Nike Trail Running Reinvented

September 11, 2013by Aaron Kr.

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There’s no denying that the basketball and running categories reign supreme in the sneaker world, but there are so many other facets of the footwear landscape that deserve attention. Over the years, we’ve seen brands create shoes for every different sport and activity you can name, always aiming to fill an unmet need and provide athletes with as much of an underfoot advantage as possible. In addition to the expansion into all different sectors of the sporting world, we’ve also seen brands break some of these core categories into successful sub-genres that specifically cater to more niche areas of athletics.

When Nike first introduced their ACG category in the 1980’s, they were able to capture a relatively untapped market by creating rugged, outdoorsman-approved designs that allowed you to toss aside your clunky hiking boots for something that not only looked and felt more like a sneaker, but performed better against the elements as well. In addition to the ACG imprint, Nike also delved

deeper into the concept of the “trail shoe”, most notably with an ongoing series of releases tagged with the Terra designation. A lot of time has passed since those concepts were first introduced, and while they’ve been a constant ever since, their evolution seems to have slowed down a bit in recent years.

That is until now, of course, as Nike has rededicated some of their focus back to pushing the limits of trail running footwear with a trio of forward-thinking new designs. Inspired by the rocky terrain of Eastern Oregon, their new collection takes the brand’s pursuit for running shoe perfection off the track and pavement and applies a variety of their latest innovations to some new models better suited for a more treacherous type of landscape. Learn more about the Nike Free Hyperfeel Run Trail, Zoom Terra Kiger, and Zoom Terra Wildhorse in the pages that follow, and you can find the first few colorways of all three at NikeStore and other global retailers now.

NIKE FREE HYPERFEEL RUN TRAIL

Game Royal/Reflective Silver-Flash Lemon-Blue Heather
616247-403
$150

Like the recently introduced Nike Free Hyperfeel, the Run Trail version also places an emphasis on the natural motion and flexibility of the foot. But with this version geared to a more uneven running surface, several modifications were required to toughen it up for the job. For starters, the outsole was beefed up with added lug treads for better traction, and a higher-cut Flyknit compression ankle collar provides a more secure fit while preventing debris

from kicking up into the shoes. With the additional protection of Lunarlon cushioning, a rubberized cap around the bottom edge of the mesh upper, and Flywire support cables locking things down beneath the surface, the Hyperfeel Run Trail manages to keep things as sleek and minimal as possible, while still supplying all the durability and defense needed to guard your feet from the rigors of the unpaved wilderness that awaits.

NIKE ZOOM TERRA KIGER

Armory Navy/Challenge Red-Blue Heather-Atomic Red
599117-464
$125

The Zoom Terra Kiger was built off of a track spike blueprint and then bolstered with some trail-ready specifications. With a low-profile silhouette and breathable one-layer Engineered Mesh upper, the Terra Kiger sticks to a minimal form-fitting frame, and leaves most of the foot protection to the ambitiously designed sole

and cushioning systems. Aside from just traction and responsiveness, the shoe comes equipped with extra touches like a protective co-molded midsole, sticky rubber on the outsole, Dynamic Flywire support cables, and of course, a cushy Zoom Air bag underneath to lessen the impact of harsh trail conditions.

NIKE ZOOM TERRA WILDHORSE

Brave Blue/Gamma Blue-Laser Orange
599118-448
$110

The Zoom Terra Wildhorse offers a similar approach to the Terra Kiger, but condensed into a more stripped down package. The sole and cushioning are nearly identical, but the Wildhorse loses the forefoot Zoom, Engineered Mesh and Flywire, instead opting for a fused mono mesh upper that utilizes Nike’s Dynamic Fit technology

for optimum support and stability. With the lowest pricepoint of the three shoes, the Zoom Terra Wildhorse still manages to provide a state of the art trail runner even without some of the more premium tech inclusions found on the others.