NIKE Men's Air Zoom Structure 21 Running Shoes

Product Information

The Adrenaline GTS 17 (the 18 is out now) and the Ravenna are two of Brooks’s popular support shoes. The Adrenaline has a higher level of support and firmness than the Ravenna. The Mizuno Inspire 13 is a near-neutral support shoe, whereas the New Balance 860V7 is a cushioned support shoe. We had our work cut out for us last year because the Odyssey 2 was the perfect upgrade path from the Structure. This year, the Odyssey is gone so the only way is down. If you don’t require Structure levels of support, then you should look up the Nike Zoom Span 2.

The Structure 21 is a support shoe with a harder medial post. For this reason, we’ll exclude products like the Nike Lunarglide or the adidas Supernova ST from this list. A new heel clip adds an extra element of heel support to this year’s Structure. This is a feature that we’ve seen on the Infinity Run series for many years. This year’s InfinityRN 4 doesn’t have it anymore. Two shoes from New Balance complement the Structure 21 perfectly. The first is the newly released 1260V7 – a cushioned stability model. The second shoe is the 1500V3, one of our favorite road racers which combine lightweight cushioning with mild support. SIMILAR MID-PRICED SUPPORT SHOES I found that I could get a very similar fit in my normal size and in the half size up, the difference coming down only to length. The shoe that it reminded me of most was the Infinity Run 3. Both shoes have heel clips as well as prominent arches but the Structure 25 felt firmer than the Infinity Run 3.

The Structure is Nike’s support shoe with a traditional design. This means that the dual-density midsole has a very firm inner side and a slightly less firm outer side. The Structure 20 balanced the two different levels of firmness extremely well. The Structure 21 has an identical midsole, so the ride exhibits the same qualities. DESIGN AND MATERIALS The new Structure is nearly an ounce lighter than its predecessor, thanks to a new knitting technique, with the same magical balance of stability and cushioning—not too stiff but with the added support overpronators need. If you’re looking for a stable, relatively lightweight shoe that can handle a ton of miles, well, you don’t have to look any further. Runner’s World Wear Testers Say The Structure 23 felt like a supportive neutral trainer, not a “true” stability trainer. I reviewed both the Structure 23 and 24 (the 24 was only an upper update). I found them to be the best versions of the Structure to date because they felt stable and supportive without the firm ride or poking arch sensation that you normally associate with stability trainers. This workout session cemented in my mind that Structure is more suited for mid to long distance runs than speedwork and that the more loose heel really does bother me.

Overall, the Nike Zoom Structure 20 and 21 are responsive, well-cushioned and deliver an energised ride with smooth transitions. They are engineered to meet the needs of overpronating runners with plenty of midsole foam cushioning to keep wearers stable and support the collapsing arch. Additionally, both models also accommodate users with broader feet by offering wider width sizes for buyers. I’ve enjoyed running in HOKA’S, but for some reason a higher ride in this Nike never lost its awkward feel.The Streak 6 is a lightweight Nike model fitting for shorter road races and distances for up to a half marathon. The heel has a hard counter which is non-collapsible, and the toe-box has a flexible internal bumper. I could feel the airbag under the forefoot which has always been a characteristic of the Structure series. It was comfortable right out of the box and didn’t need any break in period. All of the color offerings for Structure 21 start with a dark shade in the heel that gradually shades lighter as the shoe moves forward, both for the upper (material and color) and the midsole: this is fabulous!