Nike Quest 4 review

Nike Quest 4 review and lab test

With cool looks, Flywire lacing, and a breathable upper, what more do you need of expect from a £80 running shoe?

It fits well, isn’t as narrow as some Nike shoes, and had a hard, durable outsole complete with small studs for a variety of terrain.

If you’re just getting into running or need a second pair of low-cost joggers to add to your line up consider the Nick Quest 4.

Who should buy the Nike Quest 4

I believe that this shoe is great for the beginner runner or the runner on a budget who just needs a do-it-all shoe to get them out the door and into exercise mode. 

Whether it’s a daily jog, or you’re heading to the gym, the Nike Quest 4 is an easy addition to anyone's lineup. 

Who should not buy it 

Don’t buy this shoe if:

• You truly want a performance shoe. This is an entry-level trainer without a tonne of performance features. Check out the Nike Zoom Fly 4 instead. 
• You want something a bit more plush for longer runs. I suggest checking out the Nike Pegasus 38.

Nike Quest 4 is wider than other Nikes 

The Flywire lacing structure offers a nice lockdown with a semi-custom fit. It’s cool you can see through the outer layer of the upper and see the Flywire system, nice touch here Nike.

It’s not as narrow as other Nikes, at 99.7mm wide in the forefoot upper and 75mm in the heel it’s about average (98.4 and 75.4mm are average), but it’s a bit hard to get on and could use a heel finger loop.

Comfort is subjective 

There’s a bit more foam underfoot on the Quest 4 compared to the 3, to give the shoe a bit more cushioning underfoot, but to me, it felt stiff and unexciting. It’s a bargain shoe with bargain foam in the midsole. 

The heel counter is insanely stiff and scored a 5 out of 5 on our tests, which gave me some problems and led to some heel slip in my experience.

One positive is there’s a tall heel tab which does relieve some pressure on the Achilles, but it’s minimally noticeable. 

Budget ride is not so bad for heel strikers

This high-drop shoe (13.7mm) may be ideal for beginner runners who may be more prone to heel striking and need a lot of foam under their heels (32.1mm). For me, it’s way too steep of a shoe though. 

The shoe is not overly stiff underfoot, it flexes at 28.9N (average shoe flex is 38.8N) but in cold temps, it gets significantly stiffer and measured 43.6N, a whopping 50.9% stiffness increase in our freezer tests.

The positives of the ride is the shoe is stable and consistent. There are no surprises with this shoe if you’re used to high drop trainers. 

It has a ride rail on the lateral outsole which adds a touch of cushioning and durability underfoot as well.

Nike Quest 4 weight 

For an entry-level shoe, 9.5 ounces (268g) is pretty outstanding. Some race-oriented shoes like the Zoom Fly 4 (9.6 ounces) weigh more even. 

Durability and grip

The Quest 4 has a dense, full rubber outsole measuring in at a stiff 85.5HC (average outsoles are just 80.5HC) meaning this shoe should wear slowly and last a while with normal use. 

The outsole also has mini lugs that are 1.9mm deep, a nice benefit that most road shoes don’t have, making it aggressive enough to take on some dirt paths or the shoulder of the road.

Breathability wasn’t so bad

The upper is a 2-layer design with a fully gusseted tongue, which can at times run hot, but the Quest 4 surprisingly didn’t have any heat issues. I’m pleasantly surprised. 

I dig the see-through upper

Looks pretty cool I like the bright accent colours that contrast with the grey, and I love that you can see the lacing system, which matches the heel accents. 

The logo on the tongue has an alphanumeric code that spells out Nike Quest for you numbers nerds out there. 

Dang, you can’t beat that price

At £80 this is an insane bargain. There’s not a tonne that’s special about this shoe, but it’s majorly affordable, has some style, and isn’t terribly uncomfortable for normal and narrow feet.

If you simply need a trainer, this price makes it worth checking out. 

Reflective

There are no reflective elements on the Nike Quest 4, so be home by dark! As my mother says, nothing good happens once the sun goes down!

Conclusion 

If you’re looking for a budget, entry-level trainer, with a Nike swoosh and some cool accents, the Quest 4 is worth a gander!