Nike Dart 11 Review

You are looking for inexpensive shoes with enough comfort and support for your daily walking or running? Nike Dart 11 is a good option for you. These neutral running shoes will certainly surprise you with their design and quality, which are much better than you expected.

Updated and new features and technologies

Nike Dart 11 Description

Outsole

An outsole is made from a combination of durable components and materials that offers durable traction, protection and additional cushioning. The design of carbon rubber in the outsole unit is slightly different, but it does not affect performance and durability of the shoes. However, the outsole improvement is definitely helpful for transitioning of the shoes, something Nike Dart 10 lacked.

Midsole

The Reslon foam used for the full length platform in Nike Dart 11 is a responsive one. Its responsive and springy nature allow the foot to be propelled forward when you take off and well-cushioned when you land on the ground. Support placed in the medial mid-foot area provides great balance during running to prevent unexpected injuries caused by unbalanced running stance.

Upper

The upper unit uses breathable and comfortable fabrics. Breathable material combined with its open construction allows your foot to be cool at all times. Look at Nike Dart 11; you can easily recognize the change of the upper’s shape near the back of the shoes. It curves inward to offer more secure when you wear the shoes. The only issue with these is the mesh material used to make the upper let water come into the shoes, as any mesh would, so you shouldn't step into any puddles with these. Another feature found in the upper is an additional supportive coverage that encompasses the arch and holds it in place to prevent wobbly or unsupported feeling.

In addition to keeping some features of its predecessor such as the same solid durability and mesh breathable upper, Nike Dart 11 has some great improvements over the v10. This has a brand new construction design for added comfort, cushion, and fitting. Here are some specific new and updated features in the v11 of Nike Dart.

Nike Dart 11 review

Comfort

It takes a day or two for them to break in, but after that they're very comfortable. These shoes are truly comfortable for you to walk or work in them all day without pain or sore foot, although, they don’t have great amount of cushioning. The lightweight makes I feel like I'm walking on clouds. I was afraid that the small change in the upper’s shape would cause blisters on my ankles but the shoes are padded enough to protect me from getting blisters.

Fit

The shoes fit my feet as expected so I don't slip inside the shoes during my exercise. This version has some changes in the upper to deliver more secure and snug fit. Their semi-curved shape even fits natural human foot shape. Keep in mind that Nike runs smaller than most other companies. Therefore you should get half to a size larger to be comfortable. Nike Dart 11 has an available wide variety of sizes. However, it is better to give it a test before purchasing if you want to have the best fit.

Cushioning

Dart 11 from Nike is a good running shoe for people who are looking for responsive cushioning. However, Nike Dart doesn’t provide heavy runners with enough cushioning. The amount of cushioning of these shoes is only enough for lightweight runners and light activities as well. Fortunately, compared to previous version, this latest edition actually has a little more cushioning in the forefront. The sole of the shoes is not too thick to feel stiff or heavy, and not too thin to feel lacking. Additionally, the foam unit in the midsole helps cushion the foot well and protects it from impact forces on the ground. Besides, a rubber material in the outsole also adds more cushioning to the shoes.

Support

These are neutral running shoes, but the arch support is strong enough for us to set aside the orthotic. The support these shoes provide is wonderful for a supinator and prevents shin splints. Besides, responsive underfoot support is supplied by the foam unit, which is made from high quality compounds. Generally, these are designed for neutral runners and people who need mild arch support.

Breathability

The mesh upper makes sure your feet will be kept cool and dry in any weather condition because the open construction allows air to flow into the foot chamber. The shoes still offer enough ventilation when my feet start swelling a bit after a workout.

Quality and durability

I’m really happy with the surprising durability in the shoes. Just by looking, you will see Nike Dart 11 is not cheaply made despite their cheap price. The quality of the material used and the design are excellent. The rubber material in the outsole is very durable. It is placed on the whole area of the outsole unit to keep wear and tear at bay. This helps the sole hold up well despite being worn every day with extensive uses like other more expensive running shoes do.

Stability

Nike Dart 11 provides the right amount of stability for runners who under-pronate or pronate usually. You don’t need to hope to have enough stability in these shoes.

Traction and terrains

The outsole rubber is responsible for surface traction. It is advertised to keep runners safe from slides and slips when running on asphalt. This is also efficient in helping runners perform well on pavements. However, I've noticed that the sole seems to be slippery on wet surfaces. I am hoping that this will get better over time, but as of now I've almost slipped on wet concrete several times.

Weight

Only weigh at 9.3 ounces, these sneakers are the most lightweight running shoes I have ever worn. This lightweight feature makes the shoes become ideal choices for light runners.

Look

I was impressed by very nice classic look of these shoes. They look exactly like the photos. However, there are some not good reviews on the design of the shoes from other users. Everyone has his or her own feeling so I’m not concern too much about that. The first factor I need in good shoes is quality not appearance.

Use

As I mentioned above, these are cheap running shoes, which usually don’t have much cushioning so I wouldn’t recommend Nike Dart 11 for a marathon. But if you want to find the shoes for daily walking or short running, these are great for you. Besides, you can also use them for exercising at the gym or basketball. Don’t do any tough or wear them in any extreme conditions if you want to last the life of these shoes.

The cheaper price in comparison with many other running shoes on the market is the big advantage of Nike Dart. What can be happier than only spending a little more money and get a good pair of shoes.

Previous version of Nike Dart 11

Nike Dart 10

Nike Dart 10 is the comfortable and versatile running shoes. These are great not only for starters but also amateur runners. Like Nike Dart 11, the v10 also has a wide variety of sizes, from 2E to 4E widths. The upper is also made up of breathable mesh and synthetic overlays for enhanced durability. Some runners review that they love the comfort in the v10 than v11 because Nike Dart 11 has some changes in the upper that could cause discomfort. In terms of performance, Nike Dart 10 provides the same performance as the v11. Nike Dart 10’s cushioning is rated at about a 6 out of 10. This cushioning level seems to be poor but suitable for runners who do not look for cushion, lightweight, or lighter-activities. They still offer soft steps on roads, tracks, or trails. Perhaps because of a bit poor cushioning, the weight of these shoes is only at 9.4 ounces. In Nike Dart 10, there is a decent medial-post. This feature cannot provide enough stability for a stability user but it can help some runners who pronate a little extra.

Nike Dart 9

Nike Dart 9 is specifically designed for neutral runners without any additional pronation. This product is built with premium quality and pure rubber sole which ensure high durability and enable to withstand rugged usage in uneven terrains. The lightweight with very soft materials use to construct the shoes allow you to use them in jogging,exercising, sprinting or running distances without any even slightest fatigue in the feet. In terms of breathability, the v9 has the upper made of wide synthetics with ample headroom to increase ventilation and help your feet breathe easily. Users can get enough comfort and stability when wearing the Nike Dart 9 running shoes. The padded heel is featured to cushion runners’ heel and ankle when running to reduce strain. Additionally, a phylon midsole material offers more comfort to runners’ feet without increasing weight. The shoes are available for both men and women. They come with many different colors including grey, red, white, blue, fluorescent green and dark grey.

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Similar running shoes to Nike Dart

New Balance 680 v3

New Balance 680 v3 is the first similar running shoes to Nike Dart 11. These shoes are also reliable for road running, walking and daily training. They provide runners with enough flexibility, protection, arch support, and comfort. New Balance 680 v3 promises to give a softer and more flexible ride. But in terms of traction, the NB performs better than the Nike Dart in wet surfaces thanks to diamond-shaped lugs of the outsole part.

Asics Gel Trounce 3

Secondly, you can replace Nike Dart 11 by Asics Gel Trounce 3. According to many runners, they are extremely comfortable. Asics Gel Trounce 3 provides runners with adequate cushioning and a very stable ride. Like Nike Dart 11, they have an affordable price and that makes them more appealing to many people, especially budget-conscious runners.

Brooks Vapor 3

Next, Brooks Vapor 3 also has some similar features to Nike Dart 11. Runners like the comfort of these shoes. These road running shoes offer a combination of protective comfort and smooth performance. However, Brooks Vapor shoes seem to be heavier than Nike Dart. This product is designed with many advanced features and technologies such as the Diagonal Rollbar for better support on the medial side for a collapsing arch, the segmented crash pad for a smoother heel-to-toe transition or the BioMoGo foam for more consistency in the cushioning. Overall, the shoes are used to guide the foot to a more neutral position.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS

Another similar model of the Nike Dart 11 is Brooks Adrenaline GTS 16, which is well known for superb cushioning, durability and arch support. In comparison with Nike Dart, these shoes are much better and that’s why they come at a more expensive price. Like other good shoes, they also have many great features such as a high-abrasion rubber, the full-length segmented Crash Pad, BioMoGo DNA cushioning, The Progressive Diagonal Rollbar and especially the updated V-Groove which provides a more flexible ride than Nike Dart 11. The shoes are highly recommended for moderate to severe over-pronators.