Nike Structures 19 good or bad?

Unfortunately, Nike significantly softened the Structures between the 18th and 19th editions. I found this made for a supportive heel and a squishy, unstable forefoot.

Haven't tried them, but I believe they're very very similar to the 18, which I'm a fan of. a bit firmer than previous models, but light and quite supportive with their new-ish medial post.

I just started running in the Zoom Odyssey, maybe 200-300 miles deep or so. I used structures as a daily trainer for about 3.5 years (starting with the 14's), but I think I'll be sticking with the Odyssey for a while. They have a bit more 'give' to them, which I enjoy when I'm doing more mileage, specifically on the roads.

3dx wrote:

Unfortunately, Nike significantly softened the Structures between the 18th and 19th editions. I found this made for a supportive heel and a squishy, unstable forefoot.

I guess I stand corrected about the firmness haha.

I like them. The upper is a big improvement over the 18. The sole is a little softer than the 18 which some might not like but I prefer it.

college jr wrote:

I just started running in the Zoom Odyssey, maybe 200-300 miles deep or so. I used structures as a daily trainer for about 3.5 years (starting with the 14's), but I think I'll be sticking with the Odyssey for a while. They have a bit more 'give' to them, which I enjoy when I'm doing more mileage, specifically on the roads.

by 'give' do you mean less support or more cushioning?

if anyone else also has a nike odyssey review too I'd be interested, these shoes have me intrigued (longtime nike structure guy)

The Odyssey is essentially the lovechild of the Vomero and the Structure. It is intended to be Nike's entry into the highly-cushioned, highly-stable category of premium shoes that includes the Asics Gel Kayano, Saucony Hurricane, and Brooks Transcend. Overall, the Odyssey is a fine shoe - lighter and more flexible than any of its competitors - but I don't believe it achieves what it was originally intended to accomplish.

As another poster mentioned above, the shoe has a fair amount of cushioning, but it is nowhere as plush as the Kayano, Hurricane, or Transcend. To compare the Odyssey to other Nike models in terms of cushioning, I'd say it has perhaps marginally more "give" to it than the current model of Pegasus. The Odyssey is also softer than the Structure.

As for support: the Odyssey and the Structure both feature traditional medial posting. But while the Structure's posting only extends to the shoe's midfoot (https://content.nike.com/content/dam/one-nike/en_us/season-2014-ho/Shop/LAUNCH/10-04/Nike-Air-Zoom-Structure-18-Mens-Detail.jpg.transform/default/image.jpg), the Odyssey's posting goes all the way to the forefoot (https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H8w_3q4scJ8/maxresdefault.jpg). Unfortunately, the height of the Odyssey's posting has been reduced along the arch relative to the Structure. This leaves the Odyssey less supportive in the heel and midfoot than the structure, but slightly more supportive in the forefoot.

Bottom line: I REALLY wanted to like this shoe when it came out. If only the designers at Nike hadn't shaved down the height of the rear medial post, I would've been in love. As it stands, however, I've been left with a softer, less supportive version of the Structure - a compromise that makes no one happy.

DieselTaco wrote:

by 'give' do you mean less support or more cushioning?

I meant more cushioning. And in contrast to the above poster, I enjoyed the slightly lower arch posting, as I have essentially flat feet and having more arch support gets bothersome for me, though I still like a firmer medial foam.

Thanks for the review guys!