The Nike Vaporfly 4 is a race shoe with training wheels. It’s comfortable and lightweight, but there’s not much more to it. Nike lowered the stack height in the fourth version by 4mm, which has made it significantly lighter than the previous version, and lowered the drop from 8mm to 6mm, but it is questionable as to whether these were improvements. It’s nimble enough for top-end speed and capable of hitting a range of paces, but there’s no joy, excitement, or unique character. For some runners, this will be a solid choice that will give plenty of comfortable and distraction-free miles. But for others who have been hooked on the narcotic of explosively bouncy foams and aggressive rockers, it’s going to be hard to put the training wheels back on the bike. At $260, our verdict: Save your money or get the Alphafly 3.

Category

Race Day

Release Date

March 2025

Plated?

Yes

Type of Plate

Full carbon plate

Foam

Nike ZoomX

Foam Compound

PEBA

Ride

Comfortable, Ground Feel, Smooth

Heel Stack (mm)

36.0

Forefoot Stack (mm)

30.0

Drop (mm)

6

Weight (mens size 9)

5.9

Support

Neutral

Fit

Snug