Nike Vaporfly 4 Reviews

About 20 g lighter, handles all speed work, simple to use, and about ¥6,000 cheaper. The cushioning is slightly reduced.

Shockingly light (153 g at 25.5 cm) with a better fit and smooth leg turnover: a real weapon for the back half of a marathon. If you want the VF3's explosive pop, you may find it slightly lacking.

Ultra light, with direct ground feel and strong midfoot rebound that is hard to stop once rolling. A record weapon up to the half. For him the full marathon was very taxing, it is narrow for wide feet, and it is overkill and pricey for jogging.

A sub-3.5 runner who ignored the 'half only' warnings: at 30 km he felt surprisingly fresh. He faded only on small climbs after 35 km, it was his easiest marathon finish yet, and his hip held up. 3:12 on a course that doesn't suit him.

A race-and-shoe story: landing on the balls of his feet, he felt the propulsion 'like pulling a Ferrari onto the Autobahn'. He finally found a runner's high at the Ottawa Marathon, and runners at the finish asked about his shoes.

A snappy, versatile road racer: exceptionally fast for intervals and marathon-pace runs. The extra arch room helps high arches. On 15–16-mile workouts it firmed up and one tester wished for the Alphafly. Heel slip is listed as a con.

After PB-ing from 5K to half in it, he raced Seville in it: five reasons to consider it for a marathon despite the usual caution. It works best for engaged forefoot or light midfoot strikers. Grip isn't as confidence-inspiring as the VF3, so a wet race would give him pause.

Rated 88%. A significant update: the weight drop keeps it a fast shoe for shorter distances, best at half marathon and below, though you could get away with a marathon. It may feel more unstable and still lacks durability.