The Structure 24 is much more versatile than I thought. 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. Last year, while testing the Structure 23, I thought that it was only good for slower-paced, easy or recovery runs. The fit is still true to size and suitable for wide feet because its forefoot and midfoot are so accommodating. There are also no longer reflective strips on the sides of the toe box like on the 23, but there are still reflective strips on the sides of the heel counter. Instead, the mesh is smooth so it feels more streamlined. It no longer has small perforations on the midfoot and on top of the toe box. The easiest way to tell the difference between the Structure 23 and 24 is the engineered mesh used. There’s no tongue slide but I did find the Structure 24’s upper warm because of the inner sleeve and all the padding. The tongue of the Structure 24 is thick and is attached to an inner sleeve.
The inner lining of the trainer is smooth and won’t irritate you if you don’t wear a sock. It has a stout internal heel counter and a plush heel tab which provide a good, secure heel lockdown. I feel that the padding is slightly excessive and that a lot of weight could be shed if it was more minimal. The Structure 24’s upper is reminiscent of one found on a max-cushioned trainer and is on par with the Vomero 16 in terms of comfort. Footstrikes feel very planted and I prefer this modern, less intrusive method of stability than firm, poky medial posts. The stability in the Structure 24 comes from its wide base and its built-up midsole on the medial side which prevents excessive inward ankle rolling. The Structure 24 definitely isn’t as stable as the Structure 22 and Structures before the 22 because of how much softer its midsole is but it’s still an incredibly stable ride and one of the most stable neutral shoes you can buy. The result is a more consistent ride than the Pegasus and Vomero because CMP 010 foam surrounds the airbag in the forefoot whereas the forefoot of the Pegasus/Vomero feels much firmer than the rearfoot so the ride feels inconsistent. There’s also a small Zoom Air unit in the forefoot of the Structure 24 which is only situated under the ball of the foot and doesn’t cover the entire forefoot like in the Vomero 16 and the Pegasus 38. It’s an EVA foam which feels softer and more spongy than dense, rubbery React foam.
It’s one of the only Nike trainers to use CMP 010 foam in its midsole which I prefer to the more popular React foam. It’s a comfortable, stable and versatile trainer which can handle most runs. The best thing about the Structure 24 is that it doesn’t feel like a firm, stiff stability trainer that pokes your arch. I used my Structure 24 for mainly easy, middle distance runs which is what it feels most comfortable doing although it is capable of slightly faster efforts. It’s not the best shoe for speed work because of its flexible forefoot and its plush upper which makes it weighty. The Structure 24 can be used as your daily trainer, recovery trainer, or long run shoe. It feels well-cushioned without being mushy or firm and it falls into the same category as shoes like the ASICS Cumulus, Brooks Ghost and Hoka Clifton – versatile trainers that can fill the role of 2 or 3 shoes in your rotation. The word that describes the ride of the Structure 24 best is “balanced”. It still has an 8 mm drop and a price of $120. The Structure 24 weighs 0.8 oz (23 g) more than its predecessor. It maintains the same midsole and outsole as last year’s version but it gets a new upper. Version 23 was one of the biggest updates in the history of Nike so it makes sense that version 24 is one of the smallest updates. The 23 felt much more cushioned and much more flexible I liked the new direction that the Structure had gone in.
When I tested the Structure 23 last year, I was astonished how different it was to previous Structures which were firm and stiff. Nike’s research must have indicated that the number of runners wanting a supportive, neutral trainer outweighed the number of runners wanting a “true” stability trainer. It was a bold move for Nike to transform their last textbook stability trainer into a supportive, neutral trainer. 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. Imagine if ASICS removed the firm medial post from the Kayano and gave it a single-density midsole.
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