Nike Renew Ride 3 review
Nike Renew Ride 3 Verdict
The pros
- Soft upper. Easy to get a comfortable fit.
- A lot of rubber on the outsole. No signs of wear after 50 miles.
- Roomy fit. If you need a wide, or are close to a wide, this shoe will work for you fine.
The cons
- Very firm, unforgiving ride.
- Shoe ran about 1/2 size too big for me.
- Tongue tended to shift when running.
Rating breakdown
Facts / Specs
Size/Fit
Cushioning & ride
Usage
Who should buy the Nike Renew Ride 3 ?
Anyone interested in one shoe for the gym and some short runs would be interested in this shoe. It has a firm feel, anyone could use it for lifting.
Who should not buy the Nike Renew Ride 3 ?
This shoe would fail to find a spot in any serious runners rotation. It has zero energy return or pop.
Nike Renew Ride 3 Introduction
The Nike Renew Ride 3 is billed by Nike as an everyday trainer. They tout a smooth, soft ride that is so comfortable you’ll want to wear it after your run. I found basically the opposite to be true. It has none of the cushioning that you find in the Pegasus Turbo 2, React or Miler.
Nike Renew Ride 3 First Impressions
I had high hopes for the shoe when I first slipped it on. The upper is soft and roomy for a comfortable, compliant fit. The shoe ran a tad long, I would’ve fit better into a men’s 10 instead of my usual 10.5. The laces are long but heavy and secure. After walking around my house, I could tell this was going to be a heavy feeling shoe.
Nike Renew Ride 3 Upper
The upper is a little long but I didn’t find that to be a problem. The upper is the star of the shoe to me. It is roomy and comfortable. This upper on a better midsole would make for a very enjoyable ride. The laces are a tad long but the trade off there is they are strong. It was easy to get a good lockdown.
Nike Renew Ride 3 Sole Unit
Looking at the shoe, and reading the description on Nike’s website, one would think it would be comfortable based on the amount of stack. According to Nike’s website, this version of the Renew foam is their softest yet. I did not have that experience.
I felt the Quest 4 was softer, and I didn’t think was very soft either. The ride is bottom heavy but that is nothing new for Nike. I find the same to be true of any of the Pegasus models. However, there is no toe off pop meaning your legs must do all the work to get this shoe moving through your stride.
I noticed a slight pressure point on the balls of my feet. I was worried at first that this had the same high arch that gives so many runner issues in the Alphafly Next %.
Nike Renew Ride 3 Conclusions
I found a large disconnect between Nike’s description of this shoes ride and what I noticed. I did not feel any softness or comfort running nor did I feel compelled to wear this after my run. In fact, I tried that at the National Zoo with my kids and wished I’d worn my Hoka Challenger ATR work shoes instead. My legs were beat up after walking the zoo for several hours. The Renew Ride 3 does not deliver on its promise of a soft ride.
Why you can trust us
As editorial policy, we do not accept free samples from companies.We purchased this pair of Nike at Running Warehouse with our own money.
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our policy.
Reviewed by Elliott
Elliott Dowling lives with his wife and two children (9 & 7) in southeastern Pennsylvania. He is a road runner, focused mostly on the marathon distance. Elliott has ran 3 marathons with a PB of 3:10:50. His goal is BQ, and currently he stand 50 seconds off that goal. He has an active family, his wife is a marathoner and triathlete and 9 year old son has ran several 5ks.
User feedback (1)
Similar shoes to Nike Renew Ride 3
Nike Pegasus Plus Review
Nike Interact Run Review
2 years ago
I agree with the reviewer. The soft are medium soft. But never prior to using these shoes, have I experienced numb feet. Just 20 mins into running, my feet go completely numb with these shoes (and not even with doing the same run with a nike tennis shoes, or a general adidas walking shoe). Quite disappointed. I don’t know what nike had in mind while designing these.