Nike Terra Kiger Review

Nike Terra Kiger

This is Nike’s latest foray into the trail market and it is a good one. It will be interesting to see how this

model goes down as the perception on Nike as a producer for serious runners is deeply questioned by many, and it gets worse when you enter the niche arena of trail and ultra runners. But as answer to the dubious, Nike has produced a shoe that can hold its head high amongst the favourites out there.

This is a carefully considered shoe and one that shows the Nike is interested in wooing this growing section of the market. When I opened the box and held the shoe I was surprised at how light they felt as they looked a little on the bulky side. A size 12 (US) weighs in at 274 grams.

The mesh upper is similar in concept to the Nike Free, but far more durable. It too has a seamless liner that is very comfortable and can be worn sockless. Once you slip your foot into the shoe the upper seems to suck back onto your foot (in a good way). The lacing system is extremely secure and holds your foot firmly in place. These shoes are extremely comfortable to wear. I was surprised that flat lacing was used, but they work well. The heel and mid-foot area of the shoe hold your feet closely with a roomy toe box which is great for those steep climbs and descents. Just from a ‘feel’ factor these shoes are the most pleasing.

The sole is a little more cushioned than I am used to. It has well paced tidy lugs that are unobtrusive but give good grip in dry and gravel. The sole provides very good traction in wet conditions too, but I have not had the opportunity to try them in very muddy conditions.

The surface area of the Kiger’s sole is slightly larger than that of most minimal racers and it is noticeable - on technical terrain the shoes don’t feel accurate but I think they just take a little getting used to. The heels have a slightly rounded cup to them. I am guessing that  this has been designed so because hard edges catch and are easier to roll on. It does not give a different feel when running, but then I also haven’t had any problems either. Aesthetically I get a kick out of the contour lines motif on the sole.

Things I like

The tongue is attached to the upper on the inner side. The design works very neatly and with the slightly elasticated upper fits neatly and snugly to your foot. The tongue also extends quite a bit further to the other side completely covering the lacing system. In some shoes you can feel the laces, these just give you that comfortable vacuum packed feeling. It’s the little things that count and this is a great feature.

• The lacing system. Snug and comfortable. The flat laces don’t snag.
• The upper is like wearing a sock. You just want to keep on wearing them.
• The sole has a great cushioning, you might not quite get that feel of the ground, but for rougher terrain and the longer days out on the trail, you’ll thank them.

Things I don’t like but probably don’t matter

As I mentioned, the surface area of the sole is a little wider than I am used to. So these are great for just bombing downhill if you they are not technical. On the technical sections I found that I was catching more than I was used to. But that perhaps was just me being unfamiliar with the shoes. I do like the cushioning, but I would have liked a rock-plate as although you are well protected there is a bit of flexing of the sole on sharp objects. At the end of the day - this is a great shoe, extremely comfortable and I am already looking forward to retiring these shoes at the end of their useful life as they are great to walk around in too. 


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