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Nike Downshifter 9 Detailed Shoes Review | Runner Expert
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Nike Downshifter 9 Review

Nike Men's Downshifter 9

Downshifter series is not between runners the most spoken kind of running shoes. And it actually makes sense. Because if you look at running shoes such as Pegasus 36, Asics Gel-Cumulus 21, Mizuno Wave Inspire 15 or something from Adidas, the UltraBoost 19 for instance, you will immediately feel just from sight the difference between those running shoes and Nike Downshifter 9. Beyond doubts, the quality of Nike Downshifter 9 is simply lower. I am not trying to say that it is necessarily a bad shoe. I am just openly saying, don’t expect high performance as of those examples I have mentioned before. Those are the real running shoes. So there comes the question, are Nike Downshifter 9 actually worth the purchase after all?

Nike Downshifter 9

Every-day wear

Well, yes, in my opinion, they are! For casual daily wear, these shoes are worth the price especially. What I appreciated the most as a girl though, was the real simplistic appearance. Nike Downshifter 9 looks so basic…. Specifically, for my version, it’s black, it has just a neutral shape and thus, you can take it together with a skirt the same as with long black jeans almost everywhere.

Nike Downshifter 9 outsole

And you can be sure you won’t look showy at all. I would even say that this is their main advantage. It is a model that at a glance seems to be very discreet, well complementing a casual outfit. On the other hand, it doesn’t mean that you can get this model just in simple plain black and white colors. They sell also the shiny green combined with black which I assume may satisfy even more color-demanding fans of these shoes. 

Running as a pain point

As for running I definitely have a lot to say. I compared it with Nike Downshifter 7 that I tested two years ago. And I must say the shoes are really a lot similar. What is good is that Nike Downshifter 9 is wider. That I appreaciated. But Downshifter 9 was some 0.5 oz heavier than the previously tested model. Which is a bit surprising if you see the trend to go lower and lower with the weight for shoes but let’s be honest… That weight difference is literally nothing. For casual daily wear, small walks with a dog, the shoe is perfectly sufficient. But what a sad point is, is that likewise Downshifter 7, Nike Donwshifter 9 offers the same midsole and as for running, it doesn’t feel any better. The shoe absolutely lacks any sort of cushioning that would feel either soft or rebouncing back. It is as if it were not there. 

Nike Downshifter 9 grey

For me it’s been a bit of disappointment and it is exactly the difference from the shoes I spoke about before. The same unfortunately applies for the support. Arch support is not good enough so maybe for a casual walk, well, yeah, why not. As for a real running experience, you will soon notice that there’s been going on something down there with your feet. In my case, I started feeling pain in arches quite a bit. Thus, I must say that the overall comfort of this shoe is definitely lower. Of course it would be worth singing odes about their weight, but let’s be honest. The 8.5 oz that they weigh is nothing that exceptional. You will like it, but why wouldn’t you invest a bit more and get for example something as Nike Quest 2? Check it on Amazon, they are a bit more expensive than Nike Downshifter 9 but in my opinion, worth consideration. 

Any other pain point?

Nike Downshifter 9 black

Be prepared that it is also of lower durability upper. I tested Nike Downshifter 9 since autumn of last year 2019. I didn’t even get to winter and the mesh got worn out a bit on the top of my toes. Over winter I used them the least so it hasn’t really worsened. So would I recommend Nike Downshifter 9? For a sort of stylish shape and simplicity I would. For running something longer than 3 kilometers, under no circumstances. If you want running shoes, go for a higher class and get Nike Zoom Fly, Nike Pegasus 36 or a completely different brand (Asics Gel-Venture 6 is my favourite recent shoe that I tested). This model doesn’t have much in common with running.

Nike Downshifter 9

7.5

Price

9.0/10

Weight

8.0/10

Design

8.5/10

Durability

6.5/10

Comfort

5.5/10

Pros

  • They can be combined easily with all sort of clothing
  • Appropriate for every-day wear

Cons

  • Not the most durable shoe on the market
  • Low durability of toebox

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