Nike Men's Air Zoom Structure 22 Running Shoes

Product Information

The Structure 23 is a very soft shoe: softer than the Pegasus 37, softer than the Miler and softer than the Vomero 14, making it one of the softest Nike shoes one can buy in the current lineup.

The easiest way to tell the difference between the Structure 23 and 24 is the engineered mesh used. It no longer has small perforations on the midfoot and on top of the toe box. Instead, the mesh is smooth so it feels more streamlined. The Structure 23 is Nike’s version of the Ultra Boost ST: high levels of cushioning with a built up medial side. Allow me to counter-balance the previous opinions on these. Well, everybody’s foot is different obviously but the 22’s work just fine for me.

Nike Air Zoom Structure 23 First Impressions

It possesses all the long-distance comfort features that Vomero versions before the 14th version had, such as a plush, well-fitting upper, a super durable outsole and a soft midsole with deep cushioning.

Imagine if ASICS removed the firm medial post from the Kayano and gave it a single-density midsole. That’s exactly what they did with the Kayano Lite but at least they still kept the regular Kayano for runners who still want traditional stability.

For The Flat-Footed Runner

The Structure 23 is the Structure series reimagined and I really like the direction that Nike has gone with it. I stopped and retie my shoes thinking it was the laces being loose. I took off again but the heel was still loose and my midfoot hurt because the shoes were tied too tight. It does however shine on recovery or long runs at relaxed speeds. Slow runs from 15km up to marathon distances are in its wheelhouse. When you have a classic like the Structure which has been around for 22 versions, it would be silly to just kill off the name and forget it ever existed. Last year, while testing the Structure 23, I thought that it was only good for slower-paced, easy or recovery runs. This year, I intentionally took the 24 out on faster-paced runs (between 4.30 and 5 minutes per km) and its performance was stellar. The Structure 24 is much more versatile than I thought.

The Nike Zoom Structure are one of two stability options Nike offers. The other is the Odyssey. While the Odyssey is build for performance stability, the Zoom Structure are build to be a daily trainer. So if the Structure 23 is so different to the Structure 22, why did Nike not just give it a new name? Doesn’t the Structure name conjure images of a firm and stiff ride?Those models run anywhere from 110 to 130, while the Zoom Structure are right in the middle with a price tag of 120. The Dynamic support of the sole unit which i felt more closer to the heel felt unbalanced. This was mostly due to the height of the heel. The highly flexible forefoot results in less snappy, more relaxed ride transitions. The Structure 23 flexes behind the airbag, towards the middle of the sole.

The Zoom Structures absorbed the impact of my feet hitting the ground nicely but failed to return any bounce. After a while, I felt my legs and feet tire because I was fighting the shoe. On the midfoot, the light green “Cucumber” coloured material can be seen through the large perforations. On the other side, the outsole provided a highlight for the sole unit. The traction provided by the outsole handled every surface I on which I tested it.Stability is high even though there is no firmer wedge or medial post. This is due to two main reasons: