Nike Free Run+ 3

Nike Free Runs are my very favorite CrossFit shoes. In 2012 I took a detour and tried a pair of Inov-8's. That lasted about 2 weeks and I replaced them with a pair of Nike Free Run+ 2's. In my 4 years of doing CrossFit, I've had all three generations of Nike Free Runs and this third generation shoe is the best.

This shoe is unbelievably comfortable right out of the box. Weighing only 9.3 ounces, the shoes are incredibly light, but offer cushioning a good step above a minimalist shoe. I believe the secret to the comfort is in the sole design. The sole is comprised of 53 separate cushions, which gives the sole an otherworldly amount of flex. The sole can twist and bend like no other shoe, which results in an incredible amount of comfort.

While the sole itself is really soft, the key wear areas are fitted with rock hard carbon rubber (those are the black areas on the sole in the above picture). It's been my experience that other parts of the shoe wear out long before the sole does.

There are two big changes in the design of the + 3 compared to the + 2. There was no tongue in the + 2 and the +3 has a full floating tongue that makes the shoe more comfortable and easier to slide into. The + 2 had a plastic ectoskeleton that was part of the lacing system. While it worked well, I often wished I could get a little bit tighter fit. They have fixed that with the + 3, returning to a more conventional lacing system...plus, they added another lacing eyelet at the top of the shoe. While the old shoe had 5 eyelets, the new one has 6 and it makes a big difference in how snug you can get the shoe.

These shoes are just unbelievably comfortable. They are so comfortable that I own 2 pair....one for CrossFit and one for just wearing around the house. The shoes breathe better than any other I own. The area under the swoosh is pure mesh and the material above the toes and mid-foot wicks moisture away quickly.

At $100, the shoes are pricey...but well worth it. They are available in 15 different colors and come in both men's and women's models. I got mine at zappos.com. While they don't offer any special deals on the shoe, they do offer free overnight shipping and Zappos has a 365 day return policy. Anything goes wrong in that one year period, just send them back and Zappos will overnight you a new pair of shoes.

Here's a pair of Nike Free Run+ 3 in a color not found in nature,
which guarantees that it will warm the cockles of Sully's heart.