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Nike Juniper Trail 3

In production · trail · Trail / Daily · $90

Budget trail shoe for door-to-trail and groomed paths.

Built for trail, daily, at a target pace of 9:30–12:30 /mi on trail.

The spec sheet

Weight
305 g / 10.8 oz
Heel stack
32 mm
Drop
10 mm
Plate
—
Cushioning
3 / 5
Energy return
2 / 5
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Rocker
2 / 5
Flexibility
3 / 5
Stability
3 / 5 (5 = most guidance)
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Durability
~400 mi
Price
$90

How it rides

The foam

Nike tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is modest, so the ride feels protective and damp rather than springy. 32 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.

The plate

There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.

The geometry

A tall 10 mm drop tips weight forward off the heel, which usually suits heel strikers and calves that dislike low-drop shoes. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.

Fit, sizing & life

The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.23 per mile at $90.

For the foams and plates Nike uses across its line, read the Nike brand guide.

How it compares

Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.

Weight

305 g / 10.8 oz

30 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

32 mm

4 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

10 mm

4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$90

70 cheaper than the catalog median of 160

Responsiveness

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Cushioning

3 / 5

Catalog median 4 / 5

Energy return

2 / 5

Catalog median 3 / 5

Durability

~400 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Nike line it is heavier than the brand's median (295 g / 10.4 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (36 mm).

Closest alternatives

Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.

Under Armour Bandit Trail 3

300 g / 10.6 oz · 30 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $100

Hybrid trail trainer for gravel paths and light singletrack.

Salomon Speedcross 7(2025)

290 g / 10.2 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $150

Deep chevron lugs for mud, snow and soft ground.

Adidas Terrex Tracerocker

310 g / 10.9 oz · 30 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $80

Budget trail shoe for packed paths and light hiking.

Asics Gel-Sonoma 8

300 g / 10.6 oz · 29 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $90

Budget trail workhorse with decent grip and long wear.

Adidas Terrex Soulstride

310 g / 10.9 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $120

Road-to-trail cruiser with a soft, protective midsole.

Lineage & siblings