Nike Free RN 5.0 Review

Minimalist running shoes are not the most recent concept in the world and yet, if you take a look at old Nike Free 5.0 from 2014 and compare it with Nike Free RN 5.0 from the last year, you will definitely be amazed how different these minimalist running shoes are. They are from the same company Nike but the 5 years in between them left some obvious impact.

As you probably know, minimalist shoes offer some very low heel-to-toe differential. That’s what sets them apart from high volume, training shoes for long distances. And Nike Free RN 5.0 is obviously not an exception. While the old Nike Free 5.0 had the heel-to-toe differential around 9 mm, Nike Free RN 5.0 goes even further and heel-to-toe drop is lowered to 6 mm only. A real proper minimalist running shoe, don’t you think? The difference between heel and forefoot part approximates almost zero. Like barefoots.

For unskilled runners though, this shoe might feel a bit difficult. Especially, if you decide to go out running with them for medium to longer distances. You will then probably start feeling lacking running shoes support and more and more tired from the fact that your feet aren’t stimulated for each next step that you perform. Which is so typical for big volume, training shoes. Uncomparable with for example Brooks Adrenaline gts 19, with my previous version Saucony Triumph Iso 5 or one more example, with Hoka the famous Clifton 5. 

All those aforementioned running shoes are ultimately perfect for half marathons marathons and maybe even longer distances. If you are also planning to start running in Nike Free RN 5.0 something long like that , right away, forget about it. These shoes simply cannot protect your knees, ankles and other joints if you give them a high portion of distance. Nike Free RN 5.0 are ideal for a short, complementary running experience. I tested the shoes even for longer than 10 miles and I must say, I couldn’t move the next day. Every joint on my down part of my feet felt sensitive. And I do run normally at these distances once a week. So I can guarantee you that you will definitely notice a big difference if you go for it. 

More than that, the shoe is designed to be for neutral runners. But if you have fallen arches and you tend to excessively pronate, this model could help actually. It is very flexible, and offering the same principle of Nike Free series, which is the stimulation of your flat feet/ fallen arches as if you were running barefooted. That’s also the reason why I mentioned before that the shoe is not the best choice for beginners. I must say, yes, I seriously feel the arches. That the muscles are naturally working when running and something is happening down there. If it is healthy as Nike says, that’s hard to say. I am not a physiotherapist. :)) 

The last point that I wanted to mention is the design. As you may have heard on the internet, it is for many runners either a big YES or a complete NO GO. I have to agree…. It is such an eccentric, almost kinky design that I didn’t know what to think about this model first. It looks bulky, that’s for sure. I really don’t understand why in order to make a more minimalist shoe,  Nike had to propose such a bizarre looking outsole. Wide too much and especially, in 95 % of versions I have seen it just with white outsoles, for both men and women. So be prepared, after a few runs, dirt will become highly visible. 

But please, don’t get me wrong. I still think that Nike Free RN 5.0 has a lot to offer!!! Especially from the runner’s expertise perspective. It just depends on what you want this shoe for. For just short distances and in order to naturally support your feet, it is absolutely splendid!