Nike Free RN 5.0

Name: Nike Free RN 5.0
Brand: Nike
Rating: 4.8 (8 reviews)

Daily trainer · Neutral · Road · 7.4 oz · 8mm drop · 23/15mm stack

Discontinued — we no longer see this shoe in stock. The Nike Free RN 3.0 replaced it

How it ranks

The Nike Free RN 5.0 ranks among the stronger daily trainers in our data. Comfort and value are its strongest sub-ratings. Cushioning scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating rests on 9 runner reviews and 3 other rated shoes in the Free RN product line. Another 3 reviews would set the confidence on this shoe's own reviews.

Very good

92/100

Overall

Very good 92

Comfort

Exceptional 98

Value

Exceptional 98

Appearance

Excellent 96

Durability

Good 81

Cushioning

Below average 67

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

87/100

High 87

What runners say

“The Nike Free is the only shoe that I can use and remain pain free.”

5/5 Full review 35 mpw

“The only training shoe that doesn't constrain the foot, so it can provide bio-feedback to the leg.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw

“The minimal sole allows my foot to move naturally.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Other shoes feel like strapping boards to the soles of my feet.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw

“After 200km of races, the shoe still has more to give.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon

“They feel light and fast.”

5/5 Full review 20 mpw

“I have never had a blister.”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons

“Using this shoe to strengthen my ankles and to make my form better again.”

4/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 11

“The shoe is light and retains good grip on the road surface.”

5/5 Full review 30 mpw training for a half marathon

“Got a little knee pain 20 miles in”

5/5 Full review 40 mpw training for ultramarathons

Prefer this shoe over another

13% 1/8

Where to buy

No offers available

Affiliate links included. They never affect our ratings.

Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.

Pros

Reviewers praise the comfort and the flexible, unrestrictive feel.
At 7.4 oz with a 23mm heel stack, reviewers call it light and fast.
Three reviewers with a history of Achilles pain say this is the shoe they can run in.

Cons

Cushioning is its lowest-rated dimension, and one reviewer wants more of it 20 miles into a marathon.
One reviewer recommends it for runners who do not carry much weight and run efficiently.

Free RN 5.0 rates 92. This shoe has high certainty. See how we rate shoes.

Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Nike Free RN

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

Rating

40 60 80 100

91 2017 94 2019 92 2019 97 2017

Release year

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

Free RN 2017

2017 · 0 reviews

97 Excellent

79 Confidence
Free RN 5.0 This shoe

2019 · 9 reviews

92 Very good

87 Confidence
Free RN 3.0

2019 · 6 reviews

94 Excellent

79 Confidence
Free RN

2017 · 1 review

91 Very good

64 Confidence

Reader Ratings

9 ratings

5/5 7

4/5 2

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: 7.4 oz
Release: 2019 Q1
MSRP: $100
Stack Height: 23mm heel - 15mm toe
Drop Height: 8mm

Runner reviews

Write a review

Great racing shoe

5/5

Overall

The shoe fits nicely and has been comfortable for races 5 to 15km. The shoe is light and retains a good trip on the road surface. Having completed over 200km of races the she still has more to give.

Anonymous runner · Jan 7, 2020

30 mpw training for a half marathon

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

Nike Free RN 2018

5/5

Overall

As an 80-year old runner, I was having Achilles tendon pain. I tried several other trainers with stiff heels, which seemed to make the pain worse as soon as I put them on. I've only clocked about 50k in these Nikes, but now it only hurts when I sit down, not while I'm running.

Anonymous runner · Aug 13, 2019

5 mpw

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

Nike Free 5.0

4/5

Overall

Using this shoe to strengthen my ankles and to make my form better again. If I have stiff calves and little achilles aches I tend to go for a while with a Nike Free shoe. I'm a forefoot striker. Planning to implement this shoe as a weekly 'recovery' shoe. I don't go faster then 06:30 miles while running in this shoe.

Anonymous runner · Aug 10, 2019

30 mpw training for a half marathon came from the Brooks Ghost 11

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

I love my Nike Frees

5/5

Overall

Started wearing the shoe when Nike advertised it as a walk-about shoe, to be worn after running, but I liked it so much I started running in it. The first time I did a marathon in this shoe I thought I might have made a mistake - got a little knee pain 20 miles in and thought maybe I needed more cushion. But next day I felt fine and so have worn this shoe exclusively ever after - except for trail/technical running - even for ultras. The minimal sole allows my foot to move naturally. I have never had a blister. I know no shoe is right for everyone, but this one is perfect for me.

Anonymous runner · Jul 23, 2019

40 mpw training for ultramarathons

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

Nike Free

5/5

Overall

I've run about 20 miles a week in these since they first came out (about 18 years), and never had a significant injury. They feel light and fast. They are the only training shoe I can find that doesn't constrain the foot, so it can provide bio-feedback to the leg. Now I actually can't run in other types of shoes, because they feel like strapping boards to the soles of my feet.

Anonymous runner · Jul 11, 2019

20 mpw