Our verdict
- Top pick in best Nike running shoes (2023)
- Top pick in best cheap running shoes (2023)
Pros
- Unbeatable price
- Premium softness underfoot
- Comfy interior padding
- Above average durability
- Versatile sneaker/running shoe
- Simple, yet pleasant design
- Plenty of colors available
- Recycled materials
Cons
- Subpar grip
- On the heavier side
- Tapered toebox
- Lacing is not always secure
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 81 Good! | 85 Good! | 77 Decent! | 81 Good! | |
| Price | $70 | $65 | $75 | $80 | |
| Pace | Daily running | Daily running | Daily running | Daily running | |
| Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Weight lab Weight brand | 9.9 oz / 280g 9.9 oz / 280g | 9.7 oz / 275g 10.7 oz / 303g | 9.3 oz / 265g 9.4 oz / 267g | 9.6 oz / 273g 10.4 oz / 295g | |
| Drop lab Drop brand | 10.0 mm 10.0 mm | 9.4 mm 10.0 mm | 10.1 mm 10.0 mm | 9.1 mm | |
| Strike pattern | HeelMid/forefoot | HeelMid/forefoot | Heel | HeelMid/forefoot | |
| Size | True to size | True to size | Slightly small | True to size | |
| Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
| Difference in midsole softness in cold | Normal | Small | Small | Normal | |
| Toebox durability | - | Bad | Decent | - | |
| Heel padding durability | - | Bad | Good | - | |
| Outsole durability | - | Decent | Good | - | |
| Breathability | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Width / fit | Medium | Wide | Medium | Narrow | |
| Toebox width | - | Medium | Medium | Narrow | |
| Stiffness | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible | |
| Difference in stiffness in cold | Big | Small | Normal | Big | |
| Torsional rigidity | Flexible | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Heel counter stiffness | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | |
| Heel lab Heel brand | 31.7 mm 32.0 mm | 31.2 mm 33.0 mm | 32.2 mm 32.0 mm | 29.8 mm | |
| Forefoot lab Forefoot brand | 21.7 mm 22.0 mm | 21.8 mm 23.0 mm | 22.1 mm 22.0 mm | 20.7 mm | |
| Widths available | NarrowNormalWideX-Wide | NormalWide | NormalWideX-Wide | Normal | |
| Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Season | All seasons | All seasons | All seasons | All seasons | |
| Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ranking | #483 Bottom 14% | #196 Bottom 39% | #305 Bottom 6% | #271 Bottom 16% | |
| Popularity | #180 Top 32% | #146 Top 45% | #58 Top 18% | #128 Top 40% |
Cushioning
Shock absorption
NewThe Downshifter 12 reflects its budget-friendly, versatile build with moderate-to-low cushioning, offering 112 SA in the heel and only 88 SA in the forefoot.
| Downshifter 12 | 112 SA |
| Average | 127 SA |
Energy return
NewWhile cushioning is limited underfoot, the Downshifter 12 delivers surprisingly good energy return for its price: 56.8% in the heel and 60.9% in the forefoot. Not bad at all.
| Downshifter 12 | 56.8% |
| Average | 58.1% |
Size and fit
Size
Nike Downshifter 12 fits true to size (69 votes).
Traction / Grip
Traction test
NewThere’s no way around it—grip is clearly subpar in the Downshifter 12. It performs decently in dry conditions, but once the rain hits, that 0.22 score becomes a red flag. We’d strongly suggest picking another pair when it’s wet outside.
| Downshifter 12 | 0.22 |
| Average | 0.46 |
Flexibility / Stiffness
NewFor a versatile daily trainer, having good flexibility is essential for everyday use on top of running. The Downshifter 12 ticks the box with 13.0N, though it's on the verge of being too stiff.
| Downshifter 12 | 13.0N |
| Average | 14.9N |
Who should buy Nike Downshifter 12
Get this Nike shoe if you are just starting out your running journey, and you don’t need or want more premium models for your workouts. It’s also a great choice simply as a friendly and very comfortable sneaker, to wear for everyday life.
Most of all, if saving some money is what you care about at the moment, you can’t really go wrong with this shoe.
Who should NOT buy the shoe
We suggest looking elsewhere if you:
- Want a more responsive and lively shoe. The Nike Revolution 6 is a better choice for you
- Need a lighter shoe. We urge you to check out the budget-friendly Nike Flex Experience Run 10 instead.
Nike Downshifter 12 vs Downshifter 11
Nike made a few tweaks to upgrade the Downshifter from its previous version. The shoe's upper has been slightly updated and some subtle tweaks are done on the outsole.
But what really sets these shoes apart, is that the new Downshifter 12 is much softer and cushier. This is confirmed by our durometer measurements as well. We found the Downshifter 12 to be 19% softer than the 11.
But if you are planning to take the shoe out in the cold, be prepared that it is going to stiffen up. In our freezer test, the Downshifter 12 got 30.8% firmer compared to its room temperature state.
Airy enough
When it comes to breathability, this shoe sits in the middle. It now sees a higher amount of material in the upper, and this impacts the airflow a little. But on a 1-5 scale where 5 is the most breathable, we gave its breathability a score of 3.
As you can see from our breathability tests, not much smoke or light is passing through the toebox mesh.
Downshifter 12 is a cozy shoe
We really enjoyed the way this Nike shoe fit and felt. The shoe has a soft, generously padded tongue (10.1 mm!) while there’s also a really nice padding in the heel.
The shoe's heel counter is not very stiff either. In our subjective assessment, we gave it only 2 out of 5, which is nearly the most flexible.
However, people with wider feet probably won't be able to enjoy the comfort of the shoe because it runs too narrow! Just look how tapered the Downshifter's toebox is!
Despite being wider than average near the ball of the foot (100.2 mm), the toebox gets way too narrow around the toes.
But the good news is that you can get this Nike shoe in wide and extra-wide options to get a better fit.
Midsole is not lively, yet nicely balanced
Price aside, another great reason to buy this shoe is its midsole. We have appreciated its softness during our test runs. But we must warn you that it is not overly plush! It provides a pretty balanced and cushioned ride for a shoe of its caliber.
We did lack the energy return of the more expensive models as the Downshifter 12 wasn't really helping to push off the foot.
Beginner-friendly heel drop
The Nike Downshifter 12 comes with an averagely-stacked midsole which is neither too minimalist nor high off the ground. Perfect for someone who is just starting out on a running habit.
We measured the shoe's heel stack at 31.7 mm and the forefoot at 21.7 mm. This is only a couple of millimeters lower than average.
The insole in this Nike shoe is 4.4 mm thick, which is the average for running shoes.
Platform feels stable
The midsole on the Downshifter 12 feels soft but it has enough stiffness to create a stable platform to rely on.
Based on our flexibility measurements, the shoe is 19% stiffer than the average.
In our subjective flexibility assessment, we gave the shoe's longitudinal flexibility 3 out of 5. For reference, 5 is the stiffest possible.
Nike Downshifter 12 has a good grip
As seen in the 11th iteration, the traction of the shoe remains reliable on most surfaces.
Not the lightest choice
If taken as a sneaker, the Downshifter 12 does a good job in this department. However, a weight above 10.6oz (300g) is nowadays quite hefty for a road running shoe, which is averaging 9.5 oz (270g).
Laces are tricky
In some of our test runs, the shoe's flat laces started to unravel. This made us stop and tie a double-knot for extra security.
Perhaps, round laces would've been a better idea in this Nike shoe.
Long-lasting rubber
The previous iteration had an outsole that proved noticeably resistant, and the Downshifter 12’s proved as much as good.
We would rank the shoe's outsole rubber as average in terms of durability based on two factors: its thickness and density.
The outsole component on the Downshifter is 3.5 mm thick which is exactly the average across running shoes.
As for the rubber density, our durometer shows it to be close to the average as well. Only 4% softer.
A well-designed shoe
Nike tends to infuse style even into its cheapest offerings. For a $70 shoe, we think that the Downshifter 12 has a nice visual appeal and pleasing essential colorways.
What’s more, considering that this is a budget model, it’s great that they decided to make it more environmentally friendly.
Just great for your wallet
Even with this slight $10 price increase, the Downshifter 12 shoe remains incredibly cheap but worthy of attention. Considering the comfort that this shoe offers, we find it a great value for money.
