One of the delights for a shoe geek is to walk into a local running shoe store, with absolutely no intention of buying anything, only to leave with a pair or two because the deal was simply too good to be true. The same could be said of my unplanned purchase of the Nike Zoom Span (ZS).

If that name sounds familiar to veterans out there, that’s because the Span name has been used before. The OG and Span 2 were neutral, plush and highly cushioned shoes in those days which morphed into stability models with the old Zoom Elite’s medial post! Some sneaker head sites have revealed that the Span 2 will be making a comeback in 2018 as a vintage model, just like the Huarache, Sock Racer, Air Mariah. If you’re not a runner in the ’80s, you be best take a peek on how they used to look like in the links below:

Span OG | Span 2 | Span 4 | Span 7

Back to my story.

So there I was walking around Sunway Pyramid after a meet up, passed by 2 sports shops (with large Sale stickers) and decided to pop in. Lo and behold, Sports Empire had the Zoom Span on 40%! I’ve had my eyes on the Span for some time as a cheaper alternative to the Pegasus, and have read many reviews proclaiming them being excellent value for money, what with so much of Nike’s core technologies included. The RRP of RM399 is at least RM60 cheaper than the Pegs and the Saucony Ride 10. With this discount, the price was further slashed down to RM240. And that was how I ended up with another pair of shoes.

As I’ve mentioned above, the ZS is anything but similar to the Spans of yore. The current version is a reboot and takes on the form of the Pegasus. With the low price, you still get the goodies such as an engineered mesh forefoot, Cushlon midsole, Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, and full contact outsole (Duralon, which is Nike’s blown rubber in the forefoot, and solid rubber in the heel). For a touch of stability, a tiny and indeed innocuous medial post works in tandem with a flared midsole.

Instead of a flashy upper, the ZS sports a 2-tone colorway – grey and black, with a saddle that looks like the Pegasus 31’s. The difference is that the Peg’s saddle is like breathable supportive webbing while the ZS’s version is simple a midfoot wrap with cosmetic design cues. Just like in the case of the automotive industry, the Volkswagen Group will deploy the latest tech and whizbang in the Audis, while Skoda will inherit their 2-year old tech, the ZS are like cheaper Pegs with slightly dated design cues.

Happily, the US10 fits true to size and at 9.7oz each side, they don’t weigh like bricks. Forefoot space is very decent despite the tapered appearance. You can see from the photo above there’s a considerable flare from the midsole. The midfoot lockdown is comfortable. The ZS’s ride leans towards the firmer end of the scale in the forefoot yet softer in the heel. The heel is notably softer than that of the Ride 10. The internal heel counter is stiff but doesn’t cause any discomfort other than a weight penalty.

The ride of the ZS is neutral and should be very agreeable to the masses out there. There’s a degree of stability with each footstrike which I think is more attributable to the midsole flare than the tiny medial post, and might I say there’s a little responsiveness to go with that too? Transition is smooth which is no doubt due to the many flex grooves zig-zagging across the outsole. To shave off some weight, the midsole is hollowed out length-wise from exactly the midfoot point to the center-heel. When I needed to pick up the pace, they respond too. That’s the benefit of having a firmer forefoot.

Admittedly, durability of the Cushlon and absence of carbon rubber outsole may not be on par with the costlier options but at the least, 500km isn’t an unreasonable ask from the Span. At 50km, there’s literally no wear.

Runners on a tight budget should rejoice. At this price, there’s really nothing to complain. Like the Zoom Elite, the Zoom Span has been redesigned from the ground up. There’s no resemblance to the Spans of old.  However, unlike the much more expensive and race-centric Zoom Elite, I don’t foresee the Span hanging around too long nor see an update if news of a vintage version due next year. So if your budget is a little tight for a pair of versatile shoes yet can’t afford a Pegasus or any other workhorse trainers, grab these! Especially if they’re so heavily discounted.

The Nike LunarFly+ is one of the most underrated and understated shoe in Nike’s Lunar range. Yet, it has turned out to be one of my favourites, one that I’m strongly considering wearing for the Mar 26th TUC. Oftentimes you don’t  need to load a product with all the bells and whistles to come out with a great offering. Keeping it simple while ensuring the basics are covered are what works.

The LunarFly’s upper design is a close replica of the discontinue Hayward, another lightweight retro looking model. It’s construction is minimal and has just enough trimmings to retain the integrity of the shoe. And like the Hayward there are two venting ports on the instep of the shoe. There are several colourways for the Fly but I decided on the Black/Green version because I wanted the reflective properties of the large swoosh strips – essential for early morning/night time running. This is one shoe with a completely retro look that’s highly visible on the streets. As with most Nike shoes these days, it comes Nike+ ready.

The midsole is constructed of Lunarlon and surprisingly sports the  Dynamic Support midsole, even though it’s not indicated anywhere on it. According to Nike’s product person in the US, the Dynamic Support found in the Fly is the mildest to be put in their stable of shoes. The outsole is made up of tiny waffles, unlike the chunky ones found on the Pegasus.

How does the LunarFly fit? I’d say pretty snug in the midfoot without being restrictive. The shoe’s forefoot width and height offer more than adequate room to the toes. As can be expected of a shoe this minimal, the lack of weight makes it a very appealing fast training and racing shoe. While not too soft, there’s a bounce to the footstrike but I’d welcome a slightly more responsive ride and a smaller heel to toe drop personally. The support is adequate for those with a neutral gait. I like the shoe’s flexibility which is totally unlike the more rigid LunarGlide+.

I’ve logged 163KM in the LunarFly including a 42KM training run and I’d say that they’re pretty darn good. There are some wear and tear to be sure which I fully expected in view of the outsole design. I reckon I’ll be able to clock a total of 350KM in them. There are no issues with heat build-up and if laced closely, the one incident of some renegade pebbles that I encountered would not have happened. The small waffles did present a tricky proposition when dealing with sand, as I consistently slipped a little on a patch when I covered 4 loops around Mutiara Homes. After slipping once on my first loop, I purposely ran over it the next 3 loops just to confirm that finding. I do have to mention that I had no problems on wet surfaces though.

That’s it for the LunarFly+. What you get is a simple shoe that serves me well and covers nearly all the most important bases. The sweetener on this package is the price which is just RM299. The LunarFly+ are not sold out of Nike boutiques but in retailers such as Al-Ikhsan and Stadium. I bought mine in Penang towards end of last year but then the LunarFly 2 is already out now, albeit with some tweaks to the upper. If you like a more minimalist shoe, opt for the first version.

Originally published: Mar 3, 2011

2 weeks ago I spotted a FB update from Runningwarehouse on the launch of 2 trail shoes from Nike. Not another Free or Flyknit road shoe but trail! Not one but two!! OK, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me clarify.

Firstly Nike’s take on the trail segment has always been more towards the ruggedizing the existing road models. Long gone were the bulky ACG (All Conditions Gear) hiking series, you’ll see Pegasus Trail, Fly Trail, Structure Trail… You get the idea. Therefore when photos began circulating in the Internet of the Zoom Wildhorse and Zoom Terra Kiger along with some of their specs, my toes were well and truly tickled. Not only are these 2 designed freshed (in a manner of speaking since I think various parts of the shoes were influenced from other models), they’re low drop (4mm), lightweight (9.3oz for US10.5) and have much more room up front than traditional Nikes.

One of my frustrations with Nike has always been the narrow toebox. This IMHO has prevented the Lunaracer from being a good to an excellent shoe. To illustrate the difference between the Wildhorse and the other shoes, I pulled out several (not all!) active ones out of my cabinet for comparison and you can see for yourselves.

Wildhorse and Kiger are unusual names so I dug around and found out that both are names for locations in the Steens Mountain, Oregon (Nike’s home state) – Wildhorse Lake and Kiger Gorge (Kiger is also a name of mustang from that area). The Wildhorse shares several traits with the Kiger namely their lasts, absence of rockplate, weight, outsole design and drop. However there are subtle differences such as Kiger’s use of heel and forefoot airbags, smaller toebox room, sticky rubber, Dynamic Flywire, mesh than resembles the Free and LunarGlide and a USD15 higher price.

The Kiger isn’t brought into Malaysia (probably due to price factor), so this initial review is only on the Wildhorse. On to the shoe and firstly on the sizing and weight. Because of the intended purpose of this shoe (i.e. taken on runs long enough such that my feet will swell), I started my fitting with a US10. It turned out to be just enough with a thicker trail socks (I tried the shoes while wearing the Nike 2-layer sock but the Drymax Trail has roughly the same thickness). Upsized the shoes to a 10.5 and with a thumb and half space up front, the fit was just right. Without any walking around, the footbed felt firm but walking and hopping around in them, I fully appreciate the responsive cushioning the shoe offers.

Topside, the traditional laces were super easy and smooth to cinch up – you pull the top and the entire shoe upper wraps around your feet. A rounded and wide forefoot was so appreciated. There’s a small toe bumper that wraps around in front. The lightly padded tongue is gusseted (yet another plus point) and long enough unlike the Flyknit Lunar One’s. There’s really no need for too much padding since the laces are not of the thin wires or Kevlar types which could potentially put extra pressure on top of the feet. The gusset is sewn to an inner sleeve which acts to prevent the outer layer of the upper from rubbing the foot. The lime green layer sandwiched between the outer layer and inner sleeve is called Dynamic Fit – you adjust your laces and these will wrap  closer or looser depending on your adjustments. It gets better, the removable sockliner isn’t molded to the extreme in that the arch area, so there’s no chance of chafing there. Interestingly, “Nike Free” is inscribed on the underside of the sockliner.

At the back there’s an absence of a traditional and stiff heel counter. In its place, just a strap across the heel to secure it in place.

The dual density midsole has a 23mm and 19mm heel-forefoot stackheight, rounded at the sides of the heel which mimics the foot shape and should provide traction on the uneven trails. The outsole is a mix of slanted lugs. Towards the heel section, the lugs are directional while the perimeter has an aggresive thorny (much like durians’) take.

Now comes the interesting part – taking these bubble gummy colored shoes for a run. Note that I’ve only put in 2 very short runs in them around my neighborhood. A rocky hillock sits on one side of the children’s playground. The surface on this little patch of land are a mix of sharp rocks or various sizes, packed sand, clay and tricky granite faces.

I’ve been using this playground’s twisty paths and this rocky section to break up the monotonous linear movements of road running as well as to develop agility. It forces me to get on my forefoot most of the times and to keep the cadence up. On a bulky shoe, my experience on such a tricky course would be akin to taking the RR Phantom to the Top Gear circuit. But a performance trainer or lightweight trail shoe would feel right at home. The grip of the Wildhorse on the tarmac, bricked and tiled sections leading up to the park was fantastic despite not having the Kiger’s sticky rubber. It handled everything there were in the area and even without the rockplate, the lugs are deep enough to lend some protection in the forefoot area. I can’t wait to take them to the trails where they can be put to a good workout. Do they drain well? Will they slip on logs? How do they feel on the descents? Will my legs feel like they’re trashed just after 3 hours? Can debris enter the shoe at will? I’m not sure but when I find the answers to the questions, you’ll know too.

I’m very surprised at the direction the company has taken with the Flyknit Free and now these 2 trail shoes. Initial reviews of the Wildhorse have been very favorable in the forums and hopefully this will lead to more nice things to come. If you’re in Malaysia and are looking for a lightweight and low bulk trail shoe that has the cushioning and support to handle long distances, the Wildhorse warrants a serious look. It joins the asics Fuji Racer 2 (6mm), Montrail Rogue Racer and Salomon Mantra (6mm, but I was unable to get over the narrow forefoot and the way it flexes) but none of these have the room up front as the Wildhorse. And while the Skechers GOtrail (4mm) is a commendable shoe for short distances, I wasn’t able to go long in them.

The Nike Zoom Wildhorse is already in stores and retailing for RM409. No disclosure required as I was excited enough to purchase this pair for myself!

Originally published: Jul 31, 2013