Nike made a splash with its running shoes in 2017, with Eliud Kipchoge’s barnstorming 2hr 25sec marathon spearheading the launch of the Vaporfly Elite, 4% and Zoom Fly shoes.
The Vaporfly 4% in particular has become much coveted among amateur runners, but it is £199.95 and rarely available, while the Elite is restricted to Nike’s pro athletes. The cheaper Zoom Fly is an excellent shoe, but lacks the technology of the 4% and Elite, which both claim to increase running economy – a claim backed up by an academic study last year.
In contrast to the exclusivity of the Vaporfly, Nike has aimed squarely for mass-market appeal with its first major running shoe launch of 2018 – the React, a shoe Nike claims can do it all.
What that means is that the React feels cushioned underfoot, but not so spongy that you lose bounce in your stride – a combination that’s hard to pull off. It’s also lightweight (the men’s React shoe weighs 239g and the women’s 195g) and durable: Nike says it will last 20% longer than other shoes, so you can expect 600 miles (965km) of use rather than 500 miles (800km).
See related
- The Best Nike Running Shoes For Every Type Of Runner
- Nike Zoom Fly Running Shoe Review: The Breaking2 Shoe For Everyone
- Six Things Every Runner Can Learn From Nike’s Breaking2 Two-Hour Marathon Attempt
- Nike LunarEpic Low Flyknit 2 Running Shoe Review
All these features add up to a shoe that should be fast and responsive enough for short-distance races and tempo training runs, but also cushioned enough for long-distance races. On top of that, you won’t have to save it for race day because of the React’s durability, so you can take it out on your easy runs too. Truly a shoe for all seasons, then, especially as its Flyknit upper makes it stylish enough to wear when not running too.
While it’s hardly a cheap shoe at £130, the price is in line with most brands’ top-end shoes and it’s far more wallet-friendly than the Vaporfly 4%. The React is set to be released on 22nd February, just as training for a spring marathon starts to really step up a notch and your long runs get looooong. If you think that the React might be the shoe for you, you can sign up to be notified when it’s available on the Nike website or pre-order a pair now from sportsshoes.com/nike-epic-react.
