Nike's ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit is the company's most cushioned daily trainer yet

RW's Takeaway: The Invincible Run is one of the most comfortable daily trainers we've tried for long runs, with to soft, bouncy cushioning and a secure, snug upper.

One of the most contentious issues among biomechanists and footwear specialists, not to mention barefoot advocates and maximalist runners is the relationship between running shoes and injuries. So leave it to Nike to create an injury-prevention sneaker and call it the "Invincible Run." Nike tested the shoe in a three-month trial with North Star Sports Medicine Research in 2020, which utilized the same procedures and running-focused training regimen as a previous research that compared the Infinity Run with the Zoom Structure in 2019. Nike replaced the Invincible with the Infinity this time, but the findings remained consistent: runners training in the Invincible reported 52 percent fewer injuries (defined as "missing three or more consecutive runs owing to running-related pain") than runners training in the Structure 22.

While Nike does not promise that this shoe would cut your injury risk in half, the reduction in injuries among the study's 226 runners was significant—and makes sense when compared to the highly acclaimed work out of the University of Calgary's Human Performance Lab. According to UCalgary's research, buying a shoe only for comfort may be one of the greatest methods to reduce the chance of injury. If it ever comes to pass, the Invincible Run is extremely well-equipped for the task. Every tester on our team awarded the shoe a comfort score of 6 or 7 (out of 7), with one tester calling it the "most comfortable shoe" he's ever worn.

The ZoomX midsole, which is comprised of Nike's top-tier Pebax-based foam, is responsible for the majority of the comfort. It's one of the lightest, plushest, and most responsive materials available, and it can return up to 70% of energy with each footstrike, the most of any material we've tested at the RW Shoe Lab. ZoomX provides excellent bounce and limitless softness without packing out or feeling excessively mushy, and the Infinite Run has more of it underfoot than any other Swoosh daily trainer.

The sole employs a slightly curved rocker to keep the Invincible Run riding smoothly atop all that foam, while a horseshoe-shaped heel counter keeps the rear of your foot solid on touchdown. Nike also expanded the forefoot and flared the foam surrounding the heel to improve landing stability. Nonetheless, testers reported that the shoe felt a little shaky on tight bends, topped roadways, and crumbled sidewalks. Having said that, the wider forefoot did offer one very visible benefit: the fit seemed more accommodating to runners who had cramping toes in the smaller Peg 38.