Nike Free Metcon 7 Review | Upgrade Over the FM6?

The Nike Free Metcon series has had a really interesting trajectory over its seven iterations. The Free Metcon shoes are one of the most popular Nike training shoes to date and whenever I review these models, I hold them to a high standard.

Nike markets the Free Metcon 7 as their most versatile training shoe, so I push it in my testing process with that sentiment in mind.

I test the Free Metcon 7 for everything: lifting, HIIT, cross-training sessions, short runs, daily wear, basically I try to find where this shoe’s versatility thresholds exist. If this shoe is going to break or fall short in the gym, in what settings will that happen?

The Free Metcon 7 has been fun shoe to train in for HIIT and cross-training with its re-tuned, responsive Nike Free midsole, but similar to the Free Metcon 6, it has some design and fit flaws. For example, I’ve already torn the midsole in my pair after only a few workouts — I’ll elaborate more on that below.

Who Should Buy the Free Metcon 7?

• Gym Generalists: If you’re someone who does a little bit of everything in the gym, then the Free Metcon 7 can be a great pick. It lives up to its sentiment of being versatile for cross-training, moderate lifting, and short runs. If you don’t know what to start with? The Free Metcon 7 can usually be a safe bet for most.
• Nike Free Lovers: Overall, the midsole feel of the Free Metcon 7 is really solid. If you’re a fan of the Nike Free training shoes and felt like the Free Metcon 5 and 6 ran a little too dense, then I think you’ll enjoy this new iteration’s comfort and feel. These also feel a little more “hybrid-esque” than the last 2 iterations.
• Narrow and Medium Width Feet: With the reworked upper, the Free Metcon 7 has taken a step towards being a snugger shoe, especially through the toe box. If you have a narrow or medium-width foot, then you’ll likely really enjoy the fit of this shoe and it will feel like a glove for your anatomy.

Who Shouldn’t Buy the Free Metcon 7?

• Athletes Lifting Heavy/Hitting Tough Turf Work: The forefoot midsole split that I experienced happened after a workout with power cleans and box jumps. It was then exacerbated by doing heavy sled pushes. If you’re doing heavier power-focused lifts or sled work, then you’ll probably want to grab something more durable. To spend $125 and have a midsole split after a few workouts…that’s not great.
• Wider Feet: If you’re pushing a ⅔E+ foot width, size up a half-size or pass on these. The shoe’s toe box taper is more aggressive and prevalent than the 6, so wide feet tread lightly. I have an E/EE width foot and find this shoe’s width super uncomfortable. I wish I’d gone up a half size. Flat-footed friends, these have a lot of arch, so if you like less medial sidewall support, keep that in mind.

Sizing and Fit

About My Feet: I have a normal arch/instep and my feet come in at an E/EE width. The length of my left and right foot are consistent with one another, and I size as a true US 10 for most companies’ sizing charts. 

The sizing of the Free Metcon 7 is going to be interesting. In my opinion, it doesn’t fit as true to size as other Nike training shoes.

In the Nike Free Metcon 6 and Nike Metcon 10, I wear my normal size 10 and don’t hae a ton of issues with width or length. That’s not the case in the Free Metcon 7, though. The FM7 feels a bit shorter and the toe box width also feels reduced, giving this model a tighter fit with a bit more toe jamming.

My sizing suggestions:

• Narrow (<D) feet: True to ize
• Medium (D) width feet: True to size
• Wide (E/EE) feet: Go up a half-size if you don’t want a snug fit
• Extra Wide (3E+): These may be a pass

If you have a narrower foot or like a snugger fit, then you’ll probably be okay going true to size. For everyone else, sizing up a half-size may be the move in the Free Metcon 7. I wish I had gone up a half-size in my model. I have less than a half thumb’s at the end of my toe box, for context.

Similar to most Nike trainers, these have a fair degree of arch support in them. If you like a little more medial midfoot and heel support, then you’ll probably enjoy the fit and construction of this shoe. For less “arch support”, I’d pass on this model and look into something like the Altra Solstice XT 3 or Flux Adapt Graphene Trainer.

Performance Overview

For testing, I pushed the Free Metcon 7 through a variety of lifting days, CrossFit WODs, HIIT/class-style sessions, short runs (up to 2.5 miles), and daily wear.

Lifting: 7/10

For lifting, you can expect the Free Metcon 7 to perform well for light to moderately heavy sessions. When I say moderately heavy, I’m referring to free weight loads around 315 lbs. You can obviously lift heavier in this shoe, but you might notice a little more midsole compression and I’d prefer something more stable, like a Metcon 10 or Dropset 4, if I’m pushing into the 400s on deadlifts and squats.

Outside of its midsole, the outsole grip on this shoe is solid and should work fine on various gym surfaces that you’ll be lifting on. I haven’t had glaring slip issues when hitting strength and power exercises, so I wouldn’t stress that much in this model.

My only concern with the Free Metcon 7, outside of its midsole compression thresholds, is its long-term durability. If I had to guess, what started my pair’s midsole to split was my workout that had a lot of power cleans in it. I think the vertical force of the pull mixed with the catch is what cause my shoe to have issues. In translation, if you’re a CrossFit athlete or someone doing a lot of power-focused movements, keep an eye on your midsole if you decide to invest in these.

CrossFit and Cross-Training: 7.5/10

The Free Metcon 7 is going to perform its best in versatile settings, which is no surprise based on how and why it’s built. If you need that one shoe for doing a little bit of everything, the Free Metcon 7 can be a decent pick. For example, if you’re regularly doing workouts where you’re lifting, jumping, and doing dynamic movements, think classes and HIIT, these shoes can be a solid option to explore.

In the realm of CrossFit, these can be good for WODs where you’re doing dumbbell work, short runs, double-unders, burpees, and things like box jumps and box step overs. For WODs with heavier strength work, rope climbs, and weightlifting movements, you’ll probably want something with a little more stability and better durability.

For versatile workouts in the FM7, the midsole is responsive for power movements, the upper has decent lockdown, and the outsole grips well. However, like lifting, I find this shoe to have some limitations. The midsole splitting and narrow(er) toe box can be big hangups. If you’re hitting explosive work and heavy sleds, you’ll want to find something that’s more durable, and for my wide footed friends, look into better-fitting options like the Altra Solstice XT 3 or UA TriBase Reign 6.

At the end of the day, the Free Metcon 7 can work well for cross-training and can be a safe bet for most who are generalists in the gym. As a consumer, though, I’m bummed that Nike still hasn’t fixed some of the issues on this model that were present on the Free Metcon 6, and don’t even get me started on how they made this model narrower.

Short Runs (<2-3 Mi): 7/10

For short runs, the Free Metcon 7 hasn’t performed too badly. To me, the midsole in these feels better for short interval runs compared to the FM6. There’s a little more bounce in the FM7 and if you’re running anywhere from 400-1,000m, then you should be solid in this shoe. These will work best for treadmill runs and classes that have runs on treadmills.

Note, you can use them for slightly longer distances, but buyer be warned, they can be hit or miss once you start passing that 1-mile range. For anything more than a couple of miles, you’ll likely want to explore using dedicated running shoes, something like the Nike Vomero 18 can be a safe bet here.

Daily Wear/Comfrot: 6.8/10

The daily wearability and comfort level of the Nike Free Metcon 7 is going to be super hit or miss, in my opinion. I’ve always enjoyed having the Free Metcon model as a shoe to recommend for those who want something for casual wear outside of the gym, think running errands and going about your day and wearing this shoe the whole time, then hitting the gym.

A lot of us, myself included, are looking for that one shoe we can wear all day and train in comfortably. I think it speaks to the times a bit in the context of a lot of us trying to tighten up on spending a bit. The Free Metcon 7 has a couple of things going for it regarding comfort, but also a few things holding it back.

The midsole is comfortable from a plushness standpoint and the upper is moderately breathable, these are the good things aspects of this shoe for daily wear and walking. My issues with this model hindering its comfort revolve around its toe box, higher ankle/boot construction, and aggressive arch.

The toe box will likely start to feel snug after a few hours of wear for anyone with an E or wider foot and the boot can run high for shallow ankles. For example, my girlfriend who also tested this shoe, had a fair amount of rub under her lateral maleolus (ankle bone). The arch can also be problematic from almost feeling “too supported” at times, as I find it can limit some of the foot’s natural movement when walking and standing. If you like a little more space in your shoes and flatter feel to give you a more natural vibe, the FM7 will be a miss for daily wear.

Katy’s Experiences In the FM7

The Nike Free Metcon does a solid job when it comes to stability, especially during lateral movements where the TPU adds a noticeable layer of support. That said, the placement felt a bit off for me and created some inward creasing on the toe box that I could consistently feel throughout workouts.

The ankle collar also runs a bit high for me and caused some pressure on my outer ankle, though it does contribute to that overall locked-in feel. The tongue stays in place surprisingly well, but it doesn’t sit fully flush and adds a bit of bulk where the materials overlap.

On the plus side, the heel and tongue tabs make the shoe easy to get on and off, and it does feel supportive overall. Personally, I still prefer the more flexible feel of the Free Metcon 6, but this version may work better for those who prioritize structure and support over flexibility.

Free Metcon 6 vs Free Metcon 7: What Changed?

One of my biggest questions when companies release consecutive models, is always so what’s changed? The Free Metcon 7 carries a lot of the core DNA that can be seen in the Free Metcon 6, but with a few key changes.

1. Reworked Upper Construction

The Free Metcon 6 utilized a softer chainlink mesh that had a little more give and “looseness” to it. This mesh gave the forefoot a little more volume and the TPU layer over the toe box was also lighter in weight and layering.

The Free Metcon 7’s mesh and toe box TPU are both a little structured. I find that the heavier TPU on the toe box and reworked upper give the 7 a snugger fit comparatively, especially through the box. So much so, that I almost think sizing up a half-size may be the safer bet for most individuals.

2. Slight Tweak In Boot and Tongue

The Free Metcon 6 featured a bootie-style construction and the boot had a little more structure to it at the back of the shoe. In my experience and from what I’ve heard, this could give some athletes an issue when getting the shoe on, but the boot had good security for most foot anatomies. Very rarely did you hear about anyone having heel slip issues in the FM6.

The Free Metcon 7 now has a tongue and bootie-style hybrid construction. As in, there is a “tongue” that replicates a traditional tongue towards the top of the midfoot, however, it attaches after the second eyelet which gives it the bootie-style construction. The boot in the FM7 doesn’t have the same degree of structure, which gives it a slightly looser fit, comparatively speaking.

3. Midsole and Outsole Redesigned

Both of these shoes feature Nike Free midsole foam. From a first glance, they look similar with their overall shape and structure. However, the difference lies within the way they feel on the feet.

The Free Metcon 7’s midsole feels a bit softer on the feet and that gives it a slightly bouncier and responsive ride. You feel this a lot more in the heel in this shoe when doing short interval runs. I language it as, “It’s a little more forgiving,” compared to the Free Metcon 6’s midsole construction.

The downside to the FM6 and FM7 midsoles is their long-term durability. I’ve had issues in both of my models with the foam at the forefoot splitting. In both equations, it happened with forefoot heavy work, think: power cleans and sled pushes.

The outsole construction has also been reworked with the FM7 featuring more rubber coverage through the midfoot into the heel. There’s also a denser rubber on the medial midfoot/heel that provides additional stability. If you need more medial midfoot support, you’ll appreciate this feature.

4. Reworked Lacing System

The Free Metcon 6 featured Flywire loops that served as the primarily lacing mechanism, while the Free Metcon 7 utilizes a webbing-like lacing structure (it’s kind of similar to some Jordan shoes). Neither is good nor bad from my experience and get the job done from a security standpoint. The FM6 laces were more spread out, though.

Construction Details

Starting at the toe box, featured an extended outaole layer that biases the big toe for additional durability and grip. The toe box is refinforced with a layered TPU to help provide protection and security. This is one of the big upper updates compared to the FM6.

The upper than extends from the forefoot to the midfoot is a chainlink mesh. Compared to the FM6, the mesh in the 7 is a little heavier and I think this is what also contributes to this shoe’s overall snugger fit. The midfoot has five core eyelets and it utilizes a loop system for the bottom four eyelets.

The top eyelet is a traditional eyelet and this shoe features a hybrid build of a bootie-style construction and separate tongue. For example, in the FM6, we had a full bootie construction, and in the 7 this reworking of the midfoot has given this shoe a slightly different feel. You have a little more means to adjust the tightness and it’s made the boot a little more spacious.

The boot is built with a padded mesh and it comes up higher than the FM6. This change has led to some rubbing issues for some athletes and lifters who have shallower ankles. When doing squats on a slant board this rubbing can also be exacerbated a little bit on the backside of the shoe.

The midsole features Nike Free foam and has medial and lateral sidewall support towards the back of the shoe. This sidewall support was brought back slightly compared to the FM6’s midsole. The outsole features a rubber ridged tread and features a slightly denser rubber on the medial midfoot towards the heel.

When training and walking, you’ll feel this support which can be a good and bad thing depending on what you’re looking for. There are grooves throughout the forefoot and these grooves can be prone to splitting at times, which I mention above. Lastly, there is a thin foam removable insole in this shoe.

Final Remarks: Would I Buy Again?

I’m on the fence with these. I personally wouldn’t buy this shoe again solely because it had the same durability issue as my 6.

However, I think for the generalist in the gym or for anyone not going crazy hard regarding their strength and power exercises, the Free Metcon 7 can be a good shoe. I don’t want my experiences to completely overshadow where this shoe can contextually make sense because we might train in different ways.

Outside of performance, for my wider footed friends, you’ll be better off either looking into other options or sizing up a half-size to see if these “could” work for you. Flat feet, these also will be variable depending on how much arch you want — these have a lot.

Overall, the FM7 is just okay. I had higher hopes for them, but I’m also not completely surprised that I was letdown again by Nike. This has been par the course over the last 4-5 years.

If you have additional questions about the Free Metcon 7, drop a comment below!