You may remember me getting goosebumps over my new pair of Nike Free 5.0’s. After 3 months, I can say that they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever put on. Unfortunately, the heels ripped proving that durability will be a problem for these shoes. I’m pretty sure I could get Nike to replace them, but why if it will just happen again. It could have been that I had a defective pair, but I think it’s more likely a design defect. I’m tempted to repair them with duct tape and use them as fencing shoes.
Still, I find myself wanting another pair. That’s how comfortable these shoes are. It’s unfortunate that they didn’t last as long as I would have liked. I wanted to make these shoes the only shoes I wore, period. Nike, if you are reading this. Please fix this shoe. Oh, and send me a free pair (or a lifetime supply).
August 15th, 2005 at 5:00 pm
Hey, Nick. I’m with your mom right now and she wanted me to tell you that I have a pair of Nike Frees and I’ve had them since April and I haven’t had one problem with them. They haven’t ripped or done anything like that, so I’m tempted to tell you that you have a defected pair.
~your cousin Julie
August 15th, 2005 at 6:24 pm
Wha? Wicked. Well, I just bought a brand new pair of the Nike Free Trainer’s.
The Trainer’s more sturdier built, but it’s also more like a normal shoe. I’m going to give them a try.
Of course, I’d like to get another pair of the Free’s too.
September 6th, 2005 at 8:17 am
The same thing happened to me with a pair I bought while on holiday at Vichy, in France. We returned to Vichy 2 weeks ago, so I showed them to the shop owner. He offered to replace them.
I’ve been wearing the second pair for 2 weeks now, and guess what! The same thing as happened with yours is happening again to my second pair. (And I DO NOT step on the heels to remove mine.)
In my opinion, it’s a manufacturing defect. The shoes have a weak point at the heel where the nylon mesh meets the clear plastic base. The mesh starts tearing, and once it starts it rapidly tears all along the back of the shoe. It’s a great pity, because apart from that, they’re the best shoes I’ve ever worn for walking.
P.S. Does anybody know an email address for Nike Europe customer service? I’d like to find out their reaction to this problem
September 6th, 2005 at 9:24 am
Yea, I got another pair too, and I’ve been baby-ing them like crazy. So far, they’ve held up, but I do think the shoe design is defective.
I suggest trying the Trainer version. It’s a little heavier shoe, but it’s much more durable. I’ve come to prefer it more. I was a little taken aback by the velcro over the toes, but it actually makes the shoes fit better.
As for Nike Europe, I don’t know. I’ve tried emailing Nike US with a question before didn’t get much of a response. I’d be impressed if you had more luck.
November 14th, 2005 at 11:37 am
Hey all, I actually did a long write-up about Nike Free for a magazine called Sole Collector recently (it’s all about shoes), and the problem Nick notes here is a known issue that’s a consequence of the shoe’s construction.
It is unsightly, but it does not affect the shoe’s performance in any way. It’s pretty much inevitable that that portion of the shoe will tear, but one way to keep it at bay for a while is to always use the little pull-strap at the heel to both put on and take off the shoe (this bit of advice comes from a person at Nike).
And it does seem to work, as I wore my first pair of Free 5.0s for several months (and over 300 or so miles of running) before the heel pockets tore. Contrast that with my wife, who only used her 5.0s for walking about, but had the heel pockets on her shoes tear after just about a month-and-a-half of wear (she would just kick them off, using her foot to hold down the back of each shoe as she pulled her heel out).
But as you noted, the Trainer 5.0 is more durable and does not suffer from this problem. Nike has also released an interim “fix version” of the shoe, which has already hit some retailers in the U.S. and an updated version of the 5.0 runner should be in stores sometime early next year.
If you love Free and hate the tearing, other options are the Free Trail 5.0 (as you might have guessed, it’s a trail running version of the concept) and the soon-to-be-released Free 4.0 and Free Trainer 4.0 (the women’s versions of both are already available), which more closely approximate the barefoot condition and include some nifty advances meant to enhance proprioceptive response. The 4.0 line also includes some features inspired by Chinese pressure-point concepts that are pretty nifty.
If you haven’t noticed yet, I’m pretty crazy about Free. As I noted in my article, before running in the Free 5.0 I literally could not run for any distance for longer than three weeks without experiencing awful pain in my knees and shins. Now, after running in the 5.0s for nearly two years, I run 12 - 15 miles a week and have finished several 10-K races, something I never thought I’d do (I used to hate running, partly because the pain and partly because I thought it horribly boring — the latter has changed with age I suppose ;-).
Oh well, sorry about rambling on for so long, just excited to see someone else excited about Free.
November 14th, 2005 at 11:40 am
Oops, I meant to include my name so you all wouldn’t think I’m just some shill for Nike (I don’t have a Blogger account).
My name is Ernest Kim and you can learn more about the magazine I write for at http://www.solecollector.com.
My pen name is Professor K (it’s a long story ;-).
Hope this helps!
April 13th, 2006 at 11:46 am
Interesting to see that more people are having such an issue. I bought mine about 5 months ago and it ripped the other day. How unfortunate!
May 17th, 2006 at 3:49 am
Hello,
i bought my first Nike free 5.0 (nike id) before half a year and i haven’t had any problem with them. So i recently bought another 2 pairs in defferent colors.. I noticed that the new pairs at the samer point yours were ripped, now there is something like silicon support. Obviusly Nike fixed this problem.
July 21st, 2006 at 5:33 pm
7/21/2006 I just got clued in on the Nike Free 5.0. First pair are on my feet as I type. I’ve read countless posts on the internet about the heel pocket tearing with little or no abuse. Really a crime since the shoe is heavenly. I love to squirm my feet and the Free is perfect for it. So I’ve decided to add some duct tape to the inside of the heel pocket as a proactive solution to Nike’s design flaw and hopefully my Free 5.0’s will last until the grave. Think I’ll take them with me.
July 26th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
They say that Nike Frees are best used on an indoor track or treadmill, rather than road running, which really speeds up its wear and tear.
August 21st, 2006 at 10:22 am
Out of curiosity, how are these “defective” shoes being worn? Every day wear? Running,? The shoes are built to be worn barefoot and used only during training runs, and not for long distances. I see a lot of people sporting them wherever they go, and with socks on. That is not what the shoe was designed for and is likely why the problem is arising. I’ve had a pair since late winter of this year and other than the sole, see little wear on the fabric.
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:38 pm
is it really to be worn without socks? wow. i always just assumed that socks were meant to be worn. but yes, my nike frees also have the same rip as everyone else is describing
May 20th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Where can I get the Nike Free Trail for wome. I am having the hardest time trying to track a pair down.
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Hi, i’m from Brasil.
The same thing happend to me, with just few months using this kind of tennis shoes. I really agree with u: they are the most comfortable pair of shoes that i’ve had. I just feel like i’m with no shoes!, they’re preety light. Did u know what mean? Sorry for my poor english. Do you know how to speak portuguese?
I think these shoes are very weak (???) and i always put them off and on without… (just don’t know how to say what i want to right now, but for a good reader a half phrase says everything). My name is Deb and my email is arobedvfernandes@yahoo.com.br
Post Script: You buy a lot of things, don’t u?
March 27th, 2009 at 7:46 am
same thing happened with my nike frees in fact all of them tore in the heal like that. i have like 4 pair. but i still luv em.