Nike Air Structure Triax Trail Running Shoe

I've been running my old shoes way past their breaking point. They were Adidas, so they didn't have air --- which to me has always been a downfall. I like the everyday wearability of pure EVA or foam-like midsole shoes, like Adidas makes (oh sure -- they may call it Adiprene or something special, but it's really just tricked-out foam or a variation on EVA). However -- the problem with EVA or foam-ish midsole shoes is that they lose their absorption much more quickly than any other kind of midsole. EVA not so much as some cheaper foam-ish materials, but still much more quickly than an air bladder. So I've decided that I only really want to do foam/EVA midsoles if they also have an air bladder in them. Or, I could do an EVA-only midsole if I'm in a racing shoe that I want to be super-light for just a few uses until it is tossed. You may say, what's lighter than air? Well, foam or EVA is because with air you have to have a heavy plastic bladder to contain the air. Okay, then why is it that you want Nike air instead of an EVA or foam-only midsole? Because have you ever been running in an Adidas shoe for a few times & then noticed all the compression wrinkles in the midsole? That's because all the air bubbles in the foam-like material are being popped --- so pretty soon the midsole is all wrinkled and it loses all its absorption. Then your joints are just pounding the ground. I learned this the hard way. In college I ran on non-air shoes for a while and ended up with a misalignment of the patella (kneecap). It was very painful, and when I went to the orthopedist (also a runner) he asked how much I ran. I said about 50 miles per week. Then he pointed to my shoes and said, "Not in those wrinkly things I hope?!" I confirmed, and he told me there are three main things you have to balance when deciding on picking up some good running shoes for everyday use: 1) Not having air under your heel will allow your heel to drop down into the midsole a bit and give it more of a stable cup to sit in, however.. 2) That comes at a cost of more wear and tear on your joints -- so he recommended sacrificing some heel cup stability to have enduring cushioning (as long as it doesn't pop, an air bladder has just as much cushion 30 days later as when it was purchased -- whereas a foam- or EVA-style midsole will have lost a ton of absorption through wrinkling). 3) The third consideration is fit -- and though Adidas seem to have a wider forefoot which I like, it's not worth risking joint injury. Nike running shoes seem to come a bit narrower than other running shoes, and as such I usually have to purchase them a half-size larger than my skate shoes or other brands of running shoes. With some dress shoes and casual shoes I go with a 9.5 for a snug fit, but I can't do that in Nike. In Nike shoes I almost always get a 10 and it fits just as closely to the foot as a 9.5 in other shoes. It's also slightly narrower than something like an Adidas running shoe. For durability, I suppose the best combination would be a polyurethane midsole with an air bladder. But I have seen some old Nike's with polyurethane midsoles and they are way too heavy in my opinion. So I think the best is a combination foam or EVA midsole with an air bladder under at least the heel (if not the ball of the foot too). And that's the combination that the Nike Air Structure Triax has. There are also two key features of the Air Structure that I really would like to point out: 1) It has very sturdy support (harder material) under the inside portion of the heel -- so it's great for most runners, including those who tend to pronate. But beware if you supinate -- these things will pitch you out onto the outside of your heel even more. 2) Since it is not a pure road running shoe, but rather is a trail running shoe, the Nike Air Structure Triax comes with a Gore-Tex liner -- which is heavier and much less breathable than the lightweight mesh-style uppers of road running shoes such as the Nike Air Pegasus. This is great in wet or cold situations -- such as you often find when trail running. And it is also a more durable upper than more ventilated road running shoes. But I wish it came with a fabric such as eVent which is still waterproof but has much better breathability than Gore-Tex. I noticed the ventilation of the Nike Air Structure Triax to be in stark contrast to the exceptional breathability of the Vasque Aether Tech Softshell trail running shoe. Also, I preferred the BOA-style lacing of the Vasque shoe to the traditional laces of the Air Structure. But I really liked the waffle-style sole of the Air Structure, which has good grip but wide channels to clear the mud readily. All in all, the shoe is a great option for trail running if your foot can fit a Nike. If you are a particularly wide foot, you may want to look elsewhere. And because of the limited breathability, I wouldn't recommend this shoe as your summer road running shoe by any stretch. This is better as an Autumn or early-Spring trail runner. BUY NOW: Click here for the women's Nike Air Structure Triax 11. BUY NOW: Click here to check out lots of other deals on some of the best running shoes on . BUY NOW: Click here to see tons of clearance deals on athletic shoes at Overstock.com.