Jason Rexing once ran a 13:55 in light trainers...like the Vapors.
Written: May 03 '05 (Updated May 03 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: lightweight, comfortable, cheap (discontinued)
Cons: durability concerns, no support
The Bottom Line: Beware if you are a large runner or heavy foot striker. You could pop the heel Caged Air unit. But, it's a great lightweight trainer if the bubble doesn't burst.
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| jennings2003's Full Review: Nike Zoom Vapor Trainer Men's Training Shoe |
Background
I purchased my pair of Vapor trainers at my local Finish Line in Gainesville, FL. I intended to purchase the Miler trainers that day but found the Vapors on the clearance rack for $49.99. I tried on both the Milers and Vapors and found no discernable differences, so I went with the Vapors since they were cheaper than the Milers (100 bucks), and I liked the colors of my Vapors. They are with with black and silver trimming.
I have a normal arch and don't pronate.
Positives and the Make-Up of the Shoe
Before I went to the mall that day I did a lot of research on the Milers. I had read about how the bubble in the heel bursts for many. I was very concerned. In the heel, there is a Caged Air unit. In the forefoot there are the Nike Air capsules. The sole has a waffle-like structure to it in the forefoot. The upper is made up of a synthetic type of material...polyester maybe? The toe has a synthetic leather covering to it to protect it.
I've put 120 miles on these shoes thus far. I can't complain at all yet. At first, I rotated these shoes with my Saucony's. I would use the Saucony's for my longer runs and used the Vapors for track stuff and tempo stuff. These shoes are very light and made me feel fast so to speak when using them. I have since phased out my Sauc's and use these for all of my runs now. I haven't had the Caged Air burst yet, and there is no wearing on the sole yet. And the light upper, which seemed susceptible to ripping when I first bought them, is in superb condition. No tears (crosses fingers) yet.
Negatives
My foot is kind of wide and this shoe is narrow. My foot ached a little at first on one of my long runs because my foot just was a tad too wide for the shoe. I've since experienced no pain from that when running. The ride has been so smooth now. I feel great running daily in these and like the amount of cushioning in them.
I know Nike offered a wide version for the Miler, so maybe they did for the Vapor too. I haven't found anything online about that yet, but if you like what you've read about this shoe, go with the wide version of the Miler. *This shoe is discontinued by Nike. I think they will re-release it in a modified version though. They did it with this shoe once already.
Also, this show has little support. The upper is very flexible so it's not the best shoe to be running on trails with or anything. I think it's best for track work and tempo runs. It's better for the faster stuff in general.
Wrap Up
The others who have written reviews on this product have not spoken highly of it. The durability is certainly a concern with this shoe. However, I think if you slowly phase this shoe in that will help. And also, if you ARE a heavy striker, this shoe is probably not for you. The reason behind the bubble bursting is probably because you are a runner who slams their foot down harder than average.
So if you buy this shoe, you are taking a slight risk with the bubble popping. However, if it doesn't you are likely to find this shoe to be a great lightweight trainer.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
jennings2003
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Location: Brooklyn, NY
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 18 members
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