Our Nike Joyride review finds that the running shoe is good for runners of all levels.

Happy feet: The Nike Joyride is as good for running as it is for training workouts.

The Nike Joyride comes with an enticing name and a particularly interesting feature – tens of thousands of beads that form a unique cushioning system meant to absorb impact as you hit your stride.

After the Epic React, the Joyride is Nike’s next landmark cushioning system. We picked up a pair and got around to putting them to the test. Here are five reasons to buy the shoe.

According to Nike, the beads cushioning system is said to offer 14% better impact absorption when tested against shoes like the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 and Nike Epic React FK2.

1) The shoe encourages movement

The Nike Joyride gets more comfortable the more you move. The feeling of the beads underfoot does take some getting used to at first, but start moving and the expulsion of air from the impact of your feet landing will shift beads into where the cushioning is needed most. When that happens, the shoe gets gradually more comfortable to wear.

2) The shoe is created for personalization

Though anyone who purchases the Joyride leaves the store with the same product, the shoe’s bead cushioning system makes it so that each person’s experience wearing the shoe is unique to them alone. Each step or stride shapes around your foot to provide personalized cushioning and since all of us move differently, no two Joyrides will feel the same.

3) The shoe comes with Flyknit technology in the upper

Flyknit is a woven fabric that’s flexible, lightweight, and breathable. Flyknit, another one of Nike’s landmark technologies, has been a mainstay in many of Nike’s performance shoes. The Joyride comes fitted with Flyknit in the upper so you get a sock-like fit for a stable, joyful ride.

10,000 beads housed in four pods in the sole shape around the foot for a personalized ride.

4) The shoes actually look great on-feet

The shoes look better on-feet than we had originally expected. They tend to fit snug, so going up by half or one full size is recommended to accommodate wider feet. For those who prefer subtlety, the good news is that the beads, housed in a frosty blue window in the heel, don’t stand out all that much.

5) The Joyride is multipurposed 

Though the Joyride is created for running, it can easily be worn for cross-training purposes. Its lightweight nature and groundedness makes it excellent for HIIT workouts as well.

The Nike Joyride is now available on Nike.com, it retails at S$249 a pair.

Read more: Nike puts more than 10,000 beads together for their latest cushioning technology