Years ago, several employees at Nike became interested in the fact that the track team at Stanford trained barefoot in the grass. Running barefoot allow these athletes’ feet to move naturally, expanding and contracting without the hindrance of a bunch of rubber and plastic around their feet. In many ways, this seemed like the ideal running workout. Of course, running on grass is extremely limiting. And, for a number of different reasons, most people can only run barefoot if they are on a soft, flexible surface.

The employees at Nike were inspired to create a shoe that mimicked the experience of running barefoot in the grass, while still allowing runners to put miles in on hard surfaces, such as asphalt and cement. The fine mesh upper of the Nike Free RN 2019 puts little pressure on the top of the foot (making it almost feel like you're barefoot), and has many small openings that allow air flow for breathability and comfort. The outsole is made of soft foam, with small amounts of rubber at the toe and heel to aid in traction without adding much extra weight. And the “cuts” along the outsole allow the shoe to move with the runner’s foot, making it as if you really are sprinting through soft grasses like the Stanford team — even if in reality you’re just jogging down the neighborhood sidewalk. Given this lightweight, minimalist comfort, as well as the sleek, low-profile design, the Free RN 2019 is a shoe that will appeal to anyone looking for naturalistic, minimalistic, and stylish footwear to complete their workout and casual wardrobe.