Nike Structure Plus A Definite Upgrade in Stability

The Structure 26 feel flat with our team, so we’ve been waiting anxiously to find out if the Nike Structure Plus might deliver on their promise to “make a stability running shoe fun”.Fun feels like an aggressive term for this shoe, but it’s absolutely a more enjoyable ride than the Structure 26 which we felt very meh about. In fairness, most stability shoes aren’t a glorious ride. They do their job of forcing your foot into a specific movement pattern and that requires being more rigid.

Many brands have moved away from providing that type of stability and now we see a lot of neutral stability trainers.As a coach I love this, but for the folks who genuinely have done all the strength work and need support it’s good to see it still exists.

Let’s get in to this review, we were pleasantly surprised by the feel and are much happier to recommend this upgraded version.

This is a highly cushioned, but not plush, stability running shoe that’s light enough to feel good for marathon distances.

Nike Structure Plus Overview

As we described with the Nike Vomero line up, they are streamlining their shoe categories to contain a base model, plus and premium version. The Vomero Premium is a 50mm moon shoe, so we’re already wondering what they plan to wow us with in the stability silo.

The Vomero Premium might be the opposite of a stability shoe, but it’s wildly fun. We do love that the Structure Plus has a more interesting look and we’ve broken away from what has long felt like an orthotic shoe look for stability runners.It’s lighter and has more cushion than the Structure 26, so what does that mean for feel?

With the dual layers of foam you’re getting the ReactX on the bottom to create that stability and ensure you don’t just sink into the cushion. But next to your foot is the ZoomX we love so much from the Vomero, just in a much smaller amount.

The ride is significant improved over the Structure 26 base which is all ReactX foam. Even with the slightly higher cost this time around we’re 100% pushing for the Plus version where not so much with the Vomero.

That being said at 42mm you expect a seriously cushioned ride, I mean this is max cushion. It’s not plush, it’s not pillowy. It’s very comfortable, but I want you to know what to expect and honestly for me with this feel I’d rather see the shoe back at a 32-35mm stack.

Let me pay for less foam and give me the same feel. While the shoe is extremely stable at this stack height and I never worried about that, it just feels unnecessary. (Entirely a personal opinion as I’ve been leaning more into shoes with a little less stack and my body has been saying thank you.)

We believe the Premium might give us the 8mm drop we’d prefer to see, but likely because the whole shoe is going to get even more foam.

I saw someone else call this gentle guidance and could not disagree more. The Saucony Guide 18 is gentle enough I could wear it any time, this is a stability shoe through and through. While it doesn’t overcorrect and is comfortable, the secure heel counter and the midfoot support are felt.

Would I recommend this for neutral runners? Not in general, but there are a few instances where it makes sense.

I’m a neutral runner and while I could enjoy the shoe, I don’t think it’s necessary for neutral runners to jump in to it. Now if you’ve been dealing with an injury and are coming back, a little extra support to prevent excessive overpronation can be really nice.

OR if you’re a middle/back of the pack runner that finds your form starts to break down in the final miles of the marathon this could be an option. Of course I’d want you to keep working on strength and endurance, but sometimes a little support is the final trick to get over that hump.Interesting to see that the outsole rubber is actually playing a role in the stability of the shoe. You can feel the soft rubber under the forefoot for expected traction, but you’ll also see a hard piece along the inside running through the arch. This is contributing to that stability which inhibits rolling inward.

The overall coverage is nice to see as it will enhance the lifespan of the shoe and is another reason we feel really comfortable recommending it for marathon wear.

Nike Structure Plus Fit

A lot of the fit is going to fall in line with the Structure 26, which makes sense because it’s the same shoe last (mold). The toebox and midfoot are both fairly shallow, which might partially be due to the very plush tongue. The style of the overlays and upper is also to help keep your foot locked in place, so that contributes to the slightly more narrow and shallow feeling. I don’t mind it, but I have a pretty normal foot for width and can handle narrow shallow shoes.

Tongue is not gusseted (attached on the sides), but for once I didn’t have issues with it moving around. I think this is because the laces go through the tonuge a few times.

Finally, the heel is very structured so there was no need for heel lock lacing. I stayed in the shoe extremely well and I appreciate that. The laces are shorter than the 26, so I’m not entirely sure I could have used that back hole for a tighter lockdown anyways.

High arches might feel supported, but without enough room in the upper.

What to read next?

• Best Running Shoes for High Arches
• See all of our stability running shoe reviews
• 10 of the Most Beautiful Marathons in the World