The Nike DBreak Type (or Daybreak Type) sneaker recently went on sale, making it a good time to get a pair and review its features. This is one of Nike’s first ever running shoes that was released in 1979. It was a breakthrough for athletes at that time with this shoe being worn by the Olympics just years after its release. Fast forward more than four decades later Nike brought it back as part of various collabs such as the Undercover or as part of the Move to Zero series. For good reason, many sneakerheads regard this shoe as a good alternative to the Nike Sacai Waffle LD, given their similarities yet much lower price.

How They Fit

The pair we got in the red and white one is part of the latter, being made of recyclable materials. Over the years the brand made a few modifications to the original to give it a more modern look and add some added comfort to a shoe that now can only be regarded as a casual sneaker. These came in one of the brown cardboard colored boxes that Nike is using for the Move to Zero series, likely being made of recyclable materials as well. Out of the box the shoes look very stylish and super lightweight. They fit true to size and due to its upper mesh it molds nicely to the feet being super flexible. You can check out this Nike size chart if you are not sure about yours. 

Nike DBreak CJ1156 601 red 2

Nike DBreak CJ1156 601 red 1

Upper

The upper is made of a see thru mesh with suede overlays which makes it very comfortable and breathable as you first try them on. This also means that the color of the socks you’ll wear will matter. The swoosh for the pair we got is printed on the mesh but for many of the other versions is made of a minimalistic stitching. The N 354 imprint is present on the tongue, on the heel as well as on the box. The N354 is a project or a sub label from Nike that also features some experimental versions for the Nike Zoom Type and even Nike Air Force 1. The upper construction clearly suggests that this sneaker was made for the summer season for casual wear.

Sole Unit

The simplicity of the upper is matched by a similar sole unit that features an updated EVA foam that is very flexible and adds just enough cushion. The back heel extends from the top over part of the midsole for an unique design. The look is completed with a waffle outsole that extends all the way to the toebox, a well known feature of the sneakers in the 70’s-80’s or new iterrations like the Waffle Oneor the Waffle Debut. Much like all Nike shoes from that era and beyond the shoes run a bit narrow, especially in the toe box area. What we noticed during this Nike DBreak Type review is that wearing these for long hours may not be a good idea for those in need of some arch support. Its use other than casual wear is quite limited for this reason, being quite minimalistic overall. The Nike D Break Type sneaker runs true to size , however , if you are not sure what size to get you can check the Nike shoes size chart here.

Nike DBreak CJ1156 601 red 3

Nike DBreak CJ1156 601 red 4

Bottom Line

To conclude this Nike DBreak Review , if you’re looking to add to your rotation a pair of retro sneakers at a price that will not break the bank this is surely a pair to consider, especially for the warm days. With a retail price of $90 these come in both men’s and women’s versions and numerous colorways.