Nike Steps Into Premium Stability with the Structure Plus

Confidence, Structure, and Fun

You know it by now, I know it by now, everyone knows it by now: Nike has been hard at work reinventing its running lineup. Over the last year or so, we’ve seen it combine rebuilds and rebrands, such as the Pegasus Plus, with brand-new launches like the Vomero Premium, introducing a new, tiered structure to the Swoosh shoes you know and may love (or may not, the Peg has always been just a little divisive).

Through all of that, it felt like the Structure was being left behind. Sure, it was shown off on Nike’s graphics, promising the debut of Plus and Premium trims, but there was seemingly little rush out of Beaverton. Then, we got a little tease in the form of the Structure 26, a base-level update that brought a new bed of ReactX foam to the mix.

And now, Nike has finally pulled back the covers on the next member of its stability squad, the Structure Plus. Like the Pegasus and Vomero, there’s no number attached to this Plus-sized debut, but hey, that shouldn’t make anything confusing in the next few years.

Stability Really Is Sexy

We’ll be the first to admit that we often overlook stability launches when they come around for review. As generally neutral strikers, they just don’t give us the biggest boost. Sure, there are occasionally launches that change our tune, like the Saucony Tempus — an OG of the fun stability revolution. Nike, however, hadn’t really found a way to meet our needs. Its Structure was always fine, but not life-changing in any significant way.

Now, though, the Structure Plus asks what would happen if you took a classic stability design and spiced it up with some of Nike’s best racing foam, ZoomX. Well, at first, that might not sound much like a stability shoe at all. I mean, ZoomX is nothing if not unstable, which is why trainers like the Vomero Plus use such a wide base to counteract that wobble. But, when you wrap it in a more supportive bed of ReactX foam, suddenly those wobbles aren’t quite so worrisome.

To ensure that the Structure Plus still felt like a true Structure model, Nike brought over the innovative midfoot support system it introduced in the base Structure 26. It’s designed to wrap the medial arch and lateral heel for full-foot stability that’s not too intrusive. And, to match the higher heel stack of 42 mm (32 mm in the forefoot for a 10 mm drop), Nike used wider nets to account for just a bit more variety in striking patterns.

So, which Structure do you need?

Until now, it was simple — if a little boring — to pick a Nike stability shoe. The Structure was the be-all, end-all option. Need something to race in? Yeah, that didn’t really exist. But now that there’s a Structure Plus, what are you supposed to do? Well, with the way it sounds, you might want to think about picking up both shoes.

According to Nike, the Structure 26 is still your basic daily trainer. It features a slightly firmer midsole made entirely of ReactX foam, paired with a midfoot wrap, to provide straightforward stability that doesn’t require much explanation. It’s the stability shoe you’ll lace up and take out for a couple of miles at a time.

The Structure Plus, on the other hand, still provides stable support, as outlined above, but it adds a little more pop and a lot more softness to the mixture. The upper of Nike’s pumped-up Structure Plus is lighter, too, using structural overlays with an open mesh to keep your feet breathing easily. And honestly, the top-to-bottom design looks like it’s tailor-made for classic Air Max colorways, which is something we’ll never complain about.

Anyway, if you’re ready to give Nike’s new take on stability a try, you’ll be able to lace up the Structure Plus at running specialty locations starting on January 5, with a wider launch coming to Nike.com on February 8.