Nike Free 3.0 V3 in Blue Glow!

I have been meaning to get a new pair of running shoes for a long time now.  I've been long due for a new pair of running shoes since I've been using my Mizuno Wave Nirvana 6 for over a year!  I was going to get the same pair again because I love them, but I recently decided to switch over to more of a barefoot running method.  I think I stomp too much when I run, and I've heard that this can be corrected by using barefoot type of shoes.  But I'm not quite ready for the Vibram 5 Fingers yet, partially because I think they look kind of silly so I need a transition shoe.  I've heard good things about the Nike Free versions as a good minimalist shoe, so today when I went to Beverly Hills to get Harajuku Crepes (only the best dessert place in town!!!), I decided to stop by Nike Town and give them a try.

I really liked the colors of the Nike Free 3.0 V3.  I guess V3 just came out very recently so there's really not much reviews about it yet.  But the previous versions seem to be very well received.  I normally get neutral colored workout shoes but I fell in love with the blue one they had.  The official color name is Blue Glow/Solar Red-Treasure Blue.  Maybe because today is 4th of July and I felt like getting red/white and blue!  So fitting.

Here's what they look like!  They are very bright and I think they look pretty true to real life color in these photos.  The stock photo on the Nike website is way muted.

So when I first put them on in the store and walked around in them, I couldn't believe how lightweight they were!  6.2 oz!  That is like the same weight as my dinner lol.  They are super duper comfortable.  Such a big difference from my Mizunos which are quite supportive and clunkier.  The Nike Free actually has more arch support than I thought it would.  I normally wear size 6 in shoes, but usually wear size 7 in workout shoes to allow swelling.  So I tried on size 7 in these and I think it was a good fit.  The sales girl said that these run pretty small, but I still had some extra room in the size 7.  

The tongue is attached to the rest of the shoe which felt weird at first!  I usually pull on the tongue of my shoes after putting them on, and I still do the same with these even though the tongue doesn't move.  It's a habit!  The upper mesh material is very soft and flexible, so it's pretty easy to squeeze your feet in and then pull the heel up.  I ran on the treadmill at the Nike store for like a lap at a jogging pace and they felt very comfortable.  I really wanted to run like 3 miles before committing to them but that would have been a little weird in the store.  Haha.  So, I don't know yet how they will do for a longer run, but I can't wait to try them out ASAP!  I heard that it is a good idea to take it easy with minimalist shoes at the beginning because you will use different muscles and will be very sore.  But I always have trouble taking it easy, so we'll see about that...  Good thing Nike has a good return policy so I can take them back within 30 days if I'm not satisfied with them.  

But I really think that if I end up hating them for running, I will most likely still keep them as walking shoes.  Because they feel like the most comfortable slippers!  And they look awesome with casual wear too.  I'm really in love with the vibrant color.  Though it will be hard to match my outfits to them.  But I couldn't bring myself to buy black or gray because that is just so boring.  I think blue will look really good with black or coal bottoms.  Then I guess I can rock the 80s look and have a completely offsetting colored top!  Hehe.

I will report back once I try them out for a while.

**See Update:  Review of these shoes here**