Nike’s ‘Ekiden’ Line Gets Bold With the Vaporfly 4

Nike are already looking ahead to Holiday 2025/Spring 2026 with the unveiling of the Vaporfly 4 'Ekiden'. The annual pack pays homage to Japan’s deep-rooted marathon culture, and this year’s flagship model takes cues from the Beaverton brand's very own racing archives while keeping its eyes firmly forward.

The 'Ekiden' name first appeared in 1995 with the Air Streak Ekiden, a model that ignited a lineage which included the Air Streak Lite and Zoom Streak Spectrum Plus – the latter inspiring the Swoosh's previous collection. In recent years, the brand's running division has made the 'Ekiden' drop something of a tradition, rolling out special-edition colourways across its top-tier marathon models as a nod to Japan’s enduring love for long-distance relay racing.

For its latest iteration, the Vaporfly 4 'Ekiden' salutes that legacy without copying any one model. Sharp, almost tribal black graphics slice across a lime-green base, while Japanese characters appear on the tongue, spine and insoles, tying back to the collection’s roots. Lastly, the midsole keeps the overall look modern, fading from black at the front into a green gradient at the heel – a subtle but bold design move.

Enjoy a closer look at the Nike VaporFly 4 'Ekiden' above and stay locked to Sneaker Freaker for more release updates.

In other news, ASICS have just launched an all-new 'TOKYO' collection.