The Best Nike Shoes For Men
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Founded in 1964 by legendary Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman and businessman Phil Knight, Nike has inspired millions of runners over the decades to “just do it,” with experimental designs from its Waffle Trainer in 1974 to today’s cutting-edge Alphafly Next%. That commitment to innovation and boundary-pushing spirit has enabled the brand to craft some of the best running shoes to date—not only in terms of performance, but also in style. You’ll find our top five picks below that excel in both areas. Keep scrolling for our full list of the best men’s running shoes in Nike’s lineup right now, complete with a breakdown of the brand’s latest tech, and buying advice and tips from our RW editors.
Parsing Nike Tech
Whether you’re seeking a stable trainer for daily miles, a highly cushioned shoe for weekend long runs, or a light and fast racer for your next starting line, you’ll find a Nike model below designed for each of those specific needs. However, many shoes on this list are built with enough versatility to cover more than just one day of your training schedule. (For example, our testers said the new Pegasus 38 took them from long runs and track workouts to cross training—and even simply running errands.) One way Nike does it is by using a variety of midsole foams, geometries, and outsole constructions geared for both performance and comfort.
In 2018, Nike announced its React cushioning, a material made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) to maximize softness and energy return at a lower weight. Many shoes with this foam include React in their names, like the Infinity React. Others have the material but call out other Nike technologies instead; take the Air Zoom Terra Kiger, which gets its first name from a forefoot Air cushioning unit. This pressurized pocket of air and tensile fibers quickly compresses and rebounds underfoot when you touchdown, giving the shoe its distinctly snappy ride. Even more responsive is Nike’s top-tier PEBA-based ZoomX foam, found on premium bouncy trainers and supercharged racers like the Invincible Run and Tempo Next%.
How We Tested and Selected These Shoes
Nike currently offers dozens of running shoes with similar names like “ZoomX” and “Air Zoom,” so it can be tough to choose which model is going to work for you. That’s why we’ve homed in on the current options that performed strongest in our testing and received the highest ratings from men on our 225-runner-strong wear-test team. Every shoe here has been vetted by our Runner’s World editors as well, who have evaluated each pair against the entirety of Nike’s running selection. In addition to consulting our own impressions and data from mechanical tests at our RW Shoe Lab, we’ve researched the market, surveyed user reviews, and spoken with product designers to determine the best options.
—BEST TRAIL SHOE—
Nike Air Zoom Terra Kiger 7
When conditions get sloppy, the Terra Kiger will help you find sure footing on all kinds of terrain, from muddy singletrack to gravel to fresh snow. A Zoom Air unit beneath the forefoot provides enough firm cushioning to keep you comfortable for hours on the trail, while a protective plate at the heel shields your foot from sharp rocks and roots. Plus, Nike updated the outsole with new multi-directional rubber lugs that provide better grip; our testers who ran in the Terra Kiger 6 previously noted the 7 has improved traction on slick rocks. “The Kiger is built for speed on trails. The second time I took the pair out, on a flat gravel-and-dirt stretch, I set a new mile PR by a good 10 seconds,” one tester said. “The midsole is ample yet stiff—which lends the shoe a quick turnover—and flares out noticeably under the heel, providing a wide platform and confidence on every landing.”
—BEST FOR LONG RUNS—
ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit
Every tester on our team gave the Invincible Run a score of either six or seven (out of seven) in the comfort category, with one runner deeming it the “most comfortable shoe” he’s ever worn. Most of that comes from the ZoomX midsole, made from Nike’s top-tier Pebax-based foam. (It’s among the lightest, plushest, and most responsive around right now, and has the capacity to return about 70 percent of energy with each footstrike, the most of any material we’ve tested in our RW Shoe Lab.) ZoomX delivers exceptional bounce and bottomless softness, without packing out or feeling overly mushy, and the Invincible Run has more of it underfoot than any other daily trainer in Swoosh’s lineup right now.
—BEST FOR UPTEMPOS—
Air Zoom Tempo Next%
Instead of making a third version of the Pegasus Turbo, Nike pivoted and designed the Tempo Next% as the daily training counterpart to the supercharged Alphafly. It has similar tech, like bouncy ZoomX foam and Air Zoom units in the forefoot, but it’s tweaked for the rigors of weekly mileage and speed-oriented workouts instead of racing. In place of the stiff, snappy carbon-fiber plate found in the Alphafly, the Tempo uses a more forgiving composite plate for increased comfort and stability underfoot. Other tweaks—like a wedge of React foam in the heel and more rubber on the outsole—increase the Tempo’s durability, so you can rack up high mileage without tearing the shoe apart.
—BEST DAILY TRAINER—
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38
The fact that there have been 38 Nike Air Zoom Pegasus models is evidence of the shoe’s performance pedigree. But the shoe’s buttery-smooth, full-length React foam cushioning is what keeps us coming back. Like its predecessor, the 38th Peg has a Zoom Air unit—essentially a pocket of pressurized air in the forefoot—that’s tuned to a higher psi for the men’s model. The biggest changes Nike has made are to the upper, which now has a wider fit in the toebox (similar to those models prior to the Pegasus 36) and also incorporates a new internal webbing around the midfoot for better lockdown. The result is an all-rounder that’s ideal for runners who want a shoe that’s light and energetic but substantial enough for a long run. “Compared to the Saucony Ride that I typically wear as my daily trainer, the Pegasus feels a bit less supportive but more softly cushioned in the heel,” said a tester.
—BEST FOR RACE DAY—
ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2
The Vaporfly saga continues with a much-awaited sequel to one of the fastest shoes we’ve ever tested. It picks up right where the original left off with a few fit refinements to the upper and keeps the loaded midsole unchanged as the star of the shoe. Perched atop Nike’s premiere ZoomX foam is a stiff carbon-fiber plate that runs from heel to toe, so you’ll feel a propulsive spring with each step. Now, the upper incorporates patches of softer airy engineered mesh to boost breathability in key areas, while the forefoot is reinforced for improved durability (where most runners saw blowouts in the original version). “I’ve run in the original Vaporfly 4% and a few other carbon-plated shoes, but the Next% 2 is immediately a step ahead of the rest,” said our ultra-running video producer, Pat Heine. “The cushioning is super comfortable, and the specific tuning of the plate’s stiffness and the extreme forefoot rocker makes me even want to walk faster when I’m wearing this shoe. The propulsive feeling in the midsole design is obvious, and for me, it translated to faster times—even on my tired legs.”
—BEST BARGAIN WORKHORSE—
Air Zoom Winflo 8
For those who don’t want to shell out $250—or even $100, for that matter—on a pair of running shoes, there’s the Air Zoom Winflo 8. Testers have praised previous models of the Winflo for being the total package when it comes to a budget-friendly daily trainer. “The Winflo exceeded my expectations—a great dynamic between light weight and good support while still looking stylish,” said one. While it doesn’t use Nike’s more premium, bouncy React or ZoomX midsole foams, the eighth version delivers ample cushioning with two Air units sandwiched inside a thick layer of Cushlon foam. Though the Renew Run 2 comes in at the same MSRP, we like the Winflo for its lighter weight and quicker transitions. Plus, the Flywire cables integrated into the lacing help secure a snugger fit to better support the arch and midfoot.
—BEST FOR RECOVERY RUNS—
Air Zoom Vomero 14
The totally revamped Air Zoom Vomero 14 keeps the cush of earlier models but packages it in a responsive shoe that feels alive underfoot, thanks to a redesigned midsole. The 14th version now uses React foam (which deliver more energy return than Lunarlon) and, rather than burying separate forefoot and heel Zoom Air units beneath a layer of foam (as Nike did in the 13), the company layered a single, full-length Air unit just beneath the footbed. The design makes the Air cushioning more evident and provides a firmer feeling underfoot. “Like older Vomeros, there’s still a familiar heft and stiffness that accompany the plush cushioning while walking. However, one the run, the shoe feels more responsive and energetic from its snappier toe-off,” one tester said. “The 14’s substantial feel means I still prefer it for easier and longer runs—it is not a chameleon for short, fast efforts.” While it hasn’t launched yet in the States, the long-awaited Vomero 15 brings bigger changes to the shoe—like adding ZoomX foam in the heel.
—MOST STABLE—
React Infinity Run Flyknit 2
Like the Invincible Run, the Infinity Run was designed with injury-prevention in mind. According to that Nike’s commissioned three-month study with North Star Sports Medicine Research, runners training in the Infinity Run 2 reported 52 percent fewer injuries (defined as “missing three or more consecutive runs due to running-related pain”) than runners in training in Nike’s Structure 22 model. Though this shoe can’t make any guarantees, it also performed well during our own month-long test period, in which our wear-testers each ran at least 25 miles per week. No runners on our wear-test team reported any injuries, and three also noted the shoe’s excellent supportiveness that didn’t feel overly intrusive to their natural strides, thanks to a rocker-style sole and subtle stabilizing guide rails. “I tested the first version of the React Infinity last year, and it quickly became one of my favorite running shoes,” a tester said. “This second version fits about a half size smaller, but the ride is similar: smooth, light, and responsive. Plus, the refreshed upper now uses Flywire cables, so my foot felt more secure and supported around the midfoot and arch.”
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