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Ring the Alarm! the Latest Nike Frees Have Arrived

Allie Flinn

March 19, 2019

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Photo: Nike

Today in "take all my money," Nike just dropped the 2019 Nike Free Running Collection. I don't even run that often and I am consumed with want over these. Two new shoes are included in the collection; the Nike Free RN Flyknit 3.0 ($130), and the Nike Free RN 5.0 ($100). These sleek shoes were designed to mimic the way you would run in your bare feet—even more so than previous iterations of the Frees. Because when it comes to things like avocado, more is definitely more. But in the case of running shoes, it's better to take a minimalist approach. Lightweight shoes without too much cushioning allow for more mobility as you run.

"I generally only recommend minimalist shoes for shorter runs if running on black top," says Rich Velazquez, COO and coach at Mile High Run Club. "Minimalist shoes promote greater ankle mobility and the ability to 'feel' the surface under your landing a bit more which could have an adverse impact on harder surfaces after long periods of time. If going through the 'waning process' from a supportive shoe to minimal one, use them during your recovery days, generally a comfortable pace 40 minutes or less. Run without headphones so you can hear and be aware of your landing."

The new Nike Frees feature an offset that is lower to the ground than previous designs (4mm lower for the Flyknit 3.0, and 2mm lower for the Free 5.0). In regular person speak, this means that your foot is closer to the ground. It's that whole "mimicking running barefoot" thing, you know, without actually having to run barefoot because that germ situation would be out of control. Nike also firmed up the midsole from previous iterations because this version is designed for lower mileage.

Plus, they both just look super cool. And really, that's what's important right? The shoes were designed to be more "anatomically shaped," which sounds kind of sexual, but cool. Basically, that means in addition to design innovations that make the shoe feel like a second skin, the shoe features design lines that pay tribute to the shape of the foot. Oh, and the smaller swoosh on the shoes symbolizes the low-mileage purpose of the shoe (I live for a hidden message). If you’re training for a marathon, you might need something with more cushioning, but these are gold for your 5Ks.

The 2019 Nike Free Running Collection is available for purchase for members on March 20, and retail on April 4.

Head's up (ha!)—you can now meditate while you run.