What if I told you that it’s possible to get free Nike shoes and other Nike gear?

And, no, it’s not a scam, nor do you have to send me $500 to figure out how it works.  It’s truly 100% free!

If you have ever read some of my work here, you know I always spill the truth, never pushing garbage $100+ courses or asking you to submit your e-mail address so I can send you worthless e-mails.  I’m going to simply tell you how it works with no strings attached, and you will be surprised at how easy it actually is.

Everything I’m about to say is 100% honest and can be done by anyone; however, before you get excited, do know that you need to be approved for this program to potentially land some Nike gear.  Who gets approved is solely at the discretion of Nike.

Regardless, signing up for the official Nike Product Testing program is 100% free, so you can at least apply to see if you get accepted.

Nike Product Testing Review

To start receiving free Nike gear, including shoes, Nike wants you to sign up with what’s known as the “Nike Product Testing” program.  Yes, it’s operated by Nike and is 100% legitimate, I promise!

What is the Nike Product Testing Program?

As part of this program, you are going to be asked to try out shoes and other related gear and simply report back after wearing it for a certain amount of time, usually eight weeks or so.  They aren’t just going to give you shoes and gear for the heck of it as the whole point of this program is to improve their products.  This is why they created this program.

Depending on your demographic profile, Nike will usually send you gear based on your activity.

So, for example, if you were a weightlifter, they would want to send you shoes related to lifting weights, but if you were more of an avid runner, then they would want to send you running shoes to try.  Your demographic profile is generally what will get you approved to the program as they are often looking for specific people.  Who?  It’s unknown.

Just keep in mind that if you do get accepted to the panel, you will have to do some work in exchange for your free shoes, and in most cases, you may be asked to return anything you receive so that they can study the usage.  Almost always, you will just be asked to answer a variety of questions after you wear your gear/shoes throughout the week to give them an idea as to what you were doing while you were wearing the shoes, etc.

Generally, as long as you answer your questions and provide in-depth answers, there’s a pretty good chance that Nike will want to continue working with you.  With that being said, it’s very important that you answer everything Nike wants to know to ensure you stay active in their database.

How to Sign up for the Nike Product Testing Panel

To potentially start receiving free shoes and gear from Nike, they are first going to ask that you apply on their official Nike Product Testing website at voiceoftheathlete.nike.com.

Front and center on the website, you will see an “APPLY” button, which you will want to click on in order to start your application.

Clicking the “APPLY” button will then bring you a simple information page, simply talking about how the program works in a graphical way.  It’s pretty much what I just said.

In short, and I will mention it again, you will apply to be a tester, and if you fit the company’s demographic, Nike will send you an invitation via email, in which you will need to accept.  If you do accept the invite, Nike will send you the product, ask you to submit feedback via the website and will eventually be asked to return the product so that it can be tested again.  That’s it!

The Age Groups

Now, as a tester, you are able to apply in three different categories, all varying on age, so if you have children younger than 17, you can sign them up as long as you can give parental consent.  I would at least recommend doing this so that you can increase your chances of getting some great gear to test out.

After you click on the appropriate age graphic, you will then be asked to fill out an application, most of which ask where you reside as well as what kind of products you want to test.  If you want to test apparel only, you can, but if you want to test both shoes and apparel, you can.  It’s really up to you as to what you want to be sent to your doorstep.

Throughout this application, you will need to talk about your interests, your weight, height, apparel size as well as your shoe size.  Toward the end, you will need to create a user name/password as well as a “release and waiver” in order to be put into the company’s system.  The whole process should take you about 10 minutes to complete, but if you’re in more than one sport, it could take longer as Nike wants to know a little bit about everything you do physically.

Once you complete the initial application, you will finally be asked to take a final survey, wherein you will talk about your daily activities, what you prefer, etc.

Basically, they want to get to know you as much as possible to ensure they are sending you only apparel that you’re actually interested in.  So, in doing this, make sure that you’re 100% honest so that you’re not getting something you’re unhappy with!

Finally, after you complete everything, you will then receive a message that looks like this…

The Waiting Game

Now that you applied for the program, all you can do is wait for an answer.

As noted in the graphic above, Nike will either deny your application and you will never get a chance to get free Nike gear or you will be put into the company’s database, wherein you can be contacted at any time for future product testing opportunities.  This could take weeks or even months.

From what I read, they are usually looking for really active athletes, the main reason they ask you a bunch of questions in regards to your lifestyle, specifically the sports you play.  If they feel you can push their gear to the limits, then you have a real good chance at getting approved.  However, on the flip side, if you’re just some 40-year-old businessman who rarely moves around, then you can count on your application more than likely getting denied.

Again, it’s hard for me to say whether or not you will get accepted as the company is always looking for various demographic profiles.  They never say who they want.

Right now, they could be looking for weightlifters that weigh more than 200 pounds, but next week, they could be looking for females who run outdoors more than 15 miles a week.

I really don’t know, but again, as long as you feel you’re an active athlete, you should have a great chance at getting approved.  There’s no guarantee, however.

Getting Free Nike Gear – What Happens?

Now, if you’re lucky enough to get free Nike shoes/gear, there are a few things that you’re going to have to keep in mind to not break any rules.

First off, you will always need to return the shoes once you’re done with them.  Inside your box, you will find a shipping label you will slap on the box once you’re done testing them, so don’t throw it away.  After you’re done testing the shoes, Nike will need to examine them but plan on keeping the shoes for about eight weeks.

Secondly, you will need to keep a log on a bi-weekly basis.  Simply put, this means that you need to record a journal twice a week whenever you’re wearing your shoes.  Picture it as a journal Nike will want to look at when you’re done.  If you ran five miles on the street in the rain, you will want to be as detailed as possible.  You will need to make sure you read the directions before accepting the job as you will need to wear them for a certain amount of time.

Third, you cannot take photos of the shoes nor can you let anyone in the public take a picture of them.  Picture these shoes as being confidential information that cannot be exposed online or anywhere for that matter.  This is very important!  Here’s what they add inside the box just to show you…

Lastly, this kind of ties in with the third point, but don’t talk about the shoes, either.  Just keep it to yourself and follow the guidelines.  That’s about it.

Generally, as long as you follow the rules, offer good feedback and return your gear as indicated, you shouldn’t have a hard time getting freebies from Nike.

Tips to Keep in Mind

As my last section, I want to quickly point out some tips you should know about before you apply and/or get accepted to the program.

Your Age

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old to apply on your own; however, if you’re younger than 18, you can still sign up, but you will need your parent’s consent.

As mentioned above, Nike will break down the application into three groups:  18+ years old, 13 to 17 years old and 12 years or younger.

Location

The program is open to all U.S. residents, but it’s open to other countries as well, including Mexico, Canada, China, etc.  Be sure to read the terms and conditions to know which countries are being accepted.

How long does it take to get free Nike shoes/apparel?

From my research, it could take weeks, if not months before you even hear back from Nike or even get invited.  If accepted, just look out for e-mail asking you if you want to be part of the program.

Does Nike pay cash?

No, Nike doesn’t pay you cash nor do they let you keep your shoes.  So, in reality, you’re only testing out the shoes for a few weeks and offering your opinion.  In short, just picture this opportunity more like a Nike rental service.

Do I always need to return the shoes?

Yes!  This is as part of your agreement and failing to do so can lead to deactivation.  Not only this, but this is considered stealing, so if you want to see what happens, then, by all means, keep the shoes.

Final Thoughts

The Nike Product Testing program is a great way to test out Nike shoes and apparel for a limited amount of time.  As you can see, you will have to put forth some effort, but hey, if you want to rent some pretty cool Nike shoes for the time being, then, by all means, go ahead and apply.

Seeing the program is free, at least fill out an application and see if Nike is willing to send you any products.  If so, you can at least see if you like the process to receive even more Nike freebies in the future.  If not, you can delete your profile in seconds.

In the end, I do recommend you at least check out the program, especially if you’re an athlete as I have heard Nike does send out some pretty cool shoes/gear.  You really have nothing to lose, and while the “log” may seem like a lot of work, it really will only eat up a few minutes of your time.

If anyone has been part of the program and/or has any questions, do let me know in the comments below!  I will try my best to add your comments to the post and even point you in the right direction to get your questions answered.

For now, apply for the program and see if you can get some cool free shoes!