Nike Roshe One

The central design motif that encapsulates the entirety of the Nike Roshe One’s construction is minimalism. This can be clearly seen when looking at the stark white outsole and its stripped-down design. Made from one thick block of foam, this underfoot covering features faint outlines of a tread pattern made from strategically placed grooves and dimples. Larger ones were placed on the heel to facilitate greater durability during repetitive foot striking, smaller ones were placed near the forefoot for extra flexibility, and the very tips of the toes feature several thin horizontal plates instead, which provide some extra traction that can help to increase a runner’s top speed.

Rather than adopt a traditional midsole design, the Nike Roshe One combines the outsole and midsole into one solid piece of foam in a continuation of its minimalist aesthetic. While this results in a visually appealing design, the functionality of this design style is limited. Now, the entire bottom half of this shoe is made from the same material that is only intended as a sandwiched cushioning providing a threshold between the softer upper and the harder outsole. Forcing it to function as an outsole as well severely impairs its breathability, although it does amplify the responsiveness and flexibility of the entire shoe.

Much like the solid foam block that comprises this shoe’s lower half, the upper half also embodies a design style that is barebones and slightly fragile. The Nike Roshe One’s upper is made of a breathable mesh material, most likely Nike’s proprietary FlyMesh material. In addition to providing an exceptional amount of breathability, this material has a very lightweight that helps to prevent fatigue while also allowing the wearer to reach faster speeds without expending as much effort. This is an impressive array of benefits that accompany the Roshe One’s upper, but it does come with the unfortunate downside of limited durability and a lack of general foot protection.

Nike doesn’t list any specific information about the average weight for a pair of Nike Roshe Ones. However, the average weight of the entire package this product comes in is just over one pound. The implication of this fact is that each shoe weighs less than half a pound since some of the shipping weight would be taken up by packing material and the shoebox itself. With less than eight ounces per shoe, that would make this pair of running shoes from Nike some of the lightest money can buy. At such a low weight, these runners could be in the same weight class as shoes designed to emulate the sensation of running barefoot which are usually made from the thinnest possible materials.

As previously mentioned, the Nike Roshe One are some of the lightest casual running shoes that money can buy. Right off the bat, this means that breathability is less of a major concern in its design since the lack of excessively cumbersome material means that less energy will be expended during the typical running session, generating less heat and requiring less breathability as a result. However, these shoes still manage to provide a fantastic level of ventilation from its FlyMesh upper in spite of a diminished need to do so. While this may seem superfluous, the result of this design style is a pair of shoes that can feel cool and comfortable even when running in some of the warmest environments.

Despite many of the design decisions made by Nike in the process of manufacturing the Roshe One being difficult to understand, the visual appearance of this product will justify its shortcomings to a significant group of potential customers. This is because the minimalist design aesthetic that was adopted by Nike when making this shoe has a near-universal appeal. A bright pastel color palette of four different variations allow for just enough variety to prevent these shoes from looking boring or ‘basic.’ Instead, women interested in a stylish pair of running shoes that will easily coordinate with other aspects of their wardrobe will find a lot to love here.

Something mentioned at the beginning of this review is the idea that Nike designed the Roshe One with a central motif of minimalism. As a consequence, however, it inadvertently adopts an additional motif of fragility. Everything that worked together to provide the Roshe One with a minimalist design aesthetic came at the direct cost of its durability, from the thin and highly perforated mesh upper to the single EVA foam block that comprises both its midsole and outsole. If properly maintained and used on only the softest running terrain for very short periods of time, these shoes might be able to last about 3 months before needing to be replaced. However, signs of wear and tear will be noticeable within no longer than a week of regular use.

Similar to how these shoes offer a beautiful appearance at the cost of durability, these shoes offer a fantastic degree of flexibility at the cost of its protective capabilities. If the wearer of the Nike Roshe One takes them on a running session and stubs their toe on a small pebble that’s in their path, there is very little standing in the way of this object and their sensitive toes. The small portion of EVA foam that measures maybe 3 millimeters standing in the way of the elements will quickly degrade, leaving nothing but the thin FlyMesh fabric that covers the rest of these shoes. A lack of dedicated support for the wearer’s underfoot will also fail to protect them from the potential of repetitive stress injuries such as plantar fasciitis, but the shock absorbing capabilities of its extra-large midsole will help to ward off shin splints.

The one part of a pair of running shoes that has the greatest impact on their responsiveness is their midsoles. When considering the fact that roughly 50% of the Nike Roshe One is made up of its midsole, it should come as no surprise that these are some of the most responsive running shoes in its weight class as a result. Thanks to the thick layer of EVA foam that comprises this shoe’s bottom half, every step of a runner’s lap is responded to in a manner that maximizes the efficiency of their every movement.

One may be led to believe that the presence of an incredibly thick midsole/outsole would result in the Nike Roshe One offering a fantastic degree of support. To an extent, they would be correct, considering that this excess of padding results in excellent shock absorption that can prevent the onset of shin splints. However, no effort was made in providing targeted support for the wearer’s ankles or heel or arch, resulting in almost immediate discomfort for any runner that has a proclivity for injury in these areas.

Ordinarily, casual running shoes like these are able to perform at their full potential when used on low-intensity terrains, such as a spongy running track, a grassy field, or a clean sidewalk. However, the Nike Roshe One doesn’t have a traditional outsole design, meaning that many of these environments will quickly cause the underside of these shoes to degrade at an alarming rate. They can still be used on these running surfaces, but their ability to perform adequately will very quickly deteriorate.

Many of the faults present in the design of the Nike Roshe One can be justified due to the fact that it comes at a very reasonable price. Even when it first launched, these women’s running shoes cost less than $100. While that doesn’t necessarily render all of its design flaws moot, it does put them in perspective.

There wasn’t a great deal of emphasis placed on providing these Nike running shoes with traction. In fact, the presence of shallow ridges and dimples to provide a rudimentary degree of grip seems like a formality, especially when considering the fact that the Nike Roshe One doesn’t have much of an outsole to speak of. Due to its use of midsole foam instead of a harder and more durable rubber compound, most of the meager traction provided by this shoe’s underfoot design will go away after only a few weeks of hard running. However, the design particulars of this shoe’s forefoot traction are slightly more resistant simply due to its more flexible layout.

The entire shoe feels very flexible, almost to a fault. As previously mentioned, the forefoot section of the Nike Roshe One’s outsole is built to provide enough give for the wearer’s toes to bend independently of the rest of the shoe. The somewhat flimsy FlyMesh upper of these shoes is also very flexible to the point where it severely interferes with its general stability. Ultimately, this product fails to strike that difficult balancing point between a quality running shoe that is both stable and flexible.

One aspect of this shoe’s design that allows it to present a modicum of stability is its extra-thick midsole. Especially with the extra cushioning around the heel, this middle portion of the shoe is the most stable despite also being very vulnerable to degradation. As a consequence of this vulnerability, any stability provided by this sole portion of the Nike Roshe One will very quickly go away. However, the first few weeks to a month of usage will allow this part of the shoe to provide decent control when running.

There isn’t any specific information online regarding the exact difference in elevation for the Nike Roshe One between its heel and toe. However, it’s clearly evident from the design of its midsole/outsole that the difference is substantial. Based on previous designs from this manufacturer and the common design techniques adopted for this kind of running shoe, a decent estimate for its heel drop would be about 10 millimeters.

The Nike Roshe One is far from the most functional running shoe. It is also far from the most durable one, which will be enough to dissuade serious runners and physical trainers who are looking for a product that will withstand their intense physical activity. However, these are very nice-looking shoes that come at a very reasonable price, making them a decent pick for low-intensity jogging shoes to wear for the summer.