Nike Revolution 5 Review

People who are affected by the burden of severe plantar fasciitis will likely scoff at the idea of running. Flare-ups of this ailment are the most common cause of heel pain in adults. It is even more common in the running community.

Many who suffer from plantar fasciitis know that heel pain occurs mostly right after waking up or long periods prone or standing. However, there is also pinpoint pain that occurs both during and after a run. The use of incorrect or ill-fitting running shoes won’t provide the heel and arch support that is needed, and will do nothing but make the pain unbearable.

Plantar fasciitis treatment starts with stretching, however one of the easiest ways to ease the pain of plantar flare-ups is to use running shoes that provide ample arch and heel support.

The Nike Revolution is a great example of a wonderful running shoe for plantar fasciitis. Nike has been the most well-known shoe brand for decades, and they are clearly doing something right. The Revolution is no exception, and is a great option for plantar fasciitis sufferers.

Features and Benefits

The Nike Revolution running shoes were ideal shoes for the relief of our plantar fasciitis issues. They were by far the lightest shoes we tested, and had an extremely minimalist single-panel mesh upper design.

Additionally, of the options we tested in our listing, they were by far the most cost effective (this comes at the downside of them being some of the least durable shoes on our list as well). Overall, the fit is spot on, and the comfort level is ideal.

With synthetic soles and mesh uppers, the Nike Revolution running shoe is insanely lightweight. This draws serious inspiration from Nike’s Free shoe, if you remember everyone buying those up a few years ago.

There are tons of style and color options as well, and are available for women and men to choose from. We selected boring grey, however there is a cornucopia of colors available to select from, fully customizing your experience to fit your personality.

Performance in Our Testing

We at Shoe Guide are known for our rigorous testing procedures. Our selections for the best running shoes for plantar fasciitis were no exception. We put the Nike Revolution  through a series of three separate tests, all taking place across various courses in the Jacksonville, Florida area. Those tests included:

A flatter route on strong pavement, with terrains ranging from asphalt to loose pebbles, carpeting, linoleum and sidewalks. Goal: a four-mile loop around the perimeter of the Regency Square Mall, one of those miles being a jogging pace.

A more off-road route, the Spanish Pond Trail, with mud, stocks, debris and plenty of rugged terrains. Goal: Another four miles across environments untested in the flatter route, with a mile at a solid trail running pace.

An intense stair climbing route, up the 42-floor stairwell of the Banks of America Tower in downtown. Goal: Testing the quality of the shoes over quick turnarounds, damp environments, closed quarters, and rapid inclines.

Here are how these running shoes performed:

In the flat route, the Nike Revolution performed ridiculously well comfort-wise. However, we did end up stepping into a puddle that ran a bit above the sole line. With the very thin nature of the mesh upper, we had wet socks for a bit.

In the off-road route, these running shoes performed admirably (with the exception of our note in the disadvantages section below). Surprisingly, even with the smooth sole pattern of the Revolutio, they performed very well grip-wise and on slippery surfaces.

Finally, in the stair climbing route, these shoes, being the lightest of those tested, did great. In our climb experience, they were easily the most effortless to lift, and as a result gave us the fastest climbing time.

Advantages and Disadvantages

All running shoes, regardless of their position in our list of the best running shoes for plantar fasciitis, will have their pros and cons. This isn’t their fault; it is simply part of our testing protocols. No shoe is perfect, and we are aware of this. Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages we uncovered when testing the Nike Revolution.

Advantages of the Nike Revolution

• These were by far the most cost effective running shoe for plantar fasciitis that we tested. Nevertheless, they performed about as well as shoes we tested that were three to four times the price point.
• The Nike Revolution running shoe came with plenty of color choices for both men and women. Regardless of this, their minimalist design made them still rather stylish.

Disadvantages of the Nike Revolution

• There have been a few complaints about the shoes wearing out quickly. After a few months of routine usage, we noticed the soles starting to wear down as well. For the price, the longevity is on point.
• These shoes may potentially have a squeaking issue with the soles when the shoe is wet.

Our Verdict

Overall, this running shoe for plantar fasciitis garners second place in our value-per-dollar ratio. The Nike Revolution is a comfortable, minimal, and low priced option for those looking for a good-quality shoe from a well known manufacturer to resolve their plantar fasciitis pain after running.