Nike Vaporfly 4 Review: The OG Super Shoe
Vaporfly 4: Quick Facts
Weight:
- M: 190g US 9
- W: 152g US 7
Best For:
- Road racing - 5km to the half marathon
Price:
- $360 AUD
Stack Height & Drop:
- 35mm heel / 29mm forefoot
- 6mm drop
Favourite Features:
- The lightest Vaporfly to date.
- ZoomX foam is always a good time
- New carbon plate design makes for a more aggressive forefoot.
Release Date:
- April, 2025
What's Vaporfly 4 all about?
The original super shoe is back, a shoe that changed the game and redefined what a racing shoe is. For years, the Vaporfly series stood as one of the go to “super shoes” for everything from 5K to marathon distances, sitting alongside the Alphafly as Nike’s most sought after performance shoe.
This time around, Nike is drawing a clearer line between its racing offerings, making it easier for runners to decide between the Vaporfly and Alphafly. For us, the Alphafly 3 takes the spotlight as the longer distance event specialist, more suited to tackle the half marathon to full marathon races. While the Vaporfly 4 is being reimagined for shorter races, being positioned as a more focused tool for 5K, 10K and up to the half marathon.
So what’s new about the Vaporfly 4? Let's jump in...
There are three key changes to Vaporfly 4
1) Lower stack, lower weight
Perhaps the most surprising update is the drop in stack height. While many racing shoes are bumping up against World Athletics’ 40mm stack height limit, the Vaporfly 4 takes a different route. The shoe is coming in at 35mm in the heel, one of the lower stacked options in the super shoe category today. It seems to us that Nike are intentionally tailoring the Vaporfly 4 for shorter distance races where being lighterweight and responsive outweighs maxing out the stack height.
The result? The lightest Vaporfly yet, coming in 10% lighter than Vaporfly 3 which is pretty wild! It feels firmer, more nimble and quicker off the toe which is great news for runners who prefer a more aggressive, snappier shoe for those 5K, 10K and half marathon races. Nike’s been able to drop the weight by not just lowering the stack, but also sculpting the midsole into a narrower silhouette through the midfoot. It’s a shape that’s best suited for runners who land further forward towards the forefoot where there’s more surface area to land on.
Nike has also lowered the heel to toe drop from 8mm to 6mm, another change that complements the reduced stack and contributes to a more natural feel.
2) Refined, aggressive carbon plate
The Vaporfly 3 introduced a carbon plate that dipped lower into the forefoot. For version 4, Nike goes one step further, by increasing the curvature of the plate by 3%. This doesn’t sound like much on paper, but it's been done to create a more aggressive toe off.
This steeper plate geometry gives the Vaporfly 4 a punchier feel underfoot, perfect for dialing into faster efforts and chasing down PBs. It’s a plate designed to work with a firmer, lower stack profile and maximise efficiency over shorter efforts.
3) More accommodating midfoot fit
Fit has been one of the drawbacks with Nike’s super shoes, especially for runners with wider feet. The Alphafly 3 made improvements in that department and now the Vaporfly 4 gets a similar update.
While the midsole platform has narrowed underfoot, the new upper and last shape better accommodates more foot types. It’s a notable update and runners might not notice that super narrow feel through the arch as much as previous Vaporfly models. In terms of the fit, we found the Vaporfly 4 to be true to size, with a lower volume fit through the forefoot. The new upper material is fantastic too, it feels premium, less of a knit and more towards an engineered mesh that requires less fuss getting it on and laced up compared to the Vaporfly 3.
Our first thoughts
The Vaporfly 4 keeps some of the DNA that made the original super shoe such a game changer, but this time it's lighter and more responsive than before. It’s clear that Nike has made a clear shift in how it positions this shoe within its racing lineup.
With its lower stack, firmer ride and narrower midfoot, the Vaporfly 4 feels dialed in for shorter races, think 5K, 10K and up to the half marathon. It feels much lighter and easier to keep the legs tricking over. Meanwhile, the Alphafly 3 holds down the marathon side of things, offering more cushioning and a broader platform more specific for the longer events.
That said, you could absolutely still race a marathon in the Vaporfly 4, especially if you’re someone that prefers a more grounded experience or after a snappier feel. It is worth considering you may find it slightly less forgiving and protective in the later stages of the marathon, especially under fatigue compared to the Nike Alphafly 3.
All in all, the Vaporfly 4 is a timely update to the series, one that offers runners a slightly different experience from its predecessor and a super shoe we think will shine in those shorter race events.
About the author
Nathan Pope - Runner and Shoe Nerd
I'm really passionate about running footwear and how shoes can be used as a tool to get the best of your running, whether that be general fitness or performance.
My favourite event is the marathon. I feel as though the marathon is the ultimate test both physically and mentally! It requires careful planning both within the race and during the training block and it can be super satisfying when it comes together on race day.
