The Future is Now: Nike's Epic React Flyknit is Here

A man and woman wearing the Nike Epic React running shoes

5 Reasons we love the Nike Epic React Flyknit

It’s a glimpse into the future … the very shoe standing on the front lines of the technological footwear age. It’s the Nike Epic React Flyknit, a shoe designed with every kind of athlete in mind. And just so you can more easily wrap your head around exactly why this matters, we’ve made you a list of all the reasons to care.

A man and woman running in Nike Epic React running shoes

But first, a quick rundown of the stats:

Stats.
Offset: 10mm (drop from heel to toe)
Weight: 8.43 ounces (men’s size 10)
Fit: True to size

A woman holding a pair of Nike Epic React running shoes

1. It’s super plush and mega responsive.
Yeah, you read that correctly. Did you ever wear the LunarEpic Low Flyknit 2? It was a pretty cush shoe. Somehow, thanks to Nike’s proprietary React foam, they managed to make the Epic React Flyknit even softer (11% softer to be exact) and 13% bouncier.

2. You’ll hardly notice you’re wearing it.
That’s because Nike worked tirelessly with running wear-testers from around the globe for four years. Along with those runners, they also enlisted programmers, designers and engineers on a determined quest to create a sock-like fitting shoe. Some 17,000 miles of testing and 400 chemistry combinations later, and the Epic React was born.

It’s uber light and features a practically seamless upper that’s soft, durable and breathable. What’s more, Flyknit conforms to your foot, so the shoe truly hugs like a sock (if you want a looser fit, Nike suggests ordering a size up).

A man wearing Nike Epic React running shoes warms up for a race

3. The Nike Epic React Flyknit is good for the environment.
Designers' dedication to building the best performing shoe possible at the lightest weight possible led to a Nike running shoe crafted with a fraction of the materials of standard kicks. In fact, they claim this model reduced “traditional cut and sew” by about 60 percent. What's more, Nike also reduced the amount of glue and adhesives in the midsole. All this means you’ll save the equivalent of six plastic bottles from reaching the landfill with every pair you buy! Who knew you could feel so environmentally responsible with your next running shoe purchase? Well, now you can.

4. It’s insanely durable.
The Nike Epic React is a revolutionary combination of Nike’s React foam midsole and Nike’s Flyknit upper that, when combined, create a long-lasting shoe with a comfortable and responsive ride. Nike testers wore the shoe comfortably for upwards of 400 miles.

5. If you wear this shoe, you'll automatically receive style points.
Let's be real: the Nike Epic React is a good looking shoe. Wearing it will increase your fashion cred and make you want to get out the door and run more. From where we sit, that's for sure a win-win.