Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 Intro

Reebok is not a hot name in running shoes at the moment. However, they have made some decent offerings in the past couple of year, especially in the stripped-down, go-fast category.

These Energy 2s are right there, and –rightfully so – have been touted as one of the “best buys” of 2020. At this price point, the Energy will compete against the likes of the Brooks Launch, Saucony Kinvara, and the Mizuno Wave Shadow.

On paper, the closest comparison will be the Kinvara, with the combination of cushion and energy return. Although I have not run in a Launch since the 4s, they ran much firmer than does the Energy.

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 First Impressions

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 – Lateral Side

When the shoes showed up, I was excited to see what Reebok had to offer. Although I love the color (bright orange), the actual look of the shoe was kind of boring.

The look of the shoe is very reminiscent of toned down New Balance Vazee Pace (circa 2015), with a less aggressive toe box.

When I took them out of the box, I was surprised to find that the shoe ran a full size (or more) large and the heel collar was wider than expected. It took a while to get them to fit correctly.

But on the foot, they were super comfortable. The combination of cushion and light weight made that first run quite enjoyable, despite the fit issues.

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 Sole Unit

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 – Sole

The Floatride Energy 2 is all about the sole unit. Starting from the ground up, the Energy has a very solid outsole. This carbon-rubber has tons of traction and shows very little wear.

I have put 75+ miles on my pair, and I haven’t noticed any wear on the tread.

However, the rubber is one of the more solid and heavier parts of the shoe and could have easily been a blown rubber to cut the weight down even more.

But the real shining part of the shoe is the midsole, where the Floatride foam offers plenty of cushion and energy return.

To cut down the weight and keep it snappy, Reebok put 29mm under the heel and 19mm under the toe, a 10mm drop. This cushion amount is perfect for the tempo runs, and the 5k or 10k races.

However, I found it lacking for longer runs at my size. Coming back from my injury, the longest I’ve gone is 8 miles, and these shoes were a little too thin for that distance in my condition.

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 Upper Unit

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 – Closeup

The upper on the Energy is not anything amazing. They have not reinvented the way I would think about a shoe. But it is solid.

Using an engineered mesh, the upper is very flexible and breathable. The upper moves with your foot through your entire gait.

The 3D printed overlays help lock the midfoot down. Reebok claims the lightweight heel counter design will lock in your foot.

However, in my experience here, the heel counter didn’t do a great job. My heels both developed blisters during my runs.

The upper is roomy, and feels well made. But be aware, this shoe runs large. Usually a size 13 fits perfect for my running, just a little room in the toe for landing and toe-off.

In a good running shoe, you need that space. However, in this shoe I had a knuckle and a half of extra space. I usually look for a fingernail, this was too much.

Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 Conclusion

Overall, this shoe is solid. There are many things going for it, especially at the price point. However, it is not a perfect shoe.

The biggest issue is the fit, as this is the biggest size discrepancy I’ve ever encountered in a shoe. Odds are, I should have run in a 12 instead of the 13 I usually use. Was this the reason the heel counter didn’t “lock me in”? Did I have issues with the shoes just because of the sizing? Or was there more to it?

The energy return is great, and I truly did enjoy them for 5k or 10k runs, especially in the parts where I picked up the pace. The light weight and bounce were noticeable. However, when I expanded to a longer run, they broke down on me.

I’m sure that being a 6’3, 230-pound runner had something to do with that breakdown. However, I was surprised by how my feet felt after that longer attempt. With that said, if you are a slighter runner, I don’t think you’ll experience quite the same thing.

At the end of the day, it is something where this shoe definitely has, it’s market. I think this would be a great shoe for someone who is 140-170 pounds (or lighter) and likes to push the pace. And the price point is great for a decent running shoe at this point. The fact that you can find it for under $100 puts it in a different class than many shoes.

Are these the right shoe for me? No. But could they be the right one for you? It might be worth a try.

We purchased a pair of Reebok Forever Floatride Energy 2 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.