It's been mentioned on here before, that when it comes to shoes, Brooks, ASICS, Saucony and Soloman tend to be the most popular recommended brands on this forum. That's understandable, they are very good big brands. But Nike seems to get very little mention and it is surprising.
Why doesn't anyone wear or recomend Nike running shoes? Is it because they're expensive or is it because they're just not as good as other these brands? That Nike Tick might just be nothing more than a fashion label.
Bit then I've just read this article regarding Nike shoes and shoe innovation in World Athletics competition.
🤣Ha ha! Yes - that must be it...or maybe that's where I'm going wrong! I'm still looking for the perfect shoe that helps me run faster and stay injury free. 😉 I am a big Hoka fan at the moment, having fallen for their Hoka Challenger😍 shoe which I find great on road and trail. Never worn a Nike...🤔
I heard read you were trying them Flick - and have been tempted. 🤔Might check them out and buy a pair at some point (will have a hunt for a good deal) - you can never have too many running shoes, right?🙂x
Can't have to many? Unfortunately my bank manager disagrees. Although as I read up on the best option for me, I'm thinking I need a HM/Marathon long distance pair and a second shorter distance Parkrun pair.
I think I'll just have to settle for a happy medium that covers 1mile speed runs to ultramarathon endurance endeavours
I took a chance and ordered them online without trying - Up & Running stops at 8 for women's shoes and I take 8.5 in running shoes. Luckily it worked out, they fit and are marvellous.
Yeah, I've watched a few YouTube videos about barefoot running. It's very interesting.
Back when I was young (and some might argue, stupid) I would regularly spend my summers wandering around without shoes on, even running. My only memory of those days were painful and dirty soles.
Maybe I should try a nice soft grassy field or a beach next time I opt for barefoot running
My first shoes were Karrimor Tempo which I loved. For my first race however my husband bought me my first pair of Nike Pegasus 35. I’ve had loads of pairs since - and have a gorgeous pair now - which I ran my recent marathon in. They’ve narrowed off though, or my feet have got fatter 😁 so they’re not my go-to shoe for training runs. I also have other Nike daps in my shoe selection Downshifter and A N Other which are going to be fashion shoes. They were a gift and half a size too small for running. The Downshifter is gorgeous 🥰.
I still have two pairs of Pegasus which I wear for walking the dog and a pair for gardening They are very long-lived!
I can’t afford current models. Always sale ones of previous iterations 😃
My first pair of proper running shoes were Nike Air Zoom. As I ran further I needed a bigger size and the next two local stores I went to didn't stock Nike. I haven't loved any pair of shoes enough to develop any brand loyalty - but I look forward to that day!
I think there's just a lot to be said for what you're used to, and what's on sale! Those vaporfly Nikes don't look like comfy shoes to me, I prefer a lower profile shoe. Hokas are quite popular, but all that puff round the foot makes me think of foam bananas. I will forgo the opportunity to run a sub 2hr marathon for a less puffy shoe 😆 I have an element of loyalty to On, but only in an 'if it ain't broke' sort of way, and I like how they accept women don't necessarily need pink in their outfits, and conversely offer men pink if they want it. My trials have definitely not been exhaustive though!
I’m running in Hoka now, after two years of On. They are feather light, low heel drop, and you don’t feel any puff under your foot, just a bit of shock absorption for my dodgy knee and faster forward propulsion from the metarocker thingy. Your foot sits down into the sole, not on top.
I think it may be down to what gets offered when you go to a running shop, especially if you have your gait tested. I know I wasn’t offered Nike, they tend to crop up more in high street sports shops.
I’ve gone through a gamut of shoes. My first pair were Mizuno, then I tried Brooks. Both had too high a heel drop for me and made me heel strike. I had some ASICS trail shoes, but they were too narrow and gave me a black toenail on a long hilly run. I ran in Ons for two years - they are classed as minimalist because the cloud pods compress on landing. I loved them but have recently had knee pain with them so have now switched to Hoka, which have a 5mm heel drop which suits me very well. They are well padded, which seems to be sorting the knee pain, and also have the early stage metarocker (a spring board type of thing that propels your foot forward) and this suits my mid foot striking gait well and has speeded up my pace.
I think finding the right shoe is a learning curve. And it isn’t set in stone when you get there: it could well change, as it did for me.
Nike seem to be either fashion items or high end pro shoes for elite runners (Eliud Kipchoge wears their carbon version)
I’ve had a few pairs of Nikes. In fact my first ever running shoes were Nike -*sentimental sigh* 😍 I loved them as I’ve loved all my shoes but I’ve flitted from brand to brand and am now on Sauconys which I love a tad better than my first ones. I’m so fickle 🙄
I don’t like the look of these and so I wouldn’t wear them even if they made me run faster. Style is everything dahling......😀
For me it’s probably because my local running shop doesn’t stick Nike. There are certainly lots achieving records with Nike vapour flys, but that may come to an end soon if they decide to ban them in competition. At £250 a pair I won’t be buying them. 😱
Interesting thread. I had not heard of these brands before such as Brooks, Saucony, ON... I thought Nike and Asics where still the top brands! Interesting how the marathon runners all wear nike
Reading around a number of sites, most of the shoes on the market cater for those of us who want/need a bit of comfort when running long distance.
When it comes to the top performers, they sacrifice some of that comfort for ultimate performance, and that's where Nike comes in with its shoe development for their pro athletes
There's a lot of pressure on top athletes to wear Vaporflys. There was talk that they would be banned from the Olympics, but they have not been (although the shoes Eliud Kipchoge wore for his sub-2 have)
I think of Nike as a fashion brand not a running brand. No personal experience but can only say that I have bought Nike trainers for my kids in the past (not the same as adult running shoes I know) but the quality was awful and the shoes just were no good. Didn’t seem designed for proper use, wore out and fell apart.
I've tended to automatically think of Nike as JD Sports-type sports fashion wear. It's been easier to stick with a mainly-running brands to avoid having to know exactly which Nikes will do amongst all their non-running fare.
Well I'm a Nike fan. They got me from zero running to sub 2hr HM in about 2yrs. Not bad for an over 50. I like to think I can take more credit than the shoes. I don't spend a lot on them, certainly not top of the range models. If I bought fancy running shoes maybe I would go even faster!
I have one pair that does everything.
At the end of the day, run in what suits you at your budget and sod the brand.
Me too and they certainly do make running shoes! Sure they make fashion shoes but they’re nothing to do with their running shoes. I’m a fan and always have a pair of nikes in my collection They certainly outlast my Saucony’s . Nike Frees are one of the most popular models and have been for a long while
I’ve got Pegasus on the go at the moment. I ran a marathon in them so clearly not just a fashion accessory, although they are pretty easy on the eye 😁
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Running Shoes
Shoe porn! Hoka One One Rincon
Trail Shoes: A Cautionary Tale (Mea Culpa)
Stability or neutral running shoes 
