Nike Lunar One+

I was doing some internet surfing and decided to search for Flyknit 2013. What I found didn't surprise me but I found it interesting and thought I would share. The Nike Lunar One+ is slated for release in early spring next year and will bring some exciting new features. Below is a comparison will compare the Flyknit Trainer+ and the Lunar One+.

The upper looks mainly unchanged. The Dynamic Flywire has not been moved and nearly every strand looks identical. No changes in the upper. The midsole and outsole is really where it varies. The name Lunar One+ derives from this shoe featuring Lunarlon, a foam Nike has developed that makes the shoe feel very soft when stepping but yet providing enough support for fast movements. From the looks of it, Nike has brought in almost the same cushioning layout seen in the Lunarglide+ 4 with the varying widths throughout the midsole. The arch area appears to be thinner than what is seen on the Lunarglide 4s but still looks nearly identical.

The Flyknit Trainer features Phylon, which is 30% heavier than Lunarlon so this innovation is definitely welcomed. I am not certain if the lower half of the midsole is phylon on the Lunar One+ but I believe it is because Lunarlon comes out of the factory as a volt color and is simply painted over. When the paint is scratched it reveals the green and makes a shoes colorway shift. I think this is why Nike has resorted to keeping Phylon on the lower half which is more susceptible to scratches.

The outsole is also completely reworked. The Flyknit Trainer has a very simple and narrow outsole. The heel strike is extremely narrow and eventually gets bigger past your arch area. This problem seems to have been resolved and now the Lunar One has a wider and more stable outsole. The grip areas (presumably BRS 1000) take cues from the Lunarglide+ 4 and Free Run+ 3 and only include grip where it is needed. This differs from the Flyknit Trainer because the Trainers outsole is almost completely covered with rubber and albeit is heavier. I could go on and on about how much in common the Lunarglide+ 4 and Lunar One+ are. The picture below will give you a good idea.

Other little notes: The midsole's bottom half has a specked paint job that makes it look like a child with a paint brush is running amok in the factory. This type of paint finish has been featured in some Nike iD shoes like the Air Max+ 2011 iD. Very little shoes have this finish from a general release.

I sadly cannot share any specific details on release dates but definitely be looking for this shoe in the first quarter of 2013. If I had to guess on price, it may go for anywhere between $149-$190. I do not think this shoe will be cheap. The current generation of Flyknits are $150 and I don't expect these to be any cheaper. The Trainer and Racer were limited releases but there is a slim chance that with the Lunar One+ being a mass produced shoe that by then costs will have been brought down and maybe Nike could cut their prices to $130. I don't see this happening but there is always a chance. I also foresee this shoe getting a Nike iD option sometime in the future. For iD releases as always, expect a $30-40 premium for the customization. I got my pictures from Niketalk.com and edited them myself for your enjoyment! Thanks for reading.