Details
Brand
Nike
Heel To Toe Drop
N/A
Breathability
8/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Durable and responsive outsole contains thick rubber and vertical and horizontal flex grooves• Midsole has a comfortable, lightweight, and responsive Phylon cushioning• Well-made upper package is breathable, comfortable, and flexible• Lightweight design• Comprehensive ventilation makes this the ideal summer shoe• NikeiD technology lets you customize the shoe’s colors, overall style is very aesthetic• Translucent strap across the midfoot protects your foot by holding it in place• Price is average to low
Upper
The upper is like a sock (hence the reason the shoe is called the Sock Dart), it is made of a knitted textile and provides great breathability through the material as well as a lightweight foam cushioning that adds extra comfort. The upper is also very flexible. A strap over the midfoot replaces a traditional lacing system. The color of this strap can be tailored according to your preferences with the NikeiD technology, you can also choose the color of the rest of the upper from a multitude of choices. The only problem with the material is the fact that the knitted textile is so lightweight that it is thin and not particularly durable. For the most part, however, the upper is the best part of this shoe. Just don’t expect it to last forever—all good things must come to an end, and if you use the SE Premium often, the upper will break down much sooner than the rest of the shoe.
Midsole
The Nike Sock Dart SE Premium has a Phylon midsole, which gives it a lightweight cushioning. This foam cushioning is very comfortable and also very lightweight. Not only does it add comfort, it is also quite responsive. The insole is not removable, which has caused consternation on the part of more than one reviewer—the insole certainly helps add extra needed comfort, but it’s always nice to have the option to take it out.
Outsole
The thick and light rubber outsole gives you the maximum amount of both durability and grip. The outsole also has vertical and horizontal flex grooves, which help support your foot’s natural movement. Because of the flex grooves and thick rubber, the outsole provides decent traction—not perfect, but respectable. The outsole is extremely durable (again, mostly because of the thick rubber). It is flexible as well, meaning that overall the outsole package of the SE Premium is one that is very well-done.
Breathability
The knitted textile of the sock-like upper gives the shoe absolutely excellent breathability. It allows your foot to feel free and open. The Nike Sock Dart SE Premium is a great summer shoe because your foot will never feel hot. There is no feature on the SE Premium that takes away from its breathability, and because the ventilation is so comprehensive, you will never be at risk of blisters for breathability reasons. Wear the SE Premium all summer to stay cool through the ventilation of the upper.
Comfort
By all accounts, this shoe is extremely comfortable—so much so that many users recommend wearing it around the house as a lounge shoe. Beginning with the upper, this part of the shoe is comfortable because of both the sock-like knitted textile and the lightweight foam cushioning, the laceless design adds comfort as well. The ankle collar and tongue have a little extra padding, no blisters here! And finally, even the outsole and tongue are comfortable. The comfort is one of the two outstanding aspects of this shoe.
Style
The style aspect is the other outstanding characteristic of this shoe. For the Nike Sock Dart SE Premium, NikeiD technology is offered, which gives buyers a fun way to personalize the shoe’s upper and strap and change the colorways to whatever color(s) they would like. The shoe has a futuristic, sophisticated, and minimalist design that includes a low top, and a translucent strap that goes over the midfoot. All of these elements create a very laid-back kind of vibe. This shoe is perfect for everyday wear no matter where you’re going.
Durability
The outsole is very durable because of the thick rubber, and the midsole is sturdily made as well. The upper fails in this category, however—while the knitted textile provides great breathability and flexibility properties, it, unfortunately, is a very thin material, leaving it prone to ripping or tearing. You will get your money’s worth out of the whole shoe—just potentially not the upper. There is one good thing here, though: since many reviewers have said that this shoe is best for walking or wearing around town (instead of long runs and intense workouts), that would put less strain on the upper, meaning that the whole shoe would last longer.
Protection
The strap across the midfoot that replaces the lacing system may seem like simply a unique style choice, but it’s actually extremely important as far as protection goes. It keeps your foot in place and stops it from slipping, specifically when you are making turns. However, there is no toe guard, and the shoe does not provide great shock absorption—simply another example of where the SE Premium seems to be made more for stylistic choices than for actual running.
Responsiveness
The outsole’s flex grooves help with responsiveness in a big way by supporting the natural movements of your foot. The Phylon midsole (a lightweight cushioning) is also very responsive, providing energy back to you. Again, the Sock Dart SE Premium is not necessarily meant to be a minimalist shoe, but it seems minimalist in many ways—such as how it allows your foot to move naturally, and how the midsole cushioning provides good energy return.
Support
The SE Premium provides support in one rather unorthodox way—through the strap over the midfoot that helps you feel secure. However, previous reviewers have reported that the shoe does not provide good support and feels as if it is about to slip off when they begin running or doing other forms of exercise. The only redeeming factor here is the extra arch support. In keeping with the tradition of minimalist-like shoes not providing good support, the SE Premium will not be your best choice if you need more stability.
Terrain
The Nike Sock Dart SE Premium has somewhat good traction due to the horizontal and vertical flex grooves on the outsole, but it is not nearly good enough for any terrain except the road. Even then, because it does not have great support and is not especially flexible, many reviewers have said that they would not use this shoe for running—just walking. If you do decide to take this shoe for a run, keep in mind that the outsole will not grip any extreme terrain, save the SE Premium for your light road runs.
Price
The price of the Nike Sock Dart SE Premium is average, and to make things even better, it appears that many websites are already running excellent deals on the product. This will help you save money that you can then invest in the fun NikeiD technology (which is a small upgrade in price) to customize your shoe. The shoe offers a lot of exciting features, and it succeeded in so many areas that you will certainly be getting something great for your money.
Drop
The drop (the distance between the heel and the forefoot height) of the Nike Sock Dart SE Premium is not listed on any websites.
Stability
If you’re looking for a stability shoe, you won’t find it in the Nike Sock Dart SE Premium. The SE Premium is more like a minimalist shoe because of the minimal support and stability it provides. Nearly every previous reviewer of this shoe has noted that it did not give him or her good stability and that they did not appreciate this aspect of the shoe.
Flexibility
The upper, with its knitted textile, is very flexible. The flex grooves located on the outsole and the Phylon midsole are flexible too. The overall shoe structure, however, does not provide much flexibility. It is somewhat stiff and restricting.
Traction
Flex grooves and thick rubber on the outsole make this shoe very grippy. However, the overall traction is not the best, and this is another reason why several people have recommended that this shoe is used for walking only (or even a more stationary workout such as yoga). Nike bills the Sock Dart as a running shoe, but the subpar traction is one of quite a few ways that they fell short of making a good shoe for running. Remember, if you do go for a run in this shoe, use it only for lighter road runs—do not try it on any intense terrain, because the traction simply isn’t good enough.
Bottom Line
The best parts of the Nike Sock Dart SE Premium are undoubtedly its clean, aesthetic style and its out-of-the-park comfort, but it has a lot of other good aspects, too. The outsole is grippy, durable, and responsive, supporting your foot’s natural movement. The midsole is lightweight and comfortable. The entire shoe is very responsive and comfortable. NikeiD technology offers a fun style option to add to the overall sleek and futuristic look of the shoe, and the durability outweighs the price. In many ways, though, this shoe did not work as Nike had hoped. The lack of traction, support, and protection mean that, although this shoe is billed as a running shoe, it is not actually your best bet to slip on for when you hit the road. The Nike Sock Dart SE Premium is fine for short road runs. Otherwise, we suggest that you enjoy this styling shoe by wearing it around town, using it for easy workouts/walking, or enjoying its first-rate comfort around the house.
