I went out a couple weeks ago and got the Nike Dart VII's, partly because I decided to try Nike out for a spin and the previous version of the Dart seemed pretty good.
Overall Fit- Very snug, nice and comfortable. As soon as I slipped them on, I was walking out with them. There is some room for your toes to just rest, but overall, its a nice fit. 4.5/5
Flexibility- To me, its just right. Its rigid enough so is not flopping around everywhere, but will flex when you need it to. 4/5
Weight- Very light, about the lightest I have worn. 5/5
Grip- I have played around with them on all different surfaces, and its got its ups and downs. With concrete, brick, asphalt, grass, some metal, and dirt (to a point), those shoes will not move. Anything that was slick and smooth was just a no go with these shoes; Although you got some traction, it wasn't something I would want to be trusting. Also, once they get wet, say bye bye to any traction on almost any surface - good news is though, is that they dry very quickly, just take it easy for a few steps while you run the water off your shoe. 4/5
Breathability- This is something that I am kinda disappointed on, I'm used to New Balance and their mesh designs, and I was hoping that with the light construction of the shoe that it would be close - not quite. Although my feet are not burning in shoe hell, they do get warm, and for someone used to feeling wind through the shoe, it was different. It may be just me, but none the less, your feet still do breath when your running. 3.5/5
Cushioning- As with the VI's, the heel has quite a bit of shock absorption, which doesn't feel all that bad, just have to get used to it. Moderate cushioning throughout the shoe. I do like the amount towards the balls of your feet, its just enough to make extended running comfortable, but still get a feel for the ground. The rigidity of the overall outer sole is stiff, especially in the heel, which kinda turned me off at first, but it felt good after breaking them in a bit. 4/5
Durability- After torturing the shoes with wall runs, running through water, scuffs, and all that good stuff, they take a beating and look good doing it - aka, they look brand new still. The sole looks new still, and cleaning the mud off of it is quick. 5/5
Price- $54.99 at Famous Footwear
Comments- These shoes are good all-around shoes. My only real complaints are the breathing aspect of the shoe, and the rigidity of outer sole. It might just be a case of me needing to beat the hell out of them some more and break them in.
Pro's- Quite decent grip, comfortable, snug, durable, and light
Cons- Bad on really smooth surfaces, like metal, and REALLY bad when wet, and possible breathing issues.
