Local stores banning Nike Free

doesn't suprise me. too many RSAs act as if their saviors of the world. i had a friend who was a pro runner for nike, and had won a free pair of nike's at any fleet feet, and he stopped by to pick up another pair of the pegasus, but they refused to sell it to him without watching him run in it. this, despite the fact that he's run in many pairs before and is not some novice.

Good for your local store. I received the Nike speel when the Free was first introduced. IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE A RUNNING SHOE. We brought it in as a physical therapy aid (which according to Nike was its purpose). Many of our customers bought it and used it for running. Nearly 75% of these folks game back hurt and were disappointed in our store and our staff for selling it to them. In most situations it was a High School kid that thought the shoes were cool. We are in a function business and when we realized that they were being used for the wrong intended purpose we pulled them from our shelves. Could we continue to make a buck off of the fashion intended child? YES. Is that what Nike is doing? YES. Our standards and obviously those of your local running shop, will always be higher than that of Nike.

I'm not a pro runner for Nike but definitely not a novice either. The other day I was in a Fleet Feet and they fitted me for a pair of shoes. I've been in Pegasus for as long as I can remember but it turns out that I needed a light stability shoe. I heatedly argued with them about what type of footwear I was comfortable with, but they won me over. I haven't ever felt this great in a pair of shoes. By the way, now I'm in the Zoom Elites.

As for the Frees, I have lots of friends who wear them. I have a friend that runs 100+ mile weeks in them, and never has any injury problems. And another who's run 13:20 for 5k and wears them 4 or 5 days a week on his runs. I also know that if I wore them for 50 miles I'd probably have a stress fracture in my foot. I can't even wear them walking around. Running shoe stores should carry them, but advertise them with caution. If a customer goes against your advice, that's their choice.

I was under the impression that they were designed to mimic bare-foot running and that they can be incorporated into a training regimen if used sparingly and appropriately (a couple times a week for short, easy running or strides). That's reason alone for a running specialty store to carry them. Barefoot running is healing and strengthening.

jabaut runs barefoot wrote:

I was under the impression that they were designed to mimic bare-foot running and that they can be incorporated into a training regimen if used sparingly and appropriately (a couple times a week for short, easy running or strides).

However, parents don't understand that. Remember Zig Zag rolling paper is for tobacco use only. I somehow would feel responsible for the kid getting busted in my parking lot for smoking dope if I sold him the rolling papers.

There are a few different models of the Frees now. Does anyone know the difference between the first version and those currently available? And is the first version still available?

Thanks.

my kids wear them to school and when walking alot. but never when running. why ban them? they come in many colors that can be matched with clothing. i'd rather see them wearing Nike Free's than adidas hemp

A local store wrote:

Many of our customers bought it and used it for running. Nearly 75% of these folks game back hurt and were disappointed in our store and our staff for selling it to them.

From my own limited experience, I have to say your 75% figure is way off the mark. I have quite of few of my athletes wearing the Free with remarkable results. Our incidence of injury has been drastically reduced. Several of our runners had chronic knee and hip problems until they got out of the trainers they were wearing and into a pair of Frees. And yes, they do the bulk of their mileage in them.

I had been a proponent of some barefoot running for quite some time before the Frees first came out. We had been doing strides barefoot for years, and some of the runners did some of their intervals barefoot. For many of them, the Free provided a welcome alternative to their poorly designed trainers.

Yes, we've heard from the shoe store salespeople and others that these are not the right shoes for training. But our rate of injury reduction and overall improved performance suggest otherwise. I'm a fan.

You're an idiot---and im guessing not really a doctor

Are they a great shoe for just walking, but don't run in them much.

TROLL TROLL TROLL TROLL TROLL TROLL!

i actually like them quite a bit, i think banning them is a stupid idea, they are great for walking and running(not a ton, but 30-40 miles a week), plus some of the colors are great, and i use my old pair for running around after i race at xc meets

Ban?

Please, that is such an inappropriate word to use. There are numerous outlets to get them if you want them.

There were plenty of shoes the store I worked at did not carry mainly because we did not think they fit our market.

I train nearly full time in the Free 4.0s Love them. However, there was little in the way of transition for me as I used to train in racing flats. I'd imagine in would take some time to get used to them if you normally train in bulky flats.

For racing, I actually wear more shoe. My flats are stiffer and heavier than the Frees, of course. The reason is race in a different shoe is that the Free 4.0 is a bit too mushy for a more forceful push off. I just feel faster on a firmer platform. Faster, but not any more comfortable.

Yes, I know of a local store that tells it's customers that Nike, doesn't make the shoe anymore. Wrong info obviously They should just say that they decided not to carry it any longer and leave it at that. With that being said there's still a huge market for the shoe--probably more fashion oriented than anything else.

My belief is sell what sells... As long as you can bring a product in the back door and push it out the front--why not sell it?

I've never tried the Frees, but of course champion basic shoes. I don't see why Nike didn't just make a shoe with a 1/2 inch midsole, which would naturally be more flexible and not require grooves. Why do shoe companies continue to make 1-inch midsoles (or more) when they know it doesn't flex?

Because they sell and the makers know that 1/2 inch midsoles won't sell.

JonDCH wrote:

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For racing, I actually wear more shoe. My flats are stiffer and heavier than the Frees, of course. The reason is race in a different shoe is that the Free 4.0 is a bit too mushy for a more forceful push off. I just feel faster on a firmer platform. Faster, but not any more comfortable.

This is the point. they are actually nothing like running barefoot. barefoot running is much easier. its like resistance training for your feet. to run in them everyday would be like doing squats everyday. that would not be advisable if improvement was your goal.

I've done just about all my training in Free Trails since May. I didn't have a transition, just switched while running about 80mpw, and they felt perfect right away.

They are too thin, but definitely have a better (could say more natural) feel than all my previous trainers of the past 20+ years. I got a pair of H-Streets a couple of months later, and while I could run in them for longish runs right away also (13 miles first run out), I like the cushion and feel of the Free Trails a lot more. In comparison to the H-Street and standard trainers, I wouldn't really call the Free (Trail) minimalistic, just awesome all around trainers - my opinion of course.

I don't think I would like the road version as much because it has a higher heel. The Trail is a better road shoe than a trail shoe anyway because the nubs wear flat in about 2 weeks anyway (but the shoe is otherwise fine). My first pair, undyed leather with yellow trim, lasted about 1000 miles before the upper fell apart. My second pair, saphire blue synthetic suede, started tearing after about a week or two, but the inner part of the upper is still holding it together fine for now. The dye in the synthetic also comes out and stains your feet if you run in the wet a lot like me. So, I would go the the leather versions...

I meant to say they are NOT too thin, and not too minimalistic.