The Nike React Infinity Run shows that Nike Running isn’t complacent with rolling out the same shoe year after year. For the Infinity Run, Nike took what made the Epic React Flyknit and Epic React Flyknit 2 extremely popular and then heavily upgraded every area where they fell short. The result? To infinity and beyond…
Cushion
Jodi: Just like adidas did with the Ultraboost 2019 when they added more Boost, Nike upped the React in the Infinity Run midsole by 24% (vs the Epic React midsole). The increase caused a very similar effect, a sturdier, trustier ride. Trustier? Yes. Trustier. Regular React is great for instant step in comfort. Heck, it was awesome for running in last year’s Epic React 2. But the extra React made me feel more supported underfoot. I feel like once you’ve tried it, you won’t want to go back.
Drew: Adding 24% more React to a midsole is a good thing. Period. As Jodi mentioned, the extra React is a noticeable improvement. Some people had trouble taking the Epic React models on long runs (8 miles or more) because the cushion would essentially bottom out. That does not happen with the Infinity Run. The Infinity Run will handle any and all training distances.
The new Rocker Geometry or shape of the midsole also helps the Infinity Run feel more plush. The shoe has a pronounced curve at both the forefoot and heel. The Nike team took learnings from the Nike Vaporfly NEXT% midsole shape and applied them to the Infinity Run. This makes the transition from heel to toe super smooth and makes the React feel like it has more bounce. The feeling is very similar to the Nike Zoom Fly 3 even though the Infinity Run doesn’t have the Zoom Fly 3’s carbon fiber plate.
Traction
Jodi: I’m pretty sure we all rejoiced when we saw the initial pics of the Infinity Run. The first thing I said when seeing the bottom of the shoes was, “Look at all that rubber!” It’s everywhere and there’s plenty of flex grooves. This was something that was majorly lacking in the Epic Reacts.The Epic React was a beast of a shoe but all that uncovered foam took a beating. After many, many miles in the Infinity Run, mine practically look like new and only show minor wear and tear on my high strike zones. I’m like the mailman, running rain or shine, and these stuck like glue to all my usual running paths.
Drew: As I mentioned in my Nike React Infinity Run First Impression, Nike uses a lot of rubber on the bottom of these. You get full heel to toe coverage and I fully expect the Infinity Run’s traction to last 300+ miles. Similar to Jodi, I’ve run 50+ miles in mine and they hardly show any wear.
I also had no issues in wet conditions. I had the pleasure (?!) of wearing these in several rainstorms and there was no slippage on asphalt or cement.
Support
Jodi: For support, the Infinity Run has a wider base. You can literally see how it flares out beneath your foot, in the forefoot AND under your heel. So no matter where you normally land you have a ton of coverage.
Drew: The wider midsole does a lot of the work here. The forefoot midsole flares out really wide to create outriggers on both the lateral and medial sides of the foot. The midfoot and heel are then held in place by a large TPU clip (it’s 3M on some colorways!) that cradles your foot.
While I wish my foot sat slightly inside the foam at the forefoot too, your midfoot and heel aren’t going anywhere. It’s unlikely you’ll slide off the footbed unless you take on some rougher trails. It’s a really stable shoe for something featuring so much React cushioning and Flyknit.
Materials
Jodi: The flyknit is very different from the Epic React 2. I welcomed this change. The Infinity Run’s engineered flyknit is a bit more structured and has a plasticy feeling to it, but I prefer it because it doesn’t hug my feet like a straight jacket. While I’d always have to remind myself that feeling would go away once I got moving in the Epic Reacts, it’s nice not to have to think about it anymore. Similar to the Epic Reacts, the Infinity Run is put together like a booty with a very stretchy tongue area for ease of entrance.
Drew: The new engineered flyknit is super breathable and even a bit see through. The swoosh wrap that surrounds the midfoot and heel is a sort of foil fused to the flyknit upper. The materials used match well with the $160 price point.
Fit
Jodi: If you hadn’t already guessed from reading the other sections, the fit ended up being a slam dunk for me. When I’m out with my running group I always hear a lot of them say they don’t run in Nike products because they’re too narrow. I feel like the Infinity Run is Nike’s answer to that common complaint.
Obviously there’s no one shoe built for every runner. But as a wide footer I have to say, this shoe fit me perfectly. My forefoot had plenty of wiggle room, my heel was locked into place, and I was able to run mile after mile after mile without a worry. No rubbing, no pinching, no slipping. I advise you to grab these in your normal running size, and start the new year off right.
Drew: The sock like fit of the Epic React returns in the Nike React Infinity Run but the sock is now built on a wider last, fits true to size, and accommodates a lot more foot types. I knew people that really wanted to rock the Epic React Flyknit but couldn’t due to the narrow dimensions. It’s one of the reasons I think these will fly off shelves. They’ll provide all day comfort for a majority of foot shapes.
One area for improvement is the collar. The flyknit is exposed all around the collar and is scratchy. The top of the tongue gave me a small blister on a long run when I wore low cut socks. I could also feel the tongue rubbing on my ankle and achilles whenever I wore the Infinity Run casually. It wasn’t sandpapering my ankle like some shoes but it was enough to be annoying.
Overall
The Nike React Infinity Run is a casual and performance star that will sell really well. The upgrades from the Epic React line hit all the right notes. The extra cushioning and rocker motion make the shoe fun to wear. And since Nike finally decided it was time to make wide footers happy, the potential market for the Infinity Run is huge. I expect we’ll see TONS of colorways over the next year so sit back and wait to grab whichever one you like best.
Thanks to Nike for sending us pairs to test. Nike was not given any editorial control of the review. This review is based on our weartesters’ experiences using the shoes for speed workouts, trail runs, treadmill training, long runs, casual wear, and more.
