Nike’s Alphafly 3 is perhaps the most hotly-anticipated running sneaker there has ever been.
Not only is the Alphafly 3 Nike’s most innovative super shoe yet (which, considering the Swoosh’s extensive back catalog, is really saying something), it's also the shoe recently worn by Kenyan marathoner Kelvin Kiptum as he sailed past Eliud Kipchoge’s marathon world record in Chicago.
But, world records and sub-2 hour marathons aside, what exactly is it that makes the Alphafly 3 Nike’s most super-est super shoe yet?
“Visually, the continuous bottom is the first difference between the Alphafly 3 and its previous iterations,” explains Bret Schoolmeester, Nike Running’s senior product designer.
“This is to help improve a much smoother transition. With previous Alphafly a lot of runners felt a slight break in transition from heel to forefoot, so we’ve made the movement feel more seamless. We’ve also added comfort, stability, and a smoother transition. It really is everything you want in a shoe.”
Despite the numerous additions and tweaks to the new look Alphafly, the sneaker’s overall weight has been reduced by 15 percent compared to the Alphafly 2, something Schoolmeester is exceedingly proud of.
“It feels like a real have your cake and eat it too moment,” he says. “We haven’t included anything on the shoe that doesn’t need to be there.
“We have a new outsole compound that’s allowed us to minimize weight but add traction and the super light FlyKnit upper allows us to add and remove elements without really adjusting its weight.”
Elsewhere, the sneaker – which officially lands on January 4 – boasts a slightly wider-than-before carbon fiber Flyplate that delivers a stable and propulsive sensation underfoot, as well as an updated midsole that optimizes your foot’s engagement with the airbags and lets the Air Zoom units do more of the work for you.
“We’re proud of how well the first and the second [Alphafly] have done,” says Schoolmeester. “One, for the front of the pack, but also for the everyday runner. With the Alphafly 3 we wanted to continue to help break world records, but also to beat personal records too, whatever that time might be.”
Importantly, unlike other super shoes on the market that have raised concerns about a disregard to sustainability (namely adidas’ $500 one-time use marathon sneakers), Nike’s Alphafly 3 is built for the long haul.
To help ensure runners can utilize their investment over multiple marathons – and even multiple race seasons – the Nike team tested the Alphafly 3 across varying locations, seasons and settings to ensure the shoe can withhold the demands runners need from it.
“It’s hard to put a durability number on a sneaker, but we do test the shoe up to 250 miles and it’s doing really well,” explains Schoolmeester. “Our team has found a way to not introduce sacrifices to runners. We’re always trying to push the edge of performance without compromising on anything.
“Also this isn’t a one-marathon shoe,” he adds. “It isn’t $500, it’s $275, something we’re extremely proud of.”
The Nike Alphafly 3 will debut in the Prototype colorway, a nod to Nike’s development process of testing with athletes, while an all-white silhouette features pops of color highlighting the dual Air Zoom units in the forefoot, an athlete wear test number on the lateral midsole, and V62 on the Atomknit upper that signifies the amount of upper iterations.
Nike has also confirmed that there will be plenty more colorways available in early 2024.
Though the debate around whether super shoes are a positive for the world of running will ramble on indefinitely, Schoolmeester, who is a former professional distance runner, has no doubt that they’re only a good thing.
“People love to see unbelievable performances and at the end of the day humans are still achieving these times,” he says. “The shoes aren’t doing it on their own. It still takes training and commitment to reach these times.”
“I’ve been a running nerd since I was a kid and I can’t remember when marathon running at elite levels was as a part of the zeitgeist as it is now because both the super shoes and the athletes are their performances. It’s an exciting time to be a runner, that’s for sure.”
