Nike Zoom Elite 9 Review
Deep in my heart I have a special place for lightweight trainers. This started long ago with the original Saucony Kinvara and has continued most recently with the Skechers Razor (REVIEW). It's nice to have a shoe that doesn't weigh you down while still not leaving you at the mercy of the pavement on recovery runs. The Zoom Elite 8 was a shoe I was excited to try, but ended up discovering that it was not that much different than the Pegasus. The major differences at the time were Zoom Air in the forefoot (the peg 33 has changed that difference), a heel midsole that felt like running on stiff cardboard (not a good thing) and a narrower fit. It was just an ok shoe that I ended up giving away after a 100 miles (bought them on ebay for $35... so not a terrible loss). It still weighed as much as a traditional trainer (similar to the Pegasus) and given the number of pairs of Pegasus I have gone through recently, I wondered why I sacrificed a consistent midsole/ride for an uncomfortable posterior section of the shoe. And then along came reports of the Zoom Elite 9, a shoe that was to be drastically different and based off the Streak 6 (REVIEW). As the Streak 6 continues to be my favorite all around racing flat, I had to give these a shot. Short story? The Zoom Elite 9 is a completely different shoe and in my mind is better in almost every way than the previous version. How so? Let's talk:
Deep in my heart I have a special place for lightweight trainers. This started long ago with the original Saucony Kinvara and has continued most recently with the Skechers Razor (REVIEW). It's nice to have a shoe that doesn't weigh you down while still not leaving you at the mercy of the pavement on recovery runs. The Zoom Elite 8 was a shoe I was excited to try, but ended up discovering that it was not that much different than the Pegasus. The major differences at the time were Zoom Air in the forefoot (the peg 33 has changed that difference), a heel midsole that felt like running on stiff cardboard (not a good thing) and a narrower fit. It was just an ok shoe that I ended up giving away after a 100 miles (bought them on ebay for $35... so not a terrible loss). It still weighed as much as a traditional trainer (similar to the Pegasus) and given the number of pairs of Pegasus I have gone through recently, I wondered why I sacrificed a consistent midsole/ride for an uncomfortable posterior section of the shoe. And then along came reports of the Zoom Elite 9, a shoe that was to be drastically different and based off the Streak 6 (REVIEW). As the Streak 6 continues to be my favorite all around racing flat, I had to give these a shot. Short story? The Zoom Elite 9 is a completely different shoe and in my mind is better in almost every way than the previous version. How so? Let's talk:
Midsole/Ride/Durability:
The Nike Zoom Elite 9
has the best forefoot cushioning I have yet to experienced. The
forefoot is soft yet packs some rebound when the pace picks up. The
midsole is far softer than the previous version. It is not in a
mushy way, just not quite as firm as Zoom Elite 8. This is
particularly noticeable in the heel, which no longer feels like your
heel is hitting stiff cardboard. The Zoom Elite 9 comes with a full
length Cushlon midsole that feels fairly consistent. Even with the
soft and responsive Zoom Air unit, the midsole transitions nicely
where ever you land. I would normally get mad at the slight
posterior protrusion of the heel (one of my pet peeves), but it is so
minor and combined with the softer sole and curved heel, it did not
bother me.
For those who have run
in the Streak 6, the Zoom Elite 9 will feel very familiar. These two
shoes are built on the same awesome last, however the Zoom Elite 9
has a good deal more cushioning and the zoom unit lies in the
forefoot, not the heel as in the Streak 6. The wider forefoot is
carried over that compensates for the narrowish midfoot. This is a
fairly neutral shoe, although it does have a higher arch that
disappears quickly after being broken in.
The Zoom Elite 9 comes
in at 8.2 oz (per runningwarehouse.com) with an 8mm drop. This shoe
will rival many other lightweight trainers and sturdier racing flats
(Adios, Asteria, NB 1400v4). Many individuals will be able to use
this as a lightweight trainer or workout shoe. Others will find this
shoe works very well for long distance races up to and beyond the
marathon if you find the streak 6 too minimal. For me, the Zoom
Elite 9 has become my full time daily trainer and leaves me very
comfortable after long runs, workouts and easy runs. I personally
would not race in this shoe but it holds up very well for everything
else (I prefer the Streak 6 for racing and faster workouts).
Upper/Fit/Feel
Like the Streak 6, the
Zoom Elite 9 has a fairly square/rounded toebox. Initially this
feels fairly snug due to the upper riding low, but opens up after
break in to a comfortable but not sloppy fit. The heel is fairly
snug with only a minor and low heel counter. If you have a sensitive
achilles/calcaneus (pump bump) this would be a great shoe for you.
The heel and fit is locked in enough that I did not have to lace lock
my pair, which is the first time I haven't had to do that on a non
racing shoe.
The thickness of the
upper is increased compared to the Streak 6. The forefoot does not
have the holes in the mesh. The upper feels fairly consistent and
soft against the foot throughout. I have run sockless several times
in this shoe and have had minimal issues. I am amazed at the
combination of the fit and the softness of the upper. It is so
rounded for a Nike shoe (clearly that's changing) and I have not once
felt like my toes were being pressed. At the same time, I have not
had ANY slippage issues with this shoe, even around tight corners.
Overall a very well done upper and shoe.
The durability on both
the upper and sole have been great for such a light shoe. After
almost 100 miles I am seeing next to no wear on either despite some
trail use in Chino hills.
Thoughts as a DPT
This is a great
example of a shoe with a more square-ish toebox that does not feel
sloppy. Nike has done this very well with the Streak 6, Streak LT,
the majority of their new spikes and now the Zoom Elite 9. As a DPT,
narrow fitting shoes do not bother me. People have feet that are
different widths. The fast taper in the forefoot bothers me. This
does not come from a minimalist inspired way of thinking and I do
understand that in some cases people will want the snuggest fit they
can find for racing (many elite runners I have treated prefer this in
their spikes). The issue with the fast taper of the toebox,
particularly on the medial side of the toes, is that it can lead to
chronic imbalances between muscles and can contribute to many of the
hallux valgus toes and bunions I see out there. By having a overly
quick taper, the big toe is pushed laterally. This may not seem like
a big deal, but you have muscles that move the great toe in the
transverse plane that can become imbalanced.. The abductor hallucis
is the muscle that pulls the big toe medially and the adductor
hallucis pulls the great toe laterally. Having an overly tapered
forefoot can lead to shortening of the adductor hallucis and
lengthening and weakening of the abductor hallucis. Some individuals
are already at risk for this given our previous discussions on how
tight calves can cause overuse of the subtalar joint, causing them to
evert and roll over the inside of the first toe (which is what causes
medial aspect of the 1st metatarsal bone to grow out in
response to the excess forces... and then a bunion forms!!).
Source: http://www.bodiempowerment.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Foot-Abductor-Adductor-HallucisRight1.jpg
The fact that you have
muscles at this junction means that you should focus on trying to
stretch the adductor hallucis and strengthen the abductor hallucis,
especially if you want to maintain healthy foot posture! The
abductor hallucis originates at the posterior aspect of the arch.
The way the muscle and tendon runs means that it helps shorten the
arch in addition to pulling the big toe medially. This muscle is
particularly important in working with the fibularis longus,
posterior tibialis, anterior tibialis and the foot instrinsics in
supporting the medial longitudinal arch. The point I'm trying to
make with all this is that having this muscle stretched out not only
places you at risk for a bunion, but for collapsed arches. This may
further increase your injury risk from other muscles trying to
compensate for weakness of the abductor hallucis. Most people are so
weak in this area that attempting to move their great toe medially
immediately causes cramping in the arch. That's your abductor
hallucis, that is so weak that it freaks out upon use. Make sure you
stretch the opposing muscle first (adductor hallucis) as you do not
want to strength a muscle in an overly lengthened range if you are
trying to balance out opposing muscles. So you want your big toe to
be as straight as possible for healthy foot posture and that means
have a shoe that maintains that! Which for Nike to do in so many of
their shoes recently is awesome. Look for a full post on muscles
affecting the great toe in the coming months.
Room for Improvement
Nike honestly nailed this
shoe. My only comments would be to get ride of the posterior
extension of the heel. Does that really affect the ride? No as the
midsole compresses well. I just found it a bit annoying initially...
but that's mostly because I'm a DPT and biomechanics nerd.
Conclusion
Nike did a fantastic
job with this shoe. It is light, cushioned, handles pace changes and
speed very well, has an anatomic but snug forefoot and seems to be
very durable for a ligthweight trainer. This is definitely a rival
to shoes like the Adidas Boston, Skechers Razor and Saucony Kinvara
in the lightweight category. All the issues from the previous
version have been patched up into a very versatile shoe. If you have
a chance, definitely try this shoe. In approximately 100 miles it
has become one of my favorites.
Thanks for reading and
don't forget to Tack On!
These shoes were
provided free of charge for winning the 2016 Bryan Clay 5k from A
Snail's Pace Monrovia. I put at least 75 miles on trainers and 25
miles on racing flats. Currently I have 94 miles on my first pair
and they are still going strong.
As always, my views
are my own. My blog should not and does not serve as a replacement
for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned
about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist.
-Dr. Matthew Klein, PT,
DPT
