Nike Alphafly 4

After almost three years of waiting, the Nike Alphafly 4 arrives looking almost identical to the Alphafly 3 but with an evolved character: it is still Nike's marathon racer (for amateur runners with deep pockets), yet it no longer demands a perfect stride to get the most out of it, which should give sales a boost. As a side note, Sweden's Andreas Almgren won the World Half Marathon title in Copenhagen in it, although he wore the Apex, due in shops in early 2027, to win the New York Marathon. The Vaporfly 4 remains the American brand's lighter, more agile option for shorter distances.

At first glance it is hard to tell apart from its predecessor, so the changes are in the details. The Atomknit upper keeps a very open, almost see-through mesh, but it stretches a lot more and adds vertical threads along the sides that hold the foot between the laces and the midsole. Up front the platform is slightly wider and adds stability, giving the confidence to take corners without easing off the pace. It is still far from quiet, and the noise it makes with every footstrike can drive more than one runner round the bend.

Underfoot there are two foams for the first time: ZoomX LT, lighter and softer, above the carbon plate, and classic ZoomX below it to firm up the base. The carbon fibre Flyplate keeps its spoon shape but is wider, and the two Air Zoom units in the forefoot, now sealed with radio frequency instead of heat, are softer and lighter and take less effort to activate. What felt like parts kicking in one after another in the previous version is now meant to be a single, much smoother transition, although with so many components that looks like a tall order. With a 39 mm stack height at the heel, 31 mm at the forefoot and an 8 mm heel-to-toe drop, it is easier on the calves than low-drop racers and keeps the responsiveness that pays off when the legs start to fade in the final kilometres. All in all a very good option for runners who want to enjoy the latest technology underfoot and are neither the fastest nor the most efficient in their stride.