The launch of Skechers’ AERO Series in 2025 represented a major move for the company and that development has now been built on with the arrival of their first super shoe, the AERO Elite. Chase Greenberg, Vice President of Product Development, talks through the progress being made by a brand that is looking to alter perceptions.

Q: Skechers has been in the performance running space for some time now but how much of a step forward has the Aero series represented? 
The AERO Series has been a significant milestone for us—it represents the clearest expression yet of what Skechers is capable of at the highest level of performance running. From a product assortment perspective, the AERO Series was developed to give runners a full rotation, with each shoe designed for a specific purpose and stage of running. Whether it’s speed work, long-distance training, or recovery runs, every model in the series serves a distinct role, allowing athletes to optimize their performance throughout their training cycle.

We have always believed in the science of comfort, but the AERO Series allowed us to channel that philosophy into something truly competitive. It is a line built for runners who demand more—more speed, more responsiveness, more from every stride. For us internally, it has been a statement of intent.

Q: Can you talk us through Skechers' history in running, which has included big moments like Meb Keflezighi winning the Boston Marathon? 
Our journey in performance running has been one we are incredibly proud of. When Meb Keflezighi crossed the finish line at the 2014 Boston Marathon wearing Skechers, it was a moment that resonated far beyond the sport—it announced to the world that Skechers was serious about performance. Since then, we have continued to invest heavily in our running platforms, working closely with elite athletes to refine and evolve our comfort and performance technologies.

Most recently, we signed running pros Shelby Houlihan and Alfie Manthorpe in early October, marking an exciting new chapter for Skechers. Shelby and Alfie bring fresh energy and perspective to our roster, and their feedback is already helping us push the boundaries of our performance footwear. Collaborating with athletes of this caliber ensures that our products meet the demands of today’s runners, from grassroots to elite levels.

That heritage is the foundation everything we do in running is built on, and the AERO Series is the next chapter of that story.

Q: As a brand that is well-known for comfortable walking and lifestyle footwear, do you think that perception is changing and how much is the Aero series helping with that?
Perception is always something you have to earn, and we welcome that challenge. Comfort and performance are not mutually exclusive—if anything, the AERO Series epitomises that concept. As elite athletes choose to compete in our shoes and achieve impressive results, the conversation around Skechers is naturally evolving. We’re seeing this shift happen in real time, and with the continued success of the AERO Series, we believe that momentum will only accelerate.

Q: There are some features to the running shoes that are nods to the wider Skechers products. How much of the technology has crossed over into the running shoes?
There is more crossover than people might expect, and that is actually one of our greatest advantages. Decades of research into comfort technology, cushioning systems, and fit have fed directly into how we approach performance running. Our award-winning Hyper Burst cushioning, for example, is Skechers’ proprietary lightweight, responsive technology designed to deliver a unique combination of comfort, energy return, and responsiveness. Technologies like Hyper Burst Pro, along with our deep understanding of how the foot moves and needs support, have all informed the engineering behind the AERO Series. We are not starting from scratch—we are building on an incredibly deep well of knowledge and applying it at the elite level.

Q: The Aero series has developed quickly and there has been an even bigger step for Skechers in the release of the Aero Elite super shoe. How big of a piece of the puzzle is this? 
It is a huge piece of the puzzle and arguably the most important chapter in our performance running story to date. The super shoe category is where the sport's biggest races are won and lost, and for Skechers to have a genuine, competitive entry in that space is something we have worked incredibly hard to achieve. The AERO Elite represents a full commitment to competing at the very top of the sport.

Q: What is the inspiration behind this model? 
The inspiration behind this model was to push the boundaries of performance running while staying true to the comfort that defines Skechers. We set out to create a shoe that meets the demands of elite runners at the most challenging moments of a race—delivering energy return, stability, and lightweight responsiveness—without compromising on comfort.

Every design decision, from material selection to stack height, was made with the athlete in mind. Comfort has always been fundamental to Skechers, and with AERO Elite, the question was never whether to sacrifice comfort for speed, but how to bring that comfort into a race day shoe while advancing responsiveness and performance.

We carefully examined every element—the foam, plate geometry, rocker, lightweight upper, and secure fit—to ensure they work together seamlessly and serve a clear performance purpose. This attention to detail allowed us to create a highly responsive racing shoe that gives runners the confidence they need on race day, all while maintaining that signature Skechers comfort.

Q: In an incredibly competitive market and field, what would you say makes the Aero Elite stand out and worthy of consideration?
We knew we were entering a very competitive category, so our objective was never to create another version of what was already out there. Instead, we wanted to bring our own point of view to race day performance and create a shoe that makes runners feel fast, even during their most challenging moments.

The AERO Elite brings several of our key technologies together as one fully integrated system. The Quantum Plate™, for example, demonstrates how we’ve been able to engineer a shoe that delivers highly efficient structure and performance. It’s a full-length, carbon-infused plate inspired by the Voronoi design principle—an efficient geometric pattern found in nature.

Its curved, spoon-shaped construction delivers the structure and propulsion we were looking for, while allowing us to be very intentional about the amount of material used. We paired that with Hyper Burst Pro™ responsive cushioning and our proprietary Hyper Arc® geometry. The important thing is how these technologies work together, the foam, plate and rocker are engineered as a system to create a smooth, responsive and propulsive ride.

Weight was also a key focus throughout development. At 5.9 ounces/167 grams for a men’s size 9 and 5.0 ounces/142 grams for a women’s size 7, we achieved an exceptionally lightweight package without compromising on the comfort, stability and support we were determined to deliver.

Ultimately, what sets AERO Elite apart is that it brings our own technology, geometry and design philosophy together in a race day shoe built to give runners a fast, confident experience from start to finish.

Q: How long has it been in development and what has the feedback been like from the
athletes using it?
The AERO Elite is not a product that was developed overnight. Our design and engineering teams went through extensive development cycles, testing, and refinement before we were confident it was ready. The feedback from our athletes has been really positive. They talk to us about the responsiveness, the ride, and importantly the comfort over longer distances, which is something that matters enormously when you are pushing your body to its limits late in a race.

Q: How closely have the athletes been involved in its development?
Our athletes are not just ambassadors, they are collaborators. Their feedback has been integral at every stage of the development process, from early prototypes through to the final product. When you are building a shoe for the world's best runners, there is no substitute for that direct input. They feel things in a shoe that data alone cannot always capture, and that human insight has been invaluable in shaping what the AERO Elite has become.

Q: What are your hopes for the Aero and what it can achieve? 
Our hopes are straightforward. We want the AERO Series to instil confidence in athletes at every race. We want it to be on the feet of runners who are breaking tapes, setting personal bests, and standing on podiums. But beyond elite performance, we also want the AERO Series to remain approachable to runners of all levels. Whether you're just starting your running journey or chasing a new personal best. We believe every runner deserves to feel confident, no matter where they are in their journey. Beyond the results, we hope that the AERO Series continues to change the conversation around what Skechers is and what we are capable of. We are in this for the long run—no pun intended—and the AERO Series is the clearest signal yet of where this brand is headed in performance running.

Click here to find out more about the Skechers AERO Series