The latest Zoom Fly takes aesthetic and technological cues from the flagship racing shoe, but a denser midsole and more substantial upper make it versatile beyond race day.
It’s also its own shoe: it uses Nike’s dense, responsive React foam, and has a bootie-like fit, courtesy of a mesh inner sleeve beneath the upper’s Vaporweave shell. These differences add weight but also make the Zoom Fly 3 durable and comfortable enough for regular use.Predictably, adapting a highly specialized shoe for routine use has its tradeoffs.
React foam isn’t nearly as compliant; despite having the same heel-toe offset as the Next%, the Zoom Fly 3 feels flat and stiff by comparison, and not nearly as propulsive. The Vaporweave upper is form-fitting and comfortable, and vibrant colorways make the shoe look every bit of the $160 MSRP. Try it if you’re after an aggressive trainer that, on the roads, never feels out of its element.We measured the heel height of the women’s shoe at 34mm, making it among the tallest trainers around.
With about 1.5 inches of foam beneath your heel and an inch beneath your forefoot, the midsole feels substantial. Most of our testers said they used the shoe for long runs and speedwork alike, an indication of the shoe’s versatility. The forefoot is significantly wider than the heel; heel-striking testers expressed concern over the unstable sensation from the narrow heel.
Overall, the upper feels secure, with the lacing system comfortably taking up the slack as you dial in the fit. The Vaporweave material also represents an improvement over Flyknit. “I noticed Flyknit is not that breathable ,” said one tester. “But with , I never struggled with that issue.” However, one tester noted that dirt and small stones snuck in between the Vaporweave and mesh inner sleeve, a minor annoyance.Grooves in the rubber outsole channel water out from underneath your foot.
After adjusting my expectations and logging a few more miles, I began warming up to the latest Zoom Fly. React foam lives up to its moniker: it feels reactive, in that you can sink into it a bit at a slow trot, yet it firms up when you pour on the pace. “It felt so fast that I felt like I was running in a racing shoe,” said one tester, and another said she earned a 5K PR in the shoe.
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