Why @GUAPMAG flew to Portland Just to see the [@NikeRunning] FREE RN 5.0

If you follow @GUAPMAG on Instagram then you would have noticed that last week we had the once in a life time opportunity to fly out to Portland, Oregon with @NikeRunning to see the global unveiling of the Nike Free RN 5.0.

Off to Portland, Oregon…

The journey started at Heathrow London, where we hopped on a business class flight and set off for 8 hours to Seattle where we made a transfer to head towards Portland. Portland being Oregon’s largest city, which sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s known for its parks, bridges and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness. It is also the place that Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman founded the company, selling trainers out of the back of a van, before opening their first Nike Store in downtown Oregon.

The super lightweight Nike Free RN 5.0…

An ideal performer for low-mileage sprints, the Nike Free RN 5.0 returns to its roots as a running shoe. Lightweight, single layer mesh in the upper provides more stretch to feel like a second skin. Less foam in the midsole means you’re ready to hit the ground running.

Benefits

• Stretch upper is designed to fit like a second skin.
• Low foam density lets your foot feel connected to the ground.
• Heel-to-toe grooves on the outsole and side of the midsole flex to give optimal flexibility with every step.
• Asymmetrical lacing system is placed on the side to relieve pressure on your instep.
• The absence of a heel counter gives freedom to your heel area while providing lockdown.

Product Details

• Rubber pods on the forefoot and heel
• Offset: 6mm (14mm forefoot, 20 mm heel)

We went barefoot running and tested the trainers…

Speaking with Brett Holt, VP of Nike Running Footwear, he told me 3 Things that make FREE free:

1. Anotomical, little more space at the front, range of motion.
2. Drop your foot closer to the ground.
3. Flexibility in the product.

We then went outside to do some barefoot running under test conditions to compare how flexible our feet were in comparison to when wearing the Nike Free RN 5.0.

Nike World Campus…

We got a chance to tour the world famous Nike Headquarters which has a rich forest landscape and six-acre lake in the center of the campus boasts jaw-dropping views that inspire the largest concentration of Nike employees. The campus features nearby soccer fields, tennis and volleyball courts, running trails and a track built into the surrounding forest.

Steeped in history yet designed for innovation, WHQ is a showcase of Nike’s history and an arena for the future of what’s next. Nike WHQ hosts key departments, including management, materials research, product design and development, marketing, finance, sustainability, high-tech manufacturing and more.