The outsole on the Nike Downshifter 7 is in so many words, amazing. Nike has fitted the shoe with a mixture of hexagonal patterning’s to give it the added sense of coverage; basically it aids the shoe in it’s ability to deliver a grip that could last on a plethora of surfaces. The patterning on the sole comes in the shape of a combination of both inward and outward hexagons that are placed in such a way as to deal with the rough aspects of the ground. The sole is made from thick rubber that is hardened to make sure that it can protect the foot from the many dangers of the terrain. Nike has also given the outsole a variety of flex grooves that enable the shoe to bend to the will of the users’ foot and gives the shoe an added sense of comfortability. On top of these amazing features the lack of deep ridges in the sole’s design means that the shoe can be used without having to deal with a mixture of materials getting lodged inside of it, which is a huge plus.

The midsole on the Downshifter 7 was designed in such a way as to augment the shoes’ already comfortable design. Nike has made the midsole out of a lightweight Phylon material instead of the popular EVA that most shoes are given nowadays. The Phylon material allows the midsole to bounce back and respond to/from the pressure that is placed on it daily meaning that the wearer won’t have to worry about the length of tie that the shoe is in use because for the most part, it will be able to recover from it with no problem. Also, on top of the comfort that the phylon material gives the shoe, it also protects the users’ foot from injury due to its ability to conform to the shape of the foot.

Nike has made sure to keep it nice and simple with the design of the Downshifter 7’s upper. They have gone for a minimalist affect on the upper of the shoe by making it solely out of mesh. The mesh make of the upper greatly enhances the shoes’ air circulation and aids in providing a range of movement while in use. In all honesty, they haven’t really done anything special with the design of the upper on the shoe; they’ve made sure to keep the shoe feeling as natural as possible, meaning that they’ve completely disregarded the guards that could be placed on either the heel of the toe region of the shoe. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering that it doesn’t have anything that could possibly weigh it down. Overall, the upper gets 2 thumbs up for simplicity.

The minimalism with which the shoe was designed makes the Nike downshifter 7 unsurprisingly lightweight. Nike hasn’t really fitted the shoe with any extra materials other than the added padding that is both inside and outside of the shoe and the different make of the midsole, which honestly doesn’t do much for the shoe in that sense. Weighing in at 10oz for a size 11, the shoe is actually very lightweight. The lack of weight on the Downshifter 7 gives it the ability to provide a natural run and the user can run for a greater length of time; this primarily due to the lack of strain that is placed on the users’ muscles while the shoe is in use.

Although this has been commented on already, the mesh upper benefits the shoe so much that it must be commented on twice. Nike has given the shoe an upper made of mesh, which obviously promotes both breathability and comfort in a shoe. The mesh gives the shoe an unsurprising amount of air circulation due to its porous nature and its overall thinness. The surprising thing, is that it is breathable even though it has an extreme amount of cushioning throughout; the fabric itself is relatively thin but Nike has splashed cushioning in various places throughout the upper.

The comfort that the Downshifter 7 provides is obvious; It can be seen by looking at the padding that is splashed throughout both the insole and in various places in side of the upper. The shoe has been fitted with insoles made from an EVA foam, which obviously boosts that shoes’ comfort levels, primarily because of its neutrality promotion and overall plush nature. The phylon material that the midsole is made of also promote comfort-ability because of its lightweight nature and its malleable features. To top it all off, the shoe also, due to it’s overall lightweight nature provides the user with a pleasurable experience since it doesn’t really place too much of a strain on the foot.

The Downshifter 7 is surprisingly aesthetically pleasing. The shoe blends with the fashion of today’s time by being designed with minimalist features. Nike has forgone all of the usual things that are present in minimalist running shoes; such as the toe guards and heel guards. This gives the shoe the stylish look that even the running shoes of today need if they are to be bought and worn. The sleek design is topped off with the narrow presence that is required among the shoes’ of today. The narrowness of the shoe is necessary because, in today’s age, most shoes are designed with a slim look and minimalism in mind; two qualities that the Downshifter 7 holds. Overall the sleek design gives the shoe the ability to be worn with a plethora of outfits, making it extremely versatile; another plus for the Downshifter 7.

The durability of the shoe is one of the things that is in question with the Downshifter 7. Nike is known for their use of quality materials in their apparel, but this shoes’ lack of certain features makes one wonder if it can really last for very long. The rubber on the sole and the phylon midsole gives the appearance of a shoe that will be able to withstand the pressure placed on it by the wearer when in constant use. Considering that the shoe isn’t really designed for constant long-distance running, but rather for the training that comes with the running, it should fit the wearers’ needs. Overall, depending on what the shoe is needed for, it should be able to handle the things that runners look for in a running shoe of its caliber.

The shoe does provide a decent amount for the wearer in terms of protection, but not in the conventional way. The Downshifter 7 lacks the protective measures that a variety of shoes nowadays have, including the toe covers and the heel covers. The shoe does however include a decent amount of cushioning that is thick enough to reduce the impact of a variety of things that could possibly inflict damage on the wearers’ foot. The sole also gives the user a decent amount of covering for the foot because of it’s thickness, which is a quality that is necessary for the shoe to provide the wearer a generally safe ride.

The sole on the shoe is very responsive due the materials that it is made of. The phylon material that the midsole is equipped with gives it the overall bouncy ride that is necessary for a running shoe; it has a rebounding quality that allows it to conform to the users’ foot and gives it the ability to handle the pressure that is placed on it during it’s overall use. The outsole is comprised of a hardened rubber that is made to respond to the users’ desire; meaning that the user can make split second decisions and not have to worry about the soles ability to handle them effectively.

The sole of the shoe is made in a way that gives the user ample heel support, a quality that is missing in a variety of running shoes nowadays; it is widened to allow the foot plenty of space to move around. The cushioning that is placed inside of the shoe, mainly the insole gives the heel the coverage that it need when the user is participating in an activity that requires rapid movement; which is why it is so good at handling the activity that it is designed for. The wideness of the sole also gives the user ample coverage for the outer curves of the foot; another big plus for this overall inexpensive shoe. On top of these things, the shoe also provides a neutral arch support.

The shoe isn’t the best at handling a variety of terrains, but it does its job, and it does it well. The Downshifter 7 is fitted with a rubber sole that enables it to be able to handle a plethora of surfaces; from concrete to more undeveloped terrains. The thickness of the sole and midsole also gives it the ability to protect the users’ foot form the more unpredictable terrains. The one thing that should be noted about the Downshifter 7’s terrain handling abilities’ is that it isn’t the best at dealing with wet surfaces; not the worst thing when considering that the shoe is more of a trainer and not of the competitive type.

For this to be a quality Nike shoe, it is surprisingly inexpensive. Coming in at well below 100 bucks the Downshifter 7 is a decent shoe that doesn’t hurt ones’ pockets not one bit. Truth be told, it doesn’t have all of the more extravagant technologies such as the fly wire and multilayered soles, but for the price it does its job and it does it well. Considering that there are other shoes on the market that are priced higher and deliver not even a fraction of the comfort that this shoe delivers, the Downshifter 7 isn’t bad for the price.

As mentioned earlier, the Downshifter 7 has a sole that handles surprisingly well on a variety of surfaces. The patterned rubber outsole that the shoe is fitted with gives it the ability to handle traction-giving abilities that are required of it on the more unpredictable surfaces. The sole is fitted with hexagonal patterns that are there to give the shoe the traction delivering abilities that are required of it; this means that the wearer can cut corners without having to worry about losing his/her footing in the process. The hexagonal patterning is fitted in almost the same way as the waffle pattern that is present on several other running shoes; as is known about the waffle pattern, it provides the grip that runners need during a strenuous activity such as a long-distance run or sprinting.

The Downshifter 7 was made with flexibility and ease of use in mind. Nike has fitted the shoe with flex grooves throughout the sole of the shoe to give it the ability to bend to the users will without placing any strain on the users’ foot. The full-mesh upper of the shoe also allows it to bend to the will of the user’s foot while also providing a pleasurable experience; making it the shoe of choice when these two things are what’s sought after.

The wide base and the decent quality of the Downshifter 7’s upper gives the wearer the stability that is necessary while the shoe is in use. The upper is made of mesh, which when first considered shouldn’t really provide a decent comfortable experience. Nike has combated this by giving the shoe a decent amount of cushioning on the inside so that the wearer wouldn’t have to worry about having a flimsy shoe. The wide base of the shoe also provides the wearer with plenty of landing room, which is a plus because, especially with running, it is necessary to be aware that you have ample footing.

The shoe boasts a decent 12mm drop; this type of heel-to-toe ratio ensures that the transition that the shoe gives is natural. This level of drop is there because of the widened heel that the shoe boasts. Nike, also made sure to give the shoe added padding in the heel of the shoe, so on top of the transition that the shoe delivers it also feels completely natural while the shoe is in use.

• Phylon Midsole
• Hexagonal patterning on outsole
• EVA insole

The Nike downshifter 7 is a decent overall shoe; it provides in the way of support, is extremely comfortable, and to top it all off doesn’t hurt the pockets not one bit. Considering all of these things, the shoe is definitely not a bad purchase, especially if one can get past the fact that it isn’t the best at handling wet terrains.