The all-new Nike ZoomX Streakfly is the latest shoe in Nike’s ZoomX range that’s revolutionised the running world.
Since the release of the Nike Vaporfly 4% in 2017, a trainer that reportedly offered a 4% increase in energy return to runners, there have been constant innovations and new technologies in the running shoe world.
Over the last few years, Nike have released the Vaporfly Next% and the Alphafly while other shoe brands have launched their own versions with carbon fibre plates and ultra-light foam.
But until now, almost all of the super shoes on the market have been aimed at the marathon distance.
That’s where the Streakfly comes in. It’s a shoe specifically designed for the 5km and 10km distances.
How Is The Nike ZoomX Streakfly Different From The Vaporlfly
Both the Nike Vaporfly and the Alphafly have a very distinctive style - so much so that they don’t really look like a typical shoe.
While the Streakfly has the same signature ZoomX foam that’s been so successful, it looks a little more like a normal trainer.
That’s largely because of the notable difference in stack height. The Streakfly sole is only 32mm high, well below the legal limit of 40mm for road races.
It’s the high stack height of other super shoes that make them so effective over longer distances.
By wearing a trainer that offers a lot of cushion but is still responsive enough to give a decent amount of energy return, the runner’s legs can stay fresher for longer.
The most interesting difference about the Streakfly is that it doesn’t feature a carbon plate.
Carbon plates or rods have become common in the premium models of almost every brand on the market, but Nike have removed it in favour of a Pebax plate in the midfoot of the Streakfly.
But by stripping away the stack height and the carbon plate, you get an incredibly lightweight shoe weighing only 170g. This is what apparently makes it more suited to the 5k/10k distances.
It’s also been released at a much more affordable price point than most other super shoes at £134.99.
While it’s good to see a cheaper model on the market, it’s hard to imagine any shoe can perform better than the Vaporflys or Alphaflys that have brought so many world records over distances from 5k to the marathon.
Some say the Pebax material in the shoe’s plate will be better suited to faster speeds, though, offering greater energy return for both training and racing.
