By tdywahyudi This isn't just a one-of-a-kind, UFO-like design for getting likes on Instagram. It really works, and combined with the midsole sidewalls, performs marvelously by broadening the landing base in the heel and smoothly guiding the feet forward. From the moment we unboxed it, we were confident the Alphafly 3 would ace our breathability test.
While I do love a heel lock lacing on most shoes, that’s not an option here. Luckily I didn’t have any issues with the heel pulling out and there is just a tiny amount of padding that prevents any rubbing or blisters. When it comes to sizing, I ordered a half size up from my regular size and I’m glad I did because the fit is perfect with medium or thick socks. Runners who did not enjoy the tight fit of version 2 in their true size should buy a half size up in v3. When a brand develops a new shoe, they are supposed to do thousands of hours of testing with hundreds of runners who have different running styles and foot shapes.
Nike Alphafly 3 price comparison
BUT for others this has been a major area where they struggled with blisters. When it comes to the arch, you’re still going to feel that raised midsole, but less. It didn’t seem quite as stiff or high, but again has not gone away entirely. I think I’m going to diverge from the party line and say I just don’t feel massively different in the 3 than the 2. So I’d finish off the life of my Alphafly 2 before running out to replace them. Somehow they managed to carve out just a bit more of the shoe to drop 15% weight and yet maintain the level of cushion that’s necessary for the speed.
Weight
The arch sensation is still there though and it feels like I’m wearing an old school stability trainer with a firm arch wedge. Flat-footed runners who have sensitive arches might still have issues in the Alphafly 3. The air pod section has also been improved by having more space around the air pods.
So apologies to the wide foot runners or those who love a wide toebox, this is not the best carbon plate racing shoe for you. There isn’t a big difference in performance between the Alphafly 3 and cheaper, $250 top-tier super shoes like the Adios Pro 3 or the Rocket X 2. I definitely wouldn’t call the Alphafly 3 the pinnacle of racing shoes. It may not have the flare or the fun factor that other top-tier racers have but it’s a firm, lightweight super shoe which delivers a snappy ride. It also has great versatility- it can be used for marathons & half marathons as well as shorter races like 5K’s/10K’s because of its firm ride.
Similar shoes to Nike Alphafly 3
- The ZoomX pods are surrounded by high-abrasion orange rubber segments.
- Flat-footed runners who have sensitive arches might still have issues in the Alphafly 3.
- The outsole is thinner to accommodate more foam, yet the grip is better, with excellent traction.
- By emptying out the midsole's center, Nike managed to widen the shoe without adding weight, as it happened with the previous version.
And it's important to remember that Nike designs the Alphafly primarily as a marathon shoe, where a degree of comfort is essential for those long 26.2 miles. While a 0.40 in our grip test isn’t a poor result, it still leaves space for improvement on rain-slicked surfaces—especially considering the sky-high price tag of the Alphafly 3. Dry traction, on the other hand, is pretty solid, but we’d love to see Nike refine this outsole further and overtake other supershoes. This means those who experienced minor discomfort in the arch with the AF1 and AF2 should find the AF3 much more comfortable.
I feel like that might change once https://worldtradex.live/ there are additional colorways available. The Alphafly 3’s outsole is flatter than predecessors, so wear is distributed much better. The scooped centre of the rearfoot doesn’t scrape the ground so much anymore. I’ve had no issues with traction so far but I haven’t tried it in the rain. I don’t expect it to struggle though because there are nubs which protrude on the forefoot section.
Width / Fit
For those who had significant arch blisters or pain in earlier versions, we think this redesign Worldtradex forex broker should alleviate some of that discomfort, though it may not disappear entirely. Overall, the Alphafly 3 is undoubtedly one of the best running shoes today, if not the best, to crush your marathon goals. As such, I have reserved the shoes for key runs with marathon pace segments. Needless to say, I will have them on my feet on Race Day (if I don’t pick the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro instead). The Nike Alphafly Next 3 is a pair designed for breaking records in official long-distance races like the marathon or half marathon. Indeed, the high stack height and softness mean there’s still some instability, and beginners should beware.
With the Alphafly 3, Nike swung for the fences and hit a home run, creating a shoe that's more stable than version 2—especially for midfoot and forefoot strikers—and lighter than version 1. While this might not seem groundbreaking at first glance, it's actually generous for a Nike racing shoe, especially because it's paired with the ultra-stretchy Atomknit upper. On the other hand, the Vaporfly's lively pop and close-to-the-ground plate suits fast efforts like 5K/10Ks or track workouts. We tend to land on our forefoot in those efforts and, upping our cadence to gain speed.
Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2
- The nearly identical forefoot and heel measurements result in an actual heel-to-toe drop of 8.5 mm, impressively close to the official 8-mm figure.
- These two shoes have truly changed the landscape of marathon racing shoes in the last few years.
- I feel like that might change once there are additional colorways available.
- While that shoe wasn’t a winner for my foot, the bounce of the ZoomX foam in the Vaporfly, Alphafly and others was beautiful.
Finally, it's also crucial to note the major change from the original Alphafly. If you're a fan of the AF1's flatter, 4-mm ride, this update might not be for you. Conversely, runners who struggled with the lower drop will likely find the Alphafly 3's 8-mm heel-to-toe drop a significant improvement. The nearly identical forefoot and heel measurements result in an actual heel-to-toe drop of 8.5 mm, impressively close to the official 8-mm figure. This drop, the same of the Vaporfly, ensures the Alphafly is versatile, accommodating all running styles. It's worth mentioning that Nike has repositioned the Air Pods further back in the shoe, making it more suitable for midfoot strikers.
But of course, we're here to conduct lab tests, not just make assumptions—and this is a 5 out of 5 for us. That's where our love for lab testing and dissecting shoes comes into play—we get to uncover the full story. In fact, we used it on two marathons (Tokyo and London) and found that it offers a significant increase in space for the toes to splay in the closing 10K of the race. Upon measuring the big toe area, we pinpointed the source of the roomy feel.
This level of stiffness is exactly what we look for in a race-day shoe, so we're thrilled with the result. The Flyplate is also one of the significant distinctions between the Alphafly and the Vaporfly. In the Vaporfly, the carbon-fiber plate it's thinner and has a pronounced spoon shape, being closer to the ground. In the Alphafly, that's impossible to achieve that geometry because of the Air Pods. Still, Nike might consider an improvement for version 4, as A-TPU materials are now outperforming Pebax and hitting 80% in our lab test. However, version 2 was already a top performer, and it’s a good alternative pick if you find it on sale or if v3 is out of stock.
The reason is straightforward—in a shoe designed to break world records, performance is key, and that depends on the midsole. This design, which Nike has smartly adopted—and is also utilized by other brands like Saucony and New Balance—is both simple and ingenious. By emptying out the midsole's center, Nike managed to widen the shoe without adding weight, as it happened with the previous version. However, in our lab tests, we gave it a 4 out of 5, which was slightly lower than expected. Excessive torsional rigidity can make the shoe somewhat uncomfortable, particularly over long distances.