Nike Alphafly 3 Review

The Alphafly 3 is is likely one of the most-hyped racing shoes on the market. It's been a part of world-record-setting performances and is an update to a wildly successful marathon racer. This version brings a more approachable ride and increased stability. We think this is one of the best super shoes out there for hard efforts, but it's not for everyone.

Performance Comparison

Landing Comfort

The huge stack height of the Alphafly suggests its intended purpose — racing long distances. In our standardized testing, we measured 39 mm stack height at the heel and 32 mm under the forefoot. Even compared to other extremely cushioned super-shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 or Nike Vaporfly 3, that's a ton of cushioning underfoot. Nike used their highly resilient ZoomX foam throughout the shoe to provide a soft and energetic ride without incurring much of a weight penalty.

Running in the Alphafly 3 feels significantly different from any other shoe we've tested. Landings are soft and well-insulated. The cushioning is phenomenal. But thanks to the Air Zoom units, the shoe feels more mechanical than natural. Cushioning at the heel to early midfoot is soft, and the transition towards the Air Zoom pods is easy. However, the soft and gentle feeling quickly gives way to a bouncy and aggressive snap as you load the pods and are propelled off the forefoot.

When compared to other super-shoes, the ride is unique. In Nike's other super-shoe, the Vaporfly 3, we experience a very propulsive ride that feels smooth throughout the foot and off the toes. We don't feel like the shoe wants us to alter our mechanics. However, in the Alphafly 3, the cushioning results in a shoe that wants us to run in a very specific landing pattern.

None of that means the shoe isn't comfortable. It does a great job of saving your legs over long efforts on hard surfaces and has one of the best overall scores for cushioning in the lineup. Heel-strikers will appreciate the softness of the ZoomX at the rear of the shoe, and although the air pods do feel mechanical, they compress well and work well with the plate and foam to remain comfortable over long efforts.

Responsiveness

We've already talked about how energetic the ride of the Alphafly 3 feels. This shoe is arguably the most propulsive in the test when loaded properly, but it has the steepest learning curve. When optimally loaded at a fast pace, the shoe gives back a huge amount of energy. We think that could be a drawback for some runners — we blew the first workout we ran in the Alphafly 3 because it made pushing the pace a little too easy. The shoe required some focus to control during long threshold sessions.

Our main testers tend to land mid/forefoot most of the time. When doing so, we found that when we optimally compressed the air pods on impact, we could get booming propulsion from the forefoot. However, when we started to fatigue late in hard sessions — and our form started to decay — we found we didn't get quite as much back from the shoes. The Alphafly still noticeably helped keep our pace up, but the exciting sensation of running in these shoes while fresh was gone because we weren't loading the pods as well. That suggests two things: properly loading the pods does make a difference, and these shoes will likely work best for mid/forefoot runners who can do so. Because of that, we think other super shoes may be more approachable for many runners.

While the Alphafly 3 is incredibly propulsive, its size does start to get in the way at 5K pace and faster. It's pretty light, but the high stack feels much less nimble when paces change quickly. This shoe does really well when locked into a pace in a straight line. If your race plan involves pace changes or turns, you may find this shoe is less than ideal. During an interval workout we did on a bike path with lots of turns, we lost significant amounts of time in each turn. But, on straightaways, we found it was very easy to exceed our target pace if we weren't careful. For strong runners whose mechanics work well with the shoe, this shoe could be an excellent choice on ideal courses of any distance, from 5K to marathon.

Even more so than with other super shoes, this isn't a good choice for easy running. During short recovery jogs, the Alphafly 3 feels awkward, unstable, and uncomfortable.

Stability

This is a race shoe, not a stability shoe. There really isn't much in terms of support, although the carbon plate and cutout in the midsole both help to direct the foot forward through the footstrike. Laterally, the Alphafly 3 is pretty bad. It's a high shoe with a lightweight, unsupportive upper. Particularly at pace, it feels very tippy when going around corners or on uneven ground. At the end of the day, this is not the right choice if you're looking for a stable race day option, and you should only consider this shoe if you are confident that you can tackle the learning curve to ensure proper form and usage of these shoes.

Upper Comfort

The Atomknit upper is incredibly lightweight and breathable. It's easy to get a clean lockdown thanks to the relatively low-volume fit. The tongue is integrated and made of a soft and stretchy material. The heel cup is low profile, and the heel collar is well padded.

We love the ribbed laces on Nike's race shoe lineup; they make it easy to achieve long-lasting lockdown. Throughout our testing, we didn't experience any hotspots or rubbing. We found the shoe to be very comfortable overall. Some users have complained of a narrow and high arch with some rubbing. It was not an issue we experienced. Runners who have high-volume feet might feel constricted in the toe-box, as in most race shoes.

Weight

Our US men's size 10.5 weighed 7.97 ounces, making it the third lightest option in our lineup. For a shoe of this size, it's impressively light. However, because of its overall size, this shoe feels heavier than it actually is. Most of the weight feels like it's under your forefoot (where the pods are), which could also add to the heavier sensation.

Traction

The Alphafly 3 aren't designed to take you on sketchy surfaces or windy paths. Their traction is best at high speeds and over straight courses. Lots of turns, loose gravel on the road, or wet conditions aren't ideal for this shoe.

Should You Buy the Nike Alphafly 3?

If you're looking for ultimate marathon performance, you should consider this shoe. We think it will work best for stronger runners who tend to land mid-forefoot. This isn't a good shoe choice if your course has lots of turns or uneven ground or if you need support features. Some runners might find that this shoe works at a range of distances, from 5K and up. Even though we love racing in it, we think this super shoe's overall versatility is limited compared to other options.

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