Nike LunarEpic Low Flyknit

$215; Men’s 272 g (9.6 oz.), Women’s 218 g (7.7 oz.); Drop ratio: 10 mm When the LunarEpic was released last year, its high-top knit upper made waves. Some thought it looked great, but conservative runners couldn’t get past the concept (although many of our testers actually liked the feel of the high collar). What tended to be lost in all of this was the LunarEpic’s ingeniously designed outsole. Nike developed a laser cutting technology to modify a single piece of midsole so that it could respond just as well as a multi-piece construction, but at a fraction of the weight.

The LunarEpic Low is a very lightweight and soft ride, somewhere between the minimalism of the Free and the cushioning of the Zoom Air units in a Pegasus. The entirely knit sock-like upper looks slick and fits comfortably, but is admittedly a bit annoying to pull on and off. The Flyknit lacing system does, however, allow for a perfect dialled in fit.