Nike Quest 7 review

Based on our lab tests and running experience, we believe the Nike Quest 7 is best suited for:

• Beginners looking for an affordable, no-fuss running shoe to get started.
• Heel strikers seeking a budget-friendly daily trainer with a comfortable ride.
• Runners on a budget under $100 who want a versatile shoe for both running and everyday wear.

The Quest 7 delivers very low shock absorption in the forefoot, which could be especially problematic for heavier runners. If you're looking for more cushioning without spending too much, we believe it's worth paying a little extra for the Nike Winflo 12 or ASICS Gel Pulse 17.

We also think the noticeably tapered toebox could be an issue for runners with wide feet. Instead, the New Balance Fresh Foam 680 v9 offers a more accommodating fit around the toes while maintaining a familiar design with average width.

The Nike Quest 7 provides noticeably more impact protection at the rear than at the front. We measured 122 SA in the heel and just 72 SA in the forefoot, with the latter falling far below average.

For this reason, we believe the Quest 7 is a poor choice for midfoot and forefoot strikers seeking strong impact protection.

Cushlon 3.0 is the headline upgrade, and our energy return results confirm an improvement over the ComfiRide foam used in the Quest 6. We measured 55.5% in the forefoot and 55.3% in the heel, a modest but welcome boost over its predecessor.

That said, don't expect a particularly bouncy ride. At this price point, that's hardly surprising, but we appreciate Nike making a small yet meaningful improvement while keeping the price impressively low.

After cutting the shoe in half, we measured a heel stack of 28.6 mm. That's a substantial reduction from the 35.2 mm we found in the Quest 6, bringing this version much closer to the ground.

It's a clear change in direction for the series, and one that favors runners who prefer a lower platform over the towering stacks now common in daily trainers.

There's even less foam under the forefoot, where we measured just 19.9 mm. That's an unusually low stack by today's standards, but we believe it makes the Quest 7 ideal for runners who prefer a more ground-connected ride.

Subtracting our forefoot measurement from the heel stack gave us an actual drop of 8.7 mm, lower than Nike's advertised 10 mm for the men's version. Still, we consider it a familiar geometry for all footstrikes, and makes the Quest 7 a shoe that works well for beginners.

The move to Cushlon 3.0 brings a clear change in softness. We measured 34.1 AC, noticeably softer than the 42.6 AC we recorded for version 6. However, this is still a fairly balanced result, close to average rather than exceptionally plush.

After 20 minutes in the freezer, the foam became 16% firmer. That's a good result for an EVA foam, with a relatively modest change in softness when temperatures drop.

A pronounced heel bevel is the most noticeable rocker feature, while the forefoot curves upward more gradually. In our view, this makes perfect sense for a beginner-focused shoe like the Quest 7, as newcomers are more likely to land on their heels.

Nike advertises extra forefoot room, and we found a small increase at the widest part of our gel mold: 95.5 mm compared with 94.1 mm in the Quest 6.

Even so, the result remains close to an average fit. We see this as a modest adjustment to a regular fit, with no unusually generous width across the ball of the foot.

However, that extra room doesn't extend all the way to the toes. We measured just 70.9 mm around the big toe, confirming that the Quest 7 features a classic, noticeably tapered toebox shape.

Vertical room is also slightly below average, with a toebox height of 25.9 mm.

The Quest 7 therefore offers limited space above the toes as well as a tapered outline, and we wouldn't place it among the more accommodating cheap running shoes at all.

Grip is one of the more positive findings. We measured a forefoot CoF of 0.54 on wet concrete, a little above average and a +0.10 improvement over the Quest 6.

That's an encouraging result for a budget-friendly road shoe, especially from Nike, a brand that has often struggled to deliver reliable outsole traction.

The outsole design of the Quest 7 brings a Pegasus-inspired design with broad rubber coverage across the heel and forefoot, connected by a strip along the outer edge. In contrast, a large cutout leaves foam exposed beneath the arch.

Thanks to its low stack height in the forefoot and the lack of stiffening elements in the midsole, the Quest 7 proved to be a flexible shoe. In our 30-degree bend test, we needed just 9.9N of force to bend it.

At 8.7 oz (247g), the Quest 7 comes in slightly lighter than average and sheds a substantial amount of weight from the Quest 6.

We appreciate the weight savings, a clear improvement for runners who prefer a lighter daily trainer. However, it's worth noting that much of this reduction comes at the expense of having less foam underfoot.

Nike describes the engineered mesh as breathable, but our smoke test told a less encouraging story. We rated ventilation at just 2/5, placing the Quest 7 below average for airflow through the upper.

Under the microscope, we discovered a web of fine fibers and hundreds of oval openings. However, we also spotted a secondary layer underneath that blocks most of the airflow.

The moderate stack height and relatively wide heel are the Quest 7's main strengths when it comes to stability. However, we also found that the shoe bends and twists easily, making it far less restrictive than a rigid stability trainer.

Overall, we believe the Quest 7 provides a secure, stable-enough ride for neutral runners, but it's not a good choice for those who need additional support.

Twisting resistance is also low. In our torsional rigidity test, we measured just 9.2 Nm, comfortably below average.

We believe this construction makes the Quest 7 an excellent choice for everyday wear beyond running, thanks to its comfortable, unrestricted feel.

We gave the heel counter a 3/5 for stiffness, putting it in the middle of our scale. There is some structure around the rearfoot, but it still yields to pressure.

Across the forefoot platform, we measured 115.8 mm, very close to the average shoe and an expected result from a beginner-friendly daily trainer.

The heel base is a little more generous relative to average, measuring 94.1 mm. Together with the low heel stack, this gives the rearfoot a broad and stable foundation.

After putting the toebox through our Dremel test, we rated its abrasion resistance at 3/5. That's slightly above average, with the upper avoiding the severe damage that earns our lowest scores.

The heel lining performed even better, earning a strong 4/5 in our Dremel test.

We measured a 1.3 mm dent after our standardized Dremel test, indicating slightly worse abrasion resistance than average.  The rubber performs respectably for grip, but its resistance to wear is less convincing.

We measured 3.6 mm of rubber, making the outsole a bit thicker than average.

This generous layer provides plenty of material to wear away, which is especially welcome given the modest abrasion resistance we recorded in our lab tests.

The insole adds 4.1 mm beneath the foot, a fairly standard thickness that sits close to average.

The insole is removable, making it straightforward to take out for cleaning or replace with a preferred alternative.

Nike includes reflective details in the heel and forefoot areas, and we confirmed their presence in our lab test.

The flat laces run through reinforced circular eyelets for added durability. We also found a wide central lace keeper and an extra upper eyelet for runners who prefer using a runner's knot.

We also measured a generously padded tongue at 9.3 mm, making it substantially thicker than average. This extra cushioning helps reduce lace pressure on the instep, and we believe it's a smart choice by Nike to improve the step-in feel despite the shoe's remarkably low price.

The tongue is partially attached on both sides, a welcome upgrade for an affordable shoe and another upgrade over the unattached design of the Quest 6.

There's no heel pull tab. The rear collar extends upward to support the Achilles tendon, but it doesn't include a loop to grab when putting the shoe on.

Nike keeps the Quest 7 at a very low price, matching the Quest 6. Indeed, we appreciate getting the Cushlon 3.0 upgrade and a semi-gusseted tongue without a price increase.