The Free 5.0 has the highest heel-forefoot drop and a more traditional, though still fairly minimal, upper. The Free 4.0 has a Flyknit upper with a tongue and it occupies the middle ground with regard to amount of cushion and structure. The Free 3.0 is the most minimal  (lower number = more minimal) of the three shoes with the thinnest sole and a Flyknit upper with no tongue. It’s basically a sock with a sole attached.

I’ve long been a fan of the Free 3.0 line. The original 3.0 remains one of my all-time favorite shoes, and I’ve run in several of the subsequent iterations. However, I passed on the 2014 version of the Free 3.0, which was the first version to incorporate the Flyknit upper. I’d heard that the upper was pretty tight (it needs to be somewhat tight since it is what secures the foot to the sole – the laces do very little), and the $140 price tag was a bit much to swallow. However, it’s one of those shoes that readers have asked about a lot, and several have suggested that I try it.

I was recently contacted by Nike about the new Free line, and they sent along a pairs of the 2015 Free 3.0 and 4.0 for me to test out. I’ve now been running in the 3.0 for several weeks, and it’s time for a review. (Disclosure: The shoes reviewed here are media samples provided free of charge by the manufacturer.)

Specs

Per Running Warehouse, the Free 3.0 Flyknit weighs in at 7.1 oz in men’s size 9. Sole stack heights are 21 mm heel, 17 mm forefoot for a drop of 4mm.

Upper and Fit

The upper of the Free 3.0 is about as minimal as you can get. It’s a single piece, knit upper with Flywire extending from the sole to the lace attachments. There are only three lace loops on each side, and the laces are very thin. That’s about it!

In terms of function and fit, I’ve come to love the upper on this shoe. It isn’t nearly as tight-fitting as I anticipated, and it does a great job of securing my foot against the sole. My guess is that fit and security will be highly dependent on foot shape – if you have a particularly wide foot it may feel a bit restricting, if you have a narrow foot you may have some lack of security, though in the latter case the laces may help a bit. Personally, I haven’t cinched the laces at all and tension in the upper weave is pretty much solely responsible for keeping the shoe on my foot.

Given that it is essentially a sock with a sole, sockless wear is a perfectly viable option with this shoe (though removal of the tag from the insole might help avoid some friction).

My favorite thing about the upper of this shoe is the fact that it is super easy to slip on without messing with the laces. In fact, I haven’t touched the laces since the first time I put the shoes on my feet. You can simply grab the upper behind the heel, stretch it back, then slide your foot in. Love this, and makes it a super easy shoe to get on and off for casual wear.

One final comment on fit – you will probably notice from the images of this shoe that it appears to have a pretty substantial amount of toe spring. The reason for this is the tension in the knit upper combined with the flexiblity of the sole. It flattens out once your foot is in the shoe  – the foot stretches the upper and weight pushes the sole flat. I have not had any issues with this aspect of the shoe.

Sole

The first thing I noticed about the sole of this shoe was that the forefoot felt surprisingly cushy. Despite having the thinnest sole of the three running shoes in the Free line, I feel like the 3.0 has the best forefoot cushioning of the group, and it remains noticeable when running in the shoes. In contrast, the heel has a firmer feel, and this makes for a unique ride – it’s more common for the reverse to be the case. Combined with the extreme flexibility of the siped sole, the unique feel of the cushioning has made for enjoyable ride  runs up to 9 miles so far. I actually think I prefer the 3.0 for longer runs over it’s more structured sibling the 5.0 – the 3.0 is one of those shoes that just disappears on my feet.

One concern present with every Free shoe is that the grooves in the sole tend to pick up rocks and other small road debris. I’ve certainly picked up my share of pebbles in the 3.0, but no huge rocks that have forced me to stop for a clean-up during a run. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend taking these off-road if you are worried about picking up debris.

Nike Free 3.0 (left) and 5.0 (right). Note the more rounded heel of the 3.0.

As for durability, there is not a lot of rubber on the sole of this shoe – just a few small patches around the heel and under the big toe. Wear after about 30 miles of running and considerable casual use has been minimal so far. Interestingly, I saw a fair amount of wear on the heel rubber of the 5.0 after similar mileage. This has not happened in the 3.0, and I think it may be due to the more rounded sole in the heel region of this shoe (see photo above) – it doesn’t catch the ground as easily as that of the 5.0 (I tend to scuff a bit on the outer heel).

Conclusion

If you want a minimally structured shoe that feels like an extension of your foot but retains solid cushioning, the Free 3.0 would be one of my top recommendations. If you are new to this type of shoe, I would recommend a slow transition due to the extreme flexibility and minimal structure of the upper.

The 3.0 is also a great choice as part of a shoe rotation if you want something to force you foot to do a bit more work on occasional workouts. My only real concern with this shoe is the price tag – $140 is pretty steep, and the slightly cheaper 4.0 offers a similar ride and a more traditional Flyknit upper. If you can afford it though, the Free 3.0 Flyknit is worth a try!

The Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit is available for purchase at Running Warehouse US, Nike.com, and Wiggle (UK).

Where you are less likely to see the Free 5.0 is at a running race. The reason is that the immense popularity of the shoe is tied more to it’s use for casual wear rather than for running. In terms of typical usage, it’s more of a fashion shoe than a running shoe.

I’ve been running in various versions of the Nike Free since 2009, and they have consistently been among my favorites. With their moderately thin, super-flexible soles, and minimally structured uppers, the Frees are intended to provide a more minimal, barefoot-inspired ride. Nike described them as a training tool to be used on occasion to strengthen the feet and legs. I tend to use them more as a lightweight trainer for shorter to moderate distance runs. And for that purpose they have served me very well.

The 5.0 is the most amply cushioned member of the Free collection. I’ve run in a few previous versions (it used to be called the Free Run+), but the 2014 model was a no-go for me due to a constricting band at the base of the lace rows. It dug into my foot and caused pain, an experience others with high-volume feet have reported as well. When I first saw the pictures of the 2015 version of the Free 5.0 it appeared that this band was gone, so I ordered a pair to give them a try. I’m glad I did as the problem has been fixed, and I’ve really enjoyed running in the shoes over the past several weeks.

Specs

Per Running Warehouse, the Nike Free 5.0 2015 weighs in at 7.6 oz in men’s size 9. Stack heights are 23mm heel, 15mm forefoot.

Upper and Fit

I’ll start by saying that the Free 5.0 is a ridiculously comfortable shoe, and I think this is part of what drives its popularity. Yes, they consistently look great. Yes, they come in a rainbow of colors. Yes, they have a swoosh on the side. But add in the fact that they feel like slippers on your feet and you have the makings of a bestselling shoe for the masses.

The 5.0 has a generous fit in the forefoot which is a major plus for the comfort factor. I think most people are used to wearing shoes that are a bit narrower – put on a shoe like the Free and you can feel the difference when your toes have a bit of room to move around. I almost always go up a half size in Nikes, and I did so in this shoe as well – the bit of extra space up front makes for an even roomier experience.

One of the things I’ve always loved about the Free shoes is that they lack a heel counter. In case you’re not familiar with the terminology, a heel counter is a firm, plastic insert located in the back of many shoes to give the heel region structure. In the Free 5.0 there is no counter at all, and this adds to the slipper-like experience. The lack of a heel counter is also one of the reasons why I often recommend the Free to people with insertional Achilles tendon issues that may be aggravated by a plastic counter in the heel.

The remainder of the upper is soft and flexible, and the interior is super comfortable and suitable for sockless wear. The laces are slightly offset to the side, and loop through flywire bands that help to lock the middle of the foot down. The mesh over the forefoot has a bit of give/stretch – very nice.

Overall, I’d go so far as to say that the Free 5.0 is the most comfortable shoe I have worn this year. I’m having a hard time keeping them off my feet!

Sole

The sole of the 5.0 has the characteristic siping grooves that are featured on all Nike Free shoes. The sipes make for an extremely flexible sole that bends and rolls with ease. Your foot will basically do what it wants in this shoe, which could be either a good thing or a bad thing. I love a minimally controlling shoe so they work very well for me, but they can also exaggerate foot movement in some cases. For example, I filmed my wife running in an older version of the Frees and the sole flexibility tended to exaggerate her pronation on one side (she has a bunion on one side and tends to cave some shoes during late-stage pronation).

Scientific studies have actually found that people transitioning to Frees can experience higher impact loading due to the reduced amount of cushion, and another study found that runners transitioning into Frees had higher injury rates than those transitioning into either the Nike Pegasus or Vibram Fivefingers. This points to the potential risk of a moderately cushioned shoe like the Free 5.0. There is enough cushion that it probably won’t stimulate a major change in your stride, but there is probably less cushion than you are used to having to deal with the impacts of running. As such, it is suggested that you use some caution when beginning to run in a shoe like the Free 5.0.

In terms of the ride, I find the Free 5.0 to be semi-firm with not a lot of rebound. It’s a smooth shoe due to the extreme flexibility of the sole, but it is not the most responsive shoe on the market. It’s not a shoe you would choose for your next 5K, and probably not the best choice for a marathon unless you have done extensive training in them. I prefer them for runs from about 3-10 miles. My max in the 5.0 2015 is a bit over eight miles in one run, and short of a few hot spots on the inside of my heels (not sure what caused this) they worked just fine.

A quick comment on durability. After about 30 miles of running and extensive casual wear the soles of the Free 5.0 look pretty good. The only exception is that one of the black outsole patches near the heel has worn down on one side to reveal a different colored rubber below (I’m a bit of a scuffer). I don’t expect this will be a problem from a functional standpoint, but you may not get hundreds of miles out of a shoe like this that has such a small amount of rubber on the sole.

Conclusion

The Nike Free 5.0 2015 is lightweight, flexible, and incredibly comfortable. If your sole reason for wanting them is for casual use, go out and get a pair right now, they are that good. For running, they aren’t fast and they aren’t super cushioned so not the best choice for an all-around trainer. But for short to moderate length runs where you want a very flexible, minimally controlling ride with some cushion they are a solid option. And if, like me, you couldn’t wear the 2014 version due to that tight band over the forefoot, rest assured that the problem has now been fixed.

The Nike Free 5.0 is available for purchase at Running Warehouse US, Running Warehouse EU, and Zappos. You can also customize a pair in whichever color combo you could imagine via Nike ID. Sales made through these links help to support this site – thanks!

In contrast to the 4.0, the 5.0 was a total bust for me. A band of material at the base of the lace row was too tight and dug into my foot. Sizing up did not help, and I was forced to return the pair that I purchased.

Today Nike releases the 2015 editions of the Free running shoes, with new versions of the 5.0, 4.0, and 3.0 hitting the market (they are now in-stock at the Nike.com store). All three look to be upper updates that retain the sole of previous versions – this is encouraging as the issues I had with the 4.0 and 5.0 had to do with the uppers.

Nike Free 5.0 2015

The new Free 5.0 has a completely redesigned upper, and the band that dug into my foot in the 2014 version looks to be gone. Given my affinity for the Free shoes and the lower price tag on this one, this is likely to be the model that I’ll pick up among the three released today. MSRP for the new Free 5.0 is $100. Update 5/18/2015: View my review of the 2015 Nike Free 5.0 here.

Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit 2015

The new 4.0 appears pretty similar overall to the previous version – looks like a slightly different lacing system and a different mesh over the midfoot region. Not sure if the differences to the upper are enough to make me splurge on a pair. MSRP for the new Free Flyknit 4.0 is $120.

Nike Free 3.0 Flyknit 2015

I never ran in the 2014 3.0 Flyknit, though I heard good things about it from a lot of runners.  Like it’s predecessor, the new 3.0 is constructed like a sock attached to a sole, with slight tweaks to the upper design. Looks like a slight change in construction of the ankle collar, and a different mesh under the laces and over the forefoot. I remain intrigued by this shoe, but the $140 price tag is just a bit too high for my taste.

All of the above shoes are now available for purchase at Nike.com.

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, ran silent, and had a sock-like upper that was about as near perfection as a minimal shoe upper can get. My only complaint about the 3.0 v1 was that it was a bit narrow. The new 4.0 Flyknit matches the original 3.0 on all of the positives, and improves on it by having a much wider toebox. It’s an amazingly good shoe.

Interestingly, I almost passed on trying the Free 4.0 Flyknit. Several weeks ago I purchased the new 2014 model of the Nike Free 5.0. I hated it. It had a tight band around the forefoot that dug into my skin, and quite honestly it felt and looked a bit cheaply made. I wasn’t impressed and it went back to the store unworn. However, I’d heard from some fellow shoe geeks that the 4.0 was going to be the big winner among the 2014 Free models, so I spent the $100+ to buy a pair (MSRP is $120). This might be one of the few times where I feel that the relatively high cost might be justifiable – I like the shoe that much.

So what is it that makes the Free 4.0 Flyknit so special? Well, pretty much the entire package. The shoe simply feels like an extension of my foot. It gives me everything I need, and almost nothing that I don’t, and that is exactly what I want in a shoe.

Shoe Stats

Weight: 7.4 oz in men’s size 9; 6.3 oz in women’s size 8 (per Running Warehouse)
Stack Height: 20mm heel, 14mm forefoot (per Running Warehouse)
Sizing: I went a half size up as I typically do in Nike shoes, might have been unnecessary

Upper Construction

The Flyknit upper of the Free 4.0 is minimally structured. No overlays, no heel counter, just a stretchy woven mesh with a few Flywire bands on either side of the lace rows to lock the foot down. It feels like a sock, and it hugs my foot in all of the right ways. Not too tight, not too loose. Just perfect. The heel and midfoot are snugged in tightly, and the forefoot opens up so that the tight weave does not constrict or squeeze the toes. The entire upper flexes and moves with the foot in a way I have rarely experienced in a running shoe.

The upper mesh is open in the midfoot and forefoot to provide for some air flow. Unlike the new Free 3.0 Flyknit, which I have heard fits fairly tightly, the 4.0 has a traditional tongue, and I think this allows for better customization of fit. I’ve run sockless in the shoes a few times and have had a bit of abrasion on one run near the midfoot/arch (maybe from one of the Flywire bands?), but this has been inconsistent. May have just been a hot day with more sweat leading to chafe. No issues at all while wearing socks (side note – these shoes seem to hold a stink when you use them sockless).

Sole Construction

Like the upper, the sole of the Free 4.0 Flyknit is super flexible and moves really well with the foot. The sole is typical of other Nike Free shoes in having individual pods separated by deep grooves to maximize flexibility. The drawback of the grooved sole is that the grooves do tend to collect rocks and pebbles, but this has never really bothered me in any of the Frees and they are easy enough to get out by taking the shoe off and flexing the sole around after a run.

The majority of the sole is exposed midsole cushion, so you can barely hear your footfalls while running in them – I love a silent shoe! The tradeoff to this design is that there is minimal outsole coverage – rubber pods are only present at the back outer heel and under the big toe. As such, sole durability is something to keep an eye on if you tend to be a scuffer. Interestingly, my wear pattern only seems to be from the anteriormost heel pod forward through the midfoot – much more of a midfoot landing wear pattern than I tend to observe in most other shoes that I run in.

You can see that after 40 miles I’ve ground down the protruding portions of the white pods directly above and to the right the 4.0 in the image below:

I’m wondering if the slightly rounded heel, curved sole, and flexibility of the shoe have something to do with this more anterior wear pattern?

Performance

I’ve honestly found it really hard to not pull these shoes out for most of my recent runs (though the Saucony Kinvara 5 is giving them a run for the money as current favorites). I’ve run just over 40 miles in them so far, with a max long run of 14 miles. I’ve run from easy pace down to 5K pace. They’ve worked well for just about everything. I’d have no hesitation in taking them beyond 14 miles in a single run, I might even consider them for a marathon. They are a bit too flexible for my taste for speed or a 5K, and the sole grooves would probably collect too much debris for off-road use, but they are versatile enough to handle just about anything else I could throw at them.

I’m really hard-pressed to come up with anything negative about this shoe – I think the only issue I’ve had was with the fact that the size tag is stitched to the underside of the insole and I can feel the stitching under my heel. It wasn’t bad with socks, but it was noticeable when I went barefoot in them. It might be possible to cut the tag and remove the stitching, but I was lazy and just swapped the insoles out for an identical one from an older pair of Free 5.0s.

In addition to running in them, I’ve also found the Free 4.0 Flyknit to be a fantastic casual shoe. I bought a pair in black since I like to have a few conservative looking shoes for casual wear, and I’m typically sockless in them while walking around. They are amazingly comfortable.

Conclusion

The Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit is a fantastic shoe, easily one of my favorites so far this year. If you want something with a minimal upper, a flexible sole, and a roomy toebox these should be at the top of your list of options to try.

Purchasing Options

The Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit is available in a variety of colors at Running Warehouse and Road Runner Sports. Outside of the US they can be purchased at Wiggle.co.uk. Purchases made via these retailer links help to support this site – thanks!

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 of the top-selling shoes in the country (world?). This week Nike launched the 2014 Free line, and my plan was to pick up a pair right away and fast-track a review (i.e., run in them pretty much exclusively for a week or two to get enough miles for a solid review).

Last night I went to the local Dick’s Sporting Goods to pick up a pair of the Nike Free 5.0 2014. I initially tried on a pair in size 10.5, which is what I wore in the previous version, and they felt a bit long. I asked to try a 10, and I immediately noticed that something was amiss. There is a welded overlay that extends continuously from the sole on each side up and across the base of the lace row (see area circled in red below). Overlays like this are great for providing support to an upper, but the problem is that they don’t stretch. There’s no give. And when they extend continuously across the entire upper of a shoe they can create a point of restriction. If your foot has a larger circumference than the tunnel created by the overlay, it will dig into your foot since it doesn’t stretch.

In the size 10’s, this overlay was so tight that it was actually digging painfully into my foot. I started having flashbacks to my experience with the forefoot band on the original New Balance MT10. It’s unfortunate because the forefoot of the new 5.0 is roomy, stretchy, and feels great, and I think the size 10 was a better fit. I wound up taking the 10.5’s home, and was planning on running in them today, but when I tried them on this morning I could still feel distinct pressure  from the band even in the larger size.

My experience tells me that when you feel something distinctly off in a shoe, it’s probably not a good match. If I ran in them I wouldn’t be able to return them, so I’ve decided they are going back to the store unused (I’ll grab a pair of the Free Flyknit 4.0’s when they come out instead). I had such a bad experience with the same sensation in the old NB MT10’s that it’s just not worth the risk (it’s strange, I almost have a phantom sensation in that area as I sit here wearing a totally different shoe – kind of like a food aversion that develops after a case of salmonella poisoning).

My guess is that people with narrow feet, or those who have a relatively low-volume forefoot will not have a problem and the Free 5.0 2014 will work fine. My feet are average width (I can fit fine into most racing flats, which tend to be narrow), but may be slightly higher volume than average (i.e., taller top to bottom). Thus, the circumference of my foot in this area exceeds the circumference of the tunnel created by this restrictive overlay, and thus it’s a no-go for me. So my rec would be that if you have a wide foot, or a thick foot from top to bottom, these shoes may not work out for you either (and if you had a problem with the forefoot band on the NB MT10, stay away for sure!). Narrow or low volume, you’re probably good to go.

What frustrates me about this is that the shoe otherwise looks and feels great. I love the new sole, and the forefoot is roomy and has a nice stretchy feel to it. What’s more, the problem could be so easily fixed by just adding a gap of stretchy material into the overlay strap (maybe at the base of the lace row) to allow expansion for a higher volume foot. Seems like something that should have been caught and fixed in the development process. I’m hopeful that the Flyknit upper on the new Free 4.0 will perform better. We’ll see!

If you have a wide or high-volume foot and you’ve tried on the new Free 5.0, I’d be curious to hear if you’ve had a similar experience?

via designboom

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 like almost all of them.

The original idea behind the Nike Free was to create a shoe that simulates running barefoot on grass, and though I’m not sure I’d say that they replicate that experience perfectly, they do have a very different feel than most shoes on the market (super flexible, silent underfoot). One might even argue that the Free was a minimalist shoe before the phrase “minimalist shoe” even existed, and the original Free is a shoe that will be remembered as a milestone in footwear innovation.

I recently came across two videos on the origin of the Nike Free (via Running Warehouse and designboom) and wanted to share them here. Enjoy!

Nike has officially released the new 2014 Nike Free models: Free 5.0 v2, Free 4.0 v4, and Free 3.0 v6. In this post I’ll run down the major features of each of the new shoes.

Nike Free 5.0

The Free 5.0 has traditionally been the best selling of the Free shoes (all are very popular) and retains a traditional style upper.

The big change comes to the sole where we see a new hexagonal siping pattern instead of the squares that have long characterized the Free line.

The 5.0 also has a more rounded heel which I think will be an improvement over the previous version ((I’m not a fan of flared heels). Per Jeff Dengate’s article, the Free 5.0 v2 weighs in at ~8oz and is 8mm drop (similar to previous versions). MSRP for the 5.0 is $100 – given my affinity for the Free shoes, I’ll likely pick up a pair of these for a review when they are available.

Nike Free 4.0 v4

I’ve never run in any of the iterations of the Free 4.0 shoes (Update: I have now posted a full review of the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit). I tried on the v3 at a Nike store and the forefoot seemed to be a bit low in volume (top to bottom) for my foot. The 4.0 v4 moves from a traditional upper to a new Flyknit upper, but it retains a tongue and traditional lacing. I’ve not tried a Flyknit upper shoe yet, and this one looks intriguing.

The 4.0 also sports the new hexagonal sole pattern and a more rounded heel:

Jeff Dengate indicated that this has been his favorite among the new Frees, and he reports that it weighs in at 7.7oz and has a 6mm drop. MSRP is $120 (Flyknit shoes are expensive).

Nike Free 3.0 v6

While I’m game to try the new 5.0 and 4.0, I’m afraid Nike may have ruined the 3.0 for me. This is sad as it has traditionally been my favorite in the Free line (here’s my review of the Free 3.0 v5). First off, they have replaced the traditional upper with a tongueless Flyknit upper.

This is reminiscent of the Nike Free Flyknit that they released last year. I tried the Free Flyknit on at a Nike Outlet a few months ago (they were on a steep discount) and found them to be incredibly tight fitting, almost uncomfortably so. The reason being I think is that instead of a tongue and more traditional lacing, they rely on the tight fit of the Flyknit weave to hold the foot on top of the sole platform. It felt almost like a tight compression sock on top of a shoe sole. In his report on the Frees, Jeff Dengate reports that the new Free 3.0 v6 also has a rather tight fit, and this may kill the 3.0 for me.

The upper of the Free 3.0 v6 is disappointing since the 4mm drop sole looks great and has the most rounded heel of the 3 shoes in the collection (looks like Nike ID currently only allows mix/match between the new 4.0 and 5.0):

The other big issue with the 3.0 v6 is price – the v5 had an MSRP of $110, and v6 jumps to $140. That’s a pretty steep price for a shoe like this.

In addition to the images, Nike also released the following video to accompany the release – lots of nice slow-mo images of forefoot strikes:

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.

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 soon (not such great timing on my review – teaches me to wait 6 months!).

After publishing the review I did a bit of poking around with the help of Google and found a post on Sneaker News that has pictures of what appears to be the Free 5.0+ v2 via a UK retailer called End Clothing – never heard of the store before.

In typical Nike fashion the shoes look great, and it appears they feature a fully redesigned sole. Instead of the siped square pattern, they are now using hexagons, and it looks like the sipes in the heel may not be quite as deep as in previous versions of the shoe (they only extend about halfway through the midsole in the photos versus all the way in the Free 5.0+ v1).

Here’s another photo showing the sole that I found on NikeTalk.com:

Anyone seen this shoe in person? Curious what the release date might be.

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.

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 in 2009. I loved that shoe, and would rank it up with my favorite running shoes of all time (or at least since I started running seriously back in 2007).

In the past several years the Free line has expanded and has become a bit of a juggernaut in the footwear world. Nike Frees are consistently among the best selling shoes in the US, and the top-selling shoe in the line is the Free 5.0+, which I’ll review here.

The Nike Free 5.0+ is almost invariably among the top 3 selling athletic shoes in monthly sales as reported by SportsOneSource – it’s a hugely popular shoe. However, it’s popularity and dominance among athletic footwear is largely a reflection of its usage as a fashion item and casual shoe. Though people certainly run in it, more likely buy it for causal usage. In fact, I was at Disney World in Florida last week and I swear Frees were on about half the feet I saw walking around the parks (maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but they were easily among the most common shoes that I saw).

What is it that makes the Free so popular? Fashion trends are surely part of it. When I was working at the college I swear almost every female student had a pair, and some told me they had 4-5 pairs in different colors. But, they’d also comment to me that they loved them since they’re so comfortable. To me, the latter is why they have endured – Nike Frees are incredibly comfortable as causal shoes. They lack extensive rubber outsole so they feel soft (but not too soft) and don’t make much noise when they contact the ground. Furthermore, the extensive siping (grooves) on the sole makes them extremely flexible. The combo of softish sole and extreme flexibility makes the shoes feel almost like slippers. When you can combine fashion, comfort, and effective marketing you wind up with a bestselling shoe. Like them or not, Nike does that better than any other brand.

The Nike Free 5.0+ is the new name for what used to be called the Free Run+, which went through 3 iterations before they changed the name. The three main shoes in the Free running line are thus now the 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0, and the numbers essentially signify a scale from more minimal to less minimal. I reviewed the Free 3.0 v5 last year, but have not tried the 4.0 yet.

I bought a pair of the Free 5.0+ sometime last summer and ran in them several times. For some reason I never got around to doing a review, but lately I’ve been pulling them out more frequently for casual use. I figured I might as well write something up after a refresher run. So, I took them out for 5 miles yesterday and wanted to share my thoughts since my guess is they will soon be on clearance with a new version (Free 5.0 v2) apparently coming soon.

Comparison of Free 3.0 and 5.0

Let’s start by going through the major differences between the 5.0 and the 3.0 v5

1. Sole dimensions. Per Running Warehouse, the Free 5.0 has a stack height of 23mm heel, 14mm forefoot for a drop of 9mm. The 3.0 has a stack height of 21mm heel, 17mm forefoot for a drop of 4mm. So the 5.0 has a bit more cushion under the heel, and a bit less under the forefoot. To be honest, the feel is not hugely different to me.

Typically not quantified, but another way in which the soles of the two shoes differ is in width. The sole of the 5.0 (bottom image below) is quite a bit broader across both the heel and forefoot.

2. Weight. Again per Running Warehouse, in men’s size 9 the Free 5.0 weighs 8.2oz, the 3.0 weighs 7.2oz. Not a huge difference and barely noticeable to me.

3. Forefoot Fit. The 5.0 has a roomier forefoot in terms of width across the ball of the foot, but the forefoot feels a bit shallower from top to bottom and the upper material has a bit less give. I prefer the shape of the 5.0, but the upper material of the 3.0. Maybe I need to make a hybrid shoe via Nike ID?

4. Midfoot Fit. In contrast, to the forefoot, the midfoot of the 5.0 is roomier and more comfortable on my foot, and that might in part be due to the fact that it has a more traditional tongue instead of the bootie-style design of the 3.0. I get a bit of pressure on the top of my foot in the 3.0 due to the integrated tongue and thus am less likely to use it as a casual shoe for long-term wear.

Run Performance

Where all of the Nike Free models are similar is in the flexibility and feel of the sole. The Nike Free design works really well with my stride as I hate shoes that try to control my foot movement. The siping (grooves) in the sole allows my foot to contact and move into pronation very smoothly and I never feel like the shoe is controlling my movement.

The only area where I have a bit of a problem is with the medial forefoot – I’d prefer a more solid base in this area as I tend to pronate a lot and the forefoot of the Frees can tend to bend/cave a bit in this are due to the siping close to the medial margin (the most medial sipe often fills with grit/gravel during my runs). One result of this for me is that I sometimes get a hot spot along the inner ball of my foot behind the big toe when running in Frees, and the 5.0+ is no different in this regard.

The lack of extensive rubber outsole means that the shoes run really quiet, and a shoe that makes little noise on the run is usually one that works well for me. I have a hard time deciding if they feel firm or soft due to the flexibility. I guess I’d describe them as middle of the road in terms of actual sole firmness – not too firm, not too soft. But the flex makes them feel like a soft shoe.

The Ortholite insole in the Free 5.0 is pretty soft, which enhances comfort for casual wear. I don’t notice it as much while running. Swapping for a thinner, firmer insole would open up a bit of volume in the forefoot, and should make for a firmer ride.

The fit of the 5.0 works very well for me on the run. The heel and midfoot are locked down, and I get no abrasion from the lining of the upper. Very comfortable. I also love that the shoe has no heel counter, and this is a shoe I often recommend to people with insertional Achilles tendon issues due to this fact (no hard plastic insert to irritate the tendon from behind).

So what would I use the Free 5.0 for? For me it’s a comfortable, easy run shoe. I tend to run more minimal so the cushioning would be fine for me for up to a marathon, but I would likely not use it for much over half marathon distance since the medial forefoot instability can sometimes cause hot-spot problems. The last thing I need is a giant blister developed over long distance!

Conclusion

The Nike Free 5.0+ is a hugely popular shoe mainly for casual wear, but it doesn’t often get the credit it deserves as a running shoe. A lot of Nike shoes don’t work for me because they tend to fit narrow, but the Free 5.0 fits comfortably and I enjoy running in them.

If you like a flexible shoe that runs super quiet and feels like a slipper then these are definitely worth a look. And if they don’t work out as a running shoe for you, you have a comfortable shoe that will serve very well for walking around town. And if you don’t want them for casual wear, they retain value as well as any shoe out there and can be sold on Ebay for close to purchase price even with a few runs on them (did this a few years ago with the Free 3.0 v4).

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.

Purchasing Options

The Nike Free 5.0+ is available for purchase in a ton of color combinations at Running Warehouse, Amazon.com, and Zappos. Outside of the US they can be purchased at Wiggle.co.uk.

You can also customize and build your own hybrid Nike Frees via Nike ID.

Details are scant right now, and this may just be a concept shoe, but Sneakeraddicts.com posted a bunch of photos, some of which can be seen below. Estimated release date is late 2013.

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 v4 had a nice, updated sole, but the NanoPly upper felt like it had been made from remnants of a ziploc freezer bag. It didn’t have any give, leading to a very tight fit, and it didn’t breathe. At all. It was a shoe built for fashion, not function.

I’m happy to announce that Nike has redeemed themselves with the Free 3.0 v5. It’s a shoe worthy of the lineage to which it belongs, and is probably the best Nike Free of any flavor that I’ve worn since the original Free 3.0 (Disclosure: the shoes reviewed here were provided free-of-charge for review purposes by Running Warehouse).

Nike Free 3.0 v5 Upper

The big change from Free 3.0 v4 to v5 is the upper. Nike wisely ditched the NanoPly disaster and replaced it with a stretchy mesh. The result is an upper that has a ton of give and one that allows what is otherwise still a fairly narrow shoe to accommodate my average width feet quite comfortably. No longer do my feet feel like frozen steaks in shrink wrap!

The mesh is stretchy enough that I can wiggle and spread out my toes easily, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience when wearing them for a long period of time (e.g., all day at work). I took the photo below while attempting to spread my toes as widely as possible, you can see them pushing the mesh out easily on both sides:

Forefoot Mesh is Very Stretchy!

In the photo below of my well-worn pair, it almost looks as if the upper has molded to my foot shape a bit:

The upper mesh consists of two layers, the outer layer is very open and stretchy, and the inner layer is a closed mesh that effectively keeps debris out of the shoe (a potential problem with a shoe that has very open mesh). Given the form-fitting yet stretchy nature of the upper, the inner closed mesh does make the shoe run a bit warm on a hot day, but breathability is massively improved from v4.

Comfort is excellent both with and without socks, though I do get a bit of abrasion near the base of the outer lace row. It has not resulted in a blister, and only occurs when I don’t have socks on. I’m ambivalent about the bootie design of the shoe – generally I prefer a more traditional tongue since it allows for better adjustment of fit and lacing, but the bootie in the v5 has not caused me any trouble. There is minimal structure to the upper – no heel counter, no hard overlays, etc. Internally, arch support is present, but is mostly due to the sockliner angling up under the arch.

Nike Free 3.0 v5 Sole

The sole of the Nike Free 3.0 v5 is unchanged from v4. It has the typical grooves/siping found in all Nike Free shoes, which allow for excellent flexibility. Rubber outsole pods are only placed under the lateral heel and the big toe, though wear of the exposed midsole does not appear excessive – I have about 45 miles of running on mine, and wear them casually frequently (often all day). The soles are a bit discolored, but are holding up well so far:

Nike Free 3.0 v5 Sole

Nike Free 3.0 v5 Sole After 45+ Miles of Running and Extensive Casual Wear

The lack of extensive outsole makes for a lightweight shoe, and my size 10’s come in right around 8oz. Sole dimensions reported by Running Warehouse are 21mm heel, 17mm forefoot, making it a 4mm drop shoe.

The Free 3.0 v5 is a pretty soft shoe. One of my favorite things about the original Free 3.0 was that it made me feel like a ninja – the soft sole and lack of rubber silenced my footfalls. This shoe has this same property – if I’m coming up behind someone walking their dog on the sidewalk I often have to make some noise to let them know I’m about to pass. I’ve startled enough people in my time to realize that most don’t like to have someone running fast overtake them without some warning that they’re there (it’s a challenge when they’re wearing headphones and I can’t jump into the road due to traffic…).

I’ve enjoyed running in the Free 3.0 v5 so much that I briefly considered wearing them for my Spring marathon (coming up this weekend – still undecided on shoes…). I wore them for a 16.5 mile long run over hills as a test, and wound up developing a knot in my soleus about 9 miles into the run. Not sure if the shoes were the culprit, but it scared me off of trying to use them in a long race. I can typically handle zero drop shoes just fine for longer than 10 miles, so I’m wondering if the low drop combined with an extremely flexible, soft sole might be the problem. Don’t know. May have to give them another try on a moderate-length long run and see if it was just a fluke.

Conclusion

For me, the Nike Free 3.0 v5 is a fantastic shoe for easy runs and distances up to about 10 miles. They’re also great as a casual, low-drop shoe (which is what the vast majority of people buying them will be using them for). In my opinion, they’re too soft and lack responsiveness for speed work. Be aware that despite the stretchy upper, it is a fairly narrow shoe (I went up a half size), so those with wide feet should look elsewhere.

All in all, I’m quite impressed with the Free 3.0 v5. It’s one of the best shoes I’ve worn so far this year, and a pleasant surprise given my experience with the previous iteration. Big thumbs up!

The Nike Free 3.0 v5 is available for purchase in a variety of men’s and women’s colors at Running Warehouse. Outside of the US, the Nike Free 3.0 can be purchased at Wiggle.com and Sportsshoes.com.

Update 3/14/2014: Nike has just announced the release of the Nike Free 3.0 v6. For details, visit this post.

Well, looks like Nike may have addressed both of these issues in the Free 3.0 v5. The newest iteration, set to be released next month, has adopted a mesh upper similar to that found on some other shoes in the Nike lineup (see photos below). This looks to be a very positive change, and I’m looking forward to giving it a try!

Update: The Nike Free 3.0 v5 is now available for purchase in a variety of colors at Running Warehouse.