I have had my downshifters for about 2 years and have used them at the gym and for running occasionally. They have been a great shoe to have as a multipurpose shoe.
I like the Nike Downshifter 7 shoes as a multipurpose shoe that has good neutral arch support and performs well at the gym, walking, and has a stylish look that I enjoy.
These shoes may be meant to be comfortable running shoes for the road, but I found that I enjoyed them the most as gym workout shoes. They have a great outsole grip and always looked nice with whatever I wore to the gym.
Running in the Nike Downshifter 7
I have run about 20-25 miles in these shoes over the course of a year. They were not my main running shoes, so I only used them occasionally.
After running for short distances at the gym over the course of about 2 weeks I decided not to use them for running anymore. The midsoles were just a little too firm for my tastes.
I found that after a while I just didn’t feel comfortable running in these shoes. If you look at Runrepeat you can see that most people enjoyed using these shoes as running shoes and they gave them great reviews.
While my feet didn’t hurt while running in them, and I feel comfortable running in them once in a while, I had another shoe (Nike Zoom Winflo 4) that I really enjoyed running in because the midsole was so much softer.
Features Review
Overall Rating: Very Good
★ ★ ★ ★
Features:
- Neutral Pronation
- Grippy Outsole
- 12mm Heel to Toe Drop
- Breathable Upper
- All Day Multipurpose Shoe
- Flexible
- Lightweight (10oz)
- Good for High Arch
Why I Bought the Nike Downshifter 7
I bought these shoes about a month after I purchased my Nike Zoom Winflo 4. I knew that switching shoes are a good idea when exercising two days in a row.
These are good exercise and running shoes. They are good on my knees and feel comfortable.
These shoes seem to be close to the second-best pair of shoes that I’ve used for running and exercise. Having comfortable lightweight shoes is nice.
What I Like About the Nike Downshifter 7
They are comfortable walking in and run in for short periods. They are lightweight, so I don’t notice them on my feet most of the time.
When I looked at the insole, it was glued in and feels very cushioning. The midsole is more rigid and slightly thinner than my Nike Winflo 4.
They have a soft flexible mesh over the front of the shoe. In the heel cup area, there are two bars of foam that help hold your foot snuggle in place while running.
The midsection of the shoe has a rubber pattern going from the midsole to the eyelets. This seems to provide support for the entire midsection, so it can firmly hold the sides and top of your foot.
The bottom sole is made of rubber that grips the road well and has unique rails that are supposed to provide some cushioning while running.
Since it’s lightweight and feels comfortable when walking, I think these could also be good all-day footwear shoes, for when you’re going out for the day.
Details of the Nike Downshifter 7
- These shoes have a wide base for stability, grippy bottom sole, and I think they look nice design from a style perspective.
- They are made for the road or track.
- It has neutral arch support, so if you need extra support you’ll need to consider insole replacement.
- It comes in a variety of colors. And can fit men and women with a standard width foot or wide foot.
- Women’s shoe weight is about 8oz and men’s about 10oz.
- The bottom sole uses a flex groove that helps with an effective range of motion while running.
- The fabric is very breathable and it feels comfortable when I wear it.
- The 7 hole eyelets are surrounded by the rubber of the sidewalls on the midsection of the upper.
- The shoe bottom sole also goes up the front of the shoe, to provide a toe guard of sorts.
- The heel has quite a bit of support inside the fabric and on the back heel section as well.
While I have tried three other running shoes in the past couple of years, the Nike DownShifter 7 is my favorite all-around running and gym shoes.
The wide base makes them good for keeping stable while lifting weights and leg exercises that where balance is important.
For running shoes only, I would choose something else that has more cushion. But if you are looking for a shoe that looks good to wear out on the town and can perform well during sports activities, this would be my choice.
Review of the Upper, Midsole, and Outsole
I think this shoe has very nice qualities that add value to make the fit, look, and feel of this shoe a good value for most runners. It’s was good for entry-level runners and was what made it popular when it came out.
Now, these shoes are not available unless you do some searching. I found that this was my favorite of three running shoes I had previously purchased, besides my Nike Zoom Winflo 4.
Here are some of the attributes that I found as I wore these shoes.
Upper
Great
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Features:
- Rubberized midfoot (vamp) support
- Mesh toebox
- Padded collar and tongue
- Good Tongue Length
- Laces that don’t slip
Midsole
Very Good
★ ★ ★ ★
Features:
- Firm – Use Nike Phylon compound
- Flexible at the ball of the foot
- Enough cushion for short runs but possibly not for long runs
- Insole – Made of EVA helps with cushion and comfort.
Outsole
Very Good
★ ★ ★ ★Features:
- Good grip on most surfaces, except maybe when wet
- Good for gym use
- Nike flex groove and side rails
- Covers the toe area (toe cap)
I really like these shoes, although I never really used them for running too much. They are great gym shoes and always gripped well.
I have been running in them recently and have found that they work fine, but I would prefer a softer, more cushioning midsole. They seem to have enough heel energy absorption and maybe could use a bit more arch cushioning for my feet type.
I like the design of these shoes, and they clean off pretty easily using water and a microfiber cloth.
Pictures of My Nike Downshifter 7
Final Thoughts
I would recommend the Nike Downshifter 7 to those looking for good casual, gym, and short-distance running shoes. They are made well, and the rubber soles seem to last a long time.
If you’re looking for an all-around good sports shoe, this may be a good choice for you. You can find them on Amazon.com(AD) and possibly other online stores.
Thanks for visiting Helpshoe.com