Nike Lunar Racer redesign - input needed

The inside of the shoe is currently made of sandpaper. The area across the top of the foot pinches and chafes when running on hills. The heel counter is too high (look to Inov8 for an example of a proper low heel counter). The midsole is too thick for a racing shoe. Shaving a couple of mm off would be fantastic and also save some weight while making the shoe marginally firmer.

nerp wrote:

I have a pretty narrow foot, but the upper on the LR and LR 2 both felt too tight around the toes for my tastes. The original LR used a really stiff material to reinforce the toebox mesh, and i found that to give me all sorts of trouble.

I agree with this. I have a narrow foot and never had toebox trouble with any shoe before this one.

I also have a narrow foot and I really like the fit (width, low volume, etc.) of the Lunaracer - no problems whatsoever. I also like the thickness of the midsole since I use them as an everyday trainer. Nike has enough excellent racing flats to choose from. The Lunaracer adds to their line as a marathoning shoe or tempo shoe or a training shoe. Nike, please don't make any significant changes!

Thanks for all of the input so far, keep it coming.

So, when it comes to colors if you had your choice between neon green or neon orange vs. white with one red swoosh and one blue swoosh, which would you pick ?

The lining of the LR1 was a smoother material, the new LR lining is more abrasive and tougher on my feet. I wish the toe box was a little roomier and the white with red swoosh would be my pick! I think the LR is a very good shoe!

The red/blue swoosh.

poiuy wrote:

I also have a narrow foot and I really like the fit (width, low volume, etc.) of the Lunaracer - no problems whatsoever. I also like the thickness of the midsole since I use them as an everyday trainer. Nike has enough excellent racing flats to choose from. The Lunaracer adds to their line as a marathoning shoe or tempo shoe or a training shoe. Nike, please don't make any significant changes!

You're must have a deformed foot. These things are too narrow. I am 6'3" and 145 pounds with feet that are so damn narrow that I have had to buy narrow width shoes in the past instead of the normal medium. These are too narrow in the toe box, it is like they are made for weirdos like you.

Go put your weird feet in a museum, snow ski foot man.

nikeman wrote:

Thanks for all of the input so far, keep it coming.

So, when it comes to colors if you had your choice between neon green or neon orange vs. white with one red swoosh and one blue swoosh, which would you pick ?

Neon Green with black swoosh! Keep it the SAME!

I prefer the Lunaracer2. The 1 wore out faster. The 2 worked out for me up to 50K with no blister issues or major toenail casualties. I plan to use it in a 100K soon but just the half size bigger. I like the flywire upper because if it rains/pours or whatever it doesn't hold much water and turn your shoes to bricks!

Note- anyone try the ND+ ?It looks like the Lunaracer 1 but with a heavier upper.

I agree with all the posters complaining about the width, but I appreciate that there are those who like the width. The toebox is too tight for me due to both the narrowness and the low box height. Rather than simply say to change the whole shoe and risk offending the current narrow foot followers, is there any way to just make a different version with a wider forefoot? I mean, you have many shoes using the similar midsole right now, such as with the OGs and the Vengeance both easily available. Is there anyway you can just make a version by a different name and give it a wider/higher forefoot?

I've bought the Lunar Racers twice now and returned them both times due to my toes just not being able to deal with it. I really want to wear this shoe, but just can't make it happen. I'd love to see a version more accommodating to a wider forefoot.

Yeah that's one reason I have been in Nike for years- I have a narrow foot.

for my foot, most perfect race shoe ever made....with one caveat, the forefoot upper could be a little more snug fitting but that's just me....otherwise, the perfect shoe.....I've even broke 4 in them! :)

cheers, dude-

Thanks, Hesch. Any feedback on color ?

Midnight Black.....whatever color swoosh they want, I don't care. I've three diff colorways and I'd still kill for a black pair.....

dude-

Have run in the LR2 and liked it. Don't love the look of the toe box. Always heard that they ran small but they seem to run a bit big. I got them in 10.5 and had tons of room.

Just got the new LR in purple. Prefer the look generally. Got them in the same size as LR2 and they are noticeably smaller. Like, a lot smaller. Like, I-can't-even-wear-socks smaller. I don't mind too much because FL is really hot right now. However, I need to punch some holes in these to let the sweat drain.

Takeaway:

Find a happy medium between the sizing of the LR2 and the LR. Split the difference.

More breathable material like the LR2 around the toe box or add drainage/ventilation holes around the toe box and mid foot. You can make them the same as the eyelets.

Keep the look of the LR. I like the streamlined look.

Reduce the size of the ridges on the side of the sole. They are too pronounced.

Perfect Shoe:

Stick the Zoom XC upper on the LR sole.

Color ways...

Look at what people are doing with NikeID?

Basic colors for the base with complementary highlights in neon seems to work well with the Lunar Glide. A lot of the spikes have good color ways as well.

P.S.

Perfect Shoe:

Zoom XC upper on the LR sole.

Agreed on reducing the depth of those ridges on the midsole. They basically serve as a dirt hoover/trapping mechanism. Making the midsole perfectly smooth would look really neat as well.

I'd tend to agree with that. personally I like the LR upper just b/c it fits my foot but the streak upper is pretty tough to beat. nice to have the stretch fit. lunaracer doesn't work for everyone b/c it doesn't stretch much, just happens to fit my foot almost perfect

zizzles wrote:

P.S.

Perfect Shoe:

Zoom XC upper on the LR sole.

Lisa Buster's Housekeeper wrote:

best nike flat....easy.

started as Nike Air Streak Vengeance that John Kagwe won NYC Marathon in.....that same outsole/midsole became the Air Streak Ekiden that Catherine wore (as well as many others) blue/yellow tiger stripe number, (there are also a couple of variations in Japanese shoes) then year's later it came back again as the Air Streak XC...but again, same outsole/midsole combo. Its the best midsole/outsole combo Nike's ever come up with.

I agree with you and Crazy Jason. I loved those shoes.