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There is no question that a runner’s best friend is a good pair of shoes. Even if you are just a light to a moderate runner, shoes can make or break a running experience. With the popularity of minimalist running shoes, the “less is more” approach to shoe design has redefined what “good” means.

Enter the Nike Free Run+ 2. One of Nike’s more popular minimalist shoes. It has quickly garnered respect from the running community. However, what makes this shoe so special? Is it even worth spending cash on? In this Nike Free Run 2 review, we’ll look into the inner workings of the Free Run 2 and answer these questions. By the end of this, you’ll know enough to decide whether you want to pick these up yourself or not.

Nike Free Run+ 2 Overview

As stated earlier, the Free Run 2 was designed using the minimalist approach. This allows the men’s shoe to clock in at a weight of 9.3oz. According to Nike, the shoes were built to maximize on the natural motion range of the foot while providing the user with protection and cushioning for that smooth ride. This allows the runner to strengthen the small muscles in the foot, since the minimal cushioning forces the runner to strike the ground using the forefoot.

The material of the upper shoe should be noted. The material used to make the nike free run 2 allows it to seamlessly fuse with the outsole resulting in a resilient and durable one piece design that delivers on performance. The sockliner conforms to the curves of the feet providing comfort and a supportive fit for the user.

So what makes Nike Free Run+ 2 different?

There are three main things that differentiate this shoe from others in its category: The webbed upper meshing, the flexible outsole, and the Nike+ chip.

The Webbed Upper Meshing

The upper meshing is an update to the previous Free Run design. The bonded synthetic overlays in the shoe allows it to be strong and yet gives the wearer flexible support. The inner sleeve gives a snug fit and allows the runner to have more breathability. All of this culminates to having the shoe feel like it is not even there.

The Flexible Outsole

The outsole is made from a lightweight material called phylite. The interesting thing that Nike did with this material is that they molded the it into a deep grid configuration. The configuration, which Nike has deemed rideDeep, provides resiliance and lends to the natural range of motion and added flexibility. It allows the feet to move unrestricted in various directions. Thus allowing the muscles in the foot to be worked in any angle.

The Nike+ Chip

Nike+ technology has been around for a while. It basically allows you to track information about your runs (e.g. distance covered, speed, etc). This is important information to consider for things like figuring out when to replace your shoes or how well your training is coming along.

Customer Reviews

In the previous section of this Nike Free Run 2 review, we looked at features of the shoe which could make it worth the money. However, the best test of whether is shoe is worth it’s hype is to find out with others are saying about it.

The reviews from customers tend to be favourable. Below are the customer reviews from both Zappos and the Nike Store.

Zappos Rating: (257 Customers)

Nike Store Rating: (170 Customers)

Here are some customer comments:

“Was a little worried about these at first but I love them, have only ran 40k so far but I feel great running in them plus I use to get a slight knee pain but now thats gone.” - dannyboy3177 (UNITED KINGDOM), emea.Reviews.Nike.com

“Great shoe. Lightweight, breathable, stylish, and very comfortable. The only reason I did not keep my pair was the drop was much too large for me. I’m looking for a flat running shoe. I would recommend for the average runner most definitely.” - Ian A (Montclair, CA), Zappos.com

“I like the Free Run 2′s. They’re amazingly comfortable, great for a quick run and they look great. People notice these things! I like these better than the first gen. They feel like a more solid built product. Sizing was spot on, and Zappos is pretty great.” - Tommy 2 (Salt Lake City, Utah), Zappos.com

Final Thoughts

In this Nike Free Run 2 review, we have seen that this shoe is meant for the neutral runner who is interested in strengthening the muscles in their feet. The shoe is an excellent choice for that purpose, due to its extremely minimalist design and flexible structure. There is not doubt that this shoe is a great choice for the serious runner.

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