Brand: Nike
Model: ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%
Key Features: A larger full-length ZoomX foam unit to increase energy return, a reduced offset from 11 millimeters to 8 millimeters for a more stable feel, an overhauled traction system for improved grip in adverse weather conditions, and — perhaps most interestingly — an upper made from a new fabric called Vaporweave that is extremely lightweight and doesn't absorb water.
Release Date: April 28
Price: $275
Buy: Nike
Editor’s Notes: The successor to Nike's Vaporfly 4% runner, arguably the best running shoe of all time, has finally arrived. It's called the ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% and features a bevy of improvements that Nike says will make it the fastest running shoe yet. The brand would say that, of course, but when 64 percent of 2018's World Marathon Major winners were wearing them, including Eliud Kipchoge as he smashed the marathon world record in Berlin, we're inclined to believe the hype.
The most striking updates are the luminous green launch colorway, which Nike says is the most eye-catching color to the human eye, and a redesigned upper, with the sunset Swoosh making way for a full frontal one on the toe box. The upper is made using a new lightweight water-repellant fabric called Vaporweave.
For those looking to run in them and not just stunt in them, the biggest change is the larger quantity of ZoomX foam and the reduced offset to 8 millimeters from 11 millimeters. The former should give you even more propulsion, while the latter means your heel is closer to the ground for a sturdier feel.
Stay tuned for pricing and release information. In the meantime, look out for Kipchoge and Mo Farah wearing the Vaporfly NEXT% as they go head to head in the 2019 London Marathon this Sunday, April 28.
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