When I first saw the ads and heard about the shoe that will “change the future of running”, I was actually skeptical of such technology. I waited with bated breath for my chance to put the Nike LunarEpic Flyknit on for a trial.
I was convinced.
On first look, the feature that struck me was definitely the mid-rise upper – similar to what I had only seen earlier on the Mercurial & Magista football boots. My first concern was that it would cause chafing on my ankles or be too tight to slip on – however none of these concerns came true.
Once I got my feet in, the fit was very snug – your feet would not move about like they do in some other shoes and it provided you with the feeling that your feet are locked in well. In fact, it felt like a fluid connection from my leg to ankle to foot.
Another noteworthy feature was the laces. Integrated with Nike’s Flywire, it truly felt like an extension of the Flyknit upper and I could feel the dynamic and supportive fit on my midfoot through my run. This matters to me, as I wouldn’t want to be distracted by excessive movement of my feet in the shoes during my run.
I immediately took them out for a 10k run and I breezed through the first half without feeling like it was a new shoe needing breaking in at all. The grip and traction on the ground felt really different – this you’d need to try for yourself to fully understand. Taking off each step, the core foam under my foot wasn’t too stiff for a new shoe, providing a really plush ride.
I believe this is attributed to the pressure-mapped outsole that looks radically different from any outsoles of running shoes I have seen before. If you take a closer look at each individual pod on the outsole, you will actually notice really fine laser sipings on it. These actually help to provide the impeccable traction and also lend an even more cushioned ride.
As for the weight and mileage of the shoe, I have taken them out for an easy 10k and a tempo 15k. I’d say it’s definitely a shoe that will deliver an effortless ride for your longer runs and still provide the response you need for your faster runs.
If this is the direction Nike is headed towards, I quote Phil McCartney, designer of LunarEpic – it is definitely “the start of a new era in Nike Running”. The Nike LunarEpic Flyknit is available exclusively at Nike Shaw, for S$269.
Have you tried the Nike LunarEpic Flyknit? What’s your thoughts on the Nike Lunar series running shoes?
