As most of my friends would know by now that I'm a big fan of Nike since the early 80s and till today, it's still my No.1 brand followed by Puma. I have lost count of the many pair of Nikes I've own. Ranging from tennis, cross-training, golf, running, cycling...etc
Beginning with running shoes, I got back to running in Jan'07. Since then, I have acquired 5 pairs of Nike. The Nike Free 5.0 is my latest acquisition and it's my first pair of Nike Free. Nike's Free concept of barefoot running has been around for quite some time. The latest Free 5.0 is the 4th iteration, is by far the best & the most impressive as it has been improved in several ways.
When I first received my pair, I was utterly excited to test drive it. In terms of design & colour, I find this iteration to be the best looking & the colour real loud. I picked the neon green version which also compliments my Zoom Victory & Lunar Trainer.
When I first put on the shoes, it felt feather light. Lighter than the Lunar Trainer. Visually I like the very minimalistic look of the upper with very little seams and just enough bonded overlays on strategic areas for support. The supple heel collar is low enough and amply padded which never chafe my heels. The unique tongue design is unlike most conventional tongues whereby they will shift off to one side after a certain distance. The medial side of the tongue is joint to the medial upper, the arch area thus enhancing the seamless sock like fit and best of all the tongue don't shift about. Complimenting the unique tongue is the asymmetrical ergonomic lacing system which helps to reduce pressure on the top of the foot and strategically it flexes in tandem with the "sipes" of the outsole, is exactly where the metatarsal flexes. Overall the above mentioned elements combine to create a super comfortable fit even when running without socks and this is the most flexible shoe I ever worn. Though I must mention that this US size 10 seems a tad smaller than my regular Nikes.
Even before I hit the 1km mark, soon I quickly come to understand why they said this shoes is not meant for anything more than 5km run. Though I was well aware that this shoes is meant to build those intrinsic muscles of the feet. Other than very little heel support, I could also feel that there is very little cushioning especially for a mid-foot striker like myself. But this shoe does enable me to have better mid-foot striking. I can feel my feet literally worker harder and of course the road feel is much better too.
The perforated arch band reinforcement does help a little in providing a little support. Breathability is only mediocre, could be better if they use wider mesh like those Newtons. The extra fore & rear padding on the base of the insole does help a little to cushion the ride. The interior is chafe free for the entire run, kudos to Nike for paying much attention in this area. Obviously, the Phylite outsole will not last very long though the heel is reinforced with carbon rubber. Anyway, it's not supposed to be a everyday trainer.
In conclusion, I'm very happy with the overall performance of the Free 5.0s. I feel that this shoes has proven to mimic barefoot running exceptionally well, along with the added improvement from the previous version. But I shall just keep to short distance running with maybe once a week usage just for feet strengthening. At the same time, I also feel that this comfy shoes is cool enough to double up as some street wear or travelling shoes.
