NIKE Women's Downshifter 11 Gymnastics Shoe

Product Information

Overall, there’s not much exciting to say about the upper, its low on features to keep costs and weight down. Nike Downshifter 11 Conclusion

Compared to its similar priced cousin, the Nike Revolution 5, the sole unit in the Downshifter is an upgrade and a big thumbs up from me. The Downshifter is much more cushioned and responsive and feels more like a premium line running shoe. 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. Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Mild stability/neutral; Best Used for: Training; Weight: 303g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 9mm

Nike Downshifter 11 First Impressions

Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Neutral; Best used for: Racing; Weight: 182g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 6mm

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. There are a great range of colorways from monochrome to bright and pastel shades to suit every taste. 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 The shoe is low cost, so I can’t really determine if it will last a long time, but the outsole is super hard at 88.5HC (average outsoles are just 80.5HC) so it should wear slowly, but where this may break down is in the upper if it’s manufactured poorly.

Whether you want a comfortable training shoe or the best racing shoe on the market, Nike has you covered

Key specs – Terrain: Road; Arch support: Neutral; Best Used for: Racing; Weight: 206g (UK 9); Heel-to-toe offset: 8mm As for the rubber density, our durometer shows it to be close to the average as well. Only 4% softer. But if you are planning to take the shoe out in the cold, be prepared that it is going to stiffen up. In our freezer test, the Downshifter 12 got 30.8% firmer compared to its room temperature state. 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. It’s very expensive, not exactly good-looking, and feels huge when you first pull it on, but there’s no other shoe we’d rather have on our feet when it comes to racing the marathon than the Alphafly. It takes the best attributes of the Vaporfly – the ZoomX foam and the carbon plate – and adds Nike’s Air Zoom pods under the forefoot for a poppier toe-off that only adds to the speed of the shoe.

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? 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. 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. But what really sets these shoes apart, is that the new Downshifter 12 is much softer and cushier. This is confirmed by our durometer measurements as well. We found the Downshifter 12 to be 19% softer than the 11. For me, the Downshifter will remain a shoe for casual wear and for the odd shorter run on warmer days.All that adds up to quite a bulky and odd-feeling shoe, but it’s also an undeniably fast one, despite the weight. React foam is used at the heel to provide a cushioned landing while also increasing the durability of the shoe, then the bouncy ZoomX foam used in the Alphafly and Vaporfly is used in the midfoot before you hit the plate and the responsive Air Zoom pods in the forefoot. It all adds up to a springy and speedy ride that only feels better the faster you run in the shoe, but the slightly strange sensation produced by the different foams, the plate and the pods might not suit every runner.

Any road running shoe will work fine on the treadmill, but you might want to consider one of Nike’s gym shoes if you plan to also hit the weights room. These shoes will have sufficient cushioning for short strings on the treadmill while also being better-suited to lifting than normal running shoes. Are you looking for a trainer, a racer, or a shoe to do it all?If you’re hitting the trails, you’ll need a dedicated shoe with extra grip and some protective elements on the upper to protect your feet from rogue roots and stones. In contrast, if you’re expecting to use the shoe mostly on the treadmill you don’t need to worry so much about grip. For a combination of price, weight, and breathability you’ll struggle to beat the Downshifter 10 right now. 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. Design-wise, for a low priced running shoe, the Downshifter 10 looks fantastic in my opinion. From a distance, it looks similar to the Pegasus 37, with a deep sole, and slightly extended rear sole. If you’re a regular runner, looking to log tons of miles, and run distances of 10km+, I’d look to invest a little more in a running shoe and get something with slightly more support and durability, such as the Nike React Miler.