Nike Vaporfly was the OG Super Shoe, now geared for 5-21.1km racing
WEIGHT—
STACK & PITCH—
MIDSOLEPEBA Zoom X
TECHZoom X
FITSnug, order normal size
BEST USERoad Racing - Half Marathon and Under
PRICE$340NZD
LAUNCHMid 2025
COMPETITIONHoka Rocket x3, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4
First Look
Nike racing is back on the shelves! The pioneer of the carbon racing shoe, the vaporfly 4 brings a fresh, new innovative design to their range. The 4 feels, at first glance, like a refinement rather than a revolution. Nike has taken its proven super-shoe formula and trimmed it down into something lighter, sharper, and more race-focused. Being the original super shoe they have a very good blueprint to work from.
The Fit
In terms of fit, the Vaporfly 4 tends to run half a size small so I would recommend sizing 0.5 up on your regular shoe size. It leans to the slightly roomy side in the forefoot, so those with narrow feet may notice a looser lockdown compared to earlier versions. However, the lockdown is improved through the midfoot, giving a more dialed-in race feel, though the heel can still feel a touch loose for some depending on foot shape.
The Feel
When it comes to feel, this is where the shoe really defines itself. The combination of softer and lighter ZoomX foam, and a more aggressively positioned carbon plate makes a ride that feels lively but slightly firmer and more direct than previous Vaporflys. You get strong energy return, especially through the forefoot, but with a lower stack and less rocker, it puts more responsibility on your legs rather than doing all the work for you. The result is a shoe that feels fast and controlled rather than overly bouncy or unstable.
Function
From a Function standpoint, the Vaporfly 4 is clearly tuned for speed over versatility. It excels in shorter races and faster efforts, think 5K to half marathon, where its low weight and quick turnover really shine. The trade-off is reduced cushioning and protection over longer distances, making it less forgiving for full marathons unless you’re efficient and lightweight. In short, it functions best as a pure race-day option for 5-21k distances, less of an all-rounder, more of a precision tool built for chasing fast times.
Summary
Overall this is a nice renovation of the previous renditions. Subtle changes have been made to enhance performance and offer another top line model in the Carbon racing category.
The Authors
