Nike Free - Gear - Runner's World

Manx Muppet

20/04/2005 at 06:13

Just got myself a pair of those new Nike Free shoes. I'm not normally a big Nike fan, but these have got to be the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I can't take them off!

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has actually tried running in them, and what the result was.

TimSutton

20/04/2005 at 06:42

I've had mine a couple of days now, the most expensive slippers ever brought.
Very comfortable, feels like I'm walking around the house in bare feet.

Because I'm studying sports massage I was keen to give these a try, to see what effect they have.

I binned the box in store but are there any instructions, with regard to the two insoles, i.e the 5.0 & 4.5?
And how & when to start running in them?

Iron Snorks pirate

pirate

20/04/2005 at 08:10

yea i got some from the states last year i used them during my training for the FLM and i can report that my feet are strenghter and i have had no problems at all during and after sunday.

i dont run in them as i weigh 13.5 stones but i do wear them for work dead comfy

Go Pre

20/04/2005 at 17:21

Big Tim,

The Nike Free training shoe is designed to be half-way between barefoot (a zero) and a regular running shoe (a ten) - hence the 5.0 in the name.

Best thing to do is to wear the shoes around the house / for very light warm-ups with the 5.0 insoles in them. Once your feet become accustomed to the extra work they have to do, then you can gradually build up the distance / time you do in the shoe. They are designed as training shoes, so most people won't be able to do the bulk of their miles in it.

Once your feet have adapted to the 5.0 insoles, you can replace them with the 4.5 insoles. This will require your feet to do more work.

I wear mine whenever I go to the gym and will now happily run 5 miles in them, now that my feet are used to them. But they did make my feet ache after the first few longer runs in them!

My friend in Oz ran a marathon in them last weekend (he ran 3 hours 02). Don't think I'll be able to do that distance in them just yet!

RunningAcolyte

20/04/2005 at 20:13

An article from the Guardian that mentions the Nike Free here

An interesting quote is "These trainers force wearers to engage core muscles to maintain balance ...".

I'm seeing a physio to develop my core stability but spend most of my time wearing shoes with orthoses in them. Now I'm thinking the Nike Free might be good for me, at least for when I'm walking rather than running.

TimSutton

20/04/2005 at 20:23

Thanks,
I'm learning on my sports massage course that our muscles change as we're leading unnatural lifestyles, they adapt & cause us problems & injuries.
So walking/running in anything other than bare feet is unnatural.

OK, I'm not going to start running bare-foot the chance of hitting glass even if running on grass is too great.
However, I like this idea & plan to see what happens.
To begin with I'll spent time walking indoors & doing my hands on practise in them!!!

Manx Muppet

21/04/2005 at 06:17

Big Tim,
I've just finished a Sports Massage course, and bought mine for wearing whilst massaging. Great minds think alike eh?

I must admit that having worn them for a bit, I'm seriously considering getting another pair for training.

Apparently they are advertising them on TV now too.

Iron Snorks pirate

pirate

21/04/2005 at 08:55

Yea they are the advert was on last night during the arsenal chelski game on sky.

SoVeryTired

21/04/2005 at 09:27

I like the idea, but I'm still waiting for a version without a built-up heel. After all, my foot doesn't naturally look like that so it isn't really replicating barefoot runing.

RunningAcolyte

23/04/2005 at 21:36

Well, today I bought a pair from NikeTown, Oxford Circus. They had a trial stand with a treadmill, and the girl who was working is a runner and seemed to know what she was talking about.

There's a few different versions. The lightest and most flexible version has a positively flimsy upper, but there are others which are less flexibly with a more durable upper.

I bought the light and flexible version for £60. Yes, there is a bit of a heel in them, but I'm willing to give them a go for around the house and walking to the local shops and so on.

I've had lots of foot problems, and to be honest, since wearing orthoses, the bottom of my feet feel dead, so these may liven things up a little. I'll report back in a week or so.

JEvaNs*

23/04/2005 at 21:44

I was examining these in the shops today..... I might get some for shopping and pottering.
Must look into the different models too.... I would be interested to hear how others find them though so will be keeping an eye on this thread....

Heckenhocker

23/04/2005 at 22:02

Tim/Muppet,

do your massage courses mention whether this type of shoe is OK for someone who normally wears orthotics?

Wondering whether to get some for walking to/from work - when normally I'd be wearing shoes with orthotics. But don't want to end up with very confused feet that sometimes get to be 'quasi-barefoot' and sometimes 'supported'

RunningAcolyte

23/04/2005 at 22:12

Heckhocker, I'm no expert like the others, but I figure that as long as I don't get injured from walking 'unsupported' (which I never have - only from running) then it can't be a bad thing. In fact, I believe that if I were to recruit all the right muscless correctly I wouldn't need orthoses. Maybe training aids such as the Nike Free could help?

Others may disagree though ...

nrg-b

23/04/2005 at 22:18

I agree with SVT that the NikeFree although very flexible (& twistable) in the midfoot region have too much heel cushion for me.

Don't want to hijack the thread so only one quick question for BigTim: You said "So walking/running in anything other than bare feet is unnatural.". Around the house, why not just go barefoot or if outside wear thin surf-shoes etc etc?

TimSutton

24/04/2005 at 05:44

Heckhocker, not yet & I'm not sure they would but it comes across that anything we do is changing our body mechanics.

nrg-b, during the summer I'm bare feet & the winter slippers around the house. My main reason for these are to work in i.e do my sports massage practise in them. It felt un-professional to practise in my slippers!!!

One week on & I'm not feeling anything much different about my feet except walking in these does feel like being bare footed.
I've not got foot problems so maybe I won't.
Might try running in them in a few months time, but want to keep them clean for indoors :-(

JEvaNs*

25/04/2005 at 18:40

Got mine today and loving them. I have a sore foot that has been getting massage and these shoes feel like they are supporting the problem area. I am considering buying a second pair in black in the hope I could get away with wearing them around the office.....

SoVeryTired

25/04/2005 at 18:58

Can't quite understand the advert though... the message seems to be that running barefoot is great, so do it in shoes. Hmmm.

Go Pre

25/04/2005 at 19:02

Running barefoot is great...and if you live near a nice grassy place where you can run with naked feet without the risk of treading on glass - then count yourself lucky. I know where I live that this is not an option - therefore the benefit of Nike Free is being able to reap the benefits of running barefoot, while still protecting your feet.

SVT - when does you cynical medication end?

Go Pre

25/04/2005 at 19:03

...and please don't say about the same time as my Nike-love pills end...............

SoVeryTired

25/04/2005 at 19:25

Go Pre - about the same time as your Nike-love pills end... :-)

I don't have a specific problem with Nike - I love my pair of Jarowe Waffles. It's just that to my (admittedly small) brain, a shoe that replicates barefoot running would be much flatter and follow the contours of the sole of the foot much closer. Like the surf shoes nrg-b mentions, it would be something that is just enough to protect the soles of your feet from glass, stones etc.

Believe it or not, I actually think Nike have got a good idea. Heck, I'm tempted to try a pair as casual shoes. It's just that they haven't fully followed the idea through in my opinion. I read somewhere that the '5.0' is in relation to 0 being barefoot and 10 being regular shoes. When they make the Nike Free 1.0 or 0.5 I might be very interested! Until then we'll have to agree to differ.

Right, time to go out to the shops. Guess I better put some shoes on!