By sneakerologist
Published: November 12, 2009
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The Lunar phase continues: Function over form

White mesh, white synthetic leather, a bit of silver and blue thrown in on a white midsole with a plastic stability device. That's the typical design stereotype for a pair of running shoes. So if stereotypes are anything to go by, then the recently released duo of the Nike Lunaracer and the Lunarglide are perfect anti-shoes from a design sense. The Lunaracer which we reviewed in September came with a fluorescent green midsole, and the Lunarglide followed up on the act in October with its like-it-or-hate-it Popsicle orange midsole. Besides the color, the design language and lines are a major departure from the ordinary - it is almost as if the designer of the Lunaracer and the Glide ignored all existing design stereotypes, went back to the drawing board and created these two shoes completely from scratch. Though the shoes are connected by the use of Lunar foam (which is common to both the Racer and the Glide), these shoes could not be more different. While the Lunaracer which we had a look at in September falls in the racing flat zone, the Lunarglide we review today is a running shoe which meets the needs of runners who are looking for a well rounded, versatile product which can be used for everyday runs.

I won't talk about the background of the Lunar foam since we covered that in the Lunaracer review, so we'll cut to the chase and jump right into our breakouts. We logged on four separate 5k runs on the Lunarglide since we felt that we could not have assessed the shoe by running just 5k, since the Lunarglide turned out to be a very different shoe from what we are used to reviewing. These four runs gave us a fair idea of how different parts of the shoe performed as individual elements and also when working in tandem with other components. So here's our lowdown:

The Lunarglide midsole/outsole:

The bright candy orange color is not the only talking point of the Lunarglide sole unit. What's unique is the way it has been engineered - the internal Lunar foam insert in the midsole is not symmetric; it has been cut at an angle inside so that there is more cushioning on the outer side as compared to the arch (inner) side. So when a runner with a neutral gait or even a high arch runs in these shoes, he gets maximum heel cushioning. And in case the runner is an overpronator (low arch/flat foot), there is lesser heel cushioning so that the foot does not roll in excessively inwards. During our first 5k run, I felt the heel cushioning to be extremely effective, but there was no way I could see whether I was landing on the center or the outer area where there was deeper cushioning. But after the third 5k run, I looked at the wear on the outsole rubber and saw that I was landing on the outside, and hence the cushioning I felt was the Lunar foam at its max.

The business end of the Lunarglide: Unconventional design, and unconventional results. The lime green exposed area shows the internal Lunar foam insert. Generous dose of flex grooves and siping greatly enhances flexibility and lightweight performance, but expect small objects to lodge in the crevices if you run off the beaten track.

Nike+: Yes, the Lunarglide is Nike+ enabled. Say so on this logo on the TPU shank.

Dynamic support: The stability device(shank) extends outwards right to the heel area - meant for stability when overpronators pound the bejesus out of this shoe.

Mr Flex: Four deep flex grooves just in the forefoot area.

After running in the Lunarglide for over 20 kilometers, I did realize one thing - this shoe has a cushioning system which is extremely well balanced. Normally the running shoes I wear test (including the Lunaracer) would have a generous dose of cushioning in the heel, but that 'oh-so-nice' feeling would rapidly dissipate as my foot rapidly progressed from heel-midfoot-forefoot. Most shoes concentrate on the heel area to unleash their arsenal of cushioning systems and the forefoot is usually neglected, and the regular midsole foam fills in for cushioning duties. Not so in the Lunarglide; the Lunar foam insert tapers right from the heel to toe in an unbroken line, and this results in a ride which is consistent yet resilient.

The plastic stability device (see pictures above) is also unique - instead of the traditional full fledged shank which wraps around the inner and outer arch area in the outsole, it only occupies a tiny area on the outsole, and then extends outwards on the inner side of the midsole right up to the heel area. This is because Nike has designed this shoe targeting both neutral runners and overpronators. We did not get a chance to test this shoe on an overpronator, but I imagine the shank and the angled Lunar foam insert would come into action once the foot starts rolling excessively inside.

The outsole of the Lunarglide has eight different rubber parts (made of BRS 1000, a proprietary Nike compound), and these pieces are cemented on to the orange injection molded EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) midsole. The entire outsole is full of siping (cuts) and deep flex grooves, hence making the shoe extremely flexible and relatively lightweight at 324 grams for a US10 shoe. Four flex grooves nest just in the forefoot, with two out of them cutting across the entire width of the forefoot without any rubber area in between. It is plain to see that Nike has taken a leaf from the existing Nike Free design, but without compromising on durability. There are a couple of trade-off's though. The exposed areas are pebble magnets; running on a well paved, debris free road should be no problem, but once you hit soft trail in the park or a typical Indian pavement, small stones, mud and the like will start calling the Lunarglide outsole their home. The second thing is that the forefoot area is relatively exposed, so if you happen to run over a small pointed stone, then you will feel it digging into the sole of your feet. So if you are buying this shoe, avoid running on the trails or moist natural surfaces.

The Lunarglide upper:

The upper of the Lunarglide is no looker. The upper uses a hexagonal patterned closed mesh, and microfibre overlays are fused on to the mesh. The midfoot area sees Nike's Flywire technology being used and the silver swoosh logo is also fused on to the upper, lending a modest, yet clean and uncluttered look. The overall look of the upper is subtle at best, and were it not for the eye catching midsole, the Lunarglide would have been a very boring shoe to look at. Most brands (Nike included) try to achieve a balance between form and function when making most of their shoes, but the Lunarglide is a shoe which veers away from that approach. Instead of shiny synthetic leathers, laser cut perforations and high frequency welds, Nike chose the Lunarglide's materials with only one purpose in mind - function.

Soft closed mesh and microfiber overlays might not be great to look at, but they are good at what they are meant to do. As soon as you hit the road, the microfiber panels and the mesh makes sure that the upper is extremely flexible besides being breathable, and the seamless Nylon lining inside ensures that you have an irritation-free ride. Actually after sometime, you stop thinking about the upper, and that is the beauty of it. Midfoot support comes by the way of Nike Flywire panels on either side, and the durable TPU (Thermo Plastic Urethane) film used to sandwich the Flywire fibers also extend right around the eyestay and this virtually eliminates the risk of eyelet tear later on. Flat Nylon laces pass through the eyelets punched in the durable eyestay, and threads through the reflective laceloop on the tongue. The tongue is made of the same mesh used on the upper and is lined by a softer fabric which helps improve overall fit and feel.

Glue-on: The microfiber panels are bonded to the mesh with any stitches, save for the U-throat area which requires additional reinforcement.

Fly-by-wire: Nike's Flywire panels adorn the midsection, with the silver swoosh logo fused on. Notice that there is a thin black strip of fabric between the Flywire and the microfiber panel; this helps in making that area less stiffer and breathable.

Rearset: External heel counter with reflective strip for those midnight runs.

Orange collar job: Dual fabric heel collar - the orange portion is made of softer fabric, and sticks to a 'no-blister' policy.

One area which really shines in the upper is the heel portion. The fit and comfort is near perfect, and there are two things which allows that to happen. The first is how the collar area is constructed. There are two different kinds of materials used; besides the regular black fabric, the Achilles area is taken care of by a softer (orange area, see picture above) which is also luxuriously padded. The second is how the firm heel counter is engineered. Instead of an internal heel counter which normally rests between the upper and the lining, the counter in the Lunarglide is a fully fledged external TPU version(see the molded black portion), which goes over the upper and bonds directly with the midsole. The benefits of this system start kicking in as soon as you start running, and the heel area wraps comfortably around your rearfoot with a vice-like grip.

Logo free: The only Nike shoe I have seen which has no logo on the sockliner.

Conclusion:

Versatile. That's one word I would use to describe the Lunarglide. It is the only running shoe in the market which offers functional performance to both neutral runners and overpronators, and is also an extremely comfortable shoe to boot. The Lunarglide scores with its single minded approach to delivering function, and it succeeds in doing that extremely well. At Rs. 7000, the Lunarglide does not come cheap, but once you swipe your Mastercard to buy the shoe, you will not regret your purchase, you can be sure of that. When it comes to aesthetics the upper design seems a bit insipid, but the bright orange colored midsole more than makes up for it. There are three colors available in the Nike stores here, one being the color we reviewed and the rest two are blue and yellow midsole based colors. If you want our opinion, we'd say that look no further than the black and orange combo - absolute head turner!

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