Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%

Within the first 100 yards in my first run in the AF's I could tell that these were going to be different than any other running shoe I've ever worn in so many ways: fast, comfortable, fast, great ride/transition, fast, springy, fast, lighter than expected, fast, very good grip on wet pavement, fast...........did I say fast? Just walking around in these shoes before my first run they just didn't feel right compared to my Vaporfly 4%, Zoom Fly Flyknits for Turbo 2's: too tall, bulky, ugly (bright mango colorway is pretty hideous). However, these shoes take on a totally different personality when you actually start to run in them. First mile warm up at normal cadence the NRC app was telling me something I couldn't believe as I was 30 seconds faster without doing anything different. I was not planning to set a PB as I just wanted to get a feel for them first time out, but as I picked up the pace further into the run I got faster and faster as you can feel the shoes push/spring you forward. Sub 1:43 broke my 13.1 mile PB by 2 minutes (Revel half marathon my real previous PB down a mountain was broken by 4 seconds, but I consider that gravity aided and I was 3 years younger!) and was not at max effort. My legs and feet after the run were still "fresh," if you will, and the next day I didn't have the soreness that I usually get after runs this long. Absolutely amazing! Now, the hardest part of my review: the durability. I looked down during cool down and saw that a piece of tread on the rear of the left shoe had come unglued. What a major disappointment after just the first run and the $$$ spent on these shoes. I will applaud Nike for their 60 day return policy, though. On the suggestion during a live chat with a Nike rep, I purchased another pair and sent the defective shoes back for credit to expedite getting these shoes back on my feet in time for a scheduled Sunday long run. Otherwise, you will have to wait longer for Nike to receive the shoes back before processing the exchange. Should have been a 5 Star rating as these shoes are unlike anything I have ever run in and well worth the price if you are a serious runner (can you say "BQ"?). Already received the 2nd pair, so I hope I have a positive experience on the "2nd" run.

These shoes immediately made me run faster. Specifically, about 30 seconds faster per mile at similar level of effort. Not overly comfortable, but that could be because these shoes run a little small. I am in the process of exchanging my 13s for a 14 to see how those feel That said, these shoes have all the cushion, and that cushion has the effect of softening the blow at the foot/ground point of contact, while also propelling you forward out of the lowest part of your step. Co, generally speaking, not overly inviting from a comfort perspective (although could be the size issue), but certainly performance inducing.

I have chosen to run in NIKE's for the past years due to the companies innovation, and the Alphafly and Vaporfly are a prime examples of that. Both shoes are incredible to run in and push you forward into new PB's, with the added luxury of extreme comfort due to your feet being surrounded in ZoomX foam. I'm excited to see what comes next from NIKE after the Alphafly...