Nike’s Goal With the Structure Plus? Make Stability Less Boring

How do you change runners’ conception about stability? Last December at The Running Event in San Antonio, Texas, Nike Expert PLM Ashley Campbell held up the answer: the Structure Plus.“Stability can be boring,” she admitted. The Structure Plus makes it exciting.The shoe follows the Vomero Plus, a super trainer version of the Vomero 18. The Structure Plus is the super-ified version of the Structure 26. Where the latter is more accessible for $140, the “plus” iteration is the original amplified in every aspect.Makes Stability ExhilaratingProsDual PEBA and TPE cushioning provides soft ride and high energy returnLighter than StructureBroad platform accommodates wide feetConsFelt heavy for some testersTypeSuper trainer, stabilityCushioningMaxWeight10.9 oz (M10), 8.7 oz (W8)Drop10 mmHeel Height42 mmThe Structure Plus became my chosen shoe for long runs during my 2026 Boston Marathon training cycle. Here’s how the shoe won me over on a 12-miler, and why you should consider trying a stability super trainer.Taking the Structure 26 and Turning Everything Up a Notch With the PlusWhile developing the Structure Plus, Campbell said the team set out to make the super trainer “more supportive, smoother, softer, and more palatable.”Tech-wise, you can see how Nike landed on the first three. The shoe’s platform is wider to provide support. A convex flat shape of sidewall provides stability, the density underneath the arch acting as a stabilizer to help with alignment. A dual layer of foams, like in the Vomero Plus, provides a soft, energizing ride.Winston ZhouThe design pays homage to the 1988 Nike Air Stab.In terms of making the shoe more palatable, Campbell wanted the Structure Plus to be all-inclusive. “You don’t have to be an overpronator [to run in the shoe.]”At 42 mm in the heel and 32 mm in the forefoot, it’d make sense if you expected the shoe to be heavy and unstable. But the Structure Plus challenges these notions.At 10.9 ounces, men’s 10, the shoe is lighter than the Structure 26, which weighs 11.3 ounces. The maximal cushioning is a layer of PEBA-based ZoomX, a soft foam that delivers high rebound (the foam is also in Nike’s premium marathon shoe, the Alphafly), and TPE-based ReactX, a firmer foam that helps stabilize your ride (the same foam found in the Vomero 18).Winston ZhouThe shoes have a broad platform, which helps with stability and makes the fit inclusive for runners with wide feet.Despite the high stack height and max cushioning and stability components, the shoe didn’t weigh me down on my runs, nor did it cause my feet to roll. I didn’t feel like I was forced into alignment. The shoes guide you instead of directing your foot.It was such a contrast after running in the Vomero Plus the weekend before. During those miles, it got to the point where my friends were getting concerned after I tripped over myself for the umpteenth time. My next long run was smooth, all thanks to the Structure Plus for keeping me stable.Overpronator Approved: What Our Testers Had to Say Running in the Structure Plus I’m a neutral runner, but as the miles pile on, like they do on long runs, my form gets erratic due to fatigue. It’s those later miles where the Structure Plus saves me from hitting the pavement, or worse, benching myself with injury.Concerning actual overpronators, our testers were satisfied with the support the shoe provided.“What I liked most about the Nike Structure Plus was the strong sense of support it delivered on every run,” said tester and overpronator Julian Caiazzo. “The shoe felt stable and dependable without ever coming across as stiff or restrictive. It gave me the confidence to settle into my stride, and even with all that structure, the ride still felt smooth and enjoyable.”Winston ZhouThe Structure Plus is the super trainer version of the Structure 26.Another overpronator, Katherine Thomas, admitted she usually avoids Nike shoes because of their lack of stability. She was pleasantly surprised with the support of the Structure Plus.Max Cushioning and Stability for All If there’s any reason why you should try the Structure Plus, it isn’t just that it’ll change your preconceived notion of a stability shoe; it’ll also change what you think of Nike trainers.Like Thomas, I also avoided Nike shoes (unless I had to test them) because of their lack of stability and narrow fit. The Structure Plus doesn’t feel like a Nike shoe; there’s no squeezing on the sides of my midfoot, no pinching by my toes. And yet, I reap that quintessential Nike ride, that layer of ZoomX adding more pop to my strides. Those long runs are anything but boring slogs. I can emphatically say that Nike achieved its goal of making stability—and my runs—more exciting.Shop Men’s at nike.com | Shop Women’s at nike.comAmanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.