SKECHERS GOrun Performance Footwear Launching Globally for Holiday 2011

SKECHERS USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX) expands within the performance footwear arena with the Holiday 2011 global launch of Skechers GOrun—an innovative new minimalistic lightweight running line featuring revolutionary mid-foot strike technology and GOimpulse sensors for enhanced sensory feedback.

SKECHERS GOrun minimalistic lightweight running footwear features revolutionary mid-foot strike technology and GOimpulse sensors for enhanced sensory feedback. (Photo: Business Wire)

Elite runner, former NYC marathon champion, and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi will introduce this exciting new line to the world on Sunday, November 6 when he runs the 2011 ING New York City Marathon wearing a Skechers GOrun customized racing shoe. Meb won the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon wearing a custom Skechers GOrun racing shoe last month, and he’s also provided SKECHERS with expert insight by testing and consulting on the design of Skechers GOrun as well as other high-performance product currently in development.

"Our Advanced Concepts team invested three years of research working with runners like Meb to design a shoe that ensures a mid-foot strike and elevates the minimal and natural running experience,” said Leonard Armato, president of SKECHERS Fitness Group. "While Skechers GOrun is extremely flexible, responsive, lightweight and low to the ground like other minimalistic footwear, our GOimpulse sensor technology allows this shoe to have just enough Resalyte™ cushion for added protection against impact on any surface. Many people aren’t comfortable running truly barefoot, so we’re offering the best of both worlds, and that’s just part of what makes Skechers GOrun appealing to runners at any level.”

Mid-foot Strike

Patented SmartShoe™ technology positions the body for an efficient mid-foot strike. This gets the foot off the ground faster and reduces the impact of heel striking. (It’s the way you’re supposed to run).

GOimpulse Sensors

Innovative placement allows the sensors on the outsole to move together and independently as they provide sensory feedback to the brain. Runners are able to more easily feel with precision, react to the ground, and adjust their stride. This dynamic interaction leads to a more natural and responsive run. Selected sensors at strike points also feature high-abrasion rubber for extra stability and traction control.

4mm Heel Drop

This low heel drop brings Skechers GOrun 66 percent closer to the ground than traditional running or training shoes to replicate a natural barefoot experience. A roomier forefoot adds to this feeling by allowing extra space for toes to spread, grip and push off.

Radically Lightweight

From the meshes and synthetics to the laces, everything about Skechers GOrun is designed and constructed to be as lightweight as possible, with men’s weighing just 6.9 ounces (size 9) and women’s at 4.9 ounces (size 6).

Sockless and Flexible

An integrated anti-microbial sockliner by OrthoLite® helps inhibit odor and prevent slippage. The outsole offers 360° of responsive flexibility to move and twist with the foot in any direction.

The launch will be backed by an extensive multimedia campaign. From Meb’s Olympic Trials to the 2012 Super Bowl, Skechers GOrun will be everywhere including television, print, outdoor, online, in-store, and more. Plus, grassroots outreach will bring Skechers GOrun to local road races and running events where consumers can try on and test drive the product for themselves.

Skechers GOrun is the first of a collection of ultra-lightweight performance products featuring GOimpulse sensors for natural and responsive feedback. Next will be Skechers GOtrain—a line featuring lateral support for the gym developed through testing with New England Patriots running back (and SKECHERS athlete) Danny Woodhead. Expanding this technology beyond the gym and track, a recovery line called Skechers GOwalk and a casual line called Skechers GOplay are soon to launch as well.

Men’s and Women’s styles from the entire collection of SKECHERS Fitness performance footwear will be available in sporting goods, department and specialty athletic stores around the world.

ABOUT SKECHERS USA, Inc.

SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of footwear for men, women and children under the SKECHERS name, as well as under several uniquely branded names. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States via department and specialty stores, Company-owned SKECHERS retail stores and its e-commerce website, and over 100 countries and territories through the Company’s global network of distributors and subsidiaries in Canada, Brazil, Chile, Japan and across Europe, as well as through joint ventures in Asia. For more information, please visit www.skechers.com, and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SKECHERS) and Twitter (twitter.com/SKECHERSUSA).

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or simply state future results, performance or achievements, and can be identified by the use of forward looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international, national and local general economic, political and market conditions including the ongoing global economic slowdown and market instability; entry into the highly competitive performance footwear market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in SKECHERS’ Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. The risks included here are not exhaustive. SKECHERS and McDonald’s operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50045943&lang=en