Looking for feedback on New Balance Minimus 10 or Nike Free

keenercam
keenercam Posts: 321 Member
edited December 20 in Fitness and Exercise
After 4 knee surgeries, I am in need of a different type of running shoe -- the alignment in my knees is different now and my old shoes are causing bruising on the outside edge of my foot and pain my hips.

My personal trainer suggested something like the Vibram 5Toe, Adidas, Fila, or New Balance Minimus at least for my gym workouts. I tried them and they felt comfy and I felt like the shoe accommodated my feett/knees/hips instead of me fighting the shoe with every step.

When I called to order the shoe, the fit specialist suggested the Nike Free saying it has completely eliminated his knee and back pain when he runs, and that his female cousin, who is a large runner, said they are the best shoe she has ever run in.


So, has anyone here tried either? What do you think?
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Replies

  • keenercam
    keenercam Posts: 321 Member
    Bump. Anyone?
  • BernardandMissBianca
    BernardandMissBianca Posts: 21 Member
    I have the New Balance Minimus MT-10. I love them!!! I tend to walk on my heels and the outside of my feet and these have helped me correct my form so I walk on the balls and toes. I wear them every day and they are the only thing that has kept my plantar fasciitis at bay.
    However, every shoe is different for every person. Mine might not work for you, but the Nike Free might not either.
    Do you have a Fleet Feet in your area? they can help you figure out which shoe is the best one.
  • keenercam
    keenercam Posts: 321 Member
    Thank you so much for responding! Your post was really reassuring. I tried the MT10 at the store and they were so comfortable but I don't know anyone who wears them who could give me personal feedback. I can't wait to try them when they arrive today (they didn't have them in stock so I ordered from Roadrunnesports.com - favorite place to order shoes since I can wear them for a couple months and still exchange if I don't like them). I am planning to take the Nike Free on a walk Sunday in the hopes that those will end up being my marathon shoes, like the fit specialist predicted.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I use the Brooks Pure Connect minimalist shoes. BEST shoes for my crappy knees.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    I have Nike Free Runners and love them-but you need to work into them since they are minimalistic shoes. They are best for short runs to start and are awesome for working out in since they are so flexible and light weight.
  • jcbeltrano
    jcbeltrano Posts: 1 Member
    Hi! You can read my review of Nike Frees here.

    http://kyindc.blogspot.com/2011/01/training-tuesday-nike-free-as-bird.html

    They are the only shoe I run in (various distances from 5ks to half marathons) but I am interested in trying out the New Balance minimal shoes as well.

    Let me just warn you that the more you run in them, the quicker you have to replace them. I replace mine every 2-3 months or so. If I wear them any longer than that they start to hurt! ouch! >.< Good luck in finding the right shoe for you!
  • Doing_The_Unstruck
    Doing_The_Unstruck Posts: 241 Member
    I run and workout in vibram five finger Bikilas. I like them way better than shoes. It takes some time to getyour body used to them though. Started only wearing them once a week for two weeks, then twice a week for 3 weeks, then 3 times a week for 3 weeks, then all the time. They gave me shin splints, but after adapting, they are wonderful!!!
  • AndreaL0918
    AndreaL0918 Posts: 47 Member
    bump, I would love to know what shoes are good!!! Looking too!
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    I switched to the Vibram FF Treks 3 years ago. It took about two months to alter my running style. I loved them. I suffered chronic shin splints and knee problems prior to the switch. I have been running in the NB Trail Minimus for the last year and they are awesome as well. They offered a little more rock and debris protection than the Trek or Bikila LS in Vibram. Good luck!
  • moxette
    moxette Posts: 104 Member
    My husband has had 12 surgeries below the belt. blown knees, broken legs, ankles.... multiple hardware put in and taken out over 35 years. He LOVES his minimalists. He doesn't run in them but he wears them 12-14 hours a day at work. I have zero knee, ankle or foot problems and the frees and vibrams absolutely killed me. I couldn't wear them. I started getting foot and achilles pain after about 3 months (I worked up to wearing them more than a few hours and running about a mile at a time for the first two months). I think it really just depends on your own body.
    I think if you start small with them and build up you can at least decide if they will work without risking injury. They can help you strengthen and improve leg movement but you have to build a foundation first.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Hi! You can read my review of Nike Frees here.

    http://kyindc.blogspot.com/2011/01/training-tuesday-nike-free-as-bird.html

    They are the only shoe I run in (various distances from 5ks to half marathons) but I am interested in trying out the New Balance minimal shoes as well.

    Let me just warn you that the more you run in them, the quicker you have to replace them. I replace mine every 2-3 months or so. If I wear them any longer than that they start to hurt! ouch! >.< Good luck in finding the right shoe for you!
    I've wondered about that. I am on my first pair, but figure I'm gonna burn through them faster than my old running shoes.
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    I switched to the Vibram FF Treks 3 years ago. It took about two months to alter my running style. I loved them. I suffered chronic shin splints and knee problems prior to the switch. I have been running in the NB Trail Minimus for the last year and they are awesome as well. They offered a little more rock and debris protection than the Trek or Bikila LS in Vibram. Good luck!

    I did a half marathon last June in the Bikila LS. They wore very comfortably. I'm doing one on June 16 with the New Balance.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    I'm interested in this also.

    I've never found a pair of Nike I could get on with including the "Free". They all seem to have a high "cuff" which digs into my ankles on uphill sections of runs: But plenty of people use Nike so it's probably me.

    The Brooks Pure Connect gets excellent reviews, the new balance minimus mt10 good. I tried a pair of the mt10 recently and they felt brilliant but I will probably go for a pair of the road version (which has some nice new features that the MT10 doesn't have) which I think is the MINIMUS ZERO MR00.

    But having said all that, I'd take you surgeon/Drs/podietrist's Advice over both that of your PT or anyone here on the MFP forums.

    Best wishes.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    I just bought two pairs of New Balance and I can't stand them... they actually hurt my feet. I will stick with my Nikes in all regards. ♥

    Make sure you REALLY LIKE the shoes before you buy them. (D'oh.)
  • krissers9
    krissers9 Posts: 20 Member
    I have the NB Minimus and love them! It's like wearing hard- soled socks, they are so comfotable. Plus, they make me correct my form when doing squats, etc, because you are actually using your own body to correct form instead of the shoe. I have arthritis in my knees (I'm only 33 :( ) and these help me sooo much!
  • Venturin
    Venturin Posts: 244 Member
    Lots of people like the Merrell Glove barefoot shoes too

    http://www.merrell.com/US/en/Barefoot

    (I do not work for this company, I am also looking into these types of shoes)
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I have the Nike Free, and I wear my Vibram fivefingers sometimes.The Nikes are great for cross training but if you have had knee surgery and you want to run in these sneakers, I would probably be looking for sneakers with at least some shock absorption capability, not minimalist shoes... At least initially

    It would be a good idea to go get fitted at a reputable store for runners (we have a store called Runners Roost that caters specifically to runners). The best shoe for you is one that fits you like a slipper, is lightweight, and corrects any alignment issues you have. It would be hard for me to advise which shoe is right for your body. But I really do like the Nike Free, it's as easy to run in as it is to cross train :)
  • akvreeland
    akvreeland Posts: 27
    I started using VIbram Bikila's about a year and a half ago. I run it them and LOVE them! I don't have knee issue, but I have a ton of foot related stuff going on. But these are the only shoes that I can run in whenever I want. They do take some time getting used to and you will get stopped a lot when you wear them out and about. But that is my only negative thing to say and that isn't that bad :smile: :happy:
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    I have a pair of the Nike Free Run+, which is not quite as minimal as the regular Free. I really love them and they even fit my wide foot quite well. They are a good shoe for transitioning from a more standard trainer to a minimalist shoe. My next pair will likely be the regular Free, which has a lower heel than the Free Run.

    Over the years I've gradually transitioned from a moderate stability trainer down to neutral and now carefully moving to lower heels. I'm taking it very slowly, though. A lot of runners get themselves into trouble when they try to make these changes quickly. I wore low-stability, lightweight performance trainers for years.
  • piebird79
    piebird79 Posts: 201 Member
    I have NB Minimus and I love them. I mainly weight train, but also run intervals. I've found them to be very comfortable and stable.
  • hikergalrm
    hikergalrm Posts: 20
    Do you have a store that specializes in running. They can analyze you gate and help you with the right shoe. I went to the Boulder Running Co. In Boulder Co and they did this for me, it was amazing and I am in the proper shoe.
  • keenercam
    keenercam Posts: 321 Member
    I can't tell all of you how much I appreciate the feedback. I can go to a local running store to have them re-evaluate my gait to be sure I'm not doing any further damage. Hadn't really thought about the impact absorption that is missing from these types of shoes for longer distances and my running intervals. I will certainly ask my orthopedic surgeon about that. I think for now, I'll only wear these in the gym or for very short distances until I have a good idea of how my knees/hips react to them.

    Thank you again to everyone who took time to post. Every comment is very helpful.
  • Jaymazing
    Jaymazing Posts: 32 Member

    I've never found a pair of Nike I could get on with including the "Free". They all seem to have a high "cuff" which digs into my ankles on uphill sections of runs: But plenty of people use Nike so it's probably me.
    I have that same problem - which is actually why I bought the Nike Free 4.0. So far, I'm loving them! I have some pinched nerves in my feet which heavy or tight shoes aggravate, so far I've had no issues with these shoes. The fit like a glove, but not in a bad way.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member

    I've never found a pair of Nike I could get on with including the "Free". They all seem to have a high "cuff" which digs into my ankles on uphill sections of runs: But plenty of people use Nike so it's probably me.
    I have that same problem - which is actually why I bought the Nike Free 4.0. So far, I'm loving them!

    I haven't had that problem with Nikes, but Saucony...oh, yeah. I've had a couple pairs of NBs that did that, too.
  • rvagnoni
    rvagnoni Posts: 75 Member
    bump
  • sarahkatara
    sarahkatara Posts: 826 Member
    I got my Nike Frees back in December and have been running and cross-training in them ever since. I absolutely love them. They're comfortable, light-weight, and airy. However, I will sayt that they do not have the best ankle support. They do not come up as high as others. I have not personally had any troubles running or doing anything else and I have a history of achilles tendon injury. I like that about them. I think that's part of what keeps them light. I'm not sure how they would support knees but from this runner, the Nike Frees are highly recommended!
  • suzieqcookie
    suzieqcookie Posts: 314 Member
    i just got a pair of new balance on friday, so it's too soon to really say anything other than i like them, but i got them to replace the Nikes i had. I noticed with nikes, the minute they are broken in, they are worn out. The people at the shoe store (shoe carnival, they only wear tennis shoes) said "you notice NONE of us are wearing Nike's for just that reason"
  • caiconCristi
    caiconCristi Posts: 255 Member
    Hi! You can read my review of Nike Frees here.

    http://kyindc.blogspot.com/2011/01/training-tuesday-nike-free-as-bird.html

    They are the only shoe I run in (various distances from 5ks to half marathons) but I am interested in trying out the New Balance minimal shoes as well.

    Let me just warn you that the more you run in them, the quicker you have to replace them. I replace mine every 2-3 months or so. If I wear them any longer than that they start to hurt! ouch! >.< Good luck in finding the right shoe for you!

    I would agree with making sure you replace them sooner. I have used both. I started with the Frees and then went to the Minimus. Got injured from putting on too many miles too quickly with the Minimus. I'm sticking with the Frees for now but I like the Minimus.
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
    I'm a NB Minimus fan. I wear the MT10 for trail running and the new MR00 for road running. I used to get IT Band Syndrome pretty bad during trail runs and switching to these minimalist shoes has eliminated it. My longest trail run in my MT10s is 10.5 miles and no issues. The shoes seem to be holding up really well, too.
  • valerieg78
    valerieg78 Posts: 84 Member
    bump
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