Skechers SKX 01 Elite review: The sceptics were silenced by the original - but is the update even better?

Skechers released the SKX 01 - the brand's first-ever elite football boot - in the second half of 2023, using England captain Harry Kane to unveil the footwear in a blockbuster lifetime deal.

Since then, the original Skechers SKX 01 has gone from strength to strength, with the latest release a slightly updated version featuring refinements in key areas to create a boot that is even better than the original. The American brand has done something similar with the Skechers Razor Elite, making subtle improvements to enhance the quality of one of the best football boots available.

Indeed, the launch version SKX 01 was generally received well and many saw it as an extremely solid entry into market, so I was interested to see whether the changes made to the boot took it further in the right direction.

Skechers SKX 01 Elite review

Made up of the brand's Fit Knit material, the Skechers SKX 01's upper is supported by a tough silicone skin on top of a knit, which is not only soft but also comfortable straight out of the box. This softens up very quickly during play, too, helping to make them feel great in either a game or training session.

This certainly appears to be an area that is unchanged between the first and second versions of Skechers' flagship model, because I did not feel much difference in the feel of the uppers. That's not to discredit the decision, though, with the upper of the SKX 01 a great option.

Where alterations are noticeable is in the heel counter, which I found a lot more comfortable thanks to the cushioning in that area of the boot feeling softer and slightly less bulky. The Skechers SKX 01 is certainly one of the most comfortable football boots available, with that support clearly a priority of the brand.

The same can be said for the changed shape of the knit around the opening of the boot, which is now flatter. This makes the boots slightly easier to put on, and also means they sit more comfortably around the foot once they are on. The changes may seem small, but they are key to the overall feel of the boot.

It is a shame, however, that after a year of the brand's forray into the football boots market, there is still no dedicated AG or SG options for the SKX 01 (or the Razor). Whereas the outsole on the Skechers Razor Elite makes it unsuitable for artificial surfaces, the SKX 01 Elite soleplate is far less aggressive - so can feasibly be worn on astro turf. However, doing so will likely affect the durability of the boot and increase the risk of separation from soleplate and upper.

With lots of people now playing on 3G or 4G surfaces, I would personally expect a brand to offer models for these surfaces, and is something that will hopefully come in the near future. For now, though, players will just have to look elsewhere for the best football boots for astro turf.

In my opinion, I think the Skechers SKX 01 Elite would compete with some of the best football boots for midfielders, with the boot offering a grippy upper, great comfort and a glove-like fit.

Minor tweaks and improvements are also welcome, too. Too often brands implement dramatic innovation in an attempt to improve results and ultimately regress the quality of product, rather than learning from the first model and building upon something that already works extremely well.