If you’re anything like me, tying your sneakers can be somewhat of a chore — whether it’s because I lack the time or energy, my usual protocol is to wedge my foot into my shoes before I race out the door instead of bending over and properly lacing up. This must be a common issue, as popular footwear brand Skechers has designed a line of slip-on sneakers that take tying and untying your laces out of the equation. Just slide your foot into a pair of Skechers Slip-ins and you’re ready to go, no hands required.
I’ve tested some of the best cross training shoes out there, so I can be a little discerning when it comes to quality sneakers. While I could see Skechers Slip-ins being a great option for more casual usage (and for those with mobility restrictions), I wondered if they’d pass the test for my usual rigorous workouts. So I donned a pair of Skechers Slip-ins Summits for a week’s worth of walks, runs, weightlifting, and HIIT classes. Read my full Skechers Slip-ins Summits review below to see how they fared.
Skechers Slip-ins Summits Dazzling Haze review: Price and Availability
Skechers Slip-ins Summits retail for $75, and are available in both men’s and women’s sizes (although the men’s model is named “High Range”). Their price remains relatively consistent among all the major outlets, but you may save a few bucks by shopping around.
Women’s sizing runs from US 6 to 11, with three color options to choose from — Gray/Multi, Navy/Purple, and Black/White. Men’s sizing runs from US 7.5 to 12, also in three color options — Black/Charcoal, Navy, or Charcoal. Both men’s and women’s Summits come in medium and wide widths.
Skechers Slip-ins Summits Dazzling Haze review: Design and Fit
Like the Skechers Slip-ins Ultra Flex 3.0 that I recently reviewed, the Summits are a sleek, low-profile shoe without a lot of bulk or flash. However, the Summits take a major departure from the Ultra Flex 3.0’s in two major areas: the laces and the outsoles.
Slip-in sneakers without any type of lacing always look a bit strange to me, so personally I like that Skechers has added lacing to their Summits. Even if they’re not what I’d call entirely functional, the laces are made from a stretchy, flexible material that has some give to them. If you’ve got wider feet, this is a blessing. Unfortunately they can’t be used to tighten the shoe at all, which is bad news if you’ve got narrower feet.
Like the Skechers Slip-ins Ultra Flex 3.0 that I recently reviewed, the Summits are a sleek, low-profile shoe without a lot of bulk or flash. However, the Summits take a major departure from the Ultra Flex 3.0’s in two major areas: the laces and the outsoles.
Slip-in sneakers without any type of lacing always look a bit strange to me, so personally I like that Skechers has added lacing to their Summits. Even if they’re not what I’d call entirely functional, the laces are made from a stretchy, flexible material that has some give to them. If you’ve got wider feet, this is a blessing. Unfortunately they can’t be used to tighten the shoe at all, which is bad news if you’ve got narrower feet.
The Summit’s outsole is a lot thinner than the Ultra Flex 3.0’s, but there’s more traction and flex grooves throughout the bottom. Even with this additional texture, I still think they’re more suited to the treadmill than the pavement. The plus side to the Summit’s somewhat thin outsole is that they’re incredibly lightweight — they almost feel more like slippers than sneakers.
Skechers’ signature Air-Cooled Memory Foam makes the Summit’s insole velvety and plush, although not quite as cloud-like as the Ultra Flex 3.0. They’re still supremely comfortable though, more so than most of the shoes I’ve reviewed. Skechers' other signature midsole feature, the trademarked “Heel Pillow” cushioning at the top of the shoe, didn’t do much to keep my foot in place as claimed. But hey, at least it didn’t cause any blisters like the Ultra Flex 3.0’s did.
The upper portion of the sneaker is constructed with a cushy jersey knit that breathes well and hugs the frame of your foot. In my case, it hugged a little too tightly – my rather sizable bunion was throbbing after the first wear. This got better the more I broke them in (which is a normal process for most shoes), but it’s still worth mentioning. The heathered fabric pattern that’s consistent among all the Summits’ colors gives off a very “90’s” kind of vibe, but they say the 90’s are back so I guess that’s a fashionable trait. It certainly wouldn’t be very hard pairing any of the Summit’s color profiles to a more casual outfit.
I’m a US size 8 in most shoes, and that felt like the appropriate size in the Summit. I did experience a lot of gapping around the ankle, though. I’ll elaborate more on that in the next section.
Skechers Slip-ins Summits Dazzling Haze review: Performance
The Skechers Slip-ins Summits are perfect for most lower-impact activities – their thin outsole and cushioned insole made walking feel practically dreamy, they were supportive enough for some light weight training, they were great to pop on after a long Yoga session, and they even held up well for a dance cardio class that I joined. They’re also a super plush casual shoe, probably way more comfortable than the flats or boots that are lining your closet. And as promised, slipping in and out of them was a breeze.
For anything more intense, like running, HIIT circuits, or outdoor hikes, the Skechers Slip-ins Summits are a little too flimsy for the job. One of the major downsides to slip-on sneakers is the inability to customize their fit, and this was a glaring issue during my jogs and HIIT workouts. I have very flat arches but a relatively narrow foot, and with every stride the edges of the collar lining would open up, causing a big gap between the shoe and my ankle. This wreaked havoc on my stability – at one point during a HIIT routine, I even contemplated slipping off the shoe and doing the rest of the workout barefoot.
In terms of weight lifting, the prevailing wisdom is that the thin outsoles will give you a better connection to the floor (some powerlifters even ditch their shoes altogether). However, the Summit’s outsole is still a little too thick to be appropriate for any heavy resistance training. Not to mention that all the comfy insole cushioning becomes very dangerous when you’ve got hundreds of pounds on your back.
Skechers Slip-ins Summits Dazzling Haze review: Verdict
The Skechers Slip-ins Summits Dazzling Haze make putting on (and taking off) your sneakers almost effortless, which is perfect for those with mobility issues, those who travel frequently, and those who can’t stand to tie their shoes. Flexible fixed laces can accommodate feet of various widths, and Skechers’ Air-Cooled Memory Foam keeps your soles cushioned and comfy for miles. They’re great for long walks, light strength training, running errands around town, and maybe even a few Zumba classes.
However, I wouldn’t slip them on for activities like running, HIIT, outdoor hikes, or heavy weight training. If you’ve got those kinds of workouts in your future, I’d find a more supportive lace-up shoe, like some of the best running shoes on the market.
