Thoughts on the Nike Tempo Next %?

Natchamp

Newbie
I really like the Tempo. I have the Vaporfly and Alphafly and the tempo is the perfect training shoe for the race day Vaporfly/Alphafly. The Tempo is a heavier shoe and you do notice it (compared to the Vaporfl/Alphafly) but the energy return from the zoom x foam makes these a fast and efficient training shoe. I also think that for runners that do not have the experience running in racing flats, these would be a very good racing shoe as apposed to the training shoes people are used to racing in
 

imnothammer

Moderator
Definitely interested in hearing thoughts on these too... I plan on picking up a pair of Alphaflys for my next race and I would love to train in something similar, however I have some hesitation on these relative to their price point and durability. I'd rather pay $50 less for a pair of (comparatively) boring shoes that will safely last ~400 miles, but I am definitely intrigued by the idea of a high end trainer. With other trainer/race hybrids starting to creep towards the $200 mark it is starting to grab my attention.

Also, just to properly color my shoe philosophy, I only ever really have two shoes in the quiver. A trainer and race day shoe. I know that other folks like to have different shoes for easy days, tempo days, etc... etc... but I have a hard time justifying 3 to 4 pairs of in-rotation running shoes to the wife so I tend to shoot for a jack-of-all-trades trainer.
 
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RW Staff 2

Administrator
Staff member
I'll throw in my 2 cents on the Tempo as I've been putting in the miles for an upcoming review. So far, I've used them for a few different speed workouts and for some daily training. Immediately upon putting the shoes on, you notice the stack height. There is a lot of cushioning underfoot and has one of the highest stacks of any road shoe at RW. My first run was fairly easy and I wasn't overly excited about the shoes ride but it performed fine.

Then i did a tempo and the shoe definetely came more alive. You can feel the responsiveness of the zoom x and while its not quite as magic of a feel as an alphafly, it definetely shares characteristics. It feels pretty efficient but the composite plate isnt nearly as aggressive as the carbon plate in the Alpha. I think people will enjoy this shoe as an alphafly companion, but for someone like @imnothammer , who usually only has 2 shoes in their lineup, this may or may not not be the right shoe.

I'm going to keep using this shoe but i have lots of shoes in my lineup and really enjoy the tempo for specific days. I will probably keep using it for speed workouts where i dont mind a little extra weight but want a very high level of cushioning and a highly efficient ride (most likely longer tempos). I'll also probably bring it out for some daily training (most likely on days when im not to beat up and going under 7 minute pace). Durability seems to be decent and while i havent got over 100 miles on the shoe yet, I think it should holp up fairly well over the coming miles.

Connor
RW Staff
 
The Tempo looks really interesting to me, but there are just too many things about it that turn me away. For one, I’ve heard a lot of very mixed reviews on it; some people say it’s great, while others absolutely hate it. Then there’s the price point: $200 ?. Especially with other companies who offer perfectly viable competing products (Brooks Hyperion Tempo and Saucony Endorphin Speed) that cost 40-50 dollars less, I can’t imagine spending that kind of money for a training shoe. It’s even more crazy to think that the Tempo Next% is priced the same as the Endorphin Pro and the Adios Pro. I don’t know, the shoe might work for some people, but I believe there to be better options without giving up anything that the Tempo has.
 
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