The Nike Alphafly 2 wasn’t a hit with everyone. While I loved it, the chunky design meant that many runners didn’t ride cleanly and stuck with Nike’s original Alphafly or Vaporfly, or one of the better carbon plate running shoes from other brands.
I find it hard to believe that the Nike Alphafly 3 will divide opinion in the same way because it’s pretty much the perfect modern racing shoe. It’s the lightest Alphafly ever, but it’s still bouncy and fast at any distance—though especially good for longer events. The Nike Vaporfly 3 is the only shoe I rate this high, but even then the Alphafly 3 would be my choice for a marathon.
Nike Alphafly 3: Price and Availability
The Nike Alphafly 3 will officially release in its Prototype colorway on January 4th, 2024. It costs $285 in the US and £285 in the UK, making it one of the most expensive carbon plate running shoes.
How I tried this shoe
I’ve run 40 miles in the Nike Alphafly 3, using it for several hard training runs and 5K and 10K races. I’ve also tested every previous version of the shoe, running sub-2hr 30min marathons in both, as well as every generation of the Nike Vaporfly and most of the best carbon shoes available. I have yet to try the Adidas Pro Evo 1, which may be one of the few shoes that can hold a candle to the Alphafly 3.
Design and implementation
Compared to the Vaporfly, which Nike has only made minor adjustments to with past generations, the Alphafly has been significantly updated with each release. The Nike Alphafly 2 was a heavier, more stable shoe than the first Alphafly, and even more dynamic for me, although the added weight and size meant some runners felt it lost the magic of the original.
Nike has reduced that weight with the Alphafly 3, which is the lighter version of the shoe. My UK size 9 weighs 7.7oz/220g, while the Alphafly 2 was just 250g at the same size and the Alphafly was around 230g.
The first two versions of the shoe had cutouts in the midsole that separate the ZoomX foam in the heel and Air Zoom lobes in the forefoot, but the Alphafly 3’s midsole is continuous, which creates a smoother transition from heel to toe. The shoe has an 8mm drop, with a stack height of 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot.
As with all Nike racing shoes, the lightweight and highly buoyant Peba-based ZoomX foam is central to the success of the Alphafly 3. The Alphafly series differs from the Vaporfly series in that it features Air Zoom pods under the forefoot along with ZoomX, which are more stable and return more energy than ZoomX foam alone.
The Alphafly 3 has a carbon fiber plate that runs the length of the shoe and is widened on the medial side to increase stability. There is a large cutout running down the center of the shoe to reduce weight, which shows the plate in the midsole.
Nike has improved the Atomknit 3.0 upper on the shoe, redesigning the lacing system to have integrated eyelets. Nike laces are some of the best in racing shoes, with a sleek design that ensures they stay tied. I found the Alphafly 3 to fit well in my usual running shoe size, the same size I used in previous versions of the shoe.
One problem runners had with previous Alphafly shoes was that they created pressure around the arch. Nike says they’ve taken steps to reduce this with the Alphafly 3, but I didn’t have these issues with the Alphafly 1 and 2, so I can’t say I noticed a difference with the 3.
The Fast Shot rubber outsole has minimal heel coverage, but the forefoot is well covered and I found the Alphafly 3 held up well on wet trails, even when running fast. Unlike the Vaporfly 3, which showed wear on the outsole after 30 miles, I haven’t seen any signs of wear on the Alphafly 3 so far, and Nike says its testers have gotten at least 200 miles of use out of the Alphafly 3.
Running performance
I had huge expectations for the Nike Alphafly 3 and it lived up to it. It’s a great race shoe and I enjoyed using it for a number of fast runs, including two races running 5K in 16min 23sec and 10K in 33min 19sec.
The ride is less tight and full of movement than the Alphafly 2, but the transition to your forefoot is noticeably quicker and you still feel the push from the Air Zoom plate and soles. The Alphafly 3 is also lighter and more nimble than its predecessor, which helped me turn my feet slowly in races and when doing hill repeats.
I’ve run with the Alphafly 2 on one foot and the Alphafly 3 on the other, and I’ve done the same with the Vaporfly 3 and Alphafly 3, and the new shoe feels like a mix of the older two. It has the aggressive transition of the Vaporfly, with the extra pop from the lobes under the front of the Alphaflys.
I found that the Alphafly 3 felt best for me when cruising at speed, so in the first half of races or during a steady 10K run at around my marathon pace. It feels like the Alphafly in that you can lock on at a fast pace and holding it is almost effortless.
For me, then it doesn’t feel as nimble as the Vaporfly 3 when I’m pushing at really fast paces or late into races when I tend to shorten my stride and pick up my pace. The Alphafly 3 still feels great for this, but it’s better when you’re in control and locked in.
Runners with a longer stride than my shuffle will probably enjoy the shoe even more than I do for shorter, faster events, but it feels perfect for the marathon when it will help you efficiently cover the distance at your race pace, whatever even if it’s him.
Is the Nike Alphafly 3 worth it?
The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best carbon plate running shoe I’ve tried for longer races and only the Vaporfly 3 can compete with it for shorter races. It’s expensive but the best shoe you can get if you want a runner to conquer all distances and the durability seems good for a super shoe, definitely better than the Vaporfly 3.
The Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1 can compete with the Alphafly 3 – elite runners will battle it out with both shoes throughout the next year, I’m sure – but I haven’t tried it yet. The Adidas boot also costs an absurd $500/£450 and is only intended to last a game or two, so the Alphafly 3 is arguably better value.
If you didn’t like Alphafly 2 but liked the original, Alphafly 3 will be more to your taste. Really, it’s hard for me to imagine a runner who wouldn’t enjoy using the shoe for racing unless they object to the idea of carbon plate shoes in general.
