Latest revision as of 10:57, 7 January 2017

The Nike LunaRacer 4 is a pleasantly simple, light weight, every day running shoe. There is no particular novelty or unique feature, but Nike's done a good job at producing a functional shoe. I only have 2 significant complaints, the first being the appalling shape of the toe box, but that's a flaw shared by the overwhelming majority of modern running shoes. The other problem is that it has a little bit more of a drop than I'd like, though it was never enough to make me feel like I was running in high heels. I rated the LunaRacer as "recommended", and were it not for the two problems I do rated it higher. Even with the toe box cut open I found the non-anatomical forefoot shape to be a little annoying. I'm hopeful that Nike will improve the LunaRacer over time as they have with the makings of an awesome running shoe. (I use The Science of Running Shoes as the basis of how I test running shoes and what you should look for in a running shoe.)

Nike LunaRacer top	Nike LunaRacer outside
Nike LunaRacer bottom	Nike LunaRacer inside

1 Characteristics

• Cushioning . The LunaRacer uses Nike's "Lunarlon" foam, which they claim is 30% lighter than their usual foam. I found it to be on par with many of the better running shoes I've tested. It's broadly similar in cushioning to the Asics Gel Hyper Speed and not far behind the Hoka Clayton, which is an impressive achievement. The cushioning is as smooth and even as you'd expect from a modern running shoe and the cushioning-to-weight ratio is up with the best of them.
• Drop. The LunaRacer has too much drop for my tastes, and is on the edge of what I can tolerate at 7mm. The large drop is one of the downsides to the LunaRacer and combined with the poor toe box shape prevented me rating it higher.
• Structure. The LunaRacer has a dual density midsole, which normally implies a Medial Post. However, in this case it's actually a soft foam midsole surrounded by a slightly firmer and harder wearing foam.
• Flexibility. The LunaRacer has a similar flexibility to other lightweight running shoes. If you look at the photos of the soul, you'll see some lines that look like they might be gaps in the foam rather like the Nike Free. Sadly, that's not the case and these are just very shallow grooves. Given that the hard rubber outsole is only in small patches, I'd expected a somewhat more flexible shoe, but that's not the case. The LunaRacer does have a tendency to want to bend in just one specific line, corresponding to a gap in the hard rubber outsole patches. So it has pretty good flexibility, and I've got no complaints, but perhaps I just had overly high expectations.
• Outsole. The LunaRacer has harder rubber outsole patches, they are placed in the primary contact points. In addition, the exposed midsole foam is slightly harder wearing than the inner foam that provides the bulk of the cushioning. If you are a forefoot runner that lands on the outside edge of your forefoot consistently, you might find a little bit of extra wear in that spot, but I don't expect that to be a big deal.
• Shape. The LunaRacer is nothing like the shape of the human foot, so the toe box needs to be cut open. The LunaRacer is a perhaps slightly worse than an average running shoe, and given how bad a typical example of a modern running shoe is, that's pretty bad. (I recommend cutting open the toe box of virtually all running shoes, with the exception of a few shoes like some Altra shoes. When you have some worn out shoes, you should try cutting open the toe box. I've found that it's a big improvement, allowing my toes to move naturally and engage for toe off, as well as reducing the possibility of blisters.)
  
  

  My LunaRacers, cut open.
• Upper. The upper is light weight, and very open for good breathability. It has no seams, but it does have an odd reinforcement band around the midfoot. This is where the upper forms loops for the laces and goes back down to the midsole, which seems a little peculiar and pointless, but it's mostly harmless. There is a modest amount of padding around the ankle opening and I found it to be a comfortable shoe once I cut the toe box open.
• Tongue. The LunaRacer has a traditional style of tongue that's completely unpadded. I found I needed to pay attention when putting it on to make sure the tongue was flat as it easily gets worked up.
• Lacing. The LunaRacer has flat laces that work how laces should and don't come undone mid-run.
• Heel Counter. The LunaRacer is only a tiny hint of a heel counter, and it's only purpose seems to be to keep the shape of the shoe when it's sitting on the shelf. I'd rather Nike had left it out, but it's harmless.

Please support this site This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions. Buy Nike LunaRacer at Zappos Buy Nike LunaRacer at Road Runner Sports Buy Nike LunaRacer at Kelly's Running Warehouse Buy Nike LunaRacer at Charlotte Ultra Running Company

2 A Comparison with other Recommended Shoes

If you're looking for "the best of the best" running shoe, here are my top picks. Of course, the answer will depend a little on what you're looking for, so I have recommendations for various categories. Best All Round Shoe. The Altra Escalante is my current all-round favorite. It has plenty of cushioning for its weight, it has a very springy midsole, it lasts well, and it has a shape that's closer to the shape of a human foot than most shoes. It's a great shoe for any runner, including those Starting to run. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity. Best Maximalist Shoe: If you want something massively cushioned, then I'd recommend the Saucony Kinvara 8. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned, beating Hoka at their own game. Best Optimal Shoe: For those looking to trade cushioning for speed, the Nike Zoom Streak LT 3 was my top pick, but the latest version (LT 4) falls short of it's predecessor. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills, but all have their weak spots. Probably the best option at the moment is the Altra Vanish-R, which offers great cushioning for just over 5oz/150g. Fastest Shoe: If you really want speed, then check out the Nike Vaporfly 4%. It's light, massively cushioned, and has a carbon fiber plate. Nothing comes close, not even the now defunct New Balance RC5000‏‎ or New Balance RC5000v2‏‎. There are a number of caveats; it's really expensive, it's really hard to find, and there's a significant injury risk. Best Minimalist Shoe: Merrell Trail Glove. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well. All Terrain Shoe. For trail running, I've become a fan of Altra, and I think their best shoe is the the Altra Timp, though the Altra Lone Peak is really close. Honorable Mention: It's not really a running shoe, but the Vivobarefoot Ra is comfortable, minimalist and can more or less pass as a dress shoe. I've worn mine to weddings with a suit and they've not looked out of place. You can run in the Ra, but the leather means it doesn't breathe well.

For a more detailed on running shoes see the Recommendations for Best Running Shoes. This table lists the key attributes of What to Look for in Running Shoes. For more detailed information, on the shoes see detailed shoe comparison.

It's not a running shoe, but I love the Hoka Tor Ultra hiking boot and I've tested the Altra Lone Peak Boot, the Hoka Tor Speed 2, and the Inov-8 Roclite 325 hiking boots
Older shoe reviews: Saucony Hattori Review, Mizuno Cursoris Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, Hoka Clifton Review, Saucony Virrata 2 Review, Brooks PureCadence 3 Review, Brooks PureConnect 3 Review, Brooks PureFlow 3 Review, Skechers GO Bionic 2 Review, New Balance 980 Review, Brooks Transcend 2 Review, Hoka Huaka Review, Patagonia EVERlong Review, Asics 33-DFA Review, Hoka Conquest Review, Saucony Cortana Review, Puma Faas 100 R Review, Saucony Fastwitch Review, Nike Free Review, Asics Gel Lyte 33 Review, Skechers GOmeb Speed Review, Skechers GOrun Ultra Road Review, Nike LunaRacer Review, Altra Paradigm Review.