Nike Zoom RS and Nike Zoom TR

there's a guy from Nike who posts in the shoe forum on RW, i'll put the question there and see if he responds

interesting shoes...

the nike guy responded:

Regarding the Air Zoom RS+, it weighs approximately 9.5 oz in a men's 9. The shoe is something of a hybrid between a performance trainer/distance racer (depending on your weight) and an everyday distance trainer.

It's built around a tempo last and provides a fit that's more snug and supportive than most daily trainers. Its midsole is also a bit lower than usual, with a reduced offset between the height of the forefoot and heel for a ground-hugging feel. And, as noted above, at 9.5 oz the RS+ is quite light.

That all sounds pretty typical for a tempo shoe -- the reason I say the RS+ is a hybrid is that it provides loads more cushioning than you'd expect from a typical lightweight trainer. Its midsole is made of the same Nike CUSHLON foam used in the Air Zoom Vomero 2+ (as I think many Vomero owners will attest, Nike CUSHLON is unique in its blend of soft cushioning and bouncy cushioning response), which is augmented with an articulated Zoom Air unit in the forefoot ("articulated" is a fancy way of saying that the forefoot Zoom Air unit features built-in flex zones that run along its length and width for improved flexibility and to encourage a more efficient transition through propulsion) and a large-volume Zoom Air unit in the heel (it takes up almost the entire height of the midsole).

The result is cushioning that feels absolutely fantastic and retains its responsive feel for hundreds of miles.

Of course, the RS+ isn't for everyone -- runners who prefer a firmer feel underfoot and those who need added medial stability being two examples -- but I think it's a great option for those who want the fit and feel of a performance trainer without sacrificing cushioning. As an added plus, the Zoom RS+ is also Nike+ ready.

As for the Air Zoom TR, it's a cross trainer built around the same idea of providing maximum response with minimum shoe (in addition to running and cross training, there are also new "Zoom" offerings in basketball, indoor soccer, women's fitness and women's tennis launching in August). Unfortunately, outside of that and the fact that it will retail for $100 (the same price as the Air Zoom RS+ runner), I can't really tell you much about the Zoom TR as it's created out of our cross training group.

Hope this helps!

All the best,

Ernest

Ernest Kim

Product Information Manager, Nike Running

bumping in case A_J missed it

Hey thanks for the info. Looks like the RS+ could be a potential replacement for my beloved (and long since discontinued) Air Triax TC(+), the greatest training shoe ever made.

I think I'll try a pair out. Thanks for checking

So I picked up a pair of the Zoom RS. They feel a lot like my beloved Air Triax TC(+) but they are about an ounce heavier. I am injured right now and can't run in them unforutnately. Anyone else tried them yet?

I have them. They rock.

I run all my runs in them

So here's my story. Very high arch, very rigid foot, forefoot striker, 6', 140. So big-time forefoot cushioning is necessary, as well as high heel to forefoot difference, and no correction. Been wearing Nike's since the Daybreak in '82 or so, racing in Spiridon's up to (original) early 90's Streaks (groovy green and black). Pegasus '04 are good for me (still have 6 pairs in my closet), others are not. Vomero's are dandy for easy days on the roads. Just discovered that the Elite 3 work in spite of the correction (which is very mild). But I still want something lighter - Elite 3's are really trainers. Marathoner's do not have near enough cushioning. Need to run in xc spikes on the track in order to have a little extra cushion. Its a thrilling tale to be sure, and there is no ending :)

So, are the RS's an option for me? The cushioning sounds good, the heel to toe height ratio is a concern. Also, is the upper "cool" enough? The Elite's have far too much upper for hot weather running imo, but feel great. And any word on the Elite 4?

I would greatly appreciate any advice from Mr Nike Guy. Thanks!

rb

PS And to LetsRun.com, regarding the spam-deceiving posting question: Are we _certain_ there is not an American runner named Tim Culpepper? Anywhere?

I don't know if it will help but I'll give you my own stats for comparison.

6' tall, 160 pounds (wish I get back down to 150). Loved the Pegasus '01. Love the Air Triax TC(+). Dislike just about any shoe with one of those hard arch plates.

Do not like a high heel-to-forefoot difference. Zoom Elites had too much cushioning for me but I only owned the first generation.

The RS have a lot less cushioning than the Pegasus, Vomeros and significantly less than the Elites. I tend to think of them as very well cushioned flats - heavy flats as a result. But there's not much difference in heel-to-forefoot height. No arch plate on them.

About 1-1/2 years ago I wear tested a shoe that looked a lot like the RS+. I loved the sole (outsole/midsole) but the upper was bulky and inflexible.

The midsole was flexible (responsive?) but not so soft that large stones would bruise my feet. I train a lot on dirt roads and always wear flats (currently Air Streak XC's) and the soft midsole of the flats offer little cushioning.

On the other hand, the upper of the shoe I tried seemed alsmot an afterthought. I figured the wear test was only for the sole, but from the pictures I see, that is not the case.

To those who have tried the RS+, what are the uppers like?

Also, what is Nike+ ???

Your story is almost identical to mine; I'm 6'2' , 145 pounds, high arch etc I got a pair of Zoom RS's and figured they would be more of a gym/walk around shoe. walking in them seemed to help my plantar so i tried running in them . Felt great running and 2 sat ago i did a 20 miler in them. Good cushioning and light but inot much lateral support; i would only use them on road or track. really like the narrow feel. I.ve heard that the Zoom Jazari plus coming out next week is very similiar but looks like it has a more traditional mesh type upper. Nike sizing is getting back to normal; I was wearing 11.5 for while, most trainers now are 11 and my zoom RS's are 10.5 mabe should have got 11. Just be careful if ordering online.

I find the zoom rs to be very curve lasted. be aware, in case that matters to you.

Tim Culpepper wrote:

I find the zoom rs to be very curve lasted. be aware, in case that matters to you.

I agree; it is curve lasted. ANother thing I like about them.

i switched to all flats all the time earlier this year. i love these shoes; just a tad more substantial for the longer runs, but not bulky like regular trainers.

Look at the ASICS Hyper Speed 2.

Average_Joe wrote:

I don't know if it will help but I'll give you my own stats for comparison.

6' tall, 160 pounds (wish I get back down to 150). Loved the Pegasus '01. Love the Air Triax TC(+). Dislike just about any shoe with one of those hard arch plates.

Do not like a high heel-to-forefoot difference. Zoom Elites had too much cushioning for me but I only owned the first generation.

The RS have a lot less cushioning than the Pegasus, Vomeros and significantly less than the Elites. I tend to think of them as very well cushioned flats - heavy flats as a result. But there's not much difference in heel-to-forefoot height. No arch plate on them.

Also, it looks like the Zoom Jasari + has the same midsole and outsole as the RS.

Running Bear wrote:

Also, what is Nike+ ???

It's the nike/apple partnership shoes that have the cavity under the insole of the arch where you can insert a transmitter that works with ipods to give data for workouts with purportedly poor accuracy.

I have a nano and use it with the Nike+ sport kit. I expected it to be inaccurate, but am fairly amazed at how accurate it is. But the most important thing is the software. The iPod automatically sends your workout data to the Nike+ website. On the website, you can map out your runs, and it tells you how far they are. You can keep this map trace private, or make it public, and search through all the other public routes. You can track your runs by run, week, month, or route, and graph them based on time or distance. You can set goals and keep track of your progress, or join or create challenges for multiple members. Then compete in covering the most distance over alotted time, covering a set distance first, running a set distance at the fastest pace. Having all this data logged in a simple way is very motivational. And while running, you can glance at you iPod at any time to see your current distance, pace, and total time. Or you can press the center button for a voice to speak it to you in your headphones. It's a pretty great system.

Even if it is slightly inaccurate(it's not), the motivation you'll get from it, combined with being able to look back at all your data over time makes it well worth the $30.