Nike Vaporfly NEXT% 4 Review: Can the Original Super Shoe Stay on Top?

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

I remember when the Nike Vaporfly NEXT% first launched like I remember my first ever track meet–an overwhelming feeling of excitement and trepidation. I was working as an Outfitter at Fleet Feet Delray Beach when we began receiving a small shipment of the shoes. My boss informed me that the shoes would not be going on the shelves as each pair had already been claimed by customers calling in and pre-ordering.

What was so special about these shoes? I wondered to myself. I was training for my first marathon at the time and wanted to soak up every piece of knowledge I could get my hands, and eyes, on.

The Nike Vaporfly NEXT% promised to take runners to the next level with a carbon-fiber plate and springy midsole foam to return energy with every step. At the time, this was a revolutionary concept that would prove to change the sport of road racing forever. Fast forward five years later, and every major shoe brand has a carbon-plated racer in their lineup. Can the new Vaporfly 4, available April 24, hold its position at the top of the carbon-plated food chain? Read on to find out.

Inside the sleek midsole of the Nike Vaporfly 4 are two key technologies at play. The first, and most obvious, is the carbon-fiber plate. Nike calls this their Flyplate, and it runs the full length of the midsole. It’s curved in such a way to encourage maximum propulsion from landings into toe offs.

The plate works in conjunction with Nike’s ultralight and highly responsive midsole foam, ZoomX. This foam is designed to absorb impact while fighting fatigue and returning energy back to you so you can keep up the pace until you cross the finish line.

“I was super excited to test the latest iteration of the Nike Vaporfly Next%. I tested the original shoe and wore the second version for a marathon and a handful of half marathons,” says Kate, a 2:56-marathoner who’s training for the Smoky Mountain Relay. “My first test run was a ten-miler with 6x1 mile repeats at an uptempo pace. When I started my run, I was feeling a little tired and unenthusiastic about it all. I started my warm up and the Vaporflys gave me a nice bounce in my step. I kept looking down at my watch and feeling surprised that I was going faster than I expected. Once I got into my workout, the same trend continued. I felt a little tired, but whenever I looked at my watch, I was running faster than I would have guessed. These were definitely helping me pick up the pace. I had a really consistent, successful workout in these shoes, despite feeling fatigued and running into a headwind.”

I tested the Vaporfly for a six-mile run with four sets of five minutes at slightly-slower-than-5K-race pace. These shoes are incredibly lightweight! They almost seemed to disappear underfoot. This sensation felt great for a shorter, faster workout, but for a longer race (like a half or full marathon), I’d want a little bit more cushioning underfoot.

Nike reduced the stack height (the distance between your feet and the ground) in the latest Vaporfly, bringing the heel from about 39 millimeters to 35 millimeters. They also adjusted the shape and geometry of the midsole and outsole to reduce weight–it’s the lightest Vaporfly in the history of the franchise, after all.

But some reviewers thought the new midsole just felt unstable.

“The first thing I noticed during my run was how narrow the outsole is around the midfoot! Sheesh! For someone with some chicken legs, when it comes to supershoes I prefer a wider platform to create some inherent stability,” Max says.

While Kate and I didn’t find the Vaporfly 4 to feel unstable (I rounded some tight corners with ease during my workout), we both agreed that we’d like some more cushioning and a more pronounced rocker shape for a serious personal-record effort.

“The feeling of running in these shoes is more subtle than other super shoes that I have tested,” Kate says. “I wish this shoe had a more prominent, propulsive rocker. If I’m shelling out for a race day shoe, I want it to really feel like a super shoe—noticeably propulsive and bouncy. The Vaporfly feels more like a normal shoe when you walk around in it, but the benefits definitely shine through once you start running.”

Whether or not the Vaporfly 4 could be your next racing shoe will come down to personal preference. Some runners, like Kate and I, want to feel as bouncy as Winnie the Pooh’s Tigger bouncing around on his tail when he’s in a good mood. Some runners want to feel more connected to the ground when running fast. I think the Vaporfly 4 is built for the latter.

The engineered mesh upper of the Nike Vaporfly 4 is so light, I can barely tell it’s there. It wraps perfectly around my foot, allowing me to run at top speeds with nothing in the way. I was pleasantly surprised by how stretchy the laces felt when pulling the shoes on–I think they’re definitely an improvement from the last version of the Vaporfly I tested, the 2.

A small pillow of cushioning sits inside the heel to hold my feet in place, while a tiny suede accent flips up in the back, revealing a shiny “04” denoting the current model number.

“The fit of the Vaporfly is just right for a race shoe,” Kate says. “I have enough space in the toebox, but nothing extra. The upper is super lightweight and breathable; the tongue is minimal and positioned to stay in place; the heel collar has little built-in pillows to hold you in place and prevent rubbing. I was a little nervous about the way I could feel the edge of the heel against my achilles when I first put them on, but I didn’t have any trouble once I got running. The laces have more stretch than I remember in the past. They’re sort of ribbed and stayed in place for me on the run. The lace length was just right.”

Max, like me, was blown away with just how light the upper felt.

“The upper is incredibly breathable. A lot of race day shoes are these days, but Nike really knocked it out of the park with this upper–which I’m sure also plays into it being the lightest version of the Vaporfly yet.”

While Max, Kate and I all found our perfect fit in the Vaporfly 4, some runners find that race day shoes fit differently than traditional trainers. If you have wide and/or high-volume feet (feet that take up a lot of space within the shoe), you should take that into consideration when purchasing racing shoes.

Not sure about the width or volume of your feet? Your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

We didn’t test the Vaporfly 3, so unfortunately we can’t compare the two models. However, we recently tested the Alphafly 3. If the Vaporfly 4 is a Quarter Pounder with Cheese®, the Alphafly 3 is most certainly a Big Mac®. The Vaporfly has the ultra-responsive ZoomX foam and snappy carbon-fiber plate, but the Alphafly has all that and more.

The Alphafly 3 features even more ZoomX foam underfoot, paired with Nike’s proprietary Air Zoom Units in the forefoot. Inside the units are tensile threads that act as springs, contracting as you land and popping up as you take off.

While all this additional technology feels great, it comes at a price. And I’m not just talking about the dollar amount–it’s about an ounce heavier than the Vaporfly 4. Whichever racing shoe you prefer will likely come down to your preferences around cushioning and weight.

Want a more cushioned, propulsive ride? Try the Alphafly 3. Prefer a more natural feeling with a featherlight weight? The Vaporfly 4 may be your jam.

We took a look at some comparable models to see how the Nike Vaporfly 4 stacks up. Here’s what we found.

The Nike Vaporfly 4, Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 and HOKA Rocket X 2 are all their respective brands’ versions of an ultra-speedy race day shoe. With full-length carbon-fiber plates and springy, lightweight foams, they’re perfect for chasing your next PR.

While the Vaporfly is by far the lightest of the three, it offers the least cushioning. Whether this is a pro or con in your book depends on your personal preferences.

I found all three shoes to feel quite similar when it comes to the shape. They all have slight rocker shapes, but they aren’t so aggressive that they feel uncomfortable for regular paces. While you should save your race-day shoes for racing and a couple of test workouts, you can feel comfortable as you warm up and cool down–something more aggressively shaped racing shoes can’t always offer.

The Vaporfly 4 is a perfect choice for runners looking to take their performance to the next level. With a curved carbon-fiber plate and snappy ZoomX midsole foam, it provides energy return to help shave off those precious seconds.

“This is a great shoe for racing,” Kate says. “I’d especially recommend it for the marathon and half marathon distance. You can do killer workouts in it, too, but for the price tag, I’d wear it for one or two of your most important speed workouts just to make sure the fit is right, and then save it for race day.”

Max disagrees, saying “I’d recommend this shoe for one mile races to half marathons. For me, the Vaporfly 4 would not be suitable for a marathon due to its instability.”

I’ll stick with 5Ks in the Vaporfly, not because it feels unstable but because it doesn’t offer the cushioning I need for long races. In my opinion, the Vaporfly 4 doesn’t retain its super-shoe supremacy with this latest model.

However, for runners who appreciate a bit of ground feedback or simply prefer a moderate stack height, the Vaporfly 4 reigns supreme.