Nike releases the ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%
Earlier this week, lots of speculation was made about the “secret” Nike shoe Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah would be wearing at the London Marathon this weekend. Today, April 24th, the shoe has been released. The distinctive lime-green Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% brings some interesting modifications to the Vaporfly 4%.
The shoe has the ZoomX foam and the carbon-fibre plate of the Vaporfly 4%, but according to a review by Runner’s World, 15 per cent more foam in the midsole, while reducing the Vaporfly’s 11-millimetre drop to eight millimetres. It sports an innovative new upper material the company is calling Vaporweave, which may be even lighter and stronger than the flyknit material of previous models. Nike claims Vaporweave is highly breathable and absorbs almost no moisture.
The traction pattern on the outsole has been modified for better grip in a variety of weather conditions.
The shoe is not quite as radical as we speculated it might be. It does not have a hole in the heel, like the Zoom Victory 3, and it has a traditional lacing system, but the laces have been shifted sideways towards the outside of the foot.
The fluorescent green, it must be said, is pretty radical.
The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% was created with input from Farah and Shalane Flanagan, who has just had surgery to repair tears in her knee tendons. It’s not widely available yet, but there’s a link on the Nike site to let you know when you can get a pair. The price will be a cool USD $275.00.
