Out of the box, the Tempo is an intriguing shoe. It’s as if the folks at Skora took a racing shoe upper, widened the toe box to Altra-like proportions, and glued a substantially cushioned sole to it.

This combo may be just what you’re looking for, or it may feel just as awkward as it sounds.

Skora Tempo Shoe General Info

Indeed, the Tempo is Skora’s most cushioned entry to date, upping the padding offered in the Form and the Fit to 22mm at both the forefoot and heel stack.

Like Skora’s other offerings, the look is flashy and distinctive, brightly colored with the signature off-center lacing, designed to prevent friction.

Skora identifies the Tempo as both a transitional shoe for folks looking to get into more of a “natural” (i.e. fore- midfoot) gait, or for anyone looking for more “plush in their ride,” and on both elements, it delivers.

In terms of fit, the extra-wide toe box is roomy even by Skora standards; this reviewer found it ran large compared to the Skora Phase in the same size.

Skora Tempo Sole Info

Despite the overall light weight of the shoes, the soles have some heft to them. The rounded edges and midfoot flexibility indeed provide a smooth ride.

Zero drop heel-to-toe differential encourages a natural stride, though may overstress calves for runners not used to it.

Skora Tempo Upper Info

The breathable mesh provides welcome ventilation especially on hot summer runs, but it’s so sheer that you can see your socks through it.

Which is unfortunate, since the fluorescent orange insole may stain. The oversize toe box is welcome, especially for fore- and midfoot strikers who crave toe spread.

Skora Tempo Conclusions

As a minimal runner, the Tempos, with their thickly cushioned sole, felt like just a bit too much shoe for me.

Annoyingly, I also kept getting the same blister on the bunion of one foot, which limited my desire to lace them up as a go-to for long runs; my suspicion is that going down a half size would’ve preventing the excessive movement that caused the friction.

That aside, the Tempos’ unique attributes could make it just perfect for a neutral midfoot runner logging mucho miles.

We thank the nice people at Skora for sending us a pair of Tempo to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.