NIKE Women's Downshifter 11 Gymnastics Shoe

Product Information

Nike made a few tweaks to upgrade the Downshifter from its previous version. The shoe's upper has been slightly updated and some subtle tweaks are done on the outsole.

OUR VERDICT The Nike Downshifter 10 stands out from Nike’s running shoe line up due to it’s low cost list price and premium design. We really enjoyed the way this Nike shoe fit and felt. The shoe has a soft, generously padded tongue (10.1 mm!) while there’s also a really nice padding in the heel.The medial and lateral swoosh design follows the path of the sole wrap and the heel features tape with the ‘Nike Running’ branding, matching that of the clothing range (a nice detail, if like me you like to match your workout outfit!), totalling 14 swoosh’s per pair! Nike Downshifter 10 Conclusion Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Stability; Best used for: Training; Weight: 312g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 8mm Although this foam isn’t one of Nike’s premium materials, e.g. React or ZoomX, it did a great job of cushioning the foot strike over short and long runs. If you’ve had gait analysis and have been told you overpronate – roll your foot excessively inwards when landing – then you may well need a stability shoe to provide extra support. Nike has a few great options here. If you don’t overpronate, then a neutral shoe is the best option for you. How much do you need to spend?

What’s more, considering that this is a budget model, it’s great that they decided to make it more environmentally friendly.After 50 miles it’s still in great condition and I’m sure has many more miles left in it, with as much spring in the foam now as when it first came out the box. For a combination of price, weight, and breathability you’ll struggle to beat the Downshifter 10 right now. When I first tried on the Downshifter 11, the fit is quite snug for a Nike, coming in a little shorter and narrower than other Nike running shoes, so you may want to consider going half a size up, or if they’re your first pair of running shoes, at least a whole size up from your regular shoe. If the shoe feels even slightly tight on first wear, size up here. If you’re the kind of person who looks at runners’ feet as they line up for a race, you’d once have seen a broad range of shoes in use – but not any more. Now, it’s a sea of green and pink, with Nike Vaporfly NEXT% emerging as the go-to option for pros and serious amateurs alike.

The only downside of these was they gathered lots of mud and grass on a run and were quite difficult to get clean. There are a great range of colorways from monochrome to bright and pastel shades to suit every taste. It has an EVA midsole that’s not as responsive or cushioned as you’ll find on Nike’s pricier options, but it will get the job done for runners heading out for a few 5Ks each week, and the smart design of the shoe works for casual wear as well. The Downshifter is much more cushioned and responsive and feels more like a premium line running shoe. Both versions felt exactly the same. Same cushioning, upper, fit, and shape. If you’re looking for an exact upgrade of your Downshifter 10, this is what this shoe delivers.The upper measures 97.8mm on the forefoot and 74.8 in the heel which is right around the average shoe (98.4/75.4mm). Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Neutral; Best Used for: Training; Weight: 310g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 10mm I took the shoe out for a run mid-Dutch heatwave and it was super breathable. Of course the following day there was a downpour, on a wet run, my feet were soaked immediately. The shoe took over 24 hours to dry. The other thing I don’t like about Nike’s lower-budget shoes is they cram the heel with foam for a high-drop experience. The Downshifter 11 has a 11.6mm drop which is just too much. Their other budget shoe, the Quest 4 has an amazing 13.7mm drop in our tests… Nike, even beginners don’t need this much heel! Surprisingly nice weight on the Downshifter 11

Size-wise, I had gone half a size up in the Downshifter vs the Revolution 5 and I felt the fit on the Downshifter 10 was the same as the pair of Revolution 5’s I have, thus making the Downshifter 10 on the smaller side in both length and especially the width. Despite being wider than average near the ball of the foot (100.2 mm), the toebox gets way too narrow around the toes. I’d recommend the Downshifter 11 for anyone looking to run their first 5km, 10km, or even half marathon. If you’re new to training and want to use this in the gym too it’s a great shoe for that. In the next version I’d love to see a few more features on the upper to improve breathability, and perhaps some longer laces. My heel had a bit of slip but there’s a second top lace hole for a runner’s knot if that’s a persistent issue. Compared to the Downshifter 10 I’ve recently been running in, there’s slightly more visible support around the midfoot, however, I really couldn’t feel this when trying it on.Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Neutral; Best Used for: Racing; Weight: 206g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 8mm The new outer sole footwrap was one of my favorite parts of the shoe, adding to the structure of the TPU cage to keep the foot secure. Flex grooves keep the weight of the shoe down and flexibility of the sole up. Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Mild stability/neutral; Best Used for: Training; Weight: 303g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 9mm The Structure 24 has a crash pad under the heel that moves you through your footstrike in an efficient and stable manner, and both the midsole foam and outsole are built to last, making the shoe a great workhorse trainer for your base training.