Why Beads?

They're soft, they're bouncy and they form the core of an innovative new cushioning system designed to help make all the ways you move feel easy—even running.

We spent years obsessing over the beads—finding the right size, shape and feel to deliver a soft, comfortable ride. Here's how it works: Every time you take a step—or stride—10,000+ beads shape around your foot to provide personalised cushioning and support, before responsively bouncing back to propel you forward.

That soft ride doesn't just go easy on your feet—it helps your whole body to feel good. The Nike Joyride cushioning system offers 14% better impact absorption when compared to some of our most trusted running shoes (tested with Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 and Nike Epic React FK2).

If you’re looking for a totally unique, completely personalized cushioning feel, this is the shoe for you. With four pods of tiny, squishy beads placed strategically throughout the midsole, the Nike Joyride Flyknit offers incredible comfort from heel to toe on your shakeout runs.

This shoe feels like a more traditional running shoe, with two pods of tiny foam beads in the heel and midfoot for personalised cushioning where you need it most. The one-two punch of the beads in the most common areas of greatest impact and a responsive foam midsole move you easily from one stride to the next.