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Responsive foam and a sturdy upper will get you through a marathon training cycle.

The RW Takeaway: React foam underfoot feels good, whether you're out for an easy jog or running something more spirited.

Price: $150 Type: Road Weight: 10.3 oz (M), 8.3 oz (W) Drop: 9 mm

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The new Infinity reminds me of when Nike first rolled out Flyknit in running shoes and unleashed a boatload of wild designs. Our test samples, especially the men’s, look like they’re made from airport carpet or ’70s couch fabric. But once past the aesthetics, the praise began.

“My legs were thoroughly shot when I tested this shoe, but they treated my sore legs well,” one tester reported after running 3:16 and 3:17 marathons just six weeks apart. “They’re comfortable but without the feeling of low energy return.”

That’s the magic of React foam. Nike has used the stuff in basketball shoes, too, because of its protective bounce—in both sports, you need the foam to dampen a lot of impact but also let you get back off the ground quickly. The tradeoff, generally, is added weight. There are lighter, bouncier, sexier foams on the market now, including the PEBA-based ZoomX that Nike uses in its fastest racing shoes like the Vaporfly and Alphafly, but there’s an undeniable comfort to a shoe that lets you turn on cruise control.

React foam delivers the same sink-and-release sensation for hundreds of miles without compressing and packing out like lighter foams. And, unlike the EVA that shoes had been made from for decades, the React foam doesn’t feel as hard on cold days or completely lifeless when you’re striding down scorching-hot blacktop.

That upper, while polarizing, offers a locked down fit that runners with average width or narrow feet loved. But, testers with wider feet complained that the knit just didn’t offer enough stretch to make them comfortable for more than a few miles. The back half of the shoe has been bolstered with a lightly padded lining around the heel and in the tongue. “I like the mixed knit materials,” said a tester. “It’s like a cozy blanket around my foot.”

Craig W. | Age 39 Weekly Mileage: 40 Footstrike: Midfoot

“Comfort and cushioning comes without the expense of speed. The shoe was comfortable at an 8:30 pace and equally comfortable at a 6:30 pace, which is a rare combination. The upper seems like it would lack support based on the pliability of the material, but that simply wasn’t the case here. My foot was locked in with some of the softest material you'll see in a running shoe. I have a whole host of daily trainers to choose from, and with the exception of speed days, I would choose this shoe over and over.”