Nike Free Run *Shield*

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 11/13/2012 at 12:14 PM

Has anyone tried this version of the Nike Free Run 3? I really love my 3s, but am wondering whether that reflective/waterproof upper is worth the added cost over the regular Free Runs. I used to wear the Lunarflys and was not a fan of the Lunarfly Trail, since that weatherized upper made the overall fit of the shoe too snug--upsizing would not have worked, as the arches would have hit my foot in the wrong spot. And the trails just plain felt too stiff overall. I suspect that this could be the case with the Shield, too.

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

Ileneforward

posted: 11/13/2012 at 12:19 PM

I didn't try them on, but I inspected them at the shoe store and they looked exactly the same, and felt the same weight. One seemed to have more reflective shine on the logo though.

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 11/13/2012 at 12:27 PM

That's good to hear. I may have to try to find a pair locally, though I suspect the chain stores won't have the shield model and I may have to trek an hour to the nearest running store.

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

HStreet

In it for the long run..

posted: 11/13/2012 at 3:33 PM

Zoomy- I would recommend that you check out Altra shoes. They are zero drop but with cusioning.

"It's not who wins the workout..."

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 11/13/2012 at 3:40 PM
modified: 11/13/2012 at 3:42 PM

I don't know that I'm ready for 0, yet. I have a pair of Brooks PureFlows which are 4, IIRC. I think the Nike Free Runs are 6mm, which is about perfect for me, at this point. Baby steps...it wasn't that many years ago that I was running in shoes with 12mm drops. I tend to pedal pointy-toed, so I suspect my calf muscles are going to take a while to really stretch to be comfortable with 0 drop shoes. The Brooks tend to make my calves kinda cranky.

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

xhristopher

posted: 11/13/2012 at 11:50 PM

I don't know anything about Nike Free but I'm on my sixth pair of Lunarglides. I tried the "Shield" version in the store thinking they might be good for the winter and found them to be overly snug and stiff, not like the Lunarglides I knew. Perhaps they would be different after breaking them in. Dunno.

I'd like to give a shout out to good wool running socks.

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Fanatic #3965

posted: 11/13/2012 at 11:58 PM

Ahhh...this is what I suspected could be the case after wearing the Lunarfly Trails, which also have some sort of weatherized/water-resistant upper. They didn't even feel like the same shoe on my foot, even though they looked and felt pretty much the same from the outside. I only wore those for a handful of runs before I gave up on them. They fit me so poorly compared to the regular road version of the shoe.

I already wear Smartwool socks and generally wear heavier ones for Winter. I definitely wouldn't have room in a shoe for those if it were any snugger. Chances are those will be enough. The Free Runs are just so light and ventilated that I fear cold feet if we get the sort of Winter that I'm hearing is predicted (kind of the opposite of last Winter...I loved that sort of non-winter).

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)