From Classic to Cutting Edge, These Are The Best Nike Running Shoes (2024)

Even if you’ve never read Shoe Dog, memoir of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, you probably know something about the story behind the swoosh. The venture began in the early ‘60s with Knight, a former University of Oregon runner, selling imported Onitsuka sneakers (the precursor to Asics) out of the back of his car. Fast forward a few decades, and his humble startup has grown into a global sporting goods powerhouse, and its swooping logo has been as cemented as a cultural icon.

Nike makes apparel and gear for all kinds of sports, but the brand started with running shoes and, thanks to its savvy marketing and relentless focus on developing new technology, it remains a titan in the industry. The brand’s list of innovative feature designs is long, including everything from its iconic “waffle” outsole design introduced in the 1970s, to its massively cushioned, but incredibly lightweight Alphafly, which led us into the modern “super shoe” era.

Most importantly, Nike shoes have proven themselves on the feet of everyday runners and elite athletes. The Pegasus, for example, has been a popular workhorse trainer for decades, and the Alphafly helped Kelvin Kiptum set a new marathon record in 2023.

If you have your heart set on running in a new pair of Nike running shoes, I’ve put together a list of the brand’s best running shoes for every kind walker, runner and racer. I’ll also walk you through the innovative materials and design that make Nike shoes special, so you can pick, knowing exactly what you’re putting on your feet.

• Best Overall: Nike Pegasus 41
• Best Value: Winflo 11
• Best for Walking: Nike Motiva
• Best for Marathons: Vaporfly 3
• Best Elite Racing Shoe: Alphafly 3

The Expert: I became a runner in middle school and have covered running and outdoor gear for years, both on-staff at Runner’s World and as a freelance journalist. I’ve written more about running shoes than any other kind of gear, and I have firsthand experience running in models from a range of brands, including Nike. I first wrote this guide in 2018, and update it regularly as Nike releases new shoes and running shoe tech.

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Nike has a broad running shoe lineup that ranges from track spikes and racing shoes to everyday trainers and trail shoes. The core of that lineup, represented in the picks below, serves up a cushioned-yet-responsive ride that feels comfortable and lively underfoot. That feeling comes from Nike’s flagship cushioning foams, like React and ZoomX (more on those below).

If you like a versatile, cushioned shoe that doesn’t weigh you down and feels peppy enough for faster paces, you should be looking at Nike.

The models below represent the best Nike running shoes you can buy today. To select them, I reviewed the Nike shoe lineup and talked with a brand representative to learn about its latest shoes. I drew on RW reviews, RW editor feedback, my own experience testing Nike shoes, and my knowledge of the running shoe market to narrow the list down to the pairs below.

To make this guide as helpful as possible, I focused on performance running shoes that feature the brand’s latest cushioning foams, midsole tech, and upper designs, while making sure to pick models for all kinds of runners, from racing shoes to trail runners.

For even more information, check out our full-length shoe reviews (where available), which have thorough breakdowns on the performance of individual models.

The Pegasus line has been around for decades. A workhorse training shoe that highlights some of the brand’s best tech, it’s a classic that feels new every year. Runner’s World Runner-in-Chief Jeff Dengate called the newest model, Pegasus 41, a “reliable, snappy, do-it-all trainer” in his review, with one key new change–a bouncier ReactX foam midsole. The new cushioning gives Pegasus a smooth, well-cushioned ride. According to Nike, it’s also 13 percent more responsive than the React foam used in the Pegasus 40. The midsole also features Zoom Air units in the forefoot and heel.

The change gives the shoe a balanced ride that cushions impact forces, but still feels firm and responsive. On the bottom, the full-coverage rubber outsole delivers excellent grip and durability, both essential factors for a daily training shoe, and Dengate reports the mesh upper is plenty breathable, too.

Whether you’re just starting out with running or you have thousands of miles logged in your Strava profile, the Pegasus 41 is absolutely worth a try—it might just become the most dependable shoe in your rotation.

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The Nike Winflo is a favorite of mine—I’ve worn a pair for over a year as my go-to everyday walking shoe—and it’s the best bargain in the Nike running shoe lineup. This neutral trainer features a well-padded midsole made from Cushlon 3.0 EVA foam, which gives it a reliably soft ride. Within that foam, Nike placed a full-length Zoom Air unit for added responsiveness.

The Winflo has a relatively wide sole shape, especially in the forefoot, so it’ll feel stable in corners and give your toes room to splay, and a midfoot band in the upper creates a lockdown fit around your foot. On the bottom, a generous rubber outsole with small, diamond-shaped lugs delivers good grip and stellar durability: I’ve worn my pair of Winflo 10s with a similar outsole for over a year, and the rubber shows barely any wear at all.

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The Motiva is a clean-sheet design aimed squarely at beginners or anyone who mixes walking and running in their workouts. To create it, Nike pulled data from activities uploaded to the Nike Run Club app and solicited feedback from over 1,000 athletes. The result? A shoe with a strong emphasis on comfort at any pace, including walking, jogging, and running.

The highlight here is the shoe’s thick midsole. It’s made from Cushlon foam, and the material is sculpted in a wave pattern on the bottom; the waves are designed to compress with each step for a supremely soft ride. The sole also has a rocker shape for gentle transitions from heel to toe, and unlike many other Nike shoes, it’s relatively wide, so you get an accommodating fit.

In RW testing, runners appreciated the Motiva’s plush cushioning, although some testers felt the shoe was a bit unstable. Despite that shortcoming, it’s definitely worth considering if you’re just starting out with running or you prefer a well-padded shoe for walking.

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It’s hard to overstate the impact of the Nike Vaporfly. Before its introduction, racing shoes featured minimalist designs with thin midsoles for maximum weight savings. The Vaporfly totally upended the basic tenets of that design with its tall stack height and hefty layer of light-but-bouncy foam cushioning.

Although it’s arguably been eclipsed by the newer, more feature-rich Alphafly line, the Vaporfly remains the most popular choice for marathoners, including elite runners. As the label on the heel proudly states, it’s the original “super shoe,” and it’s still going strong.

The latest model, the Vaporfly 3, is a top-to-bottom overhaul with all kinds of revisions to make it lighter, boost its energy return, and increase its stability. Like previous versions, the shoe features Nike’s top-tier ZoomX foam and an embedded carbon fiber plate for stiffness and energy return.

The forefoot outsole rubber is 2mm thinner, allowing a 2mm increase in forefoot foam for increased cushioning. Nike also scooped out some foam on the sidewall and a channel at the bottom of the shoe to shave off weight. In addition, the medial side of the midsole is shaped to resist compression, which helps the shoe feel less wobbly when cornering.

The wide-open mesh design of the Flyknit upper promotes great breathability, but be warned: The Flyknit weave does not stretch, so be careful how tightly you tie your laces. Even so, the Vaporfly offers an ideal combo of low weight, cushioning, and energy return, and it’s a superb pick for racing.

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The Alphafly is the ultimate Nike racing shoe. It isn’t just designed for running marathons, but for setting marathon records. The Alphafly 3 features a slew of small but important improvements over its predecessor that make it more approachable and comfortable, earning it space among our favorite racing shoes in the 2024 Runner’s World Shoe Awards.

Like previous iterations, the Alphafly 3 features a towering ZoomX midsole paired with two Zoom Air units under the forefoot, and a carbon fiber plate embedded within the foam. The ZoomX foam offers plush cushioning with minimal weight. The carbon fiber plate and Zoom Air units ensure you get maximum energy return for an exceptionally springy and propulsive underfoot sensation. However, the Alphafly 3 features a continuous, full-length layer of foam (no carved out section in the middle), a wider sole shape and a wider carbon fiber plate, all of which make the shoe more stable than its predecessor. “It feels much more confident on unstable ground and when turning,” one tester said.

In addition, the revised Atomknit upper offers a more spacious fit, and the Alphafly 3 is also lighter than its predecessor, which is always important on race day. These many tweaks come together to create what might be the speediest Alphafly yet.

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The Nike Zoom Fly line serves up the same basic tech found in the brand’s top-shelf racers, but in a more affordable, training-oriented package. The midsole contains the winning combo of propulsive ZoomX foam and an embedded carbon fiber plate. Together, they create a snappy feel underfoot that helps you push the pace.

In contrast to the ultra-thin uppers found on the Vaporfly and Alphafly, it features a durable double-layer mesh upper, which makes it more suitable for grinding through a training schedule.

The Zoom Fly 5 adds a slightly widened midsole at the forefoot and heel for improved stability. Although it’s significantly heavier than the Vaporfly and Alphafly, it offers a similar springy feel underfoot, and it's a great training counterpart to those shoes (you can save the pricier models for race day).

But it doesn’t have to be a trainer: With its premium cushioning and carbon fiber plate, it makes a solid value-oriented pick for longer races as well.

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The Pegasus Plus is a peppy, streamlined shoe built for speed training and short races. (It’s similar to the Nike Streakfly, another stripped-down, speed-focused model). Unlike the standard Pegasus, the Peg Plus features a full-length layer of springy ZoomX foam. It also has a lower stack height, so your feet sit closer to the ground for a firmer, more responsive feel.

Up top, the Flyknit upper has large perforations to promote cooling airflow, and a midfoot band within the upper keeps your foot planted on the footbed when you’re sprinting hard. On the bottom, generous patches of outsole rubber at the forefoot and heel ensure you’ll have plenty of grip while churning through a 5K, and solid durability for your training routine. With its relatively thin midsole, it wouldn’t be my first pick for a long run, but it’s a solid performer for shorter, speed-focused efforts. It’s also a good pick for anyone who likes a firm, responsive shoe for training.

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The Vomero doesn’t get as much attention as the Nike Invincible 3—another well-cushioned shoe in the Nike lineup—but it’s a sneaky good pick for runners who like a plush feel in their shoes. The Vomero 17 creates a cushy ride with a combination of foams in the midsole: There’s a layer of pillowy ZoomX just below the foot, and a full-length layer of tried-and-true Cushlon 3.0 below that.

The Vomero was designed around the same foot profile as the Pegasus, so you’ll get a relatively spacious fit, and padding on the ankle collar and tongue keep your feet comfortable on the run. A generous rubber outsole offers solid traction and wear-resistance—perfect for daily training. In fact, many runners on Reddit say they prefer the Vomero over the Pegasus because of its superior comfort and high-mileage durability. Even in the crowded high-cushion training shoe category, it’s a real standout.

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Nike has several trail shoes, including the carbon fiber plate-equipped Ultrafly, but the Zegama takes our trail shoe crown with a comfortable feel and go-anywhere versatility. Designed for cruising over longer distances, the revamped Zegama 2 combines a soft and responsive ZoomX foam midsole with a grippy and durable Vibram Megagrip outsole. Its well-cushioned midsole softens impacts and provides protection from protruding roots and rocks, and the lugged outsole bites into the dirt for confident footing, even in wet conditions. (Poor rainy day traction was a common gripe with the original Zegama).

While the plush ride and grip are great, the upper did leave some Reddit reviewers dissatisfied: Multiple runners commented on the overly snug toe box. That will obviously be disqualifying for some folks, but the Zegama 2 is a superb choice for an everyday trail runner when the fit feels right.

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The Structure 25 is a cushioned support shoe designed for overpronators or runners who appreciate a stable, planted feel in their shoes. Its Cushlon 3.0 midsole, paired with a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot, gives the shoe a well-padded ride with a bit of responsiveness. A heel clip at the back of the upper and additional foam on the medial side of the shoe gently guide your foot through each stride, keeping it in place on the footbed as you run. The foot shape is also based on the same last as the Pegasus 41, so it offers a relatively wide platform.

I tried a pair last summer and, while I don’t normally wear support shoes, I really enjoyed my runs in the Structure 25. The accommodating fit was comfortable, and the ride felt buoyant, well-cushioned and stable, without any clunkiness or overly firm foam poking up into my feet. With the Structure 25, getting extra support doesn’t come with a side of punishment—this shoe feels great.

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