In production · trail · Trail · $115
Nike Juniper Trail 2 GTX: 35 mm heel stack, 9 mm drop, 293 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for trail, at a target pace of 8:30–12:00 /mi on trail.
Nike tuned this midsole balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 35 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.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A tall 9 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. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.26 per mile at $115.
For the foams and plates Nike uses across its line, read the Nike brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
323 g / 11.4 oz
48 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
35 mm
1 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
9 mm
3 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$115
45 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~450 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).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Asics Gel Venture 11
320 g / 11.3 oz · 36 mm · 10 mm drop · Rock · $80
Asics Gel Venture 11: 36 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 320 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Mizuno Wave Daichi 8
300 g / 10.6 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · Rock · $145
Michelin-outsoled trail trainer built for grip and wet-rock security.
Mizuno Wave Daichi 9
290 g / 10.2 oz · 34 mm · 10 mm drop · Rock · $140
Michelin-outsoled trail trainer for wet, technical ground.
Brooks Cascadia 19(2024)
303 g / 10.7 oz · 35 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $140
The stable, protective all-terrain workhorse of trail running.