This is my second running sneaker review, my first was on the new Nike Epic React Flyknit. I want it to be known I have no affiliation with Nike and everything I say it my own opinion. Over the last two years since I started working in a population that affords me the luxury of working with a lot of runners and lifters I have gravitated to serving them better by increasing my own running efforts.
With that being said, I have a brief history of running a variety of shoes dating back to my high school days as a track and field athlete. I was obsessed for the ASISCS GT2100 series and ASICS Kayano series for sometime and then I shifted to the ASICS GEL3000 series. Purely picking Asics because a lot of my classmates wore them and they were seen as a “running company.” I have never run in Brooks, Saucony, or Mizuno. I haven’t owned a pair of Asics since 2012. I briefly tried Newton Running for a whopping one week and three total test runs.
Then starting in 2013 I got on board with Adidas Boost technology, primarily the Energy Boost and then shifting to the Ultra Boost. But since life changes have occurred and life choices, I have been running in Nike, exclusively, for about the last two years. My shoe of choice was the Vomero, because of the plush system. I dabbled with Lunarglides (but now that shift is merely everyday use for me). I have been a huge fan of Vomeros and then shifting to Pegasus from a friend’s recommendation.
But since the release of the Nike Breaking2 initiative, I have been longing for getting my hands on the Nike Zoom VaporFly 4%. They were sold out on the initial release and I didn’t manage to get a pair until I got lucky in a raffle. My training is done with Nike Zoom Flys, but my half-marathon and full-marathon “races” will be done in the VaporFly 4%.
The Unboxing
Shoe Specifications
- Men’s Size 10
- Weight – 6.5 oz
- Forefoot – 21 mm
- Heel – 31 mm
- Heel-Toe Drop – 10 mm
- Women’s Size 11.5
- Weight – 6.5
- Forefoot – 12 mm
- Heel – 22 mm
- Heel-Toe Drop – 10 mm
Test Runs
The upper mesh is incredible. There’s not much to it so there is a lot of ventilation available. The heel portion of the shoe was reinforced so prevent any sort of heel rub on when running. I like the fit of the shoe too because it was so light weight but still a comfortable feel where it didn’t feel as though my foot is being squeezed.
Nike has made a few changes that is traditionally seen on their most recent runners. There is no flywire for dynamic fit. It’s done away with, most likely for [some] practical reasons but also because it’s extra “stuff” which it doesn’t need if it’s trying to be the fastest shoe.
They’re beyond light. I know I said that about the Epic React Flyknit, but these are much lighter. The comfort system and support system is vastly different. There’s a carbon plate in the Vaporfly. Which is unlike anything Nike has used in their runners before. The Carbon plate is designed to aide with propulsion and to feel less of shock with each foot strike.
These are awesome to run in. I don’t know if it was because of the shoe itself or a placebo effect because I was wearing a shoe that is designed to make you faster. But these shoes are awesome especially with the advanced technology in the shoe. They’re light, incredibly responsive, moreso than the Epic React Flyknit, but comfortable in a different way.
Overall Impressions
By no means am I some elite marathoner runner. Actually, let me say by no means am I an elite runner. So for me to depend on dropping significant minutes off a race wearing a special pair of racing shoes is delusional. For me to drop a lot of time, I’m going to have to train more efficiently and effectively. But for elite runners, who need to improve that 1% to get a national record or get an opportunity to compete in the Olympics or win prize money, that’s a different story.
I absolutely love how stable I feel with these shoes and also love the cushioning system. It’s a different sort of comfort than the Epic React Flyknits that were released and recently restocked. This shoe will only be used for races, I won’t use them on training runs (because A. I don’t have that sort of endless supply of this show B. Not sponsored C. I have invested into other training shoes).
Price: $250.00 and Good Luck finding a pair. I know you can find them on eBay and there are some small local running shops that may have a pair.
There have been numerous articles written about the efficacy and efficiency of the shoe:
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