Nike have launched their new Free Running Collection which promises to enable a more barefoot-like feel than previous versions. Free Footwear lets feet flex, splay and move the way they want.
The Nike Free is intended for lower-mileage runs, so the foam cushioning in the new Nike Free midsoles is firmer, flatter and lower to the ground, delivering greater connection and more natural range of motion than before. The shoes is based on the shoes made for sports such as basketball and volleyball, which require constant quick movements of players to achieve maximum precision. Just like the best volleyball shoes made for the sport, the Nike Free is purely based for the free runner in you. The midsole now features siping along the top and bottom to increase dorsi and plantar flexion. Based on data mapping, varying depths in the sipes are placed where the foot naturally wants to bend and stretch to enhance the feeling of movement.
The minimal uppers – a thin-stretch mesh with a minimal lacing system for the 5.0 and a lace-less Nike Flyknit with a secondary lock-down overlay for the 3.0 – were designed to enhance the natural, second skin feel of the shoes. There is a nod to the in-depth science behind the original shoes in aesthetic too, with some of the design lines coming from the natural shape of the foot. The smaller Swoosh symbolises the shoe’s lower-mileage intent.
The 2019 Nike Free Collection is available from April 4 at Nike stores and select running retailers nationally. Every foot is unique, so head into a Nike store to find your personal fit for running.
Nike Free RN 5.0 is $170. Nike Free RN Flyknit 3.0 is $200.
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