By Shaun Silver

So my wife and I have so many conversations relating to shoes it’s hard to keep up – the topics range from me having too many (pfffft as if) or her, for some reason, buying expensive shoes that don’t quite fit – but were totally worth the bruised feet and excruciating pain because they were on sale??

It’s this last point that I want to touch on.

The ongoing “Active wear epidemic” sees women (and men) strutting around town, carrying out chores and sitting at cafes, all in the comfort of clothes made for you to exercise in.. hey I’m sure taking a Snapchat story involving your soy ¾ full latte with stevia and then choosing the right filter can be strenuous – and while we’re on that topic, what’s the deal with that filter with the dog ears and tongue – seriously people.

Getting back to my point, the key factor to any Insta-worthy outfit is of course nailing your shoes or kicks or wheels… they gotta look sweet and feel like you’re walking on clouds.

Luckily for you and I, Nike have just unveiled new additions to its fabled Free footwear family.

Each new model features a progressive, geometric, auxetic midsole designed to enable an athlete’s natural motion and develop strength.

What the hell does auxetic mean?? Good question! Well, the boffins at Nike have drawn upon new studies that reveal exactly how your foot expands and contracts when it hits the ground – the splaying, auxetic midsole mimics how the body and foot react to force.

Did you know that your foot increases approximately one size in length and two sizes in width when you transfer your weight on each stride.

The Nike Free RN (left in Red) is the classic Free silhouette that you’d be most familiar with, it combines an engineered mesh upper for flexible support with a brand new, softer IU foam for additional comfort underfoot.

My favourite however is the new Nike Free RN Flyknit  (the Purple ones). It comes in a lightweight Flyknit upper that combines a sock-like fit that moulds to the foot. The Flyknit upper is a single construction with only one seam on the medial side near the ankle so as to avoid any irritation when on the move.

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Whatever level of support you need, running style or colour you prefer 😉 there’s a new a Nike Free to suit your need. So whether it’s looking fly down at the local café, doing some serious sprint work to improve your Dad-bod or training for the Nike Women’s Half-Marathon in July, check out the new Free range.