![]() ![]() When the loading pressure over the plate eases over, the plate returns to its original position. When the foot loads on the midsole, the foam undergoes compression, and with that, the rear part of the plate flexes downwards. Unlike the softer ZoomX midsole of the VF Next%, the React foam core limits the plate’s range of movement.īecause when we look at the basic mechanism of Carbon-plate racers, the midsole softness (or the lack thereof) plays an important role in the cushioning delivery. Since the plate lives inside a firmer midsole, the ‘springboard snap’ sensation is muted. However, the plate’s behavior differs from the Vaporfly in a couple of ways. Speaking of the plate, the React midsole has the same full-length Carbon plate that’s housed inside the Vaporfly. That puts the Zoom Fly 4 in the ‘regular trainer’ weight class instead of the group that has shoes like the 7-ounce Vaporfly and Saucony Endorphin Pro. React also happens to be significantly heavier, so that translates into a 9.6-ounce weight for a half pair of US size 10. The Zoom Fly 4’s midsole is made of React foam – a cushioning material that’s denser and firmer than the PEBA-based ZoomX that’s used on the Vaporfly. We reviewed that shoe eight years ago, but at least that shoe had a forefoot Zoom Air bag. Here, the term ‘Zoom’ is used as a verb instead of a noun – as in, go fast kind of Zoom.īefore the Carbon-plated Zoom Fly showed up in 2017, Nike sold another 2014 shoe by the same name. This is the only Nike shoe without ZoomX or Zoom Air, but calls itself Zoom Fly. Intrigued? As with all our in-depth reviews, this page offers a detailed breakdown of the ride and fit character. What’s interesting, however, is that the Zoom Fly 4’s softer cushioning doesn’t appear to be a case of softer foam but rather the redesigned upper. We’ve reviewed many running shoes that tweaked the midsole formulation to make the cushioning softer. The updated midfoot strapping system also creates a smoother fit experience.ĭespite the identical chassis, the ride also feels softer than the Zoom Fly 3. Switching the mesh material from the fancy Vaporweave to two layers of breathable mesh improves interior comfort. When combined with the layered upper, the React foam stack makes the Fly 4 a durable running shoe, as the midsole is less likely to undergo deep creasing that’s often seen on the Vaporfly.Įven though the Zoom Fly 4 is based on the same midsole as the Fly 3, we like the V4 better. The dense midsole of the Zoom Fly 4 doesn’t have as much ‘give’ as a PEBA midsole. It is also a better shoe for slightly higher paces (ideally over 5 min/km, 8 min/mile) than slow cruising.Īlso, the heavier build has a performance advantage over the Next % and other PEBA-based racers like the Saucony Endorphin Speed and Pro. For example, the Zoom Fly 4 isn’t cut out for certain kinds of runs.įor example, track sprints, short 5K races, and off-road trail use aren’t suitable for the Fly. ![]() Naturally, ‘everyday runs’ are in a relative sense to the Vaporfly Next%. The combined cushioning of the React foam and Carbon plate offers a high level of ride comfort and speed-friendly responsiveness. ![]() Like the popular neutral trainer, the Zoom Fly 4 has a ride quality that works for several use cases. The Zoom Fly 4 is like a Nike Pegasus, but with a quicker ride, more cushioning, and slightly lower versatility. So if one had to choose between the Vaporfly Next% 2 and Nike Zoom Fly 4 as an everyday running shoe, the Zoom Fly 4 makes a strong case for itself. However, very few people run a marathon every week. If given a choice, we’d also put our money on team Vaporfly as a marathon-worthy pick. It was apparent that many runners found the Vaporfly’s additional performance benefits to be well worth the $90 price premium. It’s not even a contest the running in the Vaporfly is a very engaging experience. Whereas on the Zoom Fly 4, the plate-induced spring is very subdued. The Next%’s much softer midsole also delivers the unadulterated Carbon plate experience the snap is very noticeable. When you flip the digits of the Zoom Fly 4’s 9.6-ounce weight, you get 6.9-ounces – which is what the Vaporfly weighs. The see-thru mesh upper of the Vaporfly Next% breathes much better than the sleeved Zoom Fly, and that keeps the insides cool during long-distance runs. The Next% is nearly 3-ounces lighter than the Zoom Fly, all while offering a softer and more responsive ride – courtesy of the ZoomX foam midsole. That makes sense, given the huge performance gap between the two models. Heck, even the Alphafly seemed to be more popular than the Fly. For every thirty runners wearing the Vaporfly, we saw just a single runner wearing the less expensive Fly 4. We recently did a shoe count at the Toronto Marathon, and the sightings of the Nike Vaporfly Next% 2 vastly outnumbered the Nike Zoom Fly 4.
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