If you’re a 3:00 marathoner this shoe has the potential to help you take seven minutes off of your time without using any “new” shoe technology that hasn’t already been incorporated into other running shoes less cleverly. The tongue of the Vaporfly 4% is surprisingly thin yet the minimal laces didn’t cause any pressure points or hot spots. The mesh of the upper could be misconstrued to be sloppy through the mid foot and heel, but after lacing them up the internal dynamic arch band and heel counter provide more than enough structure and support for runners with good form and economy. This mesh is very breathable and you have to wonder if Nike decided on the light grey hue of the upper to minimize solar radiation and heat retention. The upper of the Zoom Vaporfly 4% is a one piece mesh that absolutely defines the overused notion of a customized fit. However, I feel that this is just a property of this foam. ![]() My initial impression is that this is a shoe that an efficient runner could also do a great deal of training in as well as racing.Ĭreases are showing in the ZoomX midsole foam, which in most shoes is not a good sign. I cannot accurately comment on the durability of this shoe as I only have a handful of runs in them. It is elegant in its simplicity, and the entire shoe feels very flexible yet efficient and it became very fun, and easy, to push the pace on my runs in the Vaporfly 4%. Nike also did extensive studying o the best lug patterns for traction and durability, and the minimalist pentagon shapes on the forefoot seem very tacky on pavement. The outsole of the Vaporfly 4% is comprised of high abrasion rubber in the heel and forefoot. Its only when you begin to run, especially at faster paces, that you realize the genius of this engineering. When I first heard this I thought that the Vaporfly 4% would be much more firm, but in fact, when walking around in this shoe it feels soft and sloppy. In fact, I didn’t feel as if I was any higher up than any of my regular trainers.Īll of this cushioning is supported and given forward propulsion by a full length carbon plate imbedded in the midsole. I thought that Adidas’ Boost was impressive, however it pales in comparison the the ZoomX foam, which there is a ton of in this shoe.įor comparison’s sake, the Vaporfly 4% has a heel stack height of 39mm as compared to the Hoka One One Bondi 5 which has a 37mm in the heel.īut, the Vaporfly 4% never feels unstable or sloppy, and it weighs in at a scant 6.9 ounces (men’s size 9). The Vaporfly 4% uses Nike’s ZoomX foam which is the most responsive and energy-returning EVA foam on the market. This impression was dispelled on my first run that quickly turned faster than I’d intended. ![]() Walking around in the Vaporfly 4% had me exclaiming “this is a ton of cushion, but it feels like it could be sloppy”. It has a stack height (the amount of foam between your foot and the road) even greater than maximal road running shoes such as Hoka One Ones.Įvery aspect of the shoe designed seemed very well thought out and complete. The Vaporfly 4% is the first racing flat to really break this mold in a number of ways. The most minimal of these shoes, usually designed for 5k-10k road races, were so thin as to absolutely batter the feet over the course of even a short race.Īdditionally, these racing shoes would only last five to seven races prior to the thin foam and lack of support would compress and become a very sexy lawn mowing shoe. ![]() If you are new to the concept of “racing flats”, it really describes usually very lightweight and minimally cushioned racing shoes. ![]() However, in this case, the mold has been completely broken and redesigned from the ground up.Ī brand new EVA compound, a carbon plate, and a perfectly fitting upper all had to be designed from scratch to try and accomplish the impossible, a sub-two hour marathon. If the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% had any comparable predecessors I would certainly draw on them.
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