Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% FlyEase Review

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Nike FlyEase Features

The Nike Tempo FlyEase has been designed with a specific purpose in mind. It is a daily trainer for fast-paced runners. As a result, this shoe provides the most benefit when you are running at a moderate to fast pace. When you run slowly, it feels a little clunky, the heel is somewhat unstable, and the shoe produces a loud noise with every footstrike.

Upper

The upper of the shoe consists of a weave knit with some reinforcement over the toe.  It looks smart, breathes well, and conforms to the foot easily. It provides plenty of structure and weaves seamlessly into the midsole. The heel counter provides some padding to keep your foot locked in, so you won’t have any problems with heel lift when you run in a pair of Tempos. The heel cushioning features Nike React technology to provide extra comfort and bounce.

Midsole

The midsole of the Nike Tempo FlyEase features Zoom-X foam on the top, which is designed to deliver energy return as you move forward. There is also a side reinforcing plate and a built-in Zoom air unit to deliver responsive cushioning and provide extra spring in every stride. The impressive midsole support helps to prevent issues like shin splints.

When you run at a faster pace, all of the elements of the shoe harmonize, and it almost feels as if you are running on a cloud. However, when you slow down, you notice each of the individual parts of the shoe, and it feels somewhat cumbersome.

Outsole

The outsole of the Tempo features a lot of rubber. The Nike website states that this rubber features a special runner-informed traction design that was created using data from hundreds of runners. That feedback was used to allow Nike to place traction precisely where the foot needs it, providing grip on multiple surfaces.

The outsole certainly delivers, being more durable and grippy than Nike Air Zooms.

Locking System

A unique feature of the Tempo is its no-tie lacing system. The patented lock and release system allows users to securely fit the shoe with a single pull with one hand. The heel of the shoe collapses when you step into it and then snaps back into place. That means that you don’t have to waste time tying laces—or worry about them coming undone. To tighten, simply pull the loop near the tongue. To release, just pull the loop near the toe.

Performance

As I’ve already mentioned, this is a shoe for running at pace. When you run slowly, it feels disjointed. But when you increase your speed, the shoe comes into its own. When you’re running on your toes, you get a fantastic light feel on every stride. The air pod in the midsole propels you forward so that you just want to keep going.

The Nike Tempo FlyEase is a lightweight shoe. The men’s version at size 10.5 weighs in at 8.4 oz, with the women’s size 7.5 weighing in at 6.75 oz. Considering all of the technology that is built into the shoes, those are impressively lightweights.

What’s Not So Good about the Nike FlyEase

The Nike Tempo FlyEase is not a general running shoe. Its specific speed running design is both its biggest asset and its biggest downfall. It is not designed as a race day shoe, but rather a medium to fast-paced trainer. What that means, in effect, is that you will need to buy three pairs of shoes if you are a competitive runner; one for general runs that may include slow work, the FlyEase for your speed training, and a third pair, like the Nike Alpha Fly, for race day. That will see you paying out around $700 for your running shoes. Throw in your other running gear for men and women and the price starts to look prohibitive.

With the FlyEase having a recommended retail price of $200, it sits on the upper end of the training shoe market, so having to buy another pair of trainers for your jogging work may be out of reach for many runners.

Nike Tempo Next% FlyEase vs Tempo Next%

It’s easy to get the names of these two shoes mixed up, so what’s the difference between the Nike Tempo Next% FlyEase and the Tempo Next%? While the two shoes have the same midsole and both feature generous heel cushioning, there are a couple of key differences:

• The FlyEase features the one-pull lacing system lock and release mechanism, doing away with the need to tie laces.
• The FlyEase also has the collapsible step-in heel feature.

Are These the Best Nike Running Shoes?

Nike has put a lot of technological features into the Tempo FlyEase. It combines two types of foam, airbags, a rubber outsole, a mesh upper, heel counter padding, and a cool lock and release mechanism. These features work beautifully for fast runners and will make a great fitness gift for the speedster in your life. But they are not going to work for a person who is after a daily trainer. In the end analysis, the Tempo FlyEase is a specialist running shoe.

While it may be the best speed training shoe that Nike have ever produced, it is not the best Nike running shoe overall. That honor, in my opinion, belongs to the Nike ZoomX VaporFly X, which is, again in my opinion, the best long-distance running shoe on the market. It delivers responsiveness that comes close to the Tempo at all running speeds, making it a better choice for general training.