Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit

Posted on 19 March 2021
By Running Lab Staff
Posted in lightweight, neutral, Nike
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Nike's newest running shoe, the Zoom X Invincible Run Flyknit is the perfect companion for a short recovery run but also bouncy enough to pick up the pace through a tempo long run day. This shoe was designed to tackle high-mileage training while preventing injuries. Matt, one of our reviewers, said it "babied and tended to my legs and feet, like a gifted masseuse."

Nike utilizes its' ZoomX foam in the Invincible, a marshmallow-like foam designed to create a plush feel under the foot. The feel of Invincible is much softer than that of other Nike running shoes in the market such as the React Infinity Run 2. The bottom of the shoe is shaped like a rocker providing cushion cross the entirety of the shoe with a wider toe box and waffle outsole to provide support.

Unlike like Nike Alphafly and Vaporfly, the Invincible does not have a carbon fiber plate, designed more for the comfort of the runner than shedding minutes off a personal record.

SUPPORT: Neutral
HEEL TO TOE OFFSET: 8.4mm women's/9mm men's
WEIGHT: 8.92oz women's/11.07oz men's
USE: Road Running, long runs
SURFACE: Road, track, urban

FIT

Matt: Starting with the toe box, it runs a pretty solid average; not too narrow and not too wide. The mid foot is the same. The length felt right, and it does have a gusseted tongue - which is always appreciated (as far as I’m concerned.) The Invincible had a nice, plush tongue, not overbuilt but far from minimal. My heel sat in the shoe very nicely, and I didn’t even have to think about it, even with a meager tie. The laces are HUGE! Probably the widest laces I have come across in regards to running shoes. That being said, the width alongside the plush tongue really allows you to wrench down your laces with little to no concern for that dreaded “cheese wire” feeling. The upper is one of Nike’s Flyknit variations. In my experience, you never quite know what that means. This one is NOT the Zoom Fly Flyknit. This has more of a common mesh feel. It’s not uncomfortable by any stretch of the imagination, pun intended, but it’s not stepping into silk either. Not a ton of give to it either, but the shoe is wide enough to where it shouldn’t be an issue for most. I’d say the upper, especially from the midfoot up, is very plush. There are some cast-like overlays across the back and a clip for stability towards the base of the heel. In the Invincible, even the ankle has plush cushion not only around the inside of the collar of the shoe, but the OUTSIDE as well. This is a little overbuilt for me, but this is a daily trainer, and they still managed to keep the weight relatively normal within that shoe demographic. Overall, with this upper when you’re locked in, you are locked in and you can forget about it. With a daily trainer, that’s my main concern.

The midsole is really, really liberal. It’s thick and does not play around when it comes to offering your run some serious comfort. I mean, it’s about as close to that marshmallow feeling as any foam out there. It’s soft, it’s bouncy, it’s dynamic, and it really contributes to this shoe's versatility. The midsole is extremely wide, probably the widest midsole I have ever run in. That isn’t a bad thing, but it does look a little funny and clunky out of the box. It’s not quite as obtrusive once the shoes are on foot though. This cushion is not on a diet, and it’s ready to eat up all the rocky road.

The Invincible does run true to size. Nike hit the nail on the head sizing with this one, as far as my feet are concerned. For reference, the Nike Vaporfly Next % was a little snug in my normal size. No concerns here. Nice daily trainer fit.

Erica: This shoe is amazing, although I have to say I didn’t think this at first glance. The shape is unconventional with a wide exaggerated forefoot and an oversized heel cup supported by sponge like foam that you can almost hear as you step.

The bouncy base can be felt as each step is caught and smoothed into a discernable squish and it wasn’t clear how this would feel with serious mileage.

The traction outsole had a waffle pattern that begs the question of performance concerns on dirt roads and trails.

It is has form comparable to the Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit which is mentioned here for its great foot feel, but I needed an upsize due to its snug fit. This Invincible ZoomX however, fits my normal size perfect, no need to size up.

STABILITY

Matt: I was extremely surprised at this shoe's stability. No issues whatsoever for me. The shoe itself is inherently stable, given it’s width, full rubber outsole and heel clip. That being said, this does have bottomless cushion. The shoe might be stable, but if you land acutely to one side of your foot you might feel it doing it’s own thing into the infinite sea of foam. Generally speaking though, I think stability is a nonissue in the Invincible.

Erica: How is the arch support? This shoe to hugs the arch and supports it fully. The fabric is less flexible than the React, giving better support.

SPEED

Matt: Key word for this shoe in terms of running use case: versatility. The infinite cushion is soft enough to lend aid during those short to long recovery runs, but bouncy enough to pick up the pace through a tempo long-run day. There are probably better alternatives for those high-paced shorter run days, but if you’re wanting to go for a one-shoe-fits all, this’ll do the trick. Somewhere between pillows and horsepower, this shoe is a chameleon.

Erica: The first trial was a modified fartlek run (multiple 2 minute pick-ups here and there) on pavement, to get a good feel. The Invincible felt a bit spongy at first, and took some getting used to, but ultimately molded to my feet. This speed trial was undertaken with the risk of my usual Achilles tendon pain, however none was felt thanks to the great technology of cushioning in this shoe!

Next run was a longer tempo run on a dirt road at a challenging pace. It was unbelievable! These shoes facilitated a 5 mile tempo run not achieved in 2 years (with a warm up and cool down mile). Running in this shoe is effortless. It handled the dirt surprisingly well, never losing traction/grip. The exaggerated forefoot allows the toes to splay and the forefoot cushioning drops off just enough to allow flexible contact with the ground for push off.

The layered springy heel, though not utilized for a midfoot stride, was nice to have when fatigue set in to push from the back of the foot with a reminder to “move forward!”

This longer tempo run was an eye opener with this shoe. Facilitating a pace and distance not experienced in years, and each mile got faster and faster despite fatigue. The shoe will carry you through some longer miles. Be ready to smile each time the watch chimes the mile splits.

COMPARISON

Matt: This shoe is very hard to compare to other shoes. Some people say the ASICS Novablast, and that’s not far off, but it kind of is. This kind of comes in a class of it’s own, maybe somewhere between a Hoka Clifton 7 and the aforementioned Novablast. It has the Clifton 7 squash and the Novablast bounce. Even upper-wise I would say this is kind of a cross between the two. Wider than the Clifton, but not swimming like in the Novablast; Vastly more stable than the Novablast though. If you liked the Novablast but found it a bit too unstable and loose, this shoe is the answer to your prayers to the run deities.

Erica: The Invincible is more springy and cushioned than React Infinity and reminded me of New Balance 1080.

PREVIOUS VERSIONS

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WHAT WE THINK

Matt: All in all, I would be quick to recommend the Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit to a fellow runner of any skill or experience. Or, even just someone on their feet all day for that matter. If you’re looking for a solid all-around daily trainer, this shoe is for you. Say you’re on a budget, and you need a tempo day shoe, a recovery day shoe, and a daily work-horse, then you’re good with the Invincible. It’s that versatile and dynamic. If you REALLY want to be particular, you can get that shorter day up-tempo shoe to go with it. But if you’re pinching every penny you have, then this shoe will cover all of your bases for at least 400 miles.

Erica: I recommend the Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit to someone working on increasing pace with tempo and longer runs. Good 10k trainer! So, in summary, this shoe makes smiles and effortless runs.

MEET YOUR REVIEWERS

Matt

28 year old
Wears men's size 10.5
My name is Matt Leftwich, I’m 28 and I have been running since 2017. I have come to love it more and more everyday, and although it started out as a hobby, it has grown to become a strong passion in my life. I run anywhere from 30-50 miles a week on average, all varying paces. I have a sub 6 minute 5k PR, and I have yet to run an official marathon, although the distance is not foreign to me. Running helps me to manage the general stresses and anxieties of the day, and adds a sense of structure to my schedule and overall being. Running takes the mundane away, and gives full control for as long as is manageable. It’s not always easy, but running favors courage and callouses pain amidst it’s own hurt. To have the ability to lace some shoes up, and go run 5 miles, or 10 miles, or 20 miles, is one of the most liberating and primal feelings available to us as humans. And that freedom is literally in our hands, on our feet, and right outside our doors.

Erica

48 year old
Wears women's size 9.5
I've been running for 26 years. Track and cross country were my sports since middle school. Ran for Western Michigan University in the 90s, completed 2 Boston Marathons before having my kids! Now I coach HS XC and track and began working as a expert shoe fitter at my favorite running shoe specialty store - THE RUNNING LAB! My favorite thing about running is it gives me a sense of calmness, allowing me to unload daily stresses. It also gets me outside to be one with nature.

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