The Alphafly 3 is Nike’s Newest Super Shoe

The race to create the best marathon shoe is certainly heating up, as both Nike and adidas have revealed their record-breaking runners over the past couple of months. While the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 dropped in a limited run this year, the Swoosh is getting ready to drop the Alphafly 3 in early January, so here’s what we know so far.

The Alphafly 3 is the newest member of the Alphafly family and early versions of the shoe have already accumulated plenty of accolades this year. Sifan Hissan won her debut race in London wearing a pair, and then went on to run the second-fastest women’s marathon of all time in Chicago. Eliud Kipchoge went on to collect his fifth victory in the Berlin Marathon, resulting in a record number of wins. Finally, Kelvin Kiptum went on to set a new marathon world record, running the Chicago course in a time of 2:00:35, once again sporting the Alphafly 3 on foot.

The Swoosh have confirmed that the shoe is their most-tested Alphafly ever, having worked with elite marathoners to perfect its design. Though there are some changes to the usual Alphafly build (it’s the lightest Alphafly yet), the shoe still relies on its usual engine and features a triple threat of Zoom units, a carbon flyplate and ZoomX foam. Key updates to the shoe include a continuous bottom for smooth heel-to-toe transitions, a wider-length Flyplate for added stability, a Fast Shot outsole for better traction and grip, and a new Atomknit 3.0 upper for better breathability and midfoot support.

The Nike Alphafly 3 will debut in the brand’s iconic ‘Prototype’ colourway, which nods to its extensive testing process. It’s due to drop on January 4, so if taking up running is going to be one of your New Year’s resolutions, there’s no better way to get a head start.