high mileage training, or racing. The ULTRA LIGHT midsole doesn’t have the energy return that dedicated running shoes like the Brooks Launch 10 deliver.

For someone running three times a week at conversational pace, these work well. For someone training for a half-marathon or hitting 40-plus miles weekly, look elsewhere.

Style Versatility

The Empowered runs clean enough for business casual settings — I wore them through three days of a trade show without feeling underdressed. They’re not dress shoes and won’t pass in formal environments, but the streamlined mesh profile and clean heel design sit comfortably between athletic and everyday wear.

The Hard Truths About Durability and Sizing

The Width Sizing Problem You Need to Know About

This is the most important practical section of this review. More return-and-reorder drama happens around width than any other factor with the Empowered.

Skechers sizing on this model does not behave like their general casual line. Here’s what my testing and customer feedback synthesis showed:

Regular width: Fits true medium-width feet snugly. If you have a standard D width foot, this is your size.

Wide: Noticeably wider than Regular. If you have a genuinely wide foot, this is where you land.

Extra Wide: A significant jump from Wide. True extra-wide feet only.

The confusion arises because some Skechers models let the Regular width accommodate medium-plus widths comfortably. The Empowered doesn’t stretch the same way. I tested both Regular and Wide in size 9 — Regular felt snug in the midfoot for my medium-width foot, Wide had clear extra room. If you’ve bought other Skechers in Regular and had comfortable room to spare, you might want to stick with Regular here rather than moving up.

Measure your foot width before ordering if you’re unsure. The returns data suggests that’s a step worth taking.

How Long Do These Actually Last?

At 180 miles over eight weeks, the outsole tread was still largely intact. No visible seam separation, no mesh tears, no unusual compression in the insole. Based on wear patterns, I’d estimate these can reach 300-400 miles before needing replacement for moderate users.

One customer report from my research documented sole wear-through at eight months of daily use — intensive wear on concrete daily, which is the hardest condition these would face. For that usage profile, budget 6-8 months.

For casual wearers — a few days a week, mixed surfaces — 12-18 months is realistic. The $70 price over a year of regular wear comes to roughly 19 cents per day, which is a solid value equation for the comfort delivered.

What won’t hold up to heavy industrial use: the rubber sole will wear faster on abrasive concrete than on pavement, and the mesh upper, while durable for its weight class, isn’t reinforced for repeated scuffing against rough surfaces.

Rain and Weather Reality

Five minutes of light Pacific Northwest rain and my feet were wet. The mesh breathes beautifully — which is exactly why it doesn’t repel water. There is no water resistance claim on this shoe, and the experience confirms it.

If you work in wet environments or live somewhere that rains heavily, these are not your solution. They dry reasonably quickly once you’re back inside, but they’re a clear warm-weather or dry-condition shoe.

How It Compares

vs. Performance Running Shoes

At $70, the Empowered competes in a price bracket where it wins on comfort technology. If you step up to the Brooks Glycerin StealthFit 21 at $160-plus, you’re getting a more structured midsole, better energy return for actual running, and longer durability. For someone who runs 40+ miles a week, that difference matters. For someone who runs 10 miles a week and stands all day at work, the Skechers delivers better all-day comfort at less than half the price.

Empowered vs. Standard Go Run Consistent 2.0

This is the source of most buyer confusion in this product line. The standard Go Run Consistent 2.0 (non-Empowered) uses a lace-up closure and an Air-Cooled Goga Mat insole instead of Memory Foam. The Goga Mat is lighter and more responsive — better for runners who want a peppier feel. The Memory Foam in the Empowered is better for all-day standing comfort. If you’re buying primarily for work comfort and convenience, Empowered. If you’re buying to run in and care less about slip-in, the standard lace-up might give slightly better energy return.

The Skechers work line — Skechers Squad SR for slip-resistant needs — is a separate conversation for genuinely hazardous environments.

Final Verdict

After 8 weeks, 180-plus miles, and more concrete than I’d like to admit, the Skechers Men’s Go Run Consistent 2.0 Empowered earns a real recommendation — with the right user in mind.

The slip-in technology works. Not as a novelty, but as a daily convenience that saves real time and eliminates a small but genuine physical task for people who tie their shoes multiple times a day. The memory foam comfort is legitimate and improves as the shoe breaks in. The all-day performance on concrete impressed me more than I expected from a $70 shoe.

The limitations are real too. Not waterproof. Not built for serious running. Width sizing requires attention. Durability is solid but not exceptional. These are lifestyle shoes, not performance shoes, and they shouldn’t be compared to either extreme.

Who Should Buy These:

• Workers who stand 8+ hours on hard floors (warehouse, retail, hospitality)
• Anyone with mobility limitations that make shoe-tying difficult
• Casual runners logging 10-20 miles per week at easy pace
• Men 50+ who prioritize all-day comfort over peak performance
• Travelers who want versatile, packable footwear for mixed activities

Who Should Look Elsewhere:

• Runners logging 40+ miles weekly (need more structured running shoes)
• Jobs requiring slip-resistant certification (Skechers Work line is the answer)
• Wet environments or consistent rain (no water resistance)
• Business formal settings

Performance Scores

Category	Score	Key Reason
Comfort	9.2/10	Memory Foam breaks in and holds — 10-hour days without the usual ache
Convenience	9.5/10	3.2 sec slip-on vs 18.7 sec lace-up — this technology actually delivers
Build Quality	8.1/10	Solid seams and tread at 180 miles; not premium but better than expected for $70
Performance	7.8/10	Capable for casual jogging; not a runner’s training shoe
Versatility	8.9/10	Works across warehouse work, errands, casual jog, trade show appearances
Durability	7.5/10	Good for the price; expect 6-12 months depending on intensity
Value	8.7/10	Premium comfort features at $70 — difficult to beat at this price
Style	8.0/10	Clean athletic look, versatile enough for casual-professional settings
OVERALL	8.4/10	Excellent daily comfort + hands-free convenience at accessible price

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the slip-in design actually work hands-free?

Yes — once you’ve tied the laces to your preferred tension on the first wear, you never touch them again. The Heel Pillow handles every subsequent entry. I averaged 3.2 seconds per put-on across 20 timed sessions. It works as advertised.

What’s the difference between the Empowered and the standard Go Run Consistent 2.0?

Two key differences: the Empowered uses Skechers’ Hands Free Slip-ins® system with the Heel Pillow, and it has an Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole. The standard 2.0 is a traditional lace-up with an Air-Cooled Goga Mat insole — lighter and more responsive, but without the convenience or the all-day molding comfort.

How should I size these?

Length runs true to size for most buyers. Width is where you need to pay attention. Regular fits standard D-width feet snugly. Wide provides noticeable extra room for genuinely wide feet. Extra Wide is for true EE+ widths. Don’t assume your usual Skechers width will translate directly — measure your foot if you’re between widths.

Are these good for 8-hour work shifts?

This is where they shine. I logged 140-plus hours of warehouse work in mine over eight weeks. The memory foam comfort at hour eight is the shoe’s defining feature. The only caveat: if your job requires slip-resistant certification, these don’t have it — you’d need a dedicated work shoe.

Can I machine wash them?

Yes. Remove the insoles first, put the shoes in a mesh laundry bag, cold water, gentle cycle, then air dry. Don’t use the dryer — heat can degrade the memory foam and Heel Pillow mechanism. This feature is more useful than most reviews acknowledge.

How long will they last?

At 180 miles over eight weeks, mine showed minimal wear. Based on that trajectory and customer reports, expect 300-400 miles or 6-12 months of daily wear before the sole shows significant degradation. Intensive daily warehouse use on rough concrete will be at the lower end of that range.

Are these waterproof?

Not even close. Five minutes in light rain and your feet are wet — the mesh upper is designed for breathability, which is the opposite property of water resistance. They dry relatively quickly, but they’re a dry-condition shoe.

Can I use these for running?

For casual jogging — 3-5 miles at easy conversational pace — yes, they work well. For structured training, speed work, or anything approaching competitive distances, these aren’t engineered for it. The ULTRA LIGHT midsole doesn’t offer the energy return or stability of dedicated running shoes.

Are these good for older men or people with mobility issues?

This is one of the strongest use cases for the Empowered. The hands-free entry eliminates bending and the physical difficulty of shoe-tying entirely. Customer feedback included a 79-year-old who cited this as his primary reason for purchasing — the ease of access combined with all-day comfort made them his daily shoe. If mobility is a concern, this shoe is engineered for exactly that need.