My review of the Nike ZoomX Invincible after one run

When I first saw the Nike ZoomX Invincible, I wasn’t sure what the point of it was. Nike already has the Infinity React, a shoe designed to prevent injuries as well as the Miler React. But as time went on, it was clear that this shoe was different. Sitting on a near mountain of ZoomX foam, this shoe was a departure from the more recent React-heavy releases in Nike’s running lineup. Now, the real test of a shoe is after at least 100 miles, so things could change (and I will make another video at that point), but initially I was very impressed.

Check out my full video review below:

Nike ZoomX Invincible First Impression

Pulling these shoes out of the box, the first thing that struck me was the size of these shoes. There’s just a ton of foam and materials on them. However, when I picked them up, they seemed lighter than they look, which is probably a result of the lightweight ZoomX foam. The outsole features a single piece of cleated rubber with two pieces of rubber at the toe and heel of the shoe. The midsole is made of Flyknit, but the material seems like a slight departure from Flyknit I’ve seen in the past. It feels like a tighter weave or something. The tongue is moderately padded, and the heel collar is heavily padded, including padding on the outside, which seems like an unnecessary addition.

First run reactions

For my first run, I ran four miles at a relatively easy pace. I planned to run at 8:30, but I ended up in the 8:15 range, because I kept catching myself running faster than my goal pace without realizing it. The first thing I noticed was the cushion. You really can feel a huge difference between this shoe and others, even other shoes with ZoomX like the Pegasus Turbo. I also immediately noticed that when I landed and pushed off, the shoe almost assisted in rolling from heel/midfoot to the toe. It reminded me of the Nike Vaporfly, which relies on a carbon fiber plate to “spring” you forward. I’m not sure how long the Invincible will be able to do this, with the pliable foam, but it was noticeable right from the start of my run.

I’ve also had some knee soreness lately, but I didn’t feel any on my run. Could be the result of a small sample size of one run, but these at least didn’t hurt my knee. After reviewing the slow motion footage, however, I did notice a decent amount of lateral (side to side) flexing in the shoe, especially when I go around corners. This leads me to believe this might not be the next great stability running shoe. Something to keep an eye on.

Is the Nike ZoomX Invincible true to size?

The short answer is yes. I am a size 10, and this shoe feels great in a size 10. With running shoes, it is often recommended that you buy a size up, but that’s not needed here; the toe box is roomy enough to handle long runs where your feet expand. The padded heel collar hugs your ankles and can be tightened with the laces.

What is the Nike ZoomX Invincible for?

This shoe is definitely something you want to take on your long runs. It is a little on the heavier side, so I wouldn’t recommend using this as a racing shoe or for speed workouts, but it didn’t feel like a brick on my feet. Any issues with the weight of the shoe will be quickly forgotten when you feel the amount of cushion this shoe offers.

ZoomX Invincible Pros

• Incredible cushion is unlike most running shoes. Super comfy.
• Toe construction helps the foot “roll” into your push off.
• Comfortable heel collar provides heel lockdown.
• True to size.

ZoomX Invincible Cons

• Price – At $180 retail, this is a very expensive shoe.
• Durability questions – while I only ran in this once, I have some concerns that this might not hold up as long as my Nike React Miler. The ZoomX foam is super soft, and unclear what will happen after 300 miles.
• Design – For the price of this shoe, I find the initial colorways kind of boring. Not ugly, but nothing that’s going to turn heads, especially compared to the Alphafly, Vaporfly and Zoom Fly. Would love to see something a little bolder.

First run verdict

Overall, I loved my first run in these shoes. They offered a level of cushion I haven’t felt before, even with the old Asics Gel Nimbus. I simply had a lot of fun running in them, and I’m already excited for my next run. It will be interesting to see how the ZoomX foam holds up after a few hundred miles, but I will be sure to provide an updated review of the Nike ZoomX Invincible. Don’t forget to subscribe to the FBRC YouTube channel so you don’t miss out!