Nike Air Zoom Elite 9

Name: Nike Air Zoom Elite 9
Brand: Nike
Rating: 4.7 (20 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 8.3 oz · 8mm drop

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock.

How it ranks

The Nike Air Zoom Elite 9 ranks above most daily trainers in our data. Looks and value are its strongest sub-ratings. Comfort scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 20 runner reviews and 4 other rated shoes in the Air Zoom Elite product line.

Good

84/100

Overall

Good 84

Appearance

Excellent 96

Value

Good 90

Cushioning

Good 82

Durability

Decent 74

Comfort

Below average 66

Confidence

How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence will score low when we have few ratings or when runners disagree.

See the product line's history

Confidence

89/100

High 89

What runners say

“This shoe holds up and holds off stone bruises as well as any trail shoe I have worn”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw came from the Nike Lunar Tempo

“There are no hot spots with seams and the lacing provides good lockdown without excessive pressure”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw came from the New Balance Vazee Pace

“The weight is great such that I can easily maintain a 190+spm cadence”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Elite 8

“The sole grips well, but the rubber is on the soft side and wears down relatively quickly”

4/5 Full review 50 mpw came from the New Balance Vazee Pace

“I prefer a very snug fit so I go half a size down from my regular size”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Elite 8

“The more firm midsole than traditional Nikes is predictable whether the run is fast or chill”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34

“Has an incredibly comfortable ride at tempo paces (5:45/mi) and faster”

4/5 Full review 40 mpw training for middle distance came from the Saucony Freedom ISO

“The lugs are sturdy and lasted much longer than the soles of my slow runner”

5/5 Full review 60 mpw training for a marathon came from the Saucony Freedom ISO

“They have the right amount of cushioning with the Zoom technology that your feet don't get too beat up during hard workouts”

5/5 Full review 25 mpw training for a half marathon

“The shoe is light but provides more cushioning than a flat does”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a marathon came from the HOKA Infinite

Prefer this shoe over another

59% 10/17

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Light at 8.3 oz, and reviewers favor it for tempo runs and racing.
Reviewers describe a firm, responsive midsole that stays predictable at fast and easy paces.
Reviewers report a true-to-size fit, secure lacing and no hot spots.

Cons

Several reviewers saw the soft outsole rubber and the upper wear early, and one had the flywires snap.
Some runners find the forefoot narrow and the tongue slides out of place.
A few reviewers report forefoot pressure from the firm ride on longer runs.

Air Zoom Elite 9 rates 84. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Nike Air Zoom Elite

Each dot is one version of the Air Zoom Elite, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.

Rating

40 60 80 100

69 2012 93 2013 85 2014 90 2016 84 2017

Release year

We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating. See why.

Air Zoom Elite 9 This shoe

2017 · 20 reviews

84 Good

89 Confidence
Air Zoom Elite 8

2016 · 11 reviews

90 Good

88 Confidence
Air Zoom Elite 7

2014 · 27 reviews

85 Good

93 Confidence
Air Zoom Elite 6

2013 · 38 reviews

93 Excellent

92 Confidence
Air Zoom Elite 5

2012 · 9 reviews

69 Below average

71 Confidence

Reader Ratings

20 ratings

5/5 13

4/5 7

3/5 0

2/5 0

1/5 0

See written reviews Write a review

Specs & fit

Sizing and ride details at a glance.

Weight: 8.3 oz
Release: 2017 Q3
MSRP: $120
Drop Height: 8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Reader review

5/5

Overall

Anonymous runner · Feb 6, 2018

60 mpw training for a marathon

Comfort: 5/5
Cushioning: 5/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 5/5

Elite 9

4/5

Overall

I came back to Nike after many years of experimenting with other brands. The Elite 9 is a great shoe. The fit is true to size and the comfort is incredible. The sole is firm, which I like, and very responsive. My foot doesn’t spend time squishing down on the sole as I run, it pops back up and gives a good ride. The only change I would like to see is a softer heel counter. I like how my heel is secure in the shoe, but the heel cup is very stiff and hard.

jar · Feb 5, 2018

40 mpw

Comfort: 4/5
Durability: 3/5
Appearance: 4/5
Value: 4/5

Great shoe for faster stuff!

5/5

Overall

This shoe looks good and feels great. I ran 5ks in them and it's quite fast and I've also run a marathon. I think these shoes can handle anything from 5ks to road marathons. They are not the lightest shoes out there but they have the right amount of cushioning with the Zoom technology that your feet don't get too beat up during hard workouts. I highly recommend it!

Anonymous runner · Jan 31, 2018

25 mpw training for a half marathon

Comfort: 4/5
Durability: 4/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 4/5

Marathon Race-Day Shoe

5/5

Overall

This lightweight trainer with air zoom unit at the front propelled me to my first BQ with a 3:04. The cushioning is probably just right for the marathon distance (probably could use a little little bit more) but the weight is great such that I can easily maintain a 190+spm cadence during the race. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this shoe for really fast training and/or race day in the marathon. I don't think it'll last as long as the Pegasus but when it comes to race day it does the job admirably. I prefer a very snug fit so I go half a size down from my regular size. It did give me a black toe on my right foot big toe but I'm not bothered by it at all (some might).

m9chan · Jan 31, 2018

60 mpw came from the Nike Air Zoom Elite 8

Comfort: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Appearance: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Zoom Elite 9 - All arounder

5/5

Overall

Simplicity is key. The Zoom Elite series continues to deliver a solid training shoe ideal for mid-foot striker on nearly all surfaces. The more firm midsole than traditional Nikes is predictable whether the run is fast or chill. The low profile and low(er) drop feels secure and the carriage is snug allowing looser lacing to accommodate a little swelling over a longer run. The looks aren't great, but damn they feel great.

Anonymous runner · Dec 28, 2017

35 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34