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Nike Zoom Rotational Throwing Shoes Review
2016 Black/ Purple/ Green Model
The Nike Zoom Rotationals are perhaps the most popular throwing shoes on the market, and for good reason. These have been among the most used by beginners to elite track and field athletes for many years now. It helps that they are made by the biggest name in athletic apparel, but that is not the only reason for their popularity.
These offer a smooth, fast bottom and most models are among the best-looking throwing shoes. They release a new “version” every couple years – they just recently went from 5 to 6 – but generally update the color scheme and appearance every single year. The 2016 version has 2 options – black, purple, and green, or black, white, and blue.
If you are used to the Nike brand’s products, and find them comfortable, these should be comfortable and a natural fit. They have a Velcro strap that covers part of the top of the laces for extra support and stability.
Best Events: These shoes are very popular among hammer and discus throwers. They are also used often by spin shot putters. If you are a multiple event thrower, they have enough versatility to be used in all three rotational events. They can be used for gliding, but that is less common and many athletes find them slightly awkward for that use.
They are slightly flatter than other Nike throwing shoes, which makes them a good fit for the hammer. You shouldn’t have any problem turning on your heel in these. There is still a raised toe though, which helps for turning on your toes in the shot put and discus throws.
If you throw all 3 rotational events and could only pick 1 pair of shoes, these are the ones I would go with. Unlike some other shoes, they have no major weaknesses for shot put, weight, hammer, and discus throws.
2016 Black/ White/ Blue Model
Best Uses: This is a great choice if you are looking to maximize your speed in the ring. They may be the fastest of all throwing shoes, besides the Saucony Unleash SDs. However, it is not recommended that beginners use these early in their career.
If technique is not solid and consistent, the extra speed may amplify the inconsistency and hurt your performance more than help. A beginner generally would do better with a slower, but more stable, option.
If you are used to a slower throwing shoe, these may provide an upgrade in speed without significantly changing the feel of your technique. There would still be a small adjustment period to get used to them, so you wouldn’t want to switch to these the day of a meet, for example.
The official product description, from Nike’s website:
This Track and Field Shoe is the ideal choice for serious hammer, shot put and discus competition. A reinforced toe design provides durability, while a contoured outsole enables optimal gliding throughout the throwing motion.
Price: The Zoom Rotationals are among the higher end of cost compared to similar products. However, they are not the most expensive option out there and are very reasonably priced for being such a great and proven product. If you use them for multiple throwing events, they can actually be a bargain. They are probably the most versatile throwing shoe, as all others would be awkward in at least 1 event if you tried to use them for all 3.
The Nike Zoom Rotational throwing shoes have been among the most dependable shoes available, because they put out a new edition pretty much every single year. This is underrated, because you can trust that they will always be there for you when you need a new pair. That is great for reliability, because you never know when you might need a new pair and an important meet is right around the corner. If you need a new shoe in-season, you rarely have multiple weeks of practice time to adjust to a new style. This might not mean much to a beginner thrower, but experienced throwers know how valuable this can be.
The Nike brand in general is one that is very popular in the track and field community and athletics in general. It’s also great that you are probably used to their apparel. Nike throwing shoes fit, to me, just like any of their other shoes. So if a size 12 fits you well in a training shoe, you can be confident that it will fit well in a throwing shoe.
There are so many factors that go into picking the right product for you – fit, speed, technique, experience, durability, budget, and many more. Choosing the best throwing shoe for you may take some time as well as trial and error.
If you are looking for a great all-around shoe that can be used for shot put, discus, weight, and hammer throwing, the Nike Zoom Rotationals are a great choice. You can find out more information and purchase them here.
