These are the best Nike running shoes for every type of runner (2024)

Global powerhouse Nike is behind some of the best running shoes on the market. From everyday trainers through to top end racing shoes, there's something for every runner.

What are the best Nike running shoes in 2024

Here are our picks of the best Nike running shoes, listed by type of run or runner.

All of the shoes have been tested, with feedback from RW editors and our team of wear testers. Our choices include the brand’s latest innovations and flagship models, shoes for trail runners, beginners and overpronators. Keep scrolling to read more about the standout features of each of them.

Now that Nike is a global powerhouse, involved in virtually every sport, it's easy to forget that they started out as a running shoe company. When Phil Knight decided to start importing Japanese Onitsuka shoes (a company that later become known as Asics) in the early 1960s, he did so with a loan from his dad and out of the back of his car.

In 1964, he partnered with his former coach at the University of Oregon, Bill Bowerman, and Blue Ribbon Sports, the precursor to Nike, was born. When the relationship with the Japanese company became tricker, they started to develop their very own running shoe designs. Bowerman had long been tinkering with the designs of his athlete's shoes in an attempt to get the edge on their rivals. The first official Bowerman-engineered design was the 1967 Cortez, which featured a full-length foam midsole – displaying the kind of innovation that has become the brand’s hallmark ever since.

In 1970, Bowerman – while trying to devise a way of improving traction on newly designed track surfaces – caught side of the family waffle iron. Taking it off to the garage to experiment, he ruined the waffle iron but eventually created the waffle sole, still in use today. Then, in 1978, followed the Air sole – an air-filled pod in the midsole designed to absorb impact. Since then Nike has launched a host of innovations, changing the face of running. None more so that the Vaporfly 4% in 2017, the first racer to feature a full-length carbon fibre plate in the midsole to increase energy return.

Throughout its history, the Swoosh has shown an ongoing commitment to creating shoes that help runners go faster, farther and more comfortably, and today Nike produce some of the best running shoes you can buy.

The best Nike running shoes

Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3

>Read our full Nike Alphafly 3 review here<

When the late Kelvin Kiptum set the men's marathon world record in October 2023, he wore a prototype of these shoes. And there surely can't be a better recommendation for a shoe that that. When you run, the shoe propels you forward – the faster you run, the more you feel it. Even if you can't run at world record pace – and who can? – the energy saving will maximise your PB chances over any distance, but particularly the longer races.

For the latest iteration, Nike has used a continuous outsole for increased stability and an all-new last (shoe mould), fleshed out around the midfoot. These changes make the shoe a lot more comfortable than the Alphafly 2, reducing rubbing through the midfoot and on the Achilles, and give you confidence rounding corners.

The ride is punchy and light, with more of a tippy sensation on each step than the previous iteration. However, this just adds to the overall liveliness and enjoyment of the ride.

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>The best carbon plate running shoes<

Nike Pegasus 40

>Read our full Nike Pegasus 40 review here<

There's a reason that the Pegasus is in its 40th iteration - the 'workhorse with wings' really does deliver. There's been a few minor tweaks to the latest version, including a new, redesigned mid-foot band (for a more secure fit) and a redesigned single-layer mesh upper to offer more breathability and help to improve airflow in sweaty conditions.

The Pegasus 40 also includes two Zoom Air units – at the forefoot and heel – which helps to give that responsive, energised feel. While it’s certainly not one of the new generation of maximalist cushioned shoes, when you step in to the Pegasus, you do immediately feel that comfort hugging your foot securely in place.

The Pegasus 40 offers a solid, stable and comfortably cushioned ride, and it's a shoe that can take a lot of mileage and a lot of pounding on the tarmac. While it may not feel nimble enough to be a speed-day shoe of choice, its durability and comfort make it a supremely reliable everyday training option.

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Nike Vaporfly NEXT% 3

A go-to for many serious racers, the third iteration of the Vaporfly feels just as lively and fast as the previous two. Nike has overhauled the Vaporfly from the rubber up, looking to make it the lightest yet. One attempt to shave weight came in the midsole shaping, with foam now removed from places where it’s not needed. Gone, too, is the slab of rubber under the forefoot, replaced with a web of diamond-shaped lugs. According to our testers, the new construction eliminates the loud, slappy sensation found in almost all the new super shoes.

One gripe: the Flyknit upper is extremely thin and breathable, but it doesn’t stretch at all, so take care not to lace up too tightly.

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Nike Invincible 3

>Read our full Nike Invincible 3 review here<

The Invincible is a shoe that offers cushioning and comfort in abundance and for anyone looking for a daily shoe that is all about cruising about rather than crushing PBs.

The upper is where most of the work has been done between version two and three, and the previously thicker, less breathable Flyknit has been replaced with a more breathable and less sketchy Flyknit upper that helps lock the foot into place and gives the shoe a more secure feeling.

The comfort comes from the large chunk of ZoomX foam couple with an oversized footprint. These shoes really are at best when used for easy running all the way up to some tempo work. They’d be ideal for marathons too (and beyond), if your aim is to finish rather than race for the line with your heart jumping out of your chest.

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Nike InfinityRN 4

>Read our full Nike InfinityRN 4 review here<

It might not be categorised as a traditional stability shoe, but the InfinityRN 4 nevertheless is almost one by stealth. There is no traditional (though increasingly obsolete) stability medial post in this shoe. Instead, there's a clip running around the outside of the heel to keep you stable, and under the forefoot, the midsole is wider. These features unite to offer stability and support, without being intrusive, heavy or clunky as can be the case with some stability shoes.

As with the Pegasus above, the midsole in the latest iteration is made of Nike’s React X foam, which gives you 13% more energy return compared with Nike React foam. There’s also a rocker geometry in the shoe for a smoother transition during footstrike. Extra padding around the heel and ankle keep you supported too, and there's a new water repellent liner to the front of the toe box.

Overall, the React InfinityRN creates that rare thing – an everyday running shoe that both offers an unobtrusive ride to neutral runners, but also enough support for mild overpronators when they need it.

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Nike Vomero 17

The Vomero is one of Nike's cushioned daily trainers, chiefly designed for easy and long runs. It’s always offered a plush ride, but the latest iteration also benefits from Nike ZoomX in its midsole – the same Peba-based state- of-the-art foam in its supershoes.

This ZoomX is sandwiched with a layer of Cushion 3.0 – a traditional material that’s certainly less bouncy than the ZoomX, though still soft. Together they add up to a feeling of nicely balanced responsiveness, even at slower paces, while the cushioned tongue and smart lacing system provide supreme comfort. Yet despite all the plush details, the Vomero is no heavyweight, weighing in at 272g (M).

The waffle patterned outsole offers excellent grip on the road, while the shoe fits true to size with ample room in the forefoot. Though positioned as an easy-run shoe, the Vomero is light and versatile enough to handle some up-tempo running, too.

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Nike ZoomX Streakfly

Designed for 5K and 10K efforts on the roads, the Streakfly is a lightweight racer built for speed. It's almost an old school racing flat, but with a 2022 update. The minimal heel collar and thin upper shaves weight, while offset lacing eases pressure on the foot. Our testers enjoyed the ‘barely there’ feel, but also felt there was enough support to mean no stability issues, even when cornering at pace.

The midsole is made from the same light and responsive ZoomX foam as the Vaporfly, although with a much lower stack height, and instead of a full-length carbon plate, the Streakfly has a Pebax plate (similar to that on modern track spikes) under the midfoot. The result is a super-light, low-profile, springy ride to appeal to the traditional racing flat lover, but with more protection from the cushioning on the midsole. For lighter runners, they could also work as a half marathon racer.

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Best Nike shoes for the trails

Nike Winflo 10

Now we are at a point where it's increasingly difficult to find a pair of good running shoes under £100, the Winflo 10 are a great budget option for new runners or those looking for a reliable workhorse for regular runs at a pocket-friendly price. Sure, you won’t get the lighter foams or carbon plates of some of the brand’s racier, more pricy options, but the Cushion foam is still pretty soft and smooth riding, and the Zoom Air units in the midsole offer a plenty of responsiveness.

The latest iteration has a revamped toe box to provide a better fit for all foot types and there's extra cushioning around the ankle collar. It's got a breathable mesh upper too, and the Flywire cables under the lacing provide a secure and snug fit.

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Nike Pegasus Trail 4 GTX

Don’t let the GTX fool you into thinking this is some kind of extreme model for only the severest conditions and most technical terrain. It’s actually a true road/trail hybrid, with a React foam midsole that feels great on the pavement. And, though the GTX distinction suggests ankle-high waterproofness, the material only reaches to the top of the laces. The gaiter collar is instead a stretchy fabric, preferable for shielding against trail debris and light drizzle. Though not suited for deeper stream crossing, this construction does breathe easier.

The GTX version has other differences aside from the waterproofness in the upper. The outsole uses a different, stickier rubber to the non-GTX version. It performs wonderfully well on all surfaces and, in further evidence of the Peg GTX’s road-to-trail multitool creds, especially so on the road.

Off the road, it’s at its best on harder packed less technical trails, grass and dirt paths, providing a lively, responsive but smooth and nicely cushioned ride. The traction isn’t quite aggressive enough when things get really steep or slippy. Protective elements are also dialled down compared to the most extreme trail models, with no underfoot rock plate and limited added coverage at the toe, but unless you’re tackling something really extreme there’s enough to keep you safe and comfortable.

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Nike Zoomx Zegama

Named after a mountain race in northern Spain, the Zegama is Nike’s most technical trail shoe. In recent years, Nike trail shoes haven’t been known to tackle the world’s hardest mountain tracks, but the Zegama impressed. The midsole is made from ZoomX – the same stuff used in the Vaporfly and Alphafly racing shoes. On its own it’s too fragile for very technical trails, so it’s enclosed in a more durable carrier foam for better longevity. Still, the sole is Hoka-like thick – with nearly 20mm of ZoomX under your heel and more below the midfoot, so you harness all that soft goodness.

The upper is built to handle rugged ground. It has a small gaiter at the top to keep stones out, but the mesh over the foot has lots of ventilation, which doubles as drainage for when you get soaked.

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An oldie but a goodie...

Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2

While the latest iteration of the Nike Alphafly would be our first pick (thanks to changes to the midsole increasing stability, and the overall comfort level being improved) the second is still on sale and worth a look in.

Compared with the original Alphafly, the v2 benefits from a thin layer of ZoomX foam under the forefoot air pods, while cushioned heel pods were added to the rear. The outsole material is also thinner but more durable than the original version. These changes makes the shoe more compliant when the forefoot hits the ground and improves energy return. The back half of the chassis was reworked, too, improving stability.

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