Nike V2K Run review

We believe that the Nike V2K Run is a must to consider if you are in search of the following parameters:

• a sporty retro sneaker inspired by the early 2000s ("2K" refers to the Y2K abbreviation)
• a more affordable alternative to the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 ("V" stands for Vomero because it was supposed to be the updated version of that shoe)
• a light and breathable sneaker for summer
• a stylish sneaker with a raised chunky heel to add volume to your silhouette

Because the Nike V2K is offered as a women's sneaker and unisex/men's sizes are limited, you might as well check out the following alternatives:

• Nike P-6000 - another great retro shoe from Nike that is even cheaper
• Nike Zoom Vomero 5 - a more premium Nike sneaker with enhanced cushioning (thanks to two Zoom Air units)

If you don't mind options from other brands, the ASICS Gel 1130 has very similar retro aesthetics but it is cheaper and has a more accommodating toebox for wide feet.

The oversized heel of the V2K Run adds bulk to the shoe's silhouette both visually and practically. Looks-wise, it persistently reminds us of the Balenciaga Runner Trainer.

Measuring the shoe's heel stack with a caliper confirmed that it is a thicker-than-average platform indeed. At 33.9 mm, it is over 4 mm taller than average.

On foot, it translates to a great deal of support and impact protection for all-day wear.

The shoe's forefoot has a more moderate stack height at 21.2 mm but it is still a few millimeters taller than average.

Because of the V2K's substantial heel design, its heel-to-toe drop is a bit taller than the average at 12.8 mm.

Wear testing this Nike sneaker, we could feel that our heels sat higher off the ground compared to the toes. Whether that's good or bad depends solely on your personal preference.

We enjoyed the benefit of having more generous cushioning under our heels and less pressure on the Achilles.

The Nike V2K Run uses Cushlon as the primary foam for its midsole. It is a rather soft compound that we found to be very comfort-oriented.

Our lab durometer measurement revealed that it is a whopping 85% plusher than the average sneaker midsole.

But keep in mind that on foot the V2K Run doesn't feel as plush as the durometer reading suggests. Its heel is wrapped in a firmer (grey) foam which adds some firmness to stabilize the ride. That firmer foam showed a significantly higher reading of 29.0 HA on our HA durometer, 

If you prefer a very soft, cushy, and bouncy experience underfoot, you might enjoy the Vomero 5 more. It features two responsive Zoom Air units embedded into the same Cushlon foam.

This Nike sneaker features a rather basic insole which is 4.2 mm thick in the heel. It adds a touch of cushioning but there is nothing noteworthy about it.

Even though the V2K is built on the women's last, its toebox dimensions weren't any narrower than expected.

Measuring the widest part of the shoe's toebox, we got a standard width of 101.1 mm. Exactly right for a men's US size 9 in a D medium width.

The tapering wasn't very aggressive towards the toes either.

We measured 73.8 mm of toebox width near the big toe which is exactly the same as the average.

However, gentlemen with wider feet will most likely feel cramped in the V2K. As a more accommodating alternative with similar retro vibes, we recommend the ASICS Gel 1130.

The laces are very basic in this Nike sneaker but they get the job done.

The shoe also has an extra pair of eyelets at the top of the collar in case you need to tighten up the fit with a runner's knot.

We found the Nike V2K Run a moderately stable sneaker that works for neutral pronation and perhaps even mild overpronation.

Its solid stabilizing components made us feel surefooted and prevented our feet from spilling over the shoe.

In addition to the wide platform and firm foam around the heel, another obvious stabilizer is the stiff TPU midfoot cage. Connected to the lacing system through webbed eyelets, it allowed us to cinch down the fit while regulating the lockdown.

The black TPU elements under the foot arch and around the heel counter also add some stability to the shoe's construction.

Because it is not a dedicated stability shoe, the Nike V2K Run is only moderately rigid.

On a stiffness scale from 1 to 5, we gave it a middle-of-the-road score of 3 in our torsional rigidity test. That's because we didn't meet a lot of resistance when twisting this Nike sneaker with our hands.

A major part of the shoe's stability is concentrated in the heel counter. Multilayered and structured, we found it to be rather stiff and supportive.

Based on our push-and-squeeze test, we gave it a high stiffness score of 4.

We have no complaints about the heel hold of the Nike V2K Run whatsoever. Its firm clutch kept our heels and ankles very securely in place at all times.

The shoe's bulk becomes especially apparent in our caliper measurements.

Applying the tool to the widest part of the shoe's sole, we got a reading of 115.1 mm which is more than 6 mm wider than average.

But the heel of the V2K turned out to be some of the widest we've recorded in our lab! At 98.2 mm it is over 15 mm wider than average!

Even though the Nike V2K Run is often compared to the Nike Vomero 5, the two have vastly different platform dimensions. For reference, we measured the Vomero 5's forefoot at 111.6 mm and its heel at 87.0 mm.

Featuring deep horizontal and vertical flex grooves, the Nike V2K Run bends quite effortlessly with the foot.

Our in-house stiffness test showed that it takes as little as 13.1N to bend this Nike kick to a 90-degree angle. That makes it a whole 80% more flexible than the average lifestyle sneaker.

Additionally, the curved shape of the heel creates very smooth heel-to-toe transitions and works in tune with the shoe's flexible forefoot.

Despite its chunky-looking heel, the Nike V2K Run is actually lighter than average by a few ounces!

Weighing the kick in a men's US size 9, our scale showed 11.1 oz (315g). This is exactly the same as the Nike Zoom Vomero 5.

The shoe's open cell mesh fabric creates an impression of a highly breathable material. And it indeed is! A series of our lab tests proved it to be true.

In the most vivid test, we pumped smoke into the shoe's upper and saw how effortlessly it passed through the toebox fabric.

We were also happy to see that the large cells were not only limited to the shoe's toebox but also covered the tongue and quarters.

In a close-up view through our microscope, we also found that the lining beneath the mesh is quite thin and porous and doesn't block the airflow of the exterior mesh.

All things considered, we rated the V2K Run's breathability with the maximum score - 5 out of 5! Choosing this Nike sneaker for summer, you can be sure it won't trap the heat and sweat.

If you are worried about tearing such a loosely woven fabric, don't be! It turned out to be significantly more wear-resistant than it looks.

The Nike V2K Run really surprised us because mesh uppers usually end up ruthlessly torn after a 12-second exposure to sandpaper. But the toebox fabric of this sneaker kept its integrity even though the Dremel speed was set to 5K RPM!

The Vomero 5's mesh, on the other hand, got torn pretty badly!

Considering how minor the damage was, we rated the toebox durability of this Nike sneaker with a maximum score of 5!

In addition, synthetic overlays made us more reassured of the shoe's ability to withstand accidental toe bumps and slashes.

Nike also used a rather hard-wearing material for this kick's inner lining.

Exposing it to sandpaper for 4 seconds resulted in a very minor scuff which did not affect the shoe's integrity or wearability at all.

Thus, we rated the heel padding of the V2K Run with another high durability score of 4 out of 5.

A sturdy rubber outsole completes the durable construction of this Nike sneaker.

Made of a really hard rubber compound (88.1 HC is harder than average), it shows very promising signs of longevity.

You can confidently rock this sneaker on concrete and asphalt all day long for many months before it even starts to show first signs of wear.

Drilling the rubber for 22 seconds with the speed set to 10K RPM resulted in just a small tread loss.

Our tread gauge measured the depth of the newly created dent at only 1.1 mm. A solid result for a casual sneaker outsole.

We also found that there is a sufficient amount of rubber in this Nike sneaker as our caliper returned a reading of 5.0 mm.

Paired with its hardness and wear resistance, this rubber compound promises a long a happy life.

Even though it may seem like the shoe's translucent midfoot cage could glow in the dark, it does not. None of the shoe's many panels do.

But given the shoe's multi-layered design, there is some space for a reflective element perhaps in one of the future colorways or special editions.

The tongue of this Nike sneaker is generously padded. It showed 8.5 mm of thickness in our caliper measurement.

The Nike V2K Run incorporates a fabric finger loop very organically into its rearfoot design. And it is easy to use!

Because this Nike shoe's insole is so uninspiring, many people may want to replace it with a more padded insert or a custom orthotic. Luckily, the stock insole is very easy to remove.

According to Nike, the Nike V2K Run is made with at least 20% recycled content by weight. It is part of the brand's Move to Zero strategy which aims to reduce negative impact on the environment.