Nike Structure 26: First Look

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Stability isn’t sexy. That’s just science. And since we trust the science, we trust that we’ll never see a true stability shoe that both performs well and looks good. 

Nike is trying to change that with the Structure 26, a revamped update to the shoe that’s provided support for runners everywhere for almost three decades. The shoe will release on July 3 for $145.

The Structure is a core part of the overhauled Nike franchise construct, which includes both the Vomero and Pegasus lines. All of them come with their own side pieces in Premium versions and Plus versions, for a total of nine shoes across the board (so far, we’ve only reviewed the Pegasus Plus and Pegasus Premium, though we’ve seen them all). 

But today we’re talking about the Structure 26, the main model in the Structure silo, so let’s get into what’s changed and what that means.

What’s New in the Nike Structure 26

We’ll be honest – we haven’t reviewed this shoe since the Structure 22 back in 2018, and that was courtesy of Wide Foot Jarrett. Not saying his opinion doesn’t count, but maybe we’re saying we were passing him all the yawn-fest shoes we didn’t want. 

Back then, the shoe used a dual density Phylon and Cushlon foam, weighed 11.4 ounces for a US M10 and retailed for $120. The previous version weighed 10.4 ounces.

From then on, the Structure seemed to limp along, somewhat of an afterthought for Nike. Like, “Here’s a bunch of V-Bucks, now go play Fortnite with your friends and leave us alone.” Some years it wasn’t updated, others it was. It’s taken 7 years to move it along four versions.

In any case, we’re here. Starting with the midsole, the Structure 26 utilizes ReactX foam, the soft and bouncy foam found throughout the Nike running line, in models like the Pegasus 41 and the Vomero 18. In this version, the forefoot air bag has been removed to improve the heel to toe transition, and the entire thing is 13% more responsive according to Nike, a nebulous metric that sounds good but nobody really knows what it means.

Regarding support, Nike wraps the foot in the key support zones with its Midfoot Support System on both the rear heel area on the lateral side and the midfoot area on the medial side. You’re gonna need that support because the stack height on this shoe is 38 mm in the heel and 28 mm in the forefoot (10 mm drop), its highest stack height to date. The upper features a new engineered mesh with strategic overlays. Moving to the outsole, the forefoot gets a new blown rubber for better grip while the heel gets a high abrasion rubber for increased durability.

All of that comes together for a package that weighs 11.3 ounces (321 g) for a US M10. Not exactly the lightest shoe out there, but also not totally unreasonable for a traditional stability shoe.

Our Thoughts on the Nike Structure 26

Over the past half decade, most brands have gradually moved into “light stability” for their support shoes (for example, the Asics Gel-Kayano and the endless GTS versions of Brooks models). Not Nike. While it is a bit simplified, they’re really leaning into the support with the very obvious structural elements of the Midfoot Support System. Is this a good thing? I guess we’ll see. Certainly, Nike feels that there’s a contingency of runners that need that traditional support.

It’s nice to see the shoe move into the present with the ReactX foam, which has been around for the past two years. It’s worked well in some shoes (Vomero 18 with a top layer of ZoomX), though it’s been a bit ho-hum in others (Pegasus 41). I think I was one of the few reviewers who actually enjoyed the ride of the InfinityRN 4, despite its monstrous weight.

Weight seems to be the least of Nike’s concerns these days. They’re either space station weightless like the Nike Streakfly, or cinder block dense like the Pegasus Premium. There’s virtually nothing in the 8-ounce range outside of the Zoom Fly 6, which may be the best Nike running shoe right now. 

As it stands, Nike in general seems to be trending in the heavier direction, which is partly a byproduct of “lifestyling” the whole family. Especially in the Premium versions of all three siloes, thanks to the big-ass visible Zoom Air units that accompany each midsole. Time will tell if the gamble pays off.

In the case of the Structure, it’s not overbearingly heavy by any means, it’s just interesting to see a shoe an ounce heavier than it was 8 years ago. That said, if you’re getting a really nice ride that’s bouncy but somehow stable, then it’s worth the trade-off. 

It’s always been interesting that the Structure is quite often the go-to trainer for Nike elites. Galen Rupp was known to prefer the Structure, and Sinclaire Johnson and Cole Hocker have both been training in this version.

Most likely, you and I are not Nike elites. Will it work us? Will the Structure silo work for everyone else? I guess we’ll find out.

Last thing: Of all the brands out there, Nike has been one of the best at keeping prices down while everything else shoots up. While they are raising prices on some models on account of the tariffs, others are staying the same. At $145, the Structure 26 remains one of the best buys for a stability shoe, so that’s something.

You can pick up the Nike Structure 26 on July 3 at nike.com by using the shop links below.