Just look at the podium of any major marathon, and you’ll see that Nike makes some of the fastest running shoes in the world. Things look like they’re getting speedier with the announcement of the Nike Alphafly 3.
According to Nike, the shoe is 15% lighter than the Alphafly 2 and designed to be more stable underfoot. Here’s everything you need to know about the Alphafly 3, including when you can get your hands on it and just how much it’ll cost.
The original Alphafly made headlines worldwide when Eliud Kipchoge wore it to break the 2-hour marathon barrier in October 2019. Since then, the shoe has become a popular choice with elite runners and amateurs alike, with a full-length carbon fiber plate, and Zoom Air units in the forefoot.
If you’re looking for one of the best carbon fiber running shoes you can buy right now, read my Nike Alphafly 2 review and my face-off between the Nike Vaporfly 2 vs Nike Alphafly 2.
Nike Alphafly 3: Price and availability
Like most of the best carbon fiber running shoes, the Nike Alphafly 3 does not come cheap. The shoe will be available in the prototype colorway from January 4, 2024, and will cost $285. This is slightly more expensive than the Alphafly 2, which cost $275 when it was launched in July 2022.
Nike Alphafly 3: What’s changed?
Why would you want to buy the Alphafly 3 over the Alphafly 2? Here’s what is different about the new super shoe:
The Alphafly 3 is lighter
If you’re a super speedy runner, you’ll know that every ounce makes a difference on race day. The Alphafly 3 is 15% lighter than the Alphafly 2, and 4% lighter than the original Alphafly. The newest shoe weighs 7.7 oz in a men’s size US 10, and 6.2 oz in a women’s size US 8.
Nike has mainly done this by tweaking the upper and the outsole of the shoe. The upper features a new Atomkit 3.0 upper, which is more breathable and lightweight — it looks similar to that used in the Vaporfly 3. Nike has called the outsole Fast Shot — it’s lighter, while still offering grip and protection on the roads.
There’s a continuous bottom
Compared to previous iterations of this shoe, one of the first things you’ll notice about the Alphafly 3 is the continuous bottom — the midsole and outsole are no longer disjointed, as they were on previous iterations of the shoe. Nike says this allows for smoother heel-to-toe transitions when you’re running quickly.
There’s a wider carbon-fiber plate
While previous iterations of this shoe have been incredibly fast, unless you have legs as strong as an athlete, they’ve felt a little unstable underfoot. Nike has attempted to increase the stability of the Alphafly 3 by making the carbon fiber plate wider. The third iteration of the super shoe still has a high stack of ZoomX midsole foam and the Zoom Air pods under the ball of the foot to launch you into your next step. That said, the Zoom Air units have been adjusted slightly, both horizontally and vertically, to increase the energy return.
I’m excited to run in the updated shoe, and predict this one will be on the podiums of Nike athletes at both spring marathons and the Paris Olympic marathons next year.
