Get the Nike Shox R4 for PRICES BELOW RETAIL!
https://amzn.to/2K3p71S (Amazon Link)
Hey whats up everyone, welcome back to another sneaker review by Honest Soles. It’s Nigel here and I’ve just got my hands on the Nike Shox R4 so I’m hella excited to give you my complete review on it.
This sneaker first made its appearance in 2000 and is recently brought back to life by Nike in brand new colourways.
Designed as a running shoe, the Nike Shox R4 is known for the ‘shox’ support at the heels, giving it a rather unique design. This has resulted in 2 extreme opinions — absolutely amazing and utter trash (I know, that’s harsh..).
Recently, football star Neymar even had a collaboration with this sneaker series, causing more heated discussion among sneaker enthusiasts.
Putting all the commotion aside, how do these sneakers fare in terms of comfort, style, usabiliy and cost? That’s what we’re gonna find out today. Lets get started!
1. Features of the Nike Shox R4
Let’s start off by breaking down the key features of the shoe.
PU Foam Midsole
This is the most significant feature of the shoe. Designed to be energy-returning, the Nike Shox R4 provides spring cushioning through the 4 rounded springs above the outsole.
I took these out for a run and they’ve worked well for me. The support and bounce is decent and what I really love about this shoe is the great stability it gives. Compared to other running shoes, the support and bounce pretty much feels the same but the stability is what makes it stand out.
Outsole
The grip on the Nike Shox R4 feels great too. With the well-designed outsole pattern, the shoe provides good traction for running/walking on all terrains.
The outsole is also pretty thick so it’s unlikely to wear out quickly unlike some running shoes.
Upper
Compliments aside, here’s something I really dislike about this shoe. The stiff upper makes my feet feels jailed within the shoe!
Being non-stretchy in nature, I couldn’t move my toes as freely as I wanted to and that made it kind of uncomfortable for me. So if you’re looking to get yourself a pair, I’d recommend you getting a bigger size to minimize the discomfort from this feature. More on sizing later..
If any of the sneaker features I’ve mentioned sound unfamiliar to you, consider checking out my new sneaker guide on The Parts of a Shoe!
2. Comfort
Like we discussed earlier, these shoes do not fare as well in terms of comfort. In addition to the stiff upper, the padding around the sneaker collar is firmer than usual too.
This could however be a good or bad thing depending on your personal preference. Personally, I love softer cushioning around the ankles so the firmer padding doesn’t really suit me. But if you enjoy greater stability from firmer padding, then the Nike Shox R4 will work well for you.
3. Usability/Style
Despite being originally designed as a running shoe, many sneaker enthusiasts have added the Nike Shox R4 to their lifestyle sneaker collection as well. And that isn’t surprising considering the clean look it offers.
As mentioned, the bounce, support and stability this shoe offers makes it a pretty good running shoe. One that is pretty durable too. The energy-returning feature of the midsole further raises the running performance, making the Nike Shox R4 an overall good pick-up for you runners out there.
Style wise, I really love the unique design of the Nike Shox R4. It offers a bold look through the colourway but the Swoosh Logo isn’t so fancy that it’s screaming ‘NIKE’. Overall, this 2 points complement each other to give a stylish sneaker that can help you pull off various outfits.
Here are a few personal on feet shots I’ve taken. Looks great don’t they?
For those of you who’ve been following my reviews, you would know that I love sneakers that can be used for both leisure and running. So the Nike Shox R4 fits right in! But as mentioned earlier, they’re not the most comfortable sneakers so I’ll probably just be rocking them once in a while for its sick design.
4. Sizing
Here’s where it gets important. The Nike Shox R4 run smaller than usual so I would strongly recommend you getting half to one size up from your true size. Personally, I went with US 9.5!
To put things into perspective, I wear US 9 for sneakers like the Adidas Ultra Boost and Nike Air Max 97, and US 8.5 for sneakers like the Adidas NMD and Nike Air Force 1.
5. Cost
The Nike Shox R4 carries a retail price tag of $170, which is higher than average running shoes out there. Comparing the price to its performance, I would say it’s not worth your money and you’re way better off getting other running shoes.
Thankfully and surprisingly, many fashion retailers are actually offering these shoes at discounted prices for as low as $130. Online marketplaces like Amazon sometimes offer them at a steal too. So browse around and see what treasure you’ll find!
P.S. I’m currently working on a deals section that will include many not-to-be-missed sneaker deals! Sign up for the Honest Soles newsletter to get immediately updated once it is launched!
Only with sale prices, I’d say the Nike Shox R4 is worth the purchase. Otherwise, they’re honestly nothing very special to me.
But then again, that’s just my own opinion!
Feel free to rock your own style and look! If you think it’s worth it, go grab yourself a pair! Anyway, It’s your own style that matters at the end of the day.
6. Summary of Pros and Cons of the Nike Shox R4
Pros:
- Good Support and Bounce
- Energy Returning
- Durable Outsole
Cons:
- Stiff Upper makes it uncomfortable
- Firm Padding along Collar
- Expensive Retail Price
7. Final Words
With its unique design and high performance, the Nike Shox R4 is a pretty good fit if you’re going for a sneaker to meet both your lifestyle and running needs. That said, if you’re focusing on running performance alone, I would say it isn’t the BEST CHOICE.
As for purely lifestyle use, that ultimately depends on your own style choice! I personally think they look amazing and will definitely rock them. Anyway, there are many colourways for you to choose from so I’m sure there’s one that fits you!
So what do you think? Is the Nike Shox R4 a COP or DROP? Let me know in the comments down below!
If you have any questions regarding this shoe, feel free to ask down in the comments too!
As always, lets spread the sneaker passion from one sole to another..
I’ll see you at the next review!
Get the Nike Shox R4 for PRICES BELOW RETAIL!
https://amzn.to/2K3p71S (Amazon Link)
Disclosure: some of the links within the article are affiliate links, meaning that I may earn a commission when you purchase through them, without adding any additional cost to you. This does not affect my review/judgement in any way and I only share my most sincere and professional views when reviewing products to help you make the best choice in your purchases. The commissions from these links do help support this page and allow me to continue producing contents like the one above for you. I thank you for all the support.
Originally published at https://honestsoles.com on July 24, 2019.
