Nike Structure Plus Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas
Nike Structure PlusPrice: $169.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 10.4 oz, 295 g (men's size 9), 8.8 oz, 249 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 42 mm heel / 32 mm forefoot
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Moderate Stability Daily Training Shoe
Pros: Great stability through the rearfoot and midfoot, excellent walking shoe
Cons: Clunky Heel, Firmer Than Expected, Heavier Than Structure 26
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Nike Structure Plus is a step-up in plushness from the Structure 26 model. The shoe introduces a Zoom X midsole as a top layer that is encapsulated in a tall chassis of React X. This is also coupled with a lot of sole flaring in the heel. The Structure Plus is a maximum cushion stability training shoe for daily training. This will also work really well as a standing and walking shoe. The Structure Plus provides a protective and plush feeling underfoot, with the majority of stability being felt in the heel and midfoot. The rocker may not agree with everyone in the heel, but if it does agree with you, there is a lot of runway ahead.
SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Structure 26, Brooks Glycerin GTS 23
PAST MODEL: New Model
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Nike Structure Plus fits me true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The fit is mostly normal width with a tapered toe box. The volume is normal and the security is great. The overlays seem to lock the foot down well but they, in combination with the toe guard, add to the tapering of the toe box and the forefoot seem lower volume than it is. The tongue is moderately thick and non-gusseted, which has caused some mild sliding. The laces are easy to lock down, and I have not had to tie them that tight due to the number of external overlays that lock the foot down. The heel has moderate heel collar padding that sits up high but not low. The heel counter is extremely stiff, and the padding only sits at the top of the counter, which means the heel bone (calcaneus) comes into direct contact with it. This has bothered me quite a bit and those with even mild heel sensitivity will notice this. Socks are an absolute must due to the toe guard and overlays and decent-width socks are highly encouraged.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
David: The Nike Structure Plus fits true to size in my Men's 9.5. The fit is dialed in pretty well and fits normal width throughout the full length of the shoe, while being a touch wide in the forefoot. The volume is moderate and the lockdown is decently snug. The tongue is padded well and I had no issues with biting from the laces. The mesh material is decently comfortable and does feel a step up in plushness from the base models of Nike trainers. There is a stiff heel counter that is padded well. I had no irritation from this. The sidewalls from the midsole are very prominent and you certainly feel like you have chassis surrounding your foot through the heel and midfoot. I am actually a big fan of the fit of the Structure Plus and had no major issues with the upper. The volume might be a touch low, but it is nothing problematic. The only thing I'd alter is adding some volume to the shoe in the midfoot and forefoot.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Mildly Flexible
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: No
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Nike Structure Plus is a stability daily training shoe. Despite having full-length ZoomX underfoot, the ride is on the firmer end with a little bit of responsiveness. The ReactX is far more apparent underfoot than the ZoomX, although the two complement each other well from a stability perspective. Despite the firmer ride, there is plenty of protection underfoot with the 42/32 mm stack height. There is no ground feel in this shoe and it sits high off the ground. The 10mm drop is noticeable and made more significant by the clunky heel transition. The heel bevel is sharp and mostly centered, which in a tall shoe like this is not enough to create an effective forefoot rocker. This creates a slappy and stiff heel transition that feels far better walking than running. The midfoot and forefoot are far smoother with the midfoot being stable and the forefoot being mildly flexible with a decently long forefoot rocker. This makes the landings and transitions feel better landing farther forward.
Despite being the "plus" shoe with ZoomX, the Structure Plus is slightly heavier than the Structure 26. The ZoomX top layer gives a little bit of responsiveness that makes uptempo efforts ok but not stellar. I have done few workouts in this shoe and found it to be no better than other trainers. The 11.2 oz weight in my size 10 is definitely noticeable and the ZoomX / ReactX combination is not responsive enough to offset this during pace changes. It feels far better at easier and consistent daily training paces, making this a better shoe for logging miles during easy or long runs.
The durability and traction have been excellent in this shoe. I have 40 miles in my pair and have not made a single dent in the outsole. The midsole has remained similar and has not softened, which makes me suspect this shoe is going to last for a while. The traction has been great on both dry and wet road. The small lugs in the forefoot do provide mild traction on smooth trail, but I would not use this for more technical endeavors, where Nike's trail line would do better.
David: The Nike Structure Plus performed better as I ran in it, but it could use some improvements through the heel. For what it is worth, the shoe does feel very structured underfoot. The combination of React X and Zoom X complements each other well. This provides a firmly protective feel underfoot. The Zoom X feels like it adds a layer of premium cushioning, rather than a springy responsiveness to the shoe. The Structure Plus uses tall sidewalls medially and laterally. These are immediately noticeable when donning the shoe and when running.
The Structure Plus gives you quite a bit of guidance when running via the sidewalls and sole flaring. It does operate off of a rocker platform. The heel rocker is sharp and very quick, while the forefoot rocker is a more shallow late stage rocker. The heel can feel a bit bumpy because of how sharp and quick it is. This did break in some, though it could be smoothened out. The midfoot transitions smooth, but with quite a bit of medial and lateral support along the way. The forefoot is more gradual as you roll off the front of the shoe.
The 42mm stack height provides plenty of cushioning underfoot for training efforts and long runs. The 10.4 oz weight is decently competitive for the amount of stability and cushioning that you get. This shoe will definitely be more of max stack stability shoe for standing/walking and logging easy shuffling miles. The Zoom X acts to provide a slightly more plush experience on the React X foam, but it does not necessarily make it more bouncy and responsive. The shoe has grown on me quite a bit, but the heel bevel could certainly be better for running. For standing and walking this has quickly become one of my go-to's.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Nike Structure Plus is a moderate to high-level stability shoe. It is the most stable shoe Nike has put out in years. The majority of the stability comes from the combination of tall sidewalls in the medial midfoot/heel and lateral heel, as well as ZoomX top layer sitting into the ReactX bottom layer. This creates noticeable pressure most significantly in the medial arch and in the lateral heel (which contributes to the clunky heel transition). For those who need moderate to high arch support, this shoe may provide this. The upper also locks the foot down well, particularly with the stiff heel counter. The forefoot is mildly medially stable thanks to thicker rubber on the medial side compared to the flex grooves on the lateral side. This slight stiffness is noticeable to me and guides motion laterally at the forefoot. Combined with the firmer ride, this creates a stiffer and more stable shoe that feels like it is a step up stability-wise from the Structure 26.
David: The Nike Structure Plus is very stable through the rearfoot and midfoot. The heel has a lot of sole flaring and the construction of the upper cradles the heel well. There is a stiff heel counter that blends into two large sidewalls. The sidewalls hug the medial and lateral side of the heel and midfoot. They are very noticeable, but they do break in well. The foot certainly feels secure. The upper locks down well, and I had no issues with stability from that end either. The outsole traction is decent. The general firmness and structure allowed for the Structure Plus to work on runnable trails as well. The heel does create a bumpy sensation at initial contact. That would be the main thing I would work on for both ride and stability.
Thoughts as a DPT: Importance of Heel Bevel Design With Maximal Stack Heights
By Matthew Klein
Heel bevels vary in importance depending on the stack height of a shoe. Their purpose is to replicate the naturally rockered shape of the posterior aspect of the calcaneus (heel bone). This rockered shape creates a natural biomechanical mechanism called the heel rocker. This improves human gait efficiency by allowing the foot to roll forward smoothly upon heel contact, reducing the workload of the muscles at the front of the shin that normally work hard to control the dropping of the front of the foot onto the ground and maintaining forward momentum after heel strike. Without it, it can create a clunky transition due to the body essentially breaking with each step and the muscles on the anterior aspect of the shin having to work harder due to a fast eccentric drop of the foot during heel contact.
In a shoe, the rounding of a heel to imitate this is called a heel bevel. In minimal shoes, this component is not important as the foot is close enough to the ground with enough midsole flexibility that the natural mechanism present in the calcaneus is still able to function. As the midsole gets taller and farther from the ground, the heel's ability to utilize this becomes quickly eliminated. In maximal shoes, this is incredibly important because the taller and stiffer platforms become insanely stiff unless this mechanism is built into this shoe to maintain forward moment. Otherwise, the rearfoot feels incredibly stiff and clunky like a board... because it is.
The specific design of a bevel is even more important than its presence. A centered heel bevel that tapers on the sides is not effective because human beings do not typically land at the center-most posterior aspect of their heel. They land on the posterior lateral (outer back) part of the heel (where many people commonly see outsole wear... which is normal). So most heel bevels should have both a posterior and posterior lateral curve to facilitate that transition, acknowledging both sagittal and frontal plane kinetics (forces) and kinematics (movements) for optimal comfort. Additionally, bevel length and midsole compliance can also affect the heel transition. A sharp and short bevel will cause an extremely fast transition, which may not be much better than no bevel at all. A softer midsole can offset this if it compresses enough, but it is better to round the heel appropriately.
The Nike Structure Plus gets most of this wrong, although many other shoes and companies also do as well. The sharp, centered bevel combined with a firmer, laterally projected ReactX foam and maximal (>42 mm) stack height likely contributes to the clunky heel transition both David and I experienced. This is unfortunate given that > 70% of runners are naturally heel strikers (injury rates are not different between footstrikes, just types of injuries) that will be landing in this area (Burke et al., 2021; Larson et al., 2011). Future versions should hopefully fix this as this shoe is otherwise solid and has one of the better medial midfoot stability designs out there.
Larson, P., Higgins, E., Kaminski, J., Decker, T., Preble, J., Lyons, D., ... & Normile, A. (2011). Foot strike patterns of recreational and sub-elite runners in a long-distance road race. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(15), 1665-1673.
Neumann, D. A. (2024). Neumann's Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System-E-Book: Neumann's Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: I had extremely high hopes for the Structure Plus and came away quite disappointed. The heel transition is extremely clunky due to a poor heel bevel design and the Structure Plus is far heavier than I expected it to be (it is 0.1 oz heavier than the Structure 26). I understand that this shoe is supposed to be a amped up version of the Structure 26, but I expected a lighter, smoother and faster ride. Instead, it is a more stable, slightly heavier and more clunky shoe. My feedback for this shoe is that the heel bevel obviously needs to be corrected and the stack height should be lowered. As mentioned above, the taller a shoe is, the more important a heel bevel is. Given the 42mm stack height, the heel MUST be more rounded and the bevel needs to be a bit longer. The weight is also way higher than it needs to be. I would advise dropping the stack height to bring the weight down so this shoe actually differentiates from other stability models. I have high hopes for the future of this model and while the high stability certainly sets it apart, the ride, heel transition, and weight do not.
David: I did enjoy the Structure Plus, though I do think the heel can be improved. The rocker is very sharp and relatively quick. It does not feel like it flows well with the natural rolling of the calcaneus for me. It is not as bad when I am walking, but it is noticeable with running. Otherwise the shoe is very stable and the geometry is smooth in other parts of the shoe.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Nike Structure Plus is a moderate to high stability, maximal daily training shoe for walkers and runners who land farther forward. The ride protective but firmer despite the ZoomX layer and clunky in the rearfoot due to a sharp bevel. The stability is quite high thanks to the stiffer midsole, massive sidewalls and ZoomX/ReactX contrast design and will work well for those with moderate to high stability needs in the heel and midfoot, while those with mild stability/guidance needs will do well with the forefoot. The upper will work best for those who don't mind a toe box taper and want a stiffer but secure fit. The similar weight but taller stack height to the Structure 26 make it a firmer, more stable and slightly more responsive option.
While not the fast, lightweight stability shoe I was hoping for, it is certainly a "plus" and step up from the inline structure. The $35 increase compared to the inline structure is hard to justify given the firmer and slightly heavier ride. There are many lighter, moderate to high stability options out there but as things trend softer, the Structure Plus may be a good alternative for those who want a firmer, stable and slightly more responsive ride. The durability certainly offsets the weight increase, so if you are in this for the long run (as long as you are not a heel striker), the Structure Plus may be a good option.
David: The Nike Structure Plus is a maximum stack height stability shoe for those that want a lot of guidance and stability in the same package. The ride is very protective thanks to the Zoom X layer, though still decently firm when combined with a lot of React X. The geometry is very sharp and quick in the heel, while more gradual in the forefoot. I think this will be an excellent standing and walking shoe for many. Those wanting a lot of guidance and stability in their training shoe will like this if they do not have harsh rearfoot landing. The rocker can be bumpy in that area otherwise. The Structure Plus can definitely be a workhorse trainer if the geometry works for you.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B+ (Normal width with slightly wider forefoot, tapered toe box, and extremely stiff heel counter. Highly secure)
Performance: B- (Clunky heel, heavy and firmer for a ZoomX shoe. Good midfoot/forefoot transition thanks to stability but not as responsive)
Stability: A- [Moderate to High Stability] (Stiff ride, high sidewalls, ReactX/ZoomX set up that cradles the foot extremely well with mild forefoot guidance)
Value: B+ (The shoe is incredibly durable but does not differentiate itself well from other models with similar or lighter weights at a similar or lower cost)
Personal: C (Clunky, uncomfortable heel, way heavier than expected and not responsive for a ZoomX shoe. Disappointed but I have high hopes for v2)
Overall Design: B
David
Fit: A- (Dimensions are dialed in very well. Upper material comfortable. A touch snug in the forefoot and midfoot for volume.)
Performance: B (Heel transition needs to be smoother. Otherwise guidance is good. Protection is good. Easily can be a trainer.)
Stability: A- (Sole flaring and sidewalls are very prominent in the rearfoot and midfoot. Heel is a little bumpy due to sharp and quick bevel.)
Value: A- (Plenty of cushioning, durability for long usage. Great standing/walking. Good running if heel works for you.)
Personal: B+ (A for standing and walking. B for running. Heel could be smoother.)
Overall Design: B+/A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORNike Structure PlusPrice: $169.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
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