The outsole of the Nike Fly-Knit Racer is a new Waffle design on a flat, neutral platform. One almost feels restricted at slower speeds, so I don’t recommend this shoe for recovery outings where you will need to buffer your pace. The Fly-Knit Racer feels best when running at marathon pace or faster given the nature of the shoe. It especially excels on down hills with its cushioned heel and quick heel-to-toe exchange, so take note if your goal race this spring has multiple descents. The shoe offers a ton of protection from the pavement maybe too much for some wearers accustomed to very minimal flats, but certainly enough for the marathon and faster long runs. The shoe needs little break-in time, like most other racing flats, so I wasn’t hesitant to test the waters in the Racers right out of the box. My first run in the shoe was an easy ten miler on a hilly course, and I was very pleased with the ride and responsive ground feel. Perhaps it was to place the runner in a slightly more “forward” position for running fast in the Racer, but this is purely speculation. It is unclear to me why Nike chose to have a shoe marketed as a “trainer” on a more level platform than their “racer”, but this is the case. Surprisingly enough, the Nike Fly-Knit Trainer is actually lower to the ground in this respect. It is light weight, but one can notice the heel offset when holding it flush in the hand. The Fly-Knit Racer’s color is a striking neon green (some might say yellow) with black trim. Otherwise, save the shoe for race day or speed sessions when you want to feel as fast as possible. However, this shoe could be used as a transition shoe for those wanting move down in cushioning from a more traditional trainer. While the weight and materials might be defined as ‘minimal’, I think the heel-to-toe difference is a bit too much to fall into the minimalist category of footwear. It provides adequate cushioning for the marathon distance for any runner with a specific time goal in mind, and makes a great trainer for those mechanically gifted enough to run in less shoe most of the time. I was honestly feeling guilty wearing them in a training run.The Nike Fly-Knit Racer made its big stage debut at last year’s London Olympic Games in the Marathon with virtually all Nike-sponsored athletes sporting the flat. From the moment I put them on, I felt like I was in a Porsche. And they look cool enough to overcome my prejudice against pink running shoes."-Caitlin Giddings, Emmaus, Pennsylvania "The lightness was a huge factor. I like how light they are and how snugly they fit through the toe without feeling tight. These immediately replaced my old trainers-after a week of wearing them, I ran a half-marathon PR and still felt great the next day. I rarely care about style but these shoes are both good looking and comfortable."-Britton Costa, New York City "My feet felt as light and free in the Nike Flyknit Lunar 1 as in the Nike Flyknnit Racers, but these stood up to longer distances and felt more stable. The Lunar 1+ feels fast yet remains supportive and sufficient for longer runs. "Unequivocally the best new shoe that I've ran in. BOTTOM LINE: Looks as good in the coffee shop postrun as it performs on the road. The issue is more of an annoyance than a functional problem, as the tongue still provides enough protection from the shoelaces. The only complaint we heard from testers is that the tongue is too short and slides toward the side when running. Nike's Lunarlon midsole foam, a lightweight and flexible midsole compound, gets the foot close to the ground while still offering plenty of cushioning. Testers also applauded the One's smooth ride. Instead of adding traditional overlays that are glued or sewn on, Nike used a dense stitching pattern in key areas of the upper-especially through the midfoot-to ensure the foot remains locked in place on the shoe. Time and again, testers told us that this seamless, one-piece construction method works, that the shoe is soft and molds to the contours of their feet. What makes the Flyknit Lunar1 worthy of such praise? Well, it all starts, most obviously, with the knitted upper. "Unequivocally, the best shoe I've ever worn," says one runner, a sentiment echoed by many other testers.
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