LunarFly, LunarGlide, LunarRacer, LunarElite and LunarEclipse

Ernest@Nike wrote:

As Pat Riot notes, the Nike LunarEclipse+ will first be available in early October.

I think the reason for the conflicting release dates cited by some others in this thread is that the shoe is being launched in phases.

The October launch will include only one men’s and one women’s colorway, and will be fairly limited in terms of the number of pairs available in the marketplace.

In November, we’ll introduce two more colorways per gender for a total of three, and all will be available in larger quantities.

Hopefully this helps clear up the availability question.

With regard to macmc’s original question as to what kind of runner the shoe is for, the Nike LunarEclipse+ is unique in that it offers both a high level of cushioning (meaning soft cushioning) and a high level of guidance (but only if you need it). Typically, softer = less stable, but that isn’t the case with the LunarEclipse+.

So, for example, if you’re currently running in a premium stability shoe but wish it offered a softer, smoother ride and/or lighter weight, chances are good you’ll love the LunarEclipse+. The LunarEclipse+ is also a great choice if you’re currently running in a premium cushioning shoe, but wish it offered just a bit more support—if even only in the last few miles of your long runs.

Boiled down to the simplest possible explanation, the Nike LunarEclipse+ = great cushioning + great (and adaptive) support.

To Gardner, whether the LunarEclipse+ is needed is a question for individual runners to decide for themselves, but I should note that we are able to tune the level of softness of our Lunarlon platform and the level of support provided by our Dynamic Support platform, so there is differentiation between our Dynamic Support-based models. With regard to the specific differences between the LunarGlide+ and LunarEclipse+, the latter is softer than the former and provides an even wider range of support.

On your question regarding the exposed Lunarlon core—as you note, we eliminated the firmer carrier foam under the ball of the foot, which means you’ll have 33 percent more Lunarlon foam under the forefoot (where runners need it most) with no net increase in midsole thickness up front. But the exposed core is still covered with rubber, which, as you note, is necessary for both durability and traction. We colored the rubber under the forefoot in the same super-bright green as the core foam to amplify the visibility of that feature, but rest assured that there is still rubber in contact with the road.

Finally, as noted above, the LunarEclipse+ is indeed softer than the LunarGlide+, which means it’s probably not the best choice for you, Gardner. But that doesn’t mean we assume that softer is always better—the fact that we continue to offer the relatively firm Nike Zoom Structure Triax is a testament to this. Other shoes from our line that you might like if you prefer a firmer platform are the Nike LunarSwift+, Nike LunarElite+ and Air Pegasus+, not to mention our Nike Free offerings.

My job as a product manager is to listen to runners, and what I hear is that runners want choice when it comes to form, fit and feel. And I think Nike does a better job than most when it comes to fulfilling this desire for choice—you want minimal, we offer a range of shoes starting from the ultra-minimal Nike Free 3.0 through minimal-for-a-training-shoe options like the Nike LunarFly+. You want firm support, we offer the Structure Triax, Span and LunarElite+. You want beaucoup cushioning, we offer the ultra-plush Vomero. You want a blend of cushioning and support, we offer shoes like the LunarGlide+ and upcoming LunarEclipse+. Etcetera.

If the LunarEclipse+ isn’t the right shoe for you, don’t buy it. But I think chances are good that one of the offerings in our line will suit your needs and preferences.

To me, the fact that we’re not dogmatic—that we do offer choice and don’t try to force fit the fantastically diverse universe of runners into a one-size-fits-all solution is a good thing. If you want dogma there are plenty of companies out there offering it, but that’s not what Nike Running is about.

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Ernest