#Nike epic react flyknit free#

You’ll see the area around the heel is shaped to move up the top of your foot and still have a close fit around the top of the shoe.

This is mostly because Nike redid their flyknit design from the predecessor a bit to form to the foot better. I mentioned how the shoe felt tight at first, but fit true to size after I fiddled with how my foot was laced up into the shoe. Although it looks like a similar implementation to the predecessor, there are a few changes. If you like Flyknit, you’ll like how Nike used it on this shoe. Over my 50 miles of testing, the outsole held up well, so I suspect these shoes should last at least a few hundred miles before you see signs of the rubber wearing down to the foam. Nike made the channels of this pattern blend into the rubber which is slapped onto the toe and heel of the shoe to help improve long-term durability.Įnough for traction, keeps the shoe light, and Nike mixed in some colors to this rubber mix to make it stand out. The rest of the outsole below the forefoot and heel are covered in a layer of durable rubber with the same pattern pressed into the foam. Since Nike is using a durable foam, they’re taking advantage of this by keeping much of it exposed under the midfoot, and texturing it enough so it adds to the overall traction of the shoe. The sidewalls of the shoe have a light impression of a wiggling circle which become more pronounced as you look at the bottom of the shoe on the outsole. Only exception is the plastic block surrounding the heel counter which I’ll describe in the upper section. The sole itself is pretty simple, with just React foam making up the forefoot to the heel with no other tech/foam/composites in the way. Sometimes when you have a large heel and forefoot stack, the shoe starts to feel sloppy (like the Ultraboost 19 shoes), but this was not much of a problem thanks to how Nike paired the sole with the upper. Since the shoe also had a pretty sizeable forefoot and heel stack, I could slam my feet into the ground without bottoming out the shoe as well (something heavier landing runners might want to know about). I would describe it as a springy bounce that resembles almost a rubber rebound that doesn’t get in the way of your stride.ĭuring longer workouts, I would sometimes notice the extra bounce provided by the React foam. Read on to hear how everything felt after 50+ miles of running around! Nike Epic React Flyknit 2 Sole Unit I was happy though with my normal size after I got the fit figured out. I would advise anyone that likes a roomy feel or anyone that needs this shoe for long distance running to try a half size up. I almost thought I should go up half a size, but settled my heel into the back of the shoe and got a decent fit in. Lacing up the Epic React Flyknit 2s was snug. I had also just tested the Nike Legend React shoes which are pretty similar on paper, so I was extra curious on how well the Epic React Flyknit 2s would do (Nike, can you make shoe names a little longer? haha). I got this pair of shoes with the Adidas Ultraboost 19 shoes, so my testing not only included seeing how good this show was, but seeing how it stacked up against one of it’s bigger competitors.

#Nike epic react flyknit free#

The Free line of Nike shoes covers the area of shoes that are designed to connect you to the running surface and emulate a more minimalist feel while the Epic React Flyknits are more focused on giving you a smooth ride with a comfortable upper. So the Epic React Flyknit 2 is pushing a newer type of foam and design that the Air Zoom Pegasus doesn’t capture. The Air Zoom Pegasus is a very established line of from Nike with proven tech built on a familiar platform for daily training.

If you’re still in the middle of the market deciding which shoe to go with, you should check out the Air Zoom Pegasus and the Free line of shoes. If you’re someone attracted to the React foam but don’t care for the Flyknit upper or midsole design, go for the Legend React and save $50 or so bucks. Nike wants this shoe to appeal to the runner who wants better than average in both performance and looks. It’s approaching the elite racing shoe like the Vaporfly 4% Flyknit, and it’s far from an entry level shoe like the Revolution 4. The Epic React Flyknit 2 running shoe sits in the top edge of the pricing lineup for existing running shoes.