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The Nike Vaporfly 4 is the latest version of the original carbon plate running shoe and a significant update on the Nike Vaporfly 3, with a lower stack height and a more aggressive design better-suited to shorter events than the marathon.
These changes mean the Vaporfly 4 is now less similar to the Nike Alphafly 3, and indeed most carbon super-shoes. Tom and Kieran have been testing out the Vaporfly 4 to see if it’s still one of the best running shoes for racing you can get; here’s their full verdict.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £240/$260
- Weight: 190g/6.7oz (men’s UK 9 / US 10)
- Drop: 6mm
- Stack height: 35mm heel, 29mm forefoot
- Upper: Engineered mesh
- Midsole: ZoomX foam with full-length carbon Flyplate
- Outsole: Thin rubber on forefoot and heel
Nike Vaporfly 4 Review
How’s The Fit
Kieran and Tom tested the Vaporfly 4 for our review and both found the fit to be the right length in their normal size. It’s a slightly narrow shoe, but so far the only mild fit concern is some slippage at the heel, which has been noticeable but manageable.
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The Run Test: Likes
The changes made to the Vaporfly 4 make it a more aggressive and direct racing shoe than the Vaporfly 3, which many runners found got a little too squishy and soft compared to previous models of the shoe.
It’s extremely light and very snappy, and has the firmer feel that you got from the earlier generations of the shoe. It now stands out from both the Alphafly 3 and the market at large in offering something a little different by having a lower-stack and more minimal design.
This makes the Vaporfly 4 ideal for shorter events in particular, and runners who prefer a lower stack might find it a great option for the marathon. It’s similar to the Adidas Takumi Sen 10 in this regard.
At the Sonia O’Sullivan Cobh 10 Miler, an excellent event where Kieran tested the shoe, Kieran ran 62:37 on a hilly course and was impressed by the shoe’s performance. It’s fast and direct, but has enough protection for speeding down hills.
Kieran also found the stability of the shoe to be pretty good, and the durability is improved compared with the Vaporfly 3, which had an outsole that degraded quickly for many runners, including Tom, who hasn’t managed to destroy the Vaporfly 4 yet whereas he ripped some of the outsole off the Vaporfly 3 after one run.
The Run Test: Dislikes
Although some runners will like the less cushioned approach for any distance, the Vaporfly 4 will now probably suit most up to around half marathon distance, with more cushioned super-shoes being preferable for the marathon and longer events.
Tom would prefer to have more cushioning underfoot for longer events in particular, with the leaner midsole not offering enough comfort for his tastes in marathon shoes.
Kieran also had some mild heel slipping on one foot with the shoe, and although it wasn’t a major concern, it would be something to look out for.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Nike Vaporfly 4 is a lightweight and snappy shoe that excels for shorter races, and could also be used for longer events you like a more direct ride and lower stack shoes in general.
It’s closer in feel to earlier models of the Vaporfly, but when compared to the best racers available the Vaporfly 4 doesn’t have quite as much punch as shoes like the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris and Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4, which have higher stacks and springier foams while still also being very lightweight.
We think Nike’s decision to make the Vaporfly 4 a leaner, lower-stack shoe compared with the Alphafly 3 is a good one, and it is now something a bit different to most super-shoes that runners who stick to shorter events will particularly enjoy.