Review of Nike Revolution 6 Running Shoes
My Nike Revolution 6 review will start out with the reason I went looking for this type of shoe in the first place. I’ve been experiencing some pain in the balls of my feet which I discussed with my chiropodist. I was informed that there has been some evidence that the latest carbon plated running shoes may be causing more stress fractures. This made perfect sense because I’ve been wearing mostly carbon plated trainers for most of my running for the past two years.
My shoe rotation during that time consisted of Nike Zoom Fly 4’s & 5’s as well as Zoom Tempo’s for training shoes. For my racing shoes, I would race in either the Alphafly’s or the Vaporfly’s (click links for race reports). All of these have Nike’s patented ZoomX foam along with a plate for a more responsive ride. Not only are these all relatively expensive trainers, but the accumulated miles may be causing issues physically.
Overview
Let’s start with the most important thing for me, do the Nike Revolution 6 shoes alleviate any of the pain in my feet? The simple answer is yes. But let’s dive a little into how they feel. From the moment I put these on and took my first few strides, I felt good. After my first 3 miler, I experienced none of the pain in the balls of my feet, similar to my more expensive options. This was a real plus for me. After a 3 miler, I extended my second run to 5 miles and my third run to 10 miles. Each of these had a very positive feel. Even during the 10 miler, in the hot Spanish sunshine, over the Spanish hills, my feet felt fine.
There is cushioning, which is what most of us are looking for in a training shoe. Comfort is important, particularly on the long runs. These don’t have the ZoomX foam that the more expensive options, like the Invincibles have, but the cushioning is adequate.
As for the fit, these cradle my feet much the same as the rest of the Nike fleet do, which I love. My feet feel very secure in these shoes, with no gapping around the top that I used to experience with the Zoom Fly 4’s.
Nike Revolution 6 Positives
The next best thing about Nike Revolution 6 trainers is the price. I paid just under €54 for these, which is a bargain considering the cost of other trainers. For a low budget trainer, these are well worth the small layout in funds. They may not have the ZoomX foam or the Flyknit or Atomknit upper, but the recycled materials do a commendable job of both looks and feel. They also offer decent flexibility.
These make an excellent addition to my overall shoe rotation. I don’t know for sure if there is anything behind the increase in stress fractures being caused by the carbon plate. But I can say, my feet feel a bit of relief after finishing a run in these.
The Nike Revolution 6 trainers will also be an excellent trainer for runners who are new to the sport. They are a small investment and give a good idea of how feet should feel when wearing proper running shoes.
Nike Revolution 6 Negatives
I hate to call these points negatives, but they can’t be considered positives. For the price, these were never going to compete with the high-end range of road racing shoes. But that was not the point in buying these. So, here is what I will say. These aren’t fast trainers. You won’t feel fast in them like the Vaporfly’s. Nor will you be feel the cushioned comfort of the Alphyfly’s over 26 milers. However, they do what is required of them.
The Nike Revolution 6’s are heavier than the higher end trainers as well. Again, this has to be expected given the price on these. Again, the Nike Revolution 6’s don’t have ZoomX Foam, but they wouldn’t cost €54 if they did.
Conclusion
Overall, I’m very pleased with the Nike Revolution 6 shoes as a training shoe. I was pleasantly surprised considering the low price tag. To be completely honest, the shop I went to look for non carbon plated trainers had a relatively poor selection. I almost fell into these as I just wanted something to allow me to run without sore feet. So, when I started running in the Revolution 6’s, it was quite a surprise.
These shoes bring me back to the early days of my running life. Simple, inexpensive shoes. Those were the days. Wearing these Revolutions have brought me back in time. I will keep a pair of low cost, low tech shoes in my wardrobe going forward.
