The Nike Free line of running shoes was originally designed to mimic barefoot running on grass. All shoes in the line are characterized by an extremely flexible sole, and the three models vary in upper construction and the amount of sole cushioning. The Free 5.0 has the highest heel-forefoot drop and a more traditional, though […]
Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit 2015 Review: Flexible Sole, Sock-Like Upper, and Solid Cushioning in a Lightweight Package
May 28, 2015 By 23 Comments
Nike Free 5.0 2015 Review: Yes, You Can Run in Them!
May 18, 2015 By 43 Comments
Over the past several years the Nike Free 5.0 has consistently been one of the best selling athletic shoes in the United States. Go to any school and you’re likely to see many kids sporting the flexible and colorful 5.0s. When I was in Disney World earlier this year the Free was probably among the […]
2015 Nike Free 5.0, 4.0 Flyknit and 3.0 Flyknit Released Today
April 1, 2015 By 12 Comments
One of my favorite running shoes from last year was the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit. In fact, the 4.0 Flyknit might be my favorite Free of all-time – my only real complaint was that the lacing put a bit of pressure on the top of my foot with extended wear. In contrast to the 4.0, […]
Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit Review: The Best Nike Free Yet?
May 22, 2014 By 87 Comments
I’m going to start this review with a bold statement: the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit is the best Nike Free shoe I have ever worn. Writing that opening line is a big deal for me because the original Nike Free 3.0 remains one of my favorite shoes of all time. That shoe was lightweight, ultra-flexible, […]
Nike Free 5.0 2014: A No-Go For Me
April 4, 2014 By 33 Comments
Update 5/18/2015: Nike has fixed the issue I had with this shoe in the newest version – view my review of the 2015 Nike Free 5.0 here. When you’re in the business of writing about running shoes, it pays to be quick about sharing thoughts on new shoe releases, particularly when the release involves one […]
The Origin of the Nike Free: Two Videos for Running Shoe Geeks
March 28, 2014 By 5 Comments
Being both a scientist and a shoe geek, I love learning about the process that goes into the design of running shoes. I’ve been a fan of the Nike Free line since the original Free 3.0, and have run in many models since. With the exception of a few lemons (e.g., Free 3.0 v4), I’ve […]
Nike Unveils the Free 5.0 v2, 4.0 v4, and 3.0 v6 for 2014
March 14, 2014 By 27 Comments
UPDATE 4/3/2014 – The 2014 Nike Free shoes are now available at Zappos and Nike.com. Outside of the US they can be purchased at Wiggle.co.uk. I have also posted a full review of the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit. Nike has officially released the new 2014 Nike Free models: Free 5.0 v2, Free 4.0 v4, and Free 3.0 v6. In […]
Nike Free 5.0 v2 2014 Photos: Is This the New Free?
March 7, 2014 By 4 Comments
Update 3/14/2014: Nike has officially introduced the 2014 Nike Free shoes. Click here for images and details on the Nike Free 3.0 v6, Free 4.0 v4, and Free 5.0 v2. While writing my Nike Free 5.0+ review earlier today I came across a notice on Nike ID that the update to the 5.0+ was coming […]
Nike Free 5.0+ Running Shoe Review
March 7, 2014 By 22 Comments
Update 3/14/2014: Nike has officially introduced the 2014 Nike Free shoes. Click here for images and details on the Nike Free 3.0 v6, Free 4.0 v4, and Free 5.0 v2. I have a fairly long history with the Nike Free line of shoes. My first step into more minimal footwear was with the Free 3.0 v1 back […]
Nike Free Flyknit Hyperfeel: The Shoe Giant Goes Ultraminimal?
June 19, 2013 By 12 Comments
In a footwear world where most companies are looking to step back a bit from ultraminimal shoes, Nike appears poised to take it’s biggest step yet toward barefoot-style footwear. A reader just alerted me to a post on Nikeblog.com about the Nike Free Flyknit Hyperfeel (thanks Joel!). It combines a woven, sock-like flyknit upper, what […]
Nike Free 3.0 v5 Review: Redemption For One Of My Favorite Shoe Lineages!
May 23, 2013 By 46 Comments
Update 3/14/2014: Nike has just announced the release of the Nike Free 3.0 v6. For details, visit this post. After a phenomenal debut, the Nike Free 3.0 line entered a steady downward spiral, culminating in one of the worst shoes I have worn since I started reviewing running shoes back in 2009. The Free 3.0 […]
Nike Free 3.0 v5 Preview: The Awful Upper is Gone!
March 22, 2013 By 9 Comments
The Running Warehouse blog just put up a post introducing the Nike Free 3.0 v5. As I’ve written on this blog many times, the Free 3.0 is a shoe with special meaning to me since version 1 of the model was my first “minimalist” running shoe. It led me on the path to where I […]
Nike Free 3.0 in Stock at Footlocker.com
June 21, 2010 By 15 Comments
I’ve written several posts about how much I like the Nike Free 3.0 – it’s still one of my all-time favorite running shoes. The problem is that the model is pretty hard to come by these days, leading some (myself included) to speculate that the model might be going away. Just noticed that Foot Locker […]
Review of the Nike Free 3.0 as a Transitional Minimalist Shoe
May 29, 2010 By 28 Comments
Nike Free 3.0 – 2nd Generation (Update 5/23/2013: The Nike Free 3.0 is now in version 5, you can read my review of the Nike Free 3.0 v5 here) About a month ago I wrote a series of posts in which I was critical of the newest member of Nike’s Free line of minimalist running […]
Wired’s Crappy Review of the Nike Free Run+: Ignoring Running Science and Themselves
In my previous post (On Minimalist Running Shoes: Vibram has Balls, Nike Dropped Them), I expressed my disappointment with Nike for the direction they appear to be heading with their Free line of “barefoot-simulating” running shoes. In particular, I feel that marketing of the new Nike Free Run+ as a “barefoot-like” shoe is disingenuous, particularly […]