NIKE VAPORFLY 4 First Impressions: What Changed? Noticeable Upgrades?

The Nike Vaporfly 4, launched in March 2025, represents a bold evolution of Nike’s iconic “super shoe” line, prioritizing speed and agility for shorter road races while maintaining the brand’s signature propulsion technology. Weighing approximately 5.8 oz (165g) for a women’s size 8 and 6.5 oz (184g) for a men’s size 10, the Vaporfly 4 is notably lighter than its predecessor, the Vaporfly 3 (5.6 oz women’s size 8, 6.5 oz men’s size 9), and significantly lighter than the Nike Alphafly 3 (7.1 oz/201g men’s size 10). Its reduced stack height of 35mm at the heel (down from 38mm in the Vaporfly 3) and a 6mm heel-to-toe drop (compared to 8mm in the Vaporfly 3) create a lower, more responsive profile, tailored for explosive efforts in races like 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons. The shoe retains Nike’s ZoomX foam midsole, known for its lightweight, bouncy energy return, and a full-length carbon fiber Flyplate, but features a heavily sculpted midsole with an extended channel to shave weight, enhancing its nimble feel. The Flyknit upper is wider through the midfoot compared to the Vaporfly 3, addressing fit issues for runners with medium-width feet, and offers improved breathability with engineered zones for comfort during high-intensity efforts. Compared to the Alphafly 3, the Vaporfly 4 is less cushioned, lacking the dual Air Zoom pods that give the Alphafly its distinctive, propulsive bounce and marathon-focused comfort. The Alphafly 3, with a 40mm heel stack and 8mm drop, provides a deeper, more stable ride (7.1 oz/201g), making it ideal for longer races where leg fatigue is a factor, as evidenced by its use in setting marathon world records. While the Vaporfly 3 was a versatile all-rounder, balancing cushioning and speed for distances from 10K to marathons, the Vaporfly 4’s thinner sole and reduced weight make it less suited for full marathons, particularly for slower runners or heel strikers, as testers noted a preference for the Alphafly 3’s plushness over longer distances. However, the Vaporfly 4 excels in stability over the Vaporfly 3, with a wider midfoot base mitigating the narrow, tippy feel of its predecessor, though it still falls short of the Alphafly 3’s broader platform. Priced at approximately $260, the Vaporfly 4 is slightly cheaper than the Alphafly 3 ($285), but its outsole durability remains a concern, with reports of wear after 100 miles, similar to the Vaporfly 3 and less robust than the Alphafly 3. Ultimately, the Vaporfly 4 is a specialized speed machine for shorter, faster races, offering a snappier, lighter ride than the Alphafly 3’s marathon-optimized cushioning and a more refined fit than the Vaporfly 3, but it sacrifices some of the latter’s long-distance versatility.