As someone who puts in a lot of miles and long runs, I’m always keen to discover new ways of looking after my feet and legs. Ultra runs can take everything out of you, but I’ve found that the best medicine for my legs is to go for a little recovery run the next day. For this, I’m looking for an extra bit of comfort.
Nike Joyride is a new show based on engineering designed to offer a personalized underfoot feel and strong impact absorption. It does this with a cushioning system made of thousands of beads. This gives the shoe a malleable feel on your foot. To ensure the sole doesn’t turn to a squishy mess, the beads are placed within what Nike calls “zonally-tuned” pods. Essentially this means the foam can expand in multiple directions while ensuring focused cushioning. The heel, for example, is bigger to absorb impact, while those at the forefoot are prepared to facilitate a smooth transition forward.
I got to try the system out in a pair of Nike Joyride Run Flyknit. While you can use the shoe for all sorts of running, I tried it out in recovery after a long 20-mile run. At first, the shoe felt a little tighter than I was used to but as I run it relaxed to let my foot meld with the sole. I could feel the cushioning adjust as I was running and felt well supported on the run.
The shape of the sole and the nature of the malleable cushioning made me a little cautious of rolling my foot, but I need not have worried. The shoe felt locked in place throughout and kept my feet in a positive direction. For my recovery run, I also liked how the cushioning helped me focus on form rather than speed. I could really feel how every part of my foot was hitting the road and naturally adjusted to keep my motion smooth.
It’s not often I try a shoe that feels completely different to anything else I’ve worn but the Nike Joyride were just that. Time will tell where they will fit into my war-chest of shoes, but initial impressions are very positive.
I spoke to Nike’s Senior Director of Running Footwear, Kylee Barton and asked how the Joyride shoes were different from other Nike products. “The Joyride shoes provide a soft cushioned and a bouncy responsive experience that’s unlike anything else in the Nike line of shoes. We have cavities where the beads are captured as you compress the beads the air escapes out which brings the softness of the ride.”
“We took the insight of how trails by paths and roads are worn down by runners in an effort for an easier surface away from the tarmac,” said Barton. “This, along with how sand conforms to your foot lead us to the design. Originally, though, we had one slab of beads. When runners first started it felt good but became dead as beads migrated and balled up under the arch or tow. So by identifying ways to contain the beads we have been able to harness them in each cavity.”
The Nike Joyride Run Flyknit shoe is available globally on August 15.
