Details
Brand
Nike
Heel To Toe Drop
15mm
Breathability
7/10
Latest Version
LunarEclipse 5
Terrain
Road
Type
Stability
Key Features
• Nike LunarEclipse 2• Dynamic Fit System• Dynamic Support System• Midsole/outsole foam material fights pronation• Nike Plus sensor insert option available
Upper
The upper is made of a lightweight, very well ventilated, mesh material. The upper region of the shoe is very breathable due to the perforated mesh. The mid-upper is where the mesh thins out showing off the Dynamic Fit System. Nike switched over from Flywire to this new Dynamic Fit System because runners had mentioned that although Flywire provides great structural integrity to the upper region of the shoe, it lacks the desired support a runner needs on a run.;The Dynamic Fit System is responsible for support and stability which gives way to a snugger fit in the midsection than the majority of running sneakers available. In regards to the upper part of the shoe, gone is the Flywire from the previous model, and it has been replaced with Dynamic Fit Support System or DFS. The actual support system works similar to the fingers on your hand, gripping the runner’s foot, giving the lockdown needed for stability and support. The feeling is similar to a fitted glove for your feet. Everything on the inside conforms to the shape of your foot.
Midsole
The midsole is composed of a comfortable Nike Lunarlon foam that was engineered to work in conjunction with the Blue Ribbon Sports 1000 denser outsole material. The Lunarlon material found in the midsole does well with absorbing the harsh impact that users may encounter during a run. The midsole and outsole come together to form what is known as the Dynamic Support System. This technology from Nike was designed to provide a soft seat for your feet, the Nike Lunarlon foam, to sit on top of a solid chassis, the denser BRS 1000 material.
Outsole
The outsole material is composed of one part Blue Ribbon Sports 1000, which is a synthetic carbonized rubber, and one part Lunarlon towards the front part of the shoe that drops from the midsole to the outsole. The Blue Ribbon Sports 1000, or BRS, is a denser material that provides the support and stability needed in a running shoe. The pattern of the outsole is similar to a waffle to provide superior grip, flexibility, and traction.
Breathability
A perforated mesh upper is excellent for breathability. Well ventilated materials on the upper prevent your feet from getting overly sweaty or lacking the proper circulation during a run.
Comfort
Extreme comfort provided by a Lunarlon midsole, and maybe Nike’s best foam yet. A softer lighter Lunarlon foam resides in the forefoot section of the shoe providing a cushion, while positioned towards the heel of the shoe is a different, denser foam. Inside of the shoe, the foams are layered overtop one another creating a wedge effect. This technology will create a preemptive effect for a runner that has over pronation when they run. Most runners who need stability must endure the cost of a less comfortable shoe but that isn’t the case with the Nike Lunar Eclipse 2. With limited options in a market of sneakers that cater to runners with over-pronation, this shoe stands out immensely.
Style
Slim, sleek, and exposed, a see-through upper gives a clearly visible display of the Dynamic Fit System which on most models is a vibrant volt neon green. Hits of 3M material can be found throughout the shoe to give the shoe a stylish accent, also providing safety and visibility to be seen during night runs. Although the style wasn’t the primary variable when composing the sneaker, it isn’t a department that this shoe is necessarily lacking in.
Durability
For the most part, this shoe can go for miles of running enduring everything you have to throw at it. This shoe was made with durability built into the design, however, the nature of foam drives the overall durability of the shoe down. With wear over time, the foam will eventually become less responsive as it once was when new. The Nike Lunarlon foam does prove to be extremely comfortable, but this was perhaps an oversight during the overall testing process when it comes to foam actually holding up over time.
Protection
TPU toe caps are located in the front of the shoe for support and protection. The toe caps are made from a hard plastic that mimics the protection that can be found in steel toe shoes without emulating the weight factor of a steel toe shoe. Hard plastic TPU caps can be found in the heel as well.
Responsiveness
The Lunarlon Midsole of the Lunar Eclipse 2 makes the responsiveness of the shoe almost solely one-sided. While the foam does an amazing job of absorbing impact and evenly displacing the weight of a user, that’s basically where the responsiveness ends. There isn’t a “bounce” or “springiness” to the shoe often associated with a midsole to that of an Nike Air Max. This fact doesn’t invalidate the shoe as a good running shoe, but it wasn’t one of the areas that this shoe shines its brightest in.
Support
The Dynamic Support System separates this shoe from other competitors by providing a level of support that is unparalleled. In an effort to live up to the Dynamic Support branding on the midsole, this shoe promises and delivers. The back of the shoe is engulfed in a floating heel clip to keep your heel sturdily locked in place during a run. The shoe was engineered to work well together as a cohesive unit providing everything a runner would need to optimize every mile put on this sneaker during use.
Terrain
The BRS rubberized outsole on the shoe allows the spectrum of terrain that can be transversed to be virtually unlimited. These shoes do well on both light off-road trails and the pavement according to many users, although they are made for and do best on road.
Price
These shoes will not break the bank. During the initial debut of the shoe the retail price was on par with many other competitively priced grab and go running shoes, it’s possible to find these shoes under the $100 mark.
Drop
This is a shoe with a very large heel. The heel to toe drop for this shoe sits at 15mm which can at times give the impression and feeling like you’re running at a downward incline. This may be a deal-breaker for more serious runners. At 15 millimeters, they are on the high end in midsole offset compared to most other shoes.
Stability
Motion stabilization is very important to minimize the focus on how you run, and maximize your attention towards the actual run itself. The Dynamic Fit System does all of the work for you. The shoes were designed specifically to battle runners who have trouble overpronating during their runs. How the shoe fights this form of movement is by crafting and incorporating two different distinct types of foam that extend from the midsole to the outsole. Both foams work in conjunction to give your foot the best stability and support during your runs.;Many competitive shoes in the same category claim to offer superior stability, but fail to offer the Dynamic Support System that the Nike Lunar Eclipse 2 offers. The Dynamic Support System provides excellent stability with the midsection of your foot being committed to the shoe and not sliding around which was a common problem with the previous model.
Flexibility
The Nike Lunar Eclipse 2 molds to your foot while still allowing support and stability. There is an abundance of available movement for the front part of the shoe while still maintaining the ability to be locked down in the middle. A common complaint about some users tends to be about the toe box area for runners with a wider foot. The precedent version of this shoe, the Nike Lunar Eclipse, had a toe box area that many runners felt was overly roomy to the point where the front part of your foot would slide around inside the shoe. Nike, acknowledging the plea from runners for more stability in the front portion of the shoe, made the Nike Lunar Eclipse 2 with a slimmer toe box but may have gone too far with trimming down the amount of room.
Traction
This shoe does well on grass, pavement, and indoor floor. The overall grip holds up well due to a rubberized waffle pattern allowing for superior traction on numerous surfaces. Feel free to take these shoes on or off the pavement as you go for a run and leave the worry of slipping on surfaces behind.
Bottom Line
When a runner is aware of their overpronating during runs, typically they have to find a shoe that competently compensates their current run style at the sacrifice of cushioning, comfort, and overall weight. Most running shoes that are targeted towards overpronating runners are bulky and weighted down, but the Nike Lunar Eclipse 2 expertly dodges any association to the aforementioned stereotype. These shoes are lightweight, comfortable and very stable, thanks to the engineering, research, and overall effort by Nike to not only listen to their customers but to implement that feedback into a satisfactory final product. These shoes were made to help “heel-heavy” runners, so if you fall into this category of runner your feet should fit perfectly in these shoes.
