Skechers vs Reebok Shoes – Choosing the Right Fit for You!

When you’re looking for comfortable and stylish sneakers, Skechers and Reebok are two of the biggest names battling for your feet.

As leaders in athletic and lifestyle footwear, they offer key similarities as well as differences that make one brand better suited for you over the other.

This in-depth guide examines Skechers and Reebok to reveal their stand-out features, prices, style sensibilities, innovative technologies, and ideal users so you can determine the best choice for your needs and priorities. Let the sneaker battle commence!

Skechers vs Reebok

The key difference between Skechers and Reebok is that Skechers focuses more on lifestyle and athletic casual shoes while Reebok specializes in athletic performance footwear.

Though both brands offer a range of footwear, Reebok targets professional athletes and serious fitness enthusiasts while Skechers markets to a broader mainstream consumer base.

Before comparing the specifics, here is an overview of Skechers vs Reebok Shoes:

Feature	Skechers	Reebok
Year Founded	1992	1895
Founders	Robert Greenberg	Joseph William Foster
Headquarters	Manhattan Beach, CA	Boston, MA
Key Technologies	Air Cooled Memory Foam, Relaxed Fit, Stretch Fit	Hexalite, 3DFusion, Floatride Energy
Popular Shoe Models	GOwalk, GOrun, D’Lites	Classic Leather, Freestyle Hi, Club C
Target Consumer	Men, women, and kids focused on comfort and lifestyle	Athletes and fitness enthusiasts
Retail Stores	Over 3,000 standalone stores worldwide	Over 7,000 retail stores worldwide
Sponsorships	UFC, Spartan Race	CrossFit, UFC, NHL, NFL
Revenue (2020)	$4.4 billion	$1.4 billion
Manufacturing	Third-party factories in China and Vietnam	Third-party factories in Asia
Sustainability Efforts	Use of recycled materials, sustainable packaging	Carbon reduction program, recycled materials
Philanthropy	Skechers Foundation supports kids in education and well-being	Reebok Foundation supports youth fitness and causes

In summary, Skechers has found greater commercial success catering to lifestyle and casual comfort footwear, while Reebok maintains its focus on performance athletic shoes and apparel.

Skechers has higher yearly revenues, more retail stores, and broader demographic appeal. Reebok continues to partner with major sports leagues and fitness organizations.

Both brands have expanded globally and are investing more into eco-friendly business practices.

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Pros and Cons

Pros: Skechers

• Wide range of styles for different activities
• Many models have memory foam insoles for comfort
• Good arch support in some models
• Durable construction
• Well-known brand

Cons: Skechers

• Not primarily designed for performance sports
• Limited options for high-intensity workouts

Pros: Reebok

• Focus on athletic and fitness shoes
• Advanced technologies for cushioning and support
• Variety of styles for different sports
• Iconic brand with strong heritage
• Wide range of sizes and widths

Cons: Reebok

• Limited options for casual wear
• Some models can be expensive
• Quality can vary across product lines

Which Shoes are Good for Different Activities

Shoes for Running

Skechers

• Skechers has dedicated running shoe lines like GOrun and Max Road, designed with responsive cushioning, breathable mesh uppers, and flexible soles for a smooth and comfortable ride during runs.

Reebok

• Reebok offers a wide range of running shoes like the Reebok Forever Floatride Energy, Reebok Liquifect, and Reebok Zigkick designed for different types of runs with features like cushioning, support, and traction.

Shoes for Walking

Skechers

• The Skechers GOwalk line is designed specifically for walking, featuring lightweight, flexible construction with responsive cushioning and a supportive fit.
• Other casual and walking shoe lines like D’Lites and Skechers Street also offer good cushioning and support for walking and everyday wear.

Reebok

• Reebok has a range of walking and casual shoes like the Reebok Walk Ultra, Reebok Classic Renaissance, and Reebok Cloudride DMX that can be suitable for walking and everyday wear.

Standing All Day

Skechers

• The Skechers Work line is engineered for people who spend long hours on their feet, offering excellent cushioning, support, and slip-resistant outsoles, making them ideal for prolonged standing.
• The Max Cushioning line from Skechers is also a good choice for extended standing due to its exceptional cushioning and shock absorption.

Reebok

• Reebok does not have a dedicated line of shoes specifically designed for prolonged standing or work environments. However, some of their walking and athletic shoes may provide enough cushioning and support for extended periods of standing, depending on individual needs.

Now that you have an overview of Skechers vs Reebok Shoes differences, read on for an in-depth feature-by-feature comparison.

Getting to Know Skechers and Reebok

Before diving into comparisons, let’s recap notable highlights in the origins and evolution of both Skechers and Reebok over the decades. Understanding their backgrounds provides helpful context to appreciate where the brands excel today.

The Skechers Story

Founded by Robert Greenberg in 1992 as an affordable alternative to big-name athletic brands, Skechers quickly earned customers comfortable walking shoes and chunky casual sneakers at reasonable price points.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Skechers pioneered the ugly but comfortable sneaker trend with bestsellers like Skechers Energy and their radical Skechers Shape Ups rocker bottoms.

While Skechers began with a focus on underserved women’s markets, today they design extensive lifestyle and performance athletic shoes for men, women, and kids. Though no longer the scrappy underdog, affordability, innovating comfort technologies, and trend-driven casual style remain integral to the Skechers brand.

The Reebok Story

Reebok’s origins trace back to 1890s England as a company specializing in spiked running shoes. By 1958, two of the founder’s grandsons renamed the company Reebok after a fast gazelle to represent the speed of their footwear.

By the 1980s, Reebok exploded in popularity by embracing new synthetic technologies and attractive designs that captured the growing aerobics and fitness crazes. With professional athlete sponsorships, they cemented their status as a leading athletic performance brand.

Acquired by Adidas in 2005, today Reebok focuses on innovating high-tech features for training, running, and CrossFit while reinventing their classics like the Reebok Freestyle for today’s streetwear culture. Reebok maintains an edgy underdog image while delivering advanced performance engineering only possible with Adida’s financial backing and R&D.

Now that you know the histories of Skechers and Reebok, let’s analyze how they compare today across the characteristics that matter most.

Skechers vs Reebok: How They Compare

Diving into the nitty gritty details of Skechers and Reebok reveals where each excels to outperform the other. Keep reading to determine your best sneaker soulmate based on your priorities.

Style Variety and Offerings

When it comes to overall variety and selection, Skechers defeats Reebok for delivering extensive choices across the full age spectrum.

Skechers caters to men, women, and kids with thousands of sporty lifestyle options alongside performance running and training styles. On-trend casual sneakers dominate the lineup ranging from classics like slip-on Propel models to hiking boots, nursing shoes, and steel-toe work sneakers.

Reebok focuses more narrowly on technical performance for training and running as well as hip modern takes on their important retro classics like the Club C, Freestyle Hi, and Newport. Rather than chasing trends, they innovate new technologies that trickle into streetwear. Overall selection skews smaller for complementary pairings with parent company Adidas. Youth sizes are available but limited.

The Takeaway: Skechers offers a dramatically wider selection for the entire family while Reebok zones in the mature streetwear aficionado.

Feature	Skechers	Reebok
Style Focus	Casual and sporty lifestyle	Performance with streetwear influence
Selection	Thousands covering lifestyle, athletic performance, work, and kids	Targeted selection optimized to distinct niches
Age Groups	Toddlers to adults	Mostly adults with some “Grade School”

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Comfort and Fit Experience

As mainstream comfort brands, both Skechers and Reebok utilize specialized materials and designs to keep you on your feet. But which sneaker pampers your feet more pleasantly?

Skechers Comfort Technologies

• Air Cooled Memory Foam insoles mold to feet
• Ultra Go cushioning for responsive support
• Arch Fit orthopedic construction
• Wide toe boxes prevent pinching

Reebok Comfort Features

• Floatride Energy Foam midsoles minimize shock
• Flexweave woven textile uppers move naturally
• Speedwick linings wick moisture
• Ortholite anti-microbial sock liners
• Targeted cushioning zones

For all-day wear, low-impact exercise, or standing long hours, Skechers Air Cooled Memory Foam offers unbeatable plushness and conformity to feet. But Reebok matches in critical areas like moisture wicking, targeted cushion zones, and odor prevention for active pursuits.

For fit, Skechers’ relaxed shapes offer wider toe room while Reeboks anatomically map to feet at athletic intensities for secure lockdown. Reebok also bests Skechers by integrating comfort into both lifestyle and performance shoes rather than mainly casuals.

The Takeaway: Skechers provides supreme easy-wearing coziness. Reebok excels at technical active comfort specifically for training, running, and fitness goals.

Feature	Skechers	Reebok
Cushioning	Air Cooled Memory Foam molds to foot	Floatride Foam, Oritolite anti-microbial sock liners
Available Fits	Wide Relaxed Fit rooms, Medium/Wide widths	Contoured anatomically to the foot
Ventilation	Some mesh/knits but many synthetic blends	Woven textiles like Flexweave expel heat and moisture better for high-movement
Shock Absorption	Good	Targeted cushioning systems are better for intensive training/running

Shoe Construction and Durability

Reebok pulls ahead of Skechers when it comes to advanced manufacturing processes that enhance stability, support, and longevity.

The bulk of best-selling Skechers shoes utilize glued soles rather than stitched for affordability. This decreases lifespan compared to pricier methods. Simplistic cushioning platforms get the job done but frequent wearers may experience breakdown. They compensate some with reinforced toe bumpers and heel stabilizers.

Reebok leverages parent company Adidas’ innovation pipeline including gold-standard knitted textiles and molded heel counters for lateral support. Iconic cushioning platforms like Hexalite, IMEVA, and Floatride Foam fine-tune ground feel and responsiveness. Outsole rubbers last longer under abrasion.

The Takeaway: Reebok better constructs performance and lifestyle shoes for athletic durability. Skechers focuses on budget efficiencies over longevity.

Feature	Skechers	Reebok
Construction	Glued Soles	Stitched/Cemented Soles
Stability Structures	Simple Molds	3D Heel Counters, TPU Cages
Shock Absorption	Standard Foams	Advanced Hexalite, IMEVA Platforms
Textiles	Basic Knits/Meshes	Innovative Flexweave Woven Fabric

Traction and Grip

Rubber outsoles provide essential traction against slippery surfaces. Both brands offer stellar options to keep you on your feet.

Skechers’ reputation relies on slip-resistant outsoles reinforced in high-wear zones across industries like service, healthcare, and manual labor jobs. Durable lug designs also excel in hiking traction.

Reebok incorporates tactically placed rubber lugs determined by activity like tight cornering flex grooves for training or triangular decoupling scans for multi-directional agility. Reebok also adds more exotic technologies like antimicrobial copper-infused rubber for added control.

The Takeaway: Skechers delivers no-slip safety and security. Reebok optimizes exacting grip needs for hardcore training to grass play. Both achieve excellent traction through thoughtful outsole engineering.

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Price and Value

Affordability stands tall as a key reason for Skecher’s success while Reebok’s superior constructions command higher yet competitive price points among big brands.

The majority of popular Skechers styles cost between $45 to $100 making them among the best values that don’t look cheap or wear out instantly. Cushioned walking and running options shine around $70 while Work sneakers hover under $90. Luxe materials like waterproof leather or extra stability do climb closer to $120+.

Reebok’s legacy and innovations justify retails between $55 to $140 with classics like Club C’s and Freestyle Hi’s resting below $100. Performance running models equipped with Floatride Energy or FULL LENGTH IMEVA sell in the $100 – $130 range on par with leaders. Collaborations and limited releases with unique tech can demand above $150+.

The Takeaway: Skechers comparatively bargain basement pricing allows you to buy more shoes for the same money. Reebok’s quality commands 10-30% higher yet remains competitively reasonable to other boldface brands with similar offerings.

Feature	Skechers	Reebok
Average Pricing	$45 – $100	$55 – $140
Value Ratio	Exceptional	Appropriate
Materials	Synthetic Mixes	Technical Textiles

Determining Your Best Choice: Skechers vs Reebok

Now that you know how Skechers and Reebok shoes stack up feature to feature, which brand is the overall best choice? The answer depends entirely on what strengths align with your top priorities.

Choose Skechers When You Want:

• A staggering variety of sporty casual styles
• Plush step-in comfort at reasonable prices
• Slip-resistant traction for jobs and activities
• Wide toe boxes with removable insoles
• Trend-driven looks beyond basic black sneakers

Choose Reebok When You Seek:

• Targeted technology for running and training
• Anatomic performance fit that locks down feet
• Advanced supportive features like molded heels
• Innovative textiles that flex and breathe
• Iconic sports heritage and streetwise attitude

While Skechers and Reebok share comfort and sports DNA, they ultimately serve two distinct sneaker shopper mindsets. The choice comes down to the easygoing affordability of Skechers versus Reebok’s pinnacle performance engineering. Which speaks most to your priorities? Once you answer that, your ideal sneaker starts to take shape.

User Reviews

Category	Skechers	Reebok
Comfort	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skechers has extremely comfortable shoes with good arch support and cushioning. The goga mat insoles provide excellent shock absorption.	Reebok shoes are fairly comfortable but some models can be narrow or stiff. Reeboks with DMX foam cushioning tend to be more comfortable.
Style	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skechers offers a wide range of classic and athletic styles. The patterns and colors are fun and modern. Some styles look a bit clunky.	Reebok has very stylish, sleek designs across both lifestyle and athletic categories. Most models look sharp and put-together.
Durability	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skechers shoes tend to wear out more quickly than competing brands, with the soles and insoles losing their shape and cushioning.	Reebok shoes are well-made and hold up extremely well over time across high mileage and intense use.
Price	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Skechers shoes are very affordable, with most lifestyle shoes under $60. Great value for the comfort.	Reebok shoes can range from $50-200 with an average around $100. Generally fairly expensive for the category.

Determining Your Perfect Size and Fit

The final step towards sneaker bliss involves choosing the size to deliver that slipper-like feel. Skechers, Reebok and frankly all brands vary in sizing quirks, widths, and anatomical fits.

Follow these key strategies to zone in on your best-fitting option regardless of brand.

Know Your Measurements

Trace feet outline on paper or get sized every time you shop. Feet morphs over time and numbers differ from brand to brand. Confirm your current length and width instead of guessing.

Wear Test First

Try before you buy and mimic intended activities, pacing back and forth. Make sure no tight spots pinch while walking, running, or standing in place.

Consider Orthotics Needs

If you use orthotics or arch supports, bring them along when trying shoes. Test fit and comfort with your typical inserts before purchasing.

Remember fit trumps features when finding your perfect sneaker soulmate. Invest the time to properly determine your current dimensions and comfort needs. Then apply those learnings as you shop Skechers, Reebok, and any shoe to maximize satisfaction.

Conclusion

Skechers tends to excel in comfort and affordability, with decent but not outstanding style and durability. Reebok edges out Skechers in terms of stylish looks and long-lasting construction quality, but has lower comfort ratings and higher prices on average. Overall Reebok seems to be positioned more as a premium, performance athletic brand, while Skechers focuses more on lifestyle and casual comfort at budget prices. It depends on customer priorities, but both brands make quality footwear.

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