Details
Brand
Nike
Heel To Toe Drop
N/A
Breathability
8/10
Latest Version
No
Terrain
Road
Type
Cushioned
Key Features
• Abrasion-resistant rubber around the outsole• Phylon EVA foam cushioning for the midsole• Greater midsole cushioning around rearfoot than forefoot• Synthetic mesh upper• Extra padding around ankle collar and tongue• Internal sockliner for additional comfort
Upper
Here is where the troubles begin to manifest themselves for the Nike Roshe One SE. Although Nike is normally known for designing excellent running shoes from top to bottom, this feels like an amateur-level mistake. The presumed intention behind the use of synthetic mesh padding for the entirety of this shoe’s upper was to provide comfort and breathability, but the end result is an ugly-looking and disappointing fragile top half. The addition of a sock liner inside the upper helps to offset some of the disappointment, but the rest of this portion of the Roshe One SE is a travesty. Worst of all is the fact that this material is much less durable than even Nike ’s Flyknit fabric, meaning that runners will need to replace these shoes much sooner than usual.
Midsole
The midsole of this Nike running shoe is made from Phylon, a form of EVA foam cushioning. This form of cushioning is used so often by Nike for this purpose because it does a fantastic job fulfilling all the criteria demanded of a high-quality midsole. It’s lightweight, highly shock absorbent, and capable of withstanding quite a bit of punishment. Because of this, runners should expect these shoes to feel springy and responsive for hundreds of miles. While there are some aspects of these shoes that do have an unfortunate tendency to degrade over time, this important foundation will remain sturdy for a considerable amount of time.
Outsole
As can be expected from Nike, the Roshe One SE sports an outsole that had some thought put into its design. The use of hard rubber makes this bottom part of the shoe resistant to wear and tear from repeated impact with the ground. It has also been designed with a waffle pattern, sporting many shallow vertical and horizontal grooves. This design serves two purposes, as it can improve traction by providing a teeth-like grip on the ground while also improving responsiveness and flexibility with several bendable angles. Small bumps are present on every lug of this outsole’s waffle pattern, providing a slight improvement in traction with its presence. While there are problems with this running shoe, this outsole is not one of them.
Breathability
One thing that can be said in favor of the Nike Roshe One SE’s upper is that it allows for air to flow freely inside it. As a result, runners can hit the pavement with all their energy safe in the knowledge that their feet won’t feel swampy or hot due to excellent ventilation. This is hampered slightly due to the addition of an internal sock liner and the placement of additional padding around the tongue and ankle collar. However, this padding is made from the same material, meaning that airflow is still easily attained while these shoes are worn. This will be a terrific benefit to runners who live in warmer climates such as Florida.
Comfort
A few comfort-related amenities have been implemented in the design of the Nike Roshe One SE. These include a sock liner placed inside the upper portion and a generous amount of midsole cushioning. Another aspect of the midsole that is bound to provide comfort to one particular breed of runner is the large heel drop, a design feature that accommodates runners who are prone to striking the ground with their heels. Even the strangely designed synthetic mesh upper helps provide comfort to runners in warmer locales due to the excellent breathability it provides. However, the mushy feeling this same feature causes will likely lead to less comfort than Nike fans have come to expect from the brand.
Style
Ordinarily, Nike leads the pack when it comes to designing a stylish shoe. Their impeccable fashion sense is what led the brand to completely dominate the world of footwear as well as pave the way for the athleisure style movement. However, none of this competence and pedigree can be seen in the design of the Roshe One SE. For starters, its all-mesh upper looks garish. This is made worse with the strange saddle-shoe stitching, which would look completely out of place in any shoe made within the last 50 years. Ultimately, it’s the colors that leave these shoes with a disappointing aesthetic. With the exception of two or three basic palettes, the majority of this shoe’s color options are simply ugly.
Durability
Thankfully, the bottom half of this Nike running shoe was built to last. The rubber used for the construction of its outsole is highly abrasion-resistant, and the midsole’s Phylon EVA cushioning promises excellent shock absorption for miles and miles. These design elements work exceptionally well, which is why they’ve been used for countless other running shoes made by Nike and other brands like them. However, the upper half of the Roshe One SE is a different story. Going in a completely different direction from the status quo, Nike designed this portion of the shoe almost entirely from a synthetic mesh material. Ordinarily, this would be reserved for a few areas where extra breathability is necessary. However, when implemented to the degree it is here, the result is a shoe with a much shorter lifespan than its contemporaries or even its predecessors.
Protection
Continuing with the common theme, the bottom half of the Nike Roshe One SE is much more protective of the wearer’s feet than the top half. This is due to the use of time-tested materials for this exceptionally important aspect of any running shoe: hard rubber for the outsole and EVA foam for the midsole. Thanks to these two elements, the wearer’s underfoot will be safely insulated from damage that could come about from impact with the ground. However, the upper portion is made from a material that emphasizes lighter weight and higher airflow over durability and protection. Because of this, runners are susceptible to damage on the tops of their feet if they aren’t careful.
Responsiveness
The key to a responsive running shoe lies in its midsole. Nike understands this and reflects this design ethos in this shoe. For all its faults, the Nike Roshe One SE still manages to provide a decent amount of responsiveness thanks to its well-designed midsole. The Phylon EVA foam used for its construction ensures that any energy absorbed by the shoe, such as shock from impact with the ground, is immediately reflected in an explosive manner. This means that what energy is put into the wearer’s stride will be returned in equal measure, resulting in a terrific degree of energy efficiency.
Support
A runner can expect a decent amount of support for their heels while wearing the Roshe One SE. This is because the drop for this shoe is high enough to devote extra cushioning to this portion of their foot. However, this extreme elevation leads to some issues with arch support which will result in severe discomfort for individuals who have issues with their arches. The lack of any real competent design around the upper portion of these shoes further exacerbates this problem, making these shoes extremely unappealing to anyone with fallen arches or similar running abnormalities.
Terrain
These running shoes will perform well in any form of terrain that is standard fare for running shoes. What this means is that runners should expect the Nike Roshe One SE to provide decent performance on grass, soft dirt, running track, sidewalks, asphalt roads, and treadmills. These are the environments that this shoe’s outsole was designed to handle best. While it may provide adequate traction for some non-technical trails, excessive trail running in these shoes is strongly discouraged. Thanks to the use of synthetic mesh for the majority of the Roshe One SE’s upper, runners can use these shoes in warmer weather as well.
Price
A clear indicator of the reception and popularity of a shoe is its change in price over the months after its release. If a shoe starts out with a high price but drops to a more reasonable one after a year, it’s a safe bet that this drop is due to the release of a newer model and isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality. However, the Nike Roshe One SE released with a low price from the get-go and still dropped in price. This is a bad omen, showing a lack of faith on the parts of the manufacturers and the general public. When considering the flaws built into these running shoes, the lowest price possible would be the most appropriate cost of entry. Anything higher than the bare minimum is a raw deal on the part of the buyer.
Drop
Although there is no specific measurement for the Nike Roshe One SE’s heel drop that can be found online, a visual approximation would place it at around 9 mm at the very least. This is common for running shoes like these since it allows for more protection around the runner’s heels. Because of this, runners who prefer heel striking will appreciate the targeted comfort this shoe provides.
Stability
Despite offering a high degree of rigidity through the design of this shoe’s midsole and outsole, the upper portion’s inadequate build quality result in a wishy-washy feeling while wearing the Roshe One SE. Sure, it’ll get the wearer through a typical running session, however, the lack of a snug fit that would be provided by a Flyknit shoe is conspicuously absent here.
Flexibility
The top half of these running shoes showcase a high degree of flexibility. This isn’t exactly a good thing, however, since the rest of the Nike Roshe One SE fails to capitalize on the potential benefits to this design decision. Where the Phylon EVA midsole used for this shoe would normally offer a reasonable amount of give, the sheer volume of it added to compensate for the shortcomings present in the rest of this shoe’s design causes these shoes to feel fairly rigid instead.
Traction
Due to the design of this shoe’s outsole, runners are provided enough traction while wearing the Nike Roshe One SE to run efficiently on the most standard running terrain. The use of small nubs on the waffle-style underfoot help to improve this to a degree, but it isn’t particularly noticeable and will fade quickly as they are worn down to a smoother state.
Bottom Line
Even the worst Nike shoe offers some benefits that can’t be found in many other manufacturer’s athletic apparel. But make no mistake: this is one of Nike’s worst shoes. However, realistic expectations and frequent breaks between short running exercises can allow a customer to get quite a bit out of these lighter and more breathable budget running shoes.
