A Nike Free 5.0 Review, or, Yeah, I Get It, I'll Run Barefoot

Shoe: Nike Free 5.0
Purchased: Modell's, Bethesda, Md.
Price: $85


I haven't run in a Nike product for about 10 years--the last one being a pretty zoot racer from the mid-90s, can't remember its name, but it was green. I typically avoid Nikes because they tend to be gimmicky, overhyped, and too expensive when compared to comparable shoes from Asics, New Balance, and others. I assume the pricepoints are higher to pay for the marketing. But I had to admit I was pretty intrigued with the notion of the Nike Free when I first started seeing the ads that morphed footage from the beach-running scenes in "Chariots of Fire" with a city street. Here's the thing about me: I don't need a whole lot of cushioning or motion control, so many running shoes are simply overbuilt for me. So I plunged in to try out the Nike Free 5.0.























It's a bit of an example of how what goes around comes around. In the mid-80s, Nike marketed a shoe called the Sock Racer, which Joan Benoit Samuelson wore to at least one marathon victory. (More on Nike's experiments in minimalism.)

The rest of this review is based on about two months' worth of wear in training and racing.

The shoe's sole is as flexy as advertised. In fact, so flexy that it's almost hazardous for city running. More than once I've been stepping on curbs and had my ankle turn as I put my full weight on that leg. Likewise, I'm skeptical about the ability of this shoe to strengthen my feet, unless I really focused on running on grass like St. Arthur Lydiard would encourage. (If I really want to strengthen my feet, why don't I just run barefoot on grass?) Likewise, the joints that create the flexyness also seem to create vulnerability in the shoe--I don't know what would happen if I stepped on the tip of a sharp twig. On the other hand, I've run on gravel trails and felt no sharp stones whatsoever. Finally, the material around the heel counter isn't particularly robust, and I wonder if that wouldn't tear eventually.

On the positive side, this is a really really light shoe, as light as any racing flat I own. It's also the first shoe I've ever been able to wear sockless out of the box, up to and including 90 minute runs. It seems to be the only training shoe that can do double duty as a trainer and racer. It wouldn't surprise me if I were able to wear it in a marathon, sockless, and be fine. It's also a very good shoe for multisport. I've worn them in one triathlon and one duathlon, and it's easy slide-off, slide-on.

Don't buy this shoe if you're heavy or have bad feet. It's not going to be enough. Likewise, I would never make this my only shoe. The feet need relief, which is why I work it in my training rotation with a pair of New Balance 853s and a pair of Asics DS-Trainers. But I'm impressed with Nike this time. They tried a gimmick that finally worked for me.

Last notes: They were low on stock at the Modell's, so I ended up with the white shoe with blue trim, rather than the cooler red and black. (Of course, if you really want to specify your color, you can go the Nike ID route.) And finally, these run really small. I'm wearing an 11.5, compared to my normal 10.5.