Nike V5 RNR: The Y2K Runner Built for Ordinary Days

In 2018, Nike handed the Vomero 5 to the British designer Samuel Ross and asked him to redesign it for the street instead of the road. The shoe had launched in 2011 as a proper running shoe, with Zoom Air in the heel, and Nike's own account is that this redesign moved it into a streetwear and lifestyle context. Nike also says the retro running look then took off during the pandemic, when comfort mattered more and normcore went mainstream. That is the long way round to the shoe on my mind this October: the Nike V5 RNR.

I like it because it does not pretend to be a reissue. Nike calls it a Y2K-rooted retro runner, and the pieces are all there: a chunky yet lightweight foam midsole, a mesh upper with synthetic leather overlays, a rubber outsole with grooves inspired by the 2000s, and a 3D Swoosh. It reads as the little sibling of the V2K Run, built for walking to the train rather than racing anyone.

The white and silver pairs are where I would begin. The White, Black and Metallic Silver pair is the cleanest, and the White, Vast Grey and Metallic Silver one is a notch softer. The Summit White, Sail and Black pair with Light Orewood Brown looks like a sneaker made for cream knits and straight-leg jeans, and the Off White, Stealth and Sail pair is the quiet one I would wear with a gray midi skirt and thick tights.

Before you pick, check the fit. One review calls the shape snug and narrow, so if your feet run wide, try a half size up with your real socks on. Then look at the reflective versions in daylight, since the shimmer is subtle in a shop and sharper after dark.

A review of this shoe is blunt about what it is: a running-inspired silhouette and not a functional running shoe. I take that as permission to style the color pairs like jewelry. Pink is the easy way in, because the shape is already so busy that a soft shade calms it down.

The Pink Foam, Pinksicle and Sail pair is the sweetest of the lot, and the Particle Pink with Black and Pale Ivory has a little more edge. For a darker take, the Black, Dark Smoke Grey and Pink Blast pair keeps the pink to an accent, and the Black, Peony and Black pair does the same more quietly. The Black, Metallic Silver and Medium Soft Pink pair is the one with the ruffle laces on Nike's own page, and it is my pick for an all-black outfit that needs one small joke.

The LX in Orange Pearl, Pink Smoke and Rust Pink has scalloped laces, which suits an autumn wardrobe of rust knits and brown corduroy. I would wear it with straight jeans cuffed once so the laces show.

At the fitting stage, tie the laces fully and walk a flight of stairs. The padded collar and puffy tongue should hold your heel without rubbing, and the mesh should not pinch across the little toe.

What I would skip: the all-black Black, Anthracite and Black pair if you want the laces and midsole to be seen. In that color they disappear.

Wrong shoe theory, the viral styling idea where an unexpected sneaker finishes an outfit, is the best argument for this color range. Nike's chunky runners were a common sight in it, and the wilder pairs here are made for exactly that move.

Neutrals first. The Light Orewood Brown, Black and Pale Ivory pair and the Sail, Hemp and Sail suede version both sit well with camel coats and wide trousers. The Premium in Sanddrift, Blur and Light Orewood Brown looks a little dressier, so I would wear it with pleated trousers and a fine-gauge sweater.

For fall color, the Burgundy Crush, College Grey and Light Orewood Brown pair is a natural with plum and chocolate. The Smokey Mauve, Red Sepia and Malt pair with metallic silver touches is the one I would pick for a gray flannel skirt. The Sail, Cacao Wow and Multi-Color pair is the playful one, and the Sail, Rose Gold and Coconut Milk pair is the soft sparkle option.

The University Red Game Day pair is the loud one, meant for weekend football and a varsity jacket.

Test the suede pair with your hand. Brush it against the nap and it should spring back evenly, and a quick spray of a protector before the first rainy walk saves a lot of regret.

What I would skip: the Game Day red if most of your closet is muted. It wants a whole outfit built around it.

The V in V5 RNR is a family signature. The V2K Run took its name from the V in Vomero, the 2K in Y2K and the word Run, and before it Nike had already been working through Y2K-style lifestyle runners, starting with the lesser-known Initiator and moving on to the Vomero 5 and the P-6000. If you like the V5 RNR but want a sibling, this is the family.

The P-6000 is the leanest. The Metallic Silver, White, Black and Steam pair is the classic mesh-and-overlay runner, and the Summit White, Peony and Team Crimson pair brings in a warm red that works with oxblood tights. The V2K Run in Summit White and Metallic Silver is the one with the busier sidewalls, and the White, Light Magenta and Pearl Pink version is a brighter choice for a gray day.

The Vomero 5 is the original source: the White, Light Bone and Enigma Stone pair is the neutral choice, and the Rose Gold one is the party version. The Initiator in Summit White with Light Magenta and Bleached Lilac is the lightest on the foot, with a ridged waffle-style sole. The Vomero Roam in Tattoo and Particle Rose is the weatherized pick for wet November commutes, with a water-repellent upper.

Compare the sole stack in the mirror. The Vomero 5 sits taller and the Initiator sits closer to the ground.

What I would skip: the Roam in a dry, warm week. It is made for rain.

Y2K running shoes were never one brand's idea, which is why the other labels here fit the same outfits. They share a chunky sole, a layered upper and a touch of metallic, and each one gets there a little differently.

The New Balance 1906R in silver metallic with white and sea salt is the closest cousin to the white and silver Nike pairs. The 9060 in Rose Sugar has a sculpted pod midsole and a soft suede and mesh upper, and it is the one I would pair with pale gray sweatpants and a cropped trench. The adidas Adistar Cushion XLG 2.0 comes in black with gold accents and in a lilac and silver version, and both have the three-stripe overlays that read instantly as that era.

The ASICS GEL-1130 in White and Storm Cloud, or White and Piedmont Grey, is the pared-back pick, and it is a smart match for straight jeans and a navy coat. The Saucony ProGrid Omni 9 in Eggshell Quartz mixes open-weave mesh, leather and suede, and the ProGrid Triumph 4 in Seafoam brings in a few metallic pops with an Arch Lock inside.

Check the upper on all of them in natural light. Mesh and metallic overlays can look quite different near a window than under shop lighting, so pick the one whose silver you actually like.

What I would skip: a pair that matches your coat exactly. The best versions look slightly off on purpose.

I would go in this order. Pick the color first: a white and silver pair if you want one that goes with everything, pink if you want a small surprise. Then check the width, and go up half a size if the shape is narrow on you.

After that, decide whether you want the laces to be the detail. The ruffle and scalloped pairs are the ones that make people look down.

Samuel Ross took a 2011 running shoe and gave it a second life in 2018. A cushioned sneaker with a bit of foam and a bit of shimmer, built for ordinary days, is my idea of a good second act.