When Nike introduced the LUNAREPIC I was intrigued. The high collar ankle support that was only found in Nike’s soccer shoes had my interest in seeing how effective the collar would be. Having run in most Lunar models I was looking forward to putting in some easy/long runs in the LUNAREPICS.
Trying these shoes coming from the Pegasus 32 I noticed how much softer and lighter(not much) this model is. Most of my running in New Orleans is on roads/sidewalks. I prefer a softer shoe, and Lunarlon is great for those runs. The extra softness was welcomed.
Upper:
The upper is a one-piece knit construction that has a sock-like feel, snug through the mid-foot using Nike’s flywire technology with a wide to box that has a good stretch from the knit. The high collar was a unique piece of this shoe. I have mixed thoughts on the need the collar, after 50 plus miles the fit of the collar started losing its appeal. My ankle had a little too much movement when taking turns or running on grass trails.
Midsole:
This is where the shoe really shined for me. I have run in many Lunarlon shoes in the past (Lunaracer, Lunartempo, Lunarglide) and this has been my favorite model to date. I run on mostly concrete and asphalt, the cushion and feel of this shoe were welcomed on easy/long days. The laser cuts in the midsole add flexibility throughout the whole shoe to give it a more natural feel during foot strikes.
The shoe does come with two different insoles, I used the thicker insoles(10mm) and did feel it fit snugger but the shoe stretched after a few runs, I also use Superfeet and the shoe accommodated those without taking away the feel.
Outsole:
Durability was a question for me due to the softness and lack of blown rubber on the outsole but after 400 miles in the shoe it still feels good and I’m looking to put at least another 100 in them.
The outsole of the LUNAREPIC has four unique pods in the forefoot and one at the heel of the shoe. These pods have laser cuts throughout each pad giving it a propulsion feel when pushing off. A welcoming feeling for such a soft shoe is to have a little energy return.
One side note is the cuts in the outsole will be rock collectors during your run which can be annoying at times when too many get jammed in between the cuts.
Overall:
Running mostly on concrete the softness was what I was looking for and this shoe. After running in the Pegasus 32, Hoka Cliffton, Adidas Ultra Boost as trainers, the shoe caused me the least issues and legs felt the best while training in the LUNAREPICS. This shoe is my 2016 shoe of the year and will continue my easy runs in them in 2017.
The biggest seller for me was the feel of the Lunar outsole/midsole. I will more than likely go to the low versions of these once I toast my current ones only to compare the high ankle collar.
