Nike Free Bionic Training Shoe - Black/Silver

After eying the Nike Free Bionic training shoes online for quite a while, I finally decided to get them!  What pushed me over the edge was that I noticed Nordstrom started carrying them, and I love giving Nordstrom my business (I also had a $50 gift card!) because of their awesome customer service.  I wanted to order my regular size which is 6.5 but they were sold out online.  So I chatted with their customer service and they informed me that one of the Nor Cal stores had it.  All I had to do was call that store, and they were able to ship them to me right away!  But... after they arrived yesterday, I went to google them to see what other people thought of them, and found that they are 50% off at finishline.com!  I paid full price for them which was $95 plus tax.  But they are now only $49 at finishline.  So I called the Nordstrom store back and they price matched it for me!  So now these cost me only $53 after tax, and with my $50 gift card, I only spent $3 on them.  Lol.  I love Nordstrom.

I really love these shoes too!  They are so pretty.  I gotta say, Nike makes the prettiest shoes/colors.  I decided to get all black so that I could wear them with whatever outfit I want.  But I love that they are mostly black mesh over white so they don't look as dark as full on black shoes.  I do think these run a little bigger than other Nike Frees though.  I got the same size as others, which is 6.5, but I think I could probably go down to size 6 in them.  But I don't want to deal with having to track them down in another size so I'm keeping them.  The width fits fine, I just have a little extra toe room which might be better anyway to allow room for swelling.

The Bionics are the first Nike Frees that they've made with cross training in mind.  All my shoes are running shoes, and I don't really run anymore now that I'm spending most of my time lifting weights.  I've been meaning to get some training specific shoes, and when I first saw these I just knew I wanted to try them out.  

These are ultra lightweight and give you the barefoot feel but they offer way more stability than my Nike Free running shoes.  They top is flexible and the mesh offers ventilation.  The heel of this shoe is like a thick padding, it's soft and doesn't dig into the back of your heels.  These shoes are definitely better than Nike Free running shoes for squats and lunges type of exercises.  I didn't (and wouldn't) try running in them, but I did do my 30 minute walk on the treadmill and they were just fine for that. 

Here are some more detailed pictures of them:

It's cool that the laces are also black and white!

Here are some descriptions from the Nike website:

ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY TO TRAIN STRONG

Designed for high-intensity training, the Nike Free Bionic Women's Training Shoe is our closest-to-barefoot style to date. It features a super-flexible, low-profile fit and a lightweight upper with Flywire technology for excellent stability, support and comfort during cross training, intervals, boot camp and kickboxing.

DYNAMIC STABILITY

The low-profile outsole delivers excellent stability and full range of motion for explosive moves like box jumps, burpees and mountain climbers. Strategically placed overlays at the toe and arch offer added stability during lateral moves and the unique traction pattern under the big toe lets your foot grip the floor for even more stability.

TARGETED SUPPORT

Ultralight, wrap-around Flywire threads cradle your foot for exceptional support. The threads are adjustable through the laces and wrap the midfoot and arch, helping to reduce internal slippage during movement.

VENTILATION

The mesh and foam upper helps keep your foot cool and comfortable while providing just the right amount of support where you need it most.

FLEXIBILITY

Outsole flex grooves give you increased flexibility for natural range of motion in any direction.

MORE BENEFITS

• Comfort collar and heel conforms to your foot for lightweight comfort and support
• Cushlon pod under the heel for lightweight cushioning and comfort
• Molded sockliner conforms to your foot for an anatomical fit, comfort and support
• Rubber outsole with herringbone pattern for durability and multidirectional traction

Overall I think they are exactly the kind of shoes I've been looking for and made for the type of workouts I do, so I am very excited to have them.  At the $49 price, I might even buy another pair!