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Nike Free Run Trail

Discontinued · trail · Trail / Daily · $120

Free flexibility with trail-ready traction and a rugged upper.

Built for trail, daily, at a target pace of 9:00–12:00 /mi on trail.

This model is no longer in production. The closest shoe you can buy today is Nike Juniper Trail 3.

The spec sheet

Weight
260 g / 9.2 oz
Heel stack
24 mm
Drop
6 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
3 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
1 / 5
Flexibility
4 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~400 mi
Price
$120

How it rides

The foam

Nike tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 24 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. The forefoot flexes easily, so the shoe adapts to slower, shorter strides. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.30 per mile at $120.

For the foams and plates Nike uses across its line, read the Nike brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

260 g / 9.2 oz

15 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

24 mm

12 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

6 mm

Level with the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$120

40 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

3 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~400 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Nike line it is lighter than the brand's median (295 g / 10.4 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (36 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Brooks Divide 6

272 g / 9.6 oz · 24 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $110

Budget road-to-trail crossover for smoother paths and park loops.

Merrell Morphlite

240 g / 8.5 oz · 28 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $110

Light, flexible all-terrain trainer at an everyday price.

Adidas Terrex Voyager

240 g / 8.5 oz · 25 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $70

Light, packable trail-and-travel shoe for easy terrain.

Merrell Nova 4

261 g / 9.2 oz · 29 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $130

Nimble moderate-terrain trail trainer on FloatPro foam.

Salomon Pulsar

289 g / 10.2 oz · 29 mm · 6 mm drop · — · $140

Do-it-all daily trail trainer on optiFOAM at a friendlier price.

Lineage & siblings