In this kitbag article we discuss the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2
What is it?
The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2 is an engineered road racing shoe. In this article, they will be referred to as “Vaporflys”.
What does it do?
In a previous post we discussed the Nike Vaporfly 4%, an early model and game-changer, claiming to improve running economy by 4% on average. The Vaporflys are an upgraded version designed for racing only.
Why should I care?
If you watch any distance race on TV you will notice that ALL of the club and elite level athletes are wearing Vaporflys (or Alphaflys) and a good chunk of amateurs will be wearing them too!
What is the science behind it?
The Vaporflys work by improving your running economy. The combination of a stiff carbon plate and a unique spongy foam layer contribute to giving you a better energy return with every step, propelling you forwards. In other words, less energy is wasted and so it feels like less effort running in Vaporflys because it is less effort.
Why is this in my kitbag?
As with all my purchases, I deliberated over this one for a few months, especially due to the huge price tag! Eventually, I bought a pair of Vaporflys for my first marathon (October 2021). I went on one tempo training run for an hour and immediately loved them. I felt tall, springy and energetic, and I had a big smile on my face. I wore them for the marathon itself and flew through the first 30km. Unfortunately, my calves caught fire for the final 10km, probably as I wasn’t used to running with a 100% mid/forefoot strike (which these shoes demand).
A week later I laced up for a 10-miler and had possibly the easiest race of my life. I cruised around the course grinning ear to ear, chatting to fellow runners and even had enough energy to finish with negative splits! Looking at the stats, I was well on track for a 7+ minute half marathon PB if I kept going! I’ve since worn them on one other occasion, a 5km in which I was just 6 seconds off my PB. The best way to summarise is to say that until now, it’s as if I was previously running with a weighted backpack, and now that weight has been lifted.
Final word
AbstractAthlete discusses a whole host of potentially performance-enhancing “stuff”, from coffee to ice baths. None of these are marred by controversy quite like performance-enhancing shoes (and doping, obviously). Why is this so? Why is it regarded by some as cheating and will attitudes change? If you run a PB in performance-enhancing shoes, was it the shoes that did it, or was it still the human wearing them? If it is available to purchase by all, then does that make it okay?
Acknowledgements
This article highlights my personal experience with this product and is in no way intended as an endorsement or promotion. Individual experiences and results may vary.
Abstract Athlete 