Article by Michael Ellenberger & Zack Dunn
Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 3 ($160)
Introduction
The React Infinity is a highly cushioned road trainer with some inherent stability provided by its dual sided heel to midfoot plastic clip with the stability approach more about stabilizing the knee than more classic foot pronation control. Version 3 gets a new Flyknit upper with Flywire and a redesign of the heel clip. It gains about 0.7 oz / 20g to come in at 10.3 oz / 292g US8.5.
Pros: Upper, Nike React foam, durability and comfort.
Cons: That heel clip, if you mind it (it’s basically the same but reduced in height)
Stats
Approx. Weight: men's 10.5 oz / 298g (US9)
Sample Weight: 10.3 oz / 292g US8.5
Infinity 2 : 9.6 oz. (272g) US8.5
Stack Height: men’s 34mm heel / 26mm forefoot, 8mm drop
Available now including at Running Warehouse here and at our other partners below. $160
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Michael: Something about the Nike React Infinity Run Flyknit 3 (I am going to be calling this the “Infinity React 3” or “React 3” or some variation thereof, so just bear with me) just makes you want to go out and run. I know, I know, Nike makes all sorts of shoes for all sorts of sports, and there are still those who think Nikes can’t be “real” trainers - but when it comes down to it, the Infinity React 3 is something really cool, and different, and though it’s not perfect, I did have a lot of fun running in it.
Zack: I have a lot of experience with the Infinity lineup from Nike, well, actually all of the Infinity shoes. The first one was terrible and had left me with upper foot pain with weeks, but the second iteration was very good, and made racking up miles a pleasure. It definitely made me excited for a 3rd iteration, which i am pleased to say performed quite well and matches it’s predecessor very nicely.
Upper
Michael: First off, the upper - it’s right there in the name, but the Flyknit material here is as good as ever. A look through my previous RTR reviews will tell you I’m a fan of knit uppers, and Nike has nailed it here. Even on an 85° “spring” day, I didn’t find the material to be too hot, and it’s really quite stretchy - “sock-like” is the go-to adjective here, but I don’t have any socks with quite this much plush to them that still maintain elasticity. It’s a weird mix, I admit, but it’s done well here. There’s a mix of directionality to the weave - I didn’t find that to make a difference in terms of fit or lock. There may be some difference in elasticity based on the orientation of the knit, but I couldn’t discern it. Last year, I thought the upper was a bit “baggy” in spots - that’s definitely fixed, and I’m a big fan of this year’s offering.
For the little things - the tongue is now slightly more padded and comes up higher on your foot (which is generally a bad thing, but in this case a non-issue). The heel collar is conserved from version 2, though the heel collar gains a little bulk.
Zack: This upper is great, and I found it very soft, and comfortable. It is composed of Nike’s Flyknit material, which has been updated for better comfort and overall support. Now Nike has engineered this year's Flyknit to be stronger and more durable than the previous version, which is great, but I will say I feel that this new upper does retain more heat than the last version and is not as breathable. That said the upper has nice collar padding, as well as good padding in the tongue.
There is also a feature to help with stability, which are the medial and lateral side logos, in which the “Nike Swoosh '' has a more solid and stout material that helps keep the foot stabilized in the shoe. This is slightly different from the last version as last year's had the entire logo made out of this harder material, and was definitely noticeable and took some time to get used to, and was one of the criticisms of last year's model.
Nike fixed this in this version as they only have the outline of the logo in this harder material, which still promotes stability for the foot, just not as pronounced and noticeable. There is one gripe I have about this year's version, and that is the removal of the pull tab in the heel, and though it’s not a huge deal, it does make putting the shoe on much easier.
Lastly, the upper utilizes Flywire, which are cords that wrap the midfoot and lock down the foot when tightening the laces. I definitely have enjoyed Flywire ever since the Nike Pegasus 35, and find it truly does help with locking down the foot. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the way the upper was engineered and very well thought out.
Midsole
Michael: The midsole is Nike’s React foam (again, described in the name, if you can sort out all the words). It’s good (you may be sensing a trend here), but it is quite firm. Devotees of Nike’s ZoomX material (say, coming from the Invincible Run) may be disappointed at the lack of bounce, but for me, the firm React cushion has a really pleasant feel. It’s definitely “next-generation,” and provides adequate energy return, but it doesn’t go as far as to enter “mushy” territory. As with V2, I found the forefoot to be adequately wide, but with the really nice upper, it was in one way sloppy.
As with the Infinity Run 2 is a stability shoe, the Infinity 3 forgoes the more traditionally-platformed medial posting, and instead uses a medially and laterally-mounted, and long, plastic clip and arch insert.
React Infinity 2 with straighter heel clip shown above
You’re going to notice it - it’s plastic, after all - and I don’t think I could tell a difference between it and the version that was in v2, with the slight exception that it seems to be a bit shorter (which is, to my feet, a good thing).
As before, this is the sort of posting that you notice when walking or standing, but really fades away on a run.
Zack: I pretty much agree with everything Michael said, so I will try to give my thoughts while not being too repetitive. This shoe uses Nike’s React foam, which is rather firm, but fairly durable and somewhat responsive. Personally, I really enjoy React in daily training type shoes. Included is an injected TPU heel clip, which is integrated for stability. It is slightly lowered and cut out in comparison to last year's version, but I personally did not notice a difference this makes in the ride. The midsole also has with a rocker geometry, which allows for a much smoother transition while running at the toe off phase. Overall, prior Infinity runners won't find much of a difference between this midsole and the previous versions' midsoles at all, so if they enjoyed it then they will most likely enjoy the Infinity 3.
Outsole
Michael: “Impressive, durable, and boring” is how I’d sum up the outsole here - it’s pretty much unchanged from its predecessor. I’ve only put about 30 miles on the pair, but have no wear whatsoever. I expect it to last somewhere between 300 and 500 (but also hope I can come back and update you on that, now that I’m finally back into the swing of training!). Without any deep grooves, this is very much not a rock-magnet, and for that I am thankful.
Zack: The outsole of this shoe is exactly the same as last years, which is a very good thing. In last year's version I had run ~300 miles, and the outsole had little wear to be seen. Traction is good but not phenomenal, so keeping this shoe to roads would be best.
Ride
Michael: Whether it’s that my scale has changed, in trying more trainers, or the composition has shifted, but Nike’s React came across slightly firmer and denser this year than last (at least to my memory!), but the bounce remained nonetheless. The React Infinity 3 blissfully maintains some serious energy bounce at speed, and with the improved upper keeping you firmly locked in place, is not a bad tempo-day option at all. In comparison to the Hyperburst-toting Skechers Ride 10 that I’m testing (which, I should be clear, is not a stability shoe), I was actually quite happy to return to the shored-up underfoot ride of the Nike compared to the slightly-too-mushy Skechers.
As I think I wrote last year (and probably every reviewer has written for each of the past 3 years), you’ll need to get back to the heel clip. Ultimately, if I’m being honest, it’s not a big deal, but it is there, and as I recommended last year (and, for what it’s worth, need to keep recommending) - if your local running store allows for try-on in whatever COVID wave you’re reading this during, I’d recommend at least wearing them around the store before you buy. You’ll notice the heel clip during a try-on, but if it doesn’t bother you then, it definitely won’t bother you running.
Zack: The majority of my test runs have been easy to moderate paces, with a long run and a faster pace (almost tempo) run included in the testing. The easy and moderate paced runs, which are typically 6-8 miles ( 6:15 (moderate) to 7:30 (easy) minute/mile pace), is certainly where the shoe does its job.
This is a shoe that's primarily made for cruising through normal everyday runs, as it has a very smooth ride with some firmness but still comfort and bounce throughout. For longer runs the shoe does fine, but personally I like a lighter shoe, just for the fact that in a lighter shoe my legs feel better in the later miles. With that being said, my long runs are 10-14 miles, and the shoe has enough cushioning and support to get through it with no major complaints other than the weight. For faster paces, it is quite obvious the shoe is just too heavy and not responsive enough to fare well in those types of runs, so I would suggest just sticking to everyday runs or easy runs.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Michael: For one thing, trainers are harder to review than racers, because ultimately, the curve is much less steep - it’s comfortable and fun, or it’s not. I’m not too concerned about eeking every second out of the Infinity React compared to, say, the newest RC Elite or Endorphin Pro. The other problem we run into is that, really, the React Infinity 3 isn’t all that different from the React Infinity 2… which wasn’t that different from the React Infinity 1.
Now, that’s not to say there isn’t a lot to like (or love!) here, because there is. The upper is improved, bar none. The stability clip seems to be improved, or at least isn’t made worse. The outsole is the same, which is a great thing. The midsole is the same, if not better. We do have a gain in weight.
At $160, I’m not screaming at you to go out and buy this shoe. There are other great trainers for $20 (or $40) (or $60) less. But if you like the Infinity React line, or you like Nike trainers, or you just want to try a really darn good shoe, you won’t be disappointed here. It’s fun, it’s dynamic - it’s going to be in my rotation for a while!
Michael’s Score: 9.2/10
Zack: In all, I definitely found this shoe pleasant as an everyday running shoe. It provides comfort and a smooth ride in a firm yet durable and protective package. The upper is well engineered great, and has very good lockdown. The midsole is comfortable and has nice stability elements, with the outsole durable with great traction.
Overall, the shoe is great, though the $160 price tag is a little pricey. I agree with Michael in that if you find the 2nd iteration on sale, there's not that much of a difference in performance between the 2nd and 3rd versions to not buy the less expensive 2nd version while they are still available. Even at $160, Infinity 3 will not disappoint if you're a fan of the Infinity line of shoes, or if you just want a great everyday trainer.
Zacks Score: 8.9 / 10
Comparisons
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Nike React Infinity 2 (RTR Review)
Michael: If you read the review, you’ll know - the 3 is better, but not like, way better. The upper is more comfortable and goes a long way in making the shoe feel snappy and engaging. The slightly shorter heel clip gets out of your way, and just generally runs a little easier than its predecessor. If you find the React 2 on sale, you’ll be happy - if you buy the 3, even better! Can’t go wrong here.
Zack: There are definitely things I like more than the other in each shoe. For the 2nd iteration, I feel that the upper was more breathable, the pull tab on the heel of course, and it is lighter. However, the 3rd version has a better stability construction, and the upper material is also softer and durable. With that being said, I think the 3rd iteration definitely does a good job fine tuning the 2nd, but I couldn’t feel that much of a difference in ride so I think both would do well.
Skechers Go Run Ride 10 (RTR Review)
Michael: I mentioned this in the review, so I’ll bring it up here - both shoes have cool and interesting midsoles, but they really tend differently. The React is firm and snug, the Skechers is really mushy and loose (and I mean loose literally, because you have to yank the upper tight to get it to fit). They’re not direct competitors, so it’s not an obvious head-to-head, but I like the Nike much better.
Zack: I definitely agree with Michael in that these shoes are very different, though they can be put into the same daily trainer category. . The Ride 10 is much lighter and has a much softer midsole, while the Infinity 3 has a firmer, more protective and stable ride. Both are great shoes so choosing between the two would be solely based on preferences.
Skechers Go Run Forza 4 (RTR Review)
Michael: This is another stability shoe, but with a more traditional, dual-density setup. The Forza is a shoe I thought I would not like, and it took some legitimate breaking in, but I ended up really enjoying (like the React Infinity, it’s sneaky fast - I think I ran like a 1:15 half in training during the pandemic in the Forza 4!). Still, I think, by everyday trainer standards, the Nike is just more refined and certainly a more comfortable fit. The Skechers is great - but pick the Nike.
New Balance Fresh Foam X Tempo v2 (RTR Review)
Michael: The NB Tempo v2 is a shoe that really surprised me; I didn’t think I’d like it at the onset, and while I think it wore down a bit too quickly, I really enjoyed it in its prime. The New Balance is ever so slightly less springy than the Nike, but still plenty fun and bouncy. If the heel clip on the Nike bothers you (or you just want a slightly lower-profile, more “performance” trainer), I’d look at the Tempo v2.
Tester Profiles
Michael is a 2019 graduate of Northwestern University Law School in Chicago and is a patent and intellectual property attorney. Prior to law school, he competed collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis (10,000m PR of 30:21). He recently finished 2nd at the Chicago Half-Marathon in a PR of 67:43. He has a 2:23 marathon PR (2nd place) from the 2021 Lakefront Marathon in Wisconsin.
Zack is a college sophmore/ runner at Lewis University. "I’ve been running for 7 years, and focused solely on running after giving up on years of baseball and wrestling. I race distances between 800 meters and 10K whether it be on the track, the roads, or cross country. I do most of my training on the roads, some training on the track, and occasionally run trails logging anywhere from 40-60 miles a week. My typical training consists of easy days, long days, workouts (fartleks, tempos, interval training, etc.). My typical training paces range from 7’30 a mile on easy days to sub-5 minutes a mile on fast interval days, and with many paces in between. My personal bests are 2:00 for 800m, 4:25 for 1600m, 9:50 for 3200m, 15:57 for 5K, and 34:10 for 10K. "
Tested samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased through affiliate links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'
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