On the run

Because these shoes are for everyday miles, I took them on normal-day runs for me: They ranged from 30 minutes to an hour, and the majority took place on pavement and sidewalks. I tried them during both an easy pace and a moderately challenging one.

My overarching takeaway? I felt a lot more bounce and responsiveness than I had expected, especially from a really cushioned shoe, and it made picking up the pace to tempo feel really smooth and natural.

It was also more stable than I expected: I used the previous iteration of the Nike Invincible as a long run shoe when training for a half marathon last year, and I noticed some lateral instability, especially on longer distances—which contributed to some lower-leg discomfort. Thanks to the slightly wider midsole on the 3s, though, I didn’t notice as much side-to-side extra motion (or resulting aches and pains). That extra stability boost, along with its comfy cushioning, makes the Invincible 3 a really great contender for longer miles.

One slight snag: During my first couple runs, I noticed some heel slippage at the beginning of my route. I had to stop to retighten the laces, but after I did, I stayed secure. Once I learned to tie them with a little more oomph, I stopped having to adjust them mid-run.

Bottom line

I really enjoyed running in the Invincible 2, but I remember thinking at the time, If only these had more stability. The new Invincible 3 improved on that, making the shoe a hard one to beat, in my opinion, for those everyday miles or even ones that are a little quicker. They’re a pair I find myself reaching for when the going gets long or my legs need a little more TLC—or, to be honest, when I just want something a little more fun, with a little more pop, than my other everyday shoes.