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Nike Run Defy

In production · road · Daily · $80

Simple, durable budget trainer for everyday road miles.

Built for daily, at a target pace of 9:00–12:00 /mi on road.

The spec sheet

Weight
295 g / 10.4 oz
Heel stack
33 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
~450 mi
Price
$80

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. 33 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 450 miles from the outsole, about $0.18 per mile at $80.

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

295 g / 10.4 oz

20 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g

Heel stack

33 mm

3 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm

Drop

10 mm

4 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm

Price

$80

80 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

~450 mi

Catalog median ~400 mi

Within the Nike line it is lighter 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.

Nike Quest 6

295 g / 10.4 oz · 35 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $85

Entry-level daily trainer with a soft midsole and a secure fit.

Adidas Runfalcon 5

303 g / 10.7 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $70

Sub-$70 starter shoe for short runs and gym duty.

Adidas Duramo Protect

290 g / 10.2 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $90

Weatherized Duramo for wet-weather road and path miles.

Adidas Duramo SL 2

265 g / 9.3 oz · 32 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $80

The classic cheap-and-cheerful Adidas trainer.

Adidas Supernova Ease

285 g / 10.1 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $110

Flexible, forgiving entry daily for new runners and walkers.

Lineage & siblings