Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 4 Introduction

There used to be a time when you could easily purchase any new running shoe (online or in store) on the day it was released. There was plenty of stock, and you didn’t have to queue up. The Vaporfly changed all that.

In 2017, the original Vaporfly 4% was almost impossible to buy. It wasn’t bought up by sneakerheads looking to resell and make a profit, but it was bought by actual runners. It was such a sought after shoe because it was claimed by Nike that it improved your running economy by 4%. In endurance sports, a 1% gain is a big deal. A 4% boost was groundbreaking, and it helped runners shave minutes off their marathon times.

Since then, every Nike Vaporfly version has been difficult to purchase on launch day, even though they cost close to $300 (with tax). This phenomenon has also spread to other brands’ racers. It has even spread to some training shoes.

8 years down the line and the Vaporfly is still one of the most popular long-distance racers. It’s generally considered a safe choice (it doesn’t have a wild geometry or aggressive rocker) and it’s regarded by many as the default super racer. It’s also one of the most widely available carbon-plated racers.

If you’ve owned Nike trainers in recent years, you would be familiar with the typical Nike fit, which is best suited to narrow, low-volume feet. The Alphafly 3, Zoom Fly 6, Structure 25, Pegasus Plus, and Pegasus Premium are recent Nike shoes that all exemplify this.

The Vaporfly 3 was an oddity because its upper was really accommodating and loose, especially for a racing shoe. In my review, I said that it felt more like a training upper than a racing one. This affected the ride of the Vaporfly 3 because the foot was not properly locked down and this resulted in a loss of power from the foot to the midsole.

The Vaporfly 3 also had durability issues. After a track workout in the rain, the entire rearfoot of mine tore off; it only had 181 kilometres on it. This has never happened with any of my other racers. Other than those issues, the Vaporfly 3 was a decent racer- good, but not great. I used it for training but I never raced in it.

This year’s Vaporfly 4 is a significant update. Not only does it have a new upper, outsole and midsole, but for the first time, its stack heights have decreased. It now has a 35 mm/29 mm stack height, 5 mm less in the heel and 3 mm less in the forefoot than its predecessor. It comes in at a superlight weight of 5.9 oz (167 g) for a men’s US 9 which is the lightest Vaporfly ever. Its price is still $260.

Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 4 First Impressions

My first run was an interval workout consisting of 1 km and 500 m intervals. It was raining for the entire workout and the grip was fantastic. The new upper had a much better fit than the Vaporfly 3. It felt like a snug, racing upper and it provided excellent lockdown.

The ride was really similar to the Vaporfly 3 but it felt more agile thanks to the weight reduction. I didn’t really notice the difference in the stack height or the lower drop.

The Vaporfly 4 didn’t blow me away on that first run but I still enjoyed it. It felt light, soft and fast. It still had that energetic ZoomX ride that makes you want to run fast.

Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 4 Upper

The new, engineered mesh upper is the biggest improvement and it’s the best Vaporfly upper to date. Although breathability isn’t as good as the Vaporfly 3, the foot lockdown improvement is significant, especially for narrow and low volume feet.

The flat tongue is shorter and doesn’t poke into your ankles anymore. It’s still not gusseted but there isn’t any major tongue slide. There’s a strip of padding on the inside of the heel but heel lockdown is slightly below average- there’s no heel slippage but it’s a bit loose.

It has a fit which is on the narrow side but I don’t recommend sizing up because it will be too long. It’s not suitable for runners with wide feet and it’s still not available in additional widths. There are small, reflective stickers on the lateral side of the midsole and on the tongue of this Prototype colourway.

Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 4 Sole Unit

With most of the Nike elite athletes preferring the Alphafly 3 for racing marathons in, the Vaporfly 4 is now geared more towards the shorter distance races: 5K, 10K and half marathons. We know this because of the stack height and the weight reduction of v4. The Alphafly has deeper cushioning now and is more tailored to marathons.

What the Vaporfly does really well (and better than the Alphafly) is that it disappears on your feet. It offers distraction-free running and it becomes an extension of your legs. Whenever I run in the Vaporfly 4, it feels comfortable and natural (compared to other super shoes with wild geometries and cutouts). This is what makes it such a popular racer and a good first super shoe for runners looking at a carbon-plated option.

Most of the runs I did in the Vaporfly were uptempo (hill sprints, intervals, threshold and tempo runs). It comes alive at paces below 4:30 minutes per kilometre (7:14 per mile) and it makes it easy to increase your speed. It also doesn’t feel bad during slower, steady-paced runs. It feels much better at slower paces than the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 and the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 which I reviewed recently.

The carbon plate in the Vaporfly 4 has been modified and has an increased angle. According to Nike, the new plate helps to unlock leverage from the foot and ankle but I can’t say that I notice a big difference between the plate of v4 and v3. It does feel a little more flexible than v3.

When it comes to speed assistance, I don’t think the Vaporfly 4 offers as much as other racers. This is mainly because it doesn’t have a prominent forefoot rocker to speed up transitions at toe-off. It doesn’t feel like the shoe is tipping you forward so your feet have to do more of the work. It doesn’t possess the raw power that some of the other super racers have that I crave when racing.

The Vaporfly 4 is 5 mm lower in the heel and 3 mm lower in the forefoot than its predecessor but the difference is not noticeable, even when you have both versions on at the same time, 1 on each foot. It’s still a very cushioned and protective racer for long distances so I think this was a smart move by Nike. The midsole is entirely made of ZoomX, PEBA foam.

On the outsole, the entire forefoot is covered with soft, sticky rubber and the outer heel areas are covered with small pieces of rubber. Grip is really good, even in the rain thanks to the new, softer rubber compound on the forefoot.

Just like its predecessors, durability is one of the Vaporfly 4’s biggest shortcomings. Due to how soft ZoomX is, the exposed midsole foam on the outsole starts to show wear very quickly. It also punctures, chips and scrapes easily so it should be used only for racing or key workouts.

Nike ZoomX Vaporfly 4 Conclusions

There are 2 types of super racers: those with a high toe-spring (aggressive rocker), and those with a flatter, more traditional ride. The Vaporfly is the latter type. It doesn’t provide as much propulsion but it feels more natural. It’s an uncomplicated super racer that’s easy to use. I’d put it into the same category as the Puma Deviate Elite 3, Saucony Endorphin Pro 4, Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB and New Balance SC Elite v4.

The best way to describe the new Vaporfly 4 is that it’s a leaner Vaporfly- it’s a lighter, less cushioned, faster racer designed for half marathons and below. You can still run a marathon in it but the Alphafly 3 (more stable and has deeper cushioning) is better for long distances.

The main reason to upgrade to the Vaporfly 4 is its superb upper. The snug, racing fit makes it easier to tap into the Vaporfly’s speed. It’s more comfortable and it provides better lockdown. I feel more connected to the Vaporfly 4. Runners with wide or high volume feet will prefer the Vaporfly 3 but the majority will prefer the fit of the Vaporfly 4.

The Vaporfly 4 is a good update. It still feels like a Vaporfly but it has become lighter and better for forefoot strikers due to the reduced drop. You also don’t notice the reduced stack height. It has no major weaknesses.

I personally will not be racing in the Vaporfly 4 because I prefer a stiffer forefoot and a more propulsive ride, even for short-distances. I think $260 for it is too much. There are other super racers which you can buy for $10 cheaper that provide more speed assistance and are more durable than the Vaporfly 4. The Vaporfly is much lighter though.