Nike Flex Control 4 review

Nicholas Rizzo
Nicholas Rizzo on The Nike Metcon 3 in Black Black

Our verdict

The Flex Control 4 is one of the cheapest workout shoes from Nike that we ever landed and yet, it doesn’t fall short of the essentials we need for a moderate gym session. Coming from the Nike Flex series, we found that the trainer feels extremely flexible to promote agile, multi-directional movements. This is not to mention how light and comfy it feels on the foot overall.

slapky nike benassi jdi 343880 106 white white mystic red Pros

  • Comfortable in-shoe feel
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  • Very flexible
  • Foot feels planted
  • Budget-friendly
  • Good grip
  • Simple aesthetics
  • True to size

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  • Durability issues
  • Not for serious workouts

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88
Great!

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Not as minimalist as the Nike Free Train series, the Flex Control 4 has some cushioning to it. You are likely to appreciate this trainer if you are after the following:

  • an entry-level shoe for a very low price
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  • a no-frills pair of school gym shoes
  • footwear that can be doubled for casual, everyday wear

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Who should NOT buy the trainer

As one of Nike’s cheapest training shoe offerings, the Flex Control 4 may not live up to the expectations of some people when it comes to durability. Reebok offers a Reebok Nano X3, Air Max Tailwind IV University Red Black.

And if you are looking for a shoe that can handle some serious training sessions that involve lots of weightlifting, we recommend checking out the more premium-level Nike Metcons. Some of their earlier iterations are offered with a generous discount. 

For more options, see our guide on the best workout shoes. We monitor the market of training footwear and select the best models in different categories.

nike-flex-control-4-lab-test.JPG

Comfortable from the first step in

We are happy with the in-shoe feel offered by the Flex Control 4 from the first step-in. We commend the great fit of the trainer, and we love how good it feels just walking around in it. We even used the trainer for walking around and we experienced no foot fatigue at all.

There are multiple design elements that contribute to the 360-degree comfort of this Nike shoe.

Soft mesh fabric in the upper conformed to our foot shape, giving us a snug fit.

nike-flex-control-4-toebox.JPG

The rounded toe box provided us ample space for our toes to spread out.

nike flex control 4 toebox width 18709388 720

Despite being on the minimal side, the Nike Flex foam has enough cushioning that keep each step supported.

The collar and the tongue are both cushioned. What we like about the foam lining is it prevents chafing and blistering, as well as the foot from accidentally sliding out.

nike-flex-control-4-tongue.JPG

Keeps the foot feeling fresh

The trainer's front area is entirely made of breathable mesh. We confirmed that this is very efficient in letting the heat escape from the shoe.

You can also see how transparent the material is when put against a bright source of light.

Flex Control 4 is lighter than the average

Light as a feather - this is a pretty accurate description of how the Flex Control 4 feels on our foot. With its 9 oz (255 grams) weight per shoe, this Nike is significantly lighter than the average 10.6 oz (300 grams) among the workout shoes on the market.

We push this as a great option if you are after a very light gym shoe.

It is really flexible

The Nike Flex Control 4 is aptly named as it features deep furrows at the forefoot section. These grooves facilitate proper foot bending to support quick transitions.

In addition, the edges of the outsole sport a rounded design. This construction track our feet to smoothly transition from landing to midstance, and finally to toe-off. We noticed that the beveled edges on the lateral and medial sides of this Nike workout trainer also facilitate fluid side-to-side agility.

Generally, we can describe the ride of this shoe to be very smooth.

The Flex Control 4 is indeed one of the bendiest trainers on our roster, being second perhaps only to Nike Free Metcon 4. Used boys kid nike air jordan xiii 13 retro 2.5y 414575-010 bred reflective.

We assessed the shoe's longitudinal and torsional flexibility as 2 out of 5 (1 being the most flexible).

Your foot feels in control of the movement

With the minimal sole and highly flexible design, you can feel the ground much better compared to the more cushioned options.

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The Flex Control 4's cushioning is significantly thinner than what you normally see across gym shoes. Its heel stack (19 mm) is 3.2 mm lower than the average, while the forefoot (15.6 mm) is 2.4 mm less.  

nike flex control 4 heel stack 18709418 720
Note: We always measure stack height with the insole included. It is 4.1 mm thick in the Nike Flex Control 4.

Another contributing factor to the surefootedness of this Nike trainer is its fairly wide footprint. The shoe's sole is 111 mm wide in the forefoot and 89.2 mm in the heel. Curious that its forefoot is 1.3 mm and 2.4 mm wider than that of the Reebok Nano X1 and Nike Metcon X respectively.

nike-flex-control-4-width.JPG

We felt that the shoe's cushioning was not very soft either. It doesn't compress easily creating a steady platform to rely on.

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nike-flex-control-4-cushioning-durometer.JPG
Disclaimer: We take 5 measurements with the durometer to ensure the accuracy of the result. The photo above shows one of the takes.

Not a shoe for weightlifting

We found that the highly flexible nature of the Nike Flex Control 4 makes it a poor choice for lifting weights.

It may suffice for working out with dumbells and lighter loads, but this is a no-no for lifting-oriented training. See how much the shoe forces the foot to roll forward.

Hard to find cheaper than the Nike Flex Control 4

With the asking price of $65, you can’t beat the price point of this shoe. It is one of the cheapest models offered by Nike, while on average, their training shoes hover around $100.

But despite belonging to the nike air huarache ultra black white suede sport shoes on sale, we think Flex Control 4 is good for its price.

nike flex control 4 price 18709460 720

But don’t expect much on the durability front

Unfortunately, it’s not the type of shoe that will serve you nice and long. We established the shoe’s frailty when it showed wear after only some time of use. 

Grips well!

The bottom of the Flex Control 4, which is strategically lined with rubber, gives traction where it’s most needed. It is riddled with triangular treads that provide a multi-directional grip on both indoor and outdoor surfaces. We discovered that it works great for cutting and other side-to-side movements.

nike flex control 4 grip 18709461 720

There is no full-length rubber outsole used on the shoe, keeping its weight to a minimum.

nike flex control 4 outsole 18709463 720

Simple aesthetics of the Nike Flex Control 4

It is a sleek one!

We are happy with the clean, athletic style of the Flex Control 4 which is so easy to JORDAN5 with various outfits.

Complete lab-specs overview

nike flex control 4 lab measurrements 18709340 720

  Nike Flex Control 4 Average
Whole shoe
Weight (g) 255 294
Drop (mm) 3.4 4.6
nike air vapormax plus white orange 253.1 (men's US 7.5) -
Flexibility of the shoe (N) 24.4 31.5
Flexibility of the shoe (Freezer 20 min) (N) 36.5 42.7
Flexibility of the shoe (% of change) 49.7 45.1
Longitudinal flexibility (1-5 scale, 5 being the stiffest) 2 2.0
Torsional flexibility (1-5 scale, 5 being the stiffest) 2 2.5
Upper
Thickness - Tongue (mm) 4.3 5.7
Width Upper - Forefoot (mm) 99.7 100.1
Width Upper - Heel (mm) 77.0 75.5
Flexibility of the heel counter (1-5 scale, 5 being the stiffest) 2 2.2
Tongue: gusset type none -
Heel: pull tab none -
Midsole
Width Midsole - Forefoot (mm) 111.0 109.7
Width Midsole - Heel (mm) 89.2 89.9
Stack - Forefoot with insole (mm) 15.6 18.0
Stack - Heel with insole (mm) 19.0 22.2
Durometer Midsole Heel (Room temperature) (HA) 32.0 25.6
Durometer Midsole - Heel (Freezer 20 minutes) 41.0 36.9
Durometer Midsole - Heel (% of change) (TEST) 28.1 47.1
Outsole
Outsole thickness (Heel) (mm) 4.4 4.2
Durometer Outsole Heel (Room temperature) (HC) 85.0 83.3
Insole
Insole Heel Thickness (mm) 4.1 4.0
Insole: removable yes -

Lab test results

Nike Flex Control 4 Average
Breathability
Breathability 3 3.2
Durability
Outsole hardness 85.0 HC 83.2 HC
Outsole thickness 4.4 mm 3.7 mm
Weight
Weight 9.77 oz (277g) 10.79 oz (306g)
Cushioning
Heel stack 19.0 mm 24.3 mm
Forefoot stack 15.6 mm 18.4 mm
Drop 3.4 mm 5.9 mm
Midsole softness 32.0 HA 27.4 HA
Insole thickness 4.1 mm 3.8 mm
Stability
Torsional rigidity 2 2.7
Heel counter stiffness 2 2.8
Winter Air Force 111.0 mm 109.6 mm
nike air max 90 moscow release date 89.2 mm 86.8 mm
Flexibility
Stiffness 13.6N 18.6N
Size and fit
Internal length 253.1 mm 269.1 mm
BRAND NEW PAIRS OF WOMENS NIKE AIR JORDAN RETRO I MID USA 2022 99.7 mm 100.1 mm
Tongue: gusset type None
Comfort
Tongue padding 4.3 mm 5.6 mm
Heel tab None
Removable insole Yes
Misc
Reflective elements No

Specs (brand)

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Author
Nicholas Rizzo
Nicholas Rizzo
Nick combines 10+ years of experience in the health and fitness industry and a background in the sciences in his mens as the Fitness Research Director. During his competitive powerlifting years his PRs have him sitting in the top 2% of bench presses (395 lbs), top 3% of squats (485 lbs) and top 6% of deadlifts (515 lbs) for his weight and age. His work has been featured on Bodybuilding.com, LiveStrong, Healthline, WebMD, WashingtonPost, and many more. Along the way, collaborating with industry leaders like Michael Yessis, Mark Rippetoe, Carlo Buzzichelli, Dave Tate, Ray Williams, and Joel Seedman.