Flyknit Bloom Sneaker (Women)

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] First off, I’d like to say thank you for letting me test these sneakers! It was an honor! Now down to business, Upon receiving the package, I loved the packaging and color of the sneaker box. It had a very clean look to it and you already get a sense of excitement before even opening the box.. After opening the sneaker box, my first impression of the sneakers was wow.. I say wow in the sense ; wow, these are different.. I know Nike as a brand has been branching out, and doing and trying a lot of different styles which most are awesome, and also what separates Nike from anyone else. That being said, I can honestly say the Flyknit Blooms did not pass the eye test. A bright side is that I think if these were in a different color, they would be more appealing to the eye/consumer. Fit and feel The fit and feel were not great unfortunately. Obviously the soles of these sneakers are pretty thick, (almost 2 inches high in the heel!) so when you’re wearing them, they feel like you’re wearing very high platform shoes. A problem with this, is that there is little to no support in the heel of the sneaker, for them to be this high. Which literally almost caused me to sprain my ankle upon first wear. (I’m just fine!) When trying to get a more snug fit and tying the laces tighter, the lacing system feels like it’s cutting off circulation on the top of your foot and can be very uncomfortable after wearing for a prolonged period of time. The soles/insoles of the sneakers on the other hand, are very comfortable and again, if the sneakers didn’t sit so high up, I feel like I could walk a couple miles in them a day.. Design The design of the sneaker is definitely different. To be completely honest with you, they would not be sneakers I could see myself buying in store or online but, I have gotten comments on them from friends or family while testing them and some have been positive. I think the lacing system is a little much.. it’s not the easiest to tie your sneakers when the laces are at your heel. I do like the small heel padding unit, it’s comfy and definitely keeps my foot from slipping out of the shoes. And I love the breathability and ventilation on the sneakers. Easily some of the most breathable shoes I’ve had from Nike. Brings me back to the original Flyknit days which I loved! Fabric So this is the high point and star of the sneaker for me. I love the fabric. Love that they are made from recycled materials, and I can’t stress enough, I love the breathability of the sneakers. The fabric is so light that you really just feel like you’re wearing a sock. Ventilation panels everywhere, and even in the thickest parts of fabric, the sneakers still breathe. Great job. What I liked most So it’s no secret that I liked the fabric the most. Knocked it out of the park with choice of fabric, especially for a sneaker of this silhouette. I also like the comfort of the soles/insoles.. What I would change Ok, so I’ll start with the soles of the sneaker.. They are just too high in my opinion. I would lower them by an inch to start. I think that would make them look a lot better and make them more practical. For example, I wore these sneakers for walking my dog, working out at the gym, and once or twice just going out with friends. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out if these were a lifetime shoe for everyday wear, or activewear sneaker for the gym. They’re too high to do any strenuous activities at the gym like running or jumping, burpees, or knee highs.. Just not enough ankle support. And as far as lifetime wear, that was the better option but a little difficult to pull off because of the style of the shoe and color way, but again, if they were an inch closer to the ground, it would’ve been a much cleaner look and easier to pull off. I would also change the lacing system. No one wants laces on the heels of their shoe haha. Can you imagine your shoe laces getting untied and having to stop whatever you’re doing to take off your shoe and tie your laces back into place at the heel? Also, I know I said I loved the fabric of the sneaker but I would make one little change and add more padding to the tongue of the sneakers. That way it’s not cutting off circulation when you tie them tighter. And lastly, I would change the pattern of the outsole to make them more practical and change them for something with more grip. Maybe herringbone panels? Overall Overall the sneakers are below average for me.. Although I love the fabric and the comfiness of the shoes, it isn’t enough for me to overlook how high they sit, and how unpractical I really believe them to be. It’s like they can’t decide whether they’re a gym shoe or a lifetime shoe..