Updated: September 24th, 2015
What is the Nike Air Zoom Odyssey? [Preview]

Nike released the Odyssey in August 2015 and its launch has been a gone a little unnoticed.

It’s a premium ($150) running shoe but not much feedback seems to be around this shoe. Fear not! We already have our feet in them and you should be seeing our review coming soon!

The Odyssey is Nike’s answer to Asics’ Kayano: a premium, high feature shoe that combines their best cushioning with their best stability. Regular readers know I am a long time fan of the Structure series from Nike, having tested each model in the past 7 years.

The Structure, together with the Brooks Ravenna, was one of the few shoes to combine good soft cushioning with an actual high degree of stability.

The Odyssey takes all this a little higher. Stay tuned for our full review, coming very soon!

These are the main characteristics of the shoe:

On the sole:

  • Triple Density midsole with a Lunarlon, Cushlon and Dynamic Support foam compounds
  • Two Nike Zoom Air units, one in the heel and one in the forefoot

On the upper:

  • Flymesh upper
  • Flywire to connect the midsole to the upper and providing additional support
  • An external heel counter made of plastic to lock the heel in place

You can see more in this exploded view:

Nike Air Zoom Odyssey exploded

nike odyssey medial vide

Nike Air Zoom Odyssey

Here’s our video preview:

[Transcript of the video follows]

Hi, this is Travis. Welcome to RunningShoesGuru.com.

Today we have the debut of the Nike Air Zoom Odyssey. The Odyssey is targeted for runners seeking a premium daily trainer which offers moderate to maximum support for over pronation, combined with exceptional comfort.

The Odyssey’s main purpose is to provide exceptional stability while keeping the balance of a plush ride and quick transition. The upper includes a seamless fly-mesh material which has now been updated on many Nike models and is designed to be lightweight and breathable.

The fly-mesh upper is intended to provided superior comfort as it wraps the entire foot. The Nike fly-wire, which is aimed at allowing each runner to customer the fit around the mid-foot area, has been flattened out to provide increased support and comfort. A thin plastic heel counter which is similar to that found on the Nike Lunar Glide is designed to increase support and keep the heel stable and locked in place throughout the entire foot stripe.

The mid-sole is comprised of a triple density foam which is made up of lunar-line foam in the heel to toe, plus cush-line foam in the heel, along with dynamic support throughout, and each are designed of a lightweight durable material. A new type of dynamic support with ribbed post or pillars, which can be seen on the medial side as they run from heel to toe, assist with stability and over pronation.

This unique mid-sole is intended to to increase stability and provide comfort throughout the ground strike for a smooth transition. The out-sole is comprised of a duraline blown rubber in the forefoot for good cushioning, while high abrasion rubber in the heel assists with the durability during running. The sole incorporates flex grooves and rubber trash rail for increased flexibility during the entire transition. The Odyssey comes with a 12mm heel to toe drop.

The Nike Air Zoom Odyssey is a premium daily trainer for runners who are looking for a quality stability shoe which offers the proper blend of support for over pronation, combined with a soft cushioned ride. The Odyssey weighs 11.2 ounces for men, 9.3 for women and retails for $150

[images courtesy of Running Warehouse]

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