Nike Alphafly 3 is NOT the NEXT%
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2024
- I got the Nike Alphafly 3 shoes last week. I have been able to test them out against almost every single version of the Vaporfly and Alphafly running shoes over the past few days. Most people assume that the Alphafly 3 is a NEXT% shoe. This video will explain why that isn’t actually true.
The Nike official press documentation has listed every single Vaporfly and Alphafly shoe with either a 4% or a NEXT% label up until now. This percentage was said to represent the energy return gain for the latest shoes over their predecessors.
I know almost every single review will list the Alphafly 3 shoes as a NEXT% shoe. However, in all of the OFFICIAL Nike documentation they have removed the NEXT% label for this particular shoe. In the past NIKE has claimed that the most recent versions of their shoe have even more energy return than the previous version. With the Alphafly 3 shoes they no longer make that claim.
Now I know that this could simply just be a marketing decision and have no bearing on the performance of the shoe. However, I have the new Stryd Duo footpods that can accurately measure leg spring stiffness for both feet in real time. My testing has shown that Leg Spring Stiffness increases with two factors. The faster the step rate and the more energy return the shoe provides the higher the Leg Spring Stiffness value will be.
However, the Alphafly 3 shoes had the highest step rate I have ever achieved with this test and yet the Leg Spring Stiffness value was one of the lowest values I have ever had. All of the metrics that I look at for this test were perfect except for leg spring stiffness for the Alphafly 3 shoes. That one value was indicating the Alphafly 3 shoes were inferior to all other Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly shoes that had been produced before it.
Now this doesn’t mean the Alphafly Shoes are a bad running shoe. I was able to hit values for step rate, stride length, form power, and Vertical Oscillation that would indicate I was running extremely efficiently with the Alphafly 3 shoes. I would not have any hesitations in racing in these shoes at all. However, I do want to make it clear that these shoes do not necessarily have better energy return than the Alphafly and even Vaporfly shoes that came before them.
Even the Nike TEMPO NEXT% shoes had a higher Leg Spring Stiffness value than the Alphafly 3 shoes despite the step rate for the Tempo shoes being lower. However, this doesn’t mean that I think the Tempo NEXT% shoes are a better racing shoe. The Tempo NEXT% shoes weigh over 20% more than the Alphafly 3 shoes. The effects of swinging that much extra weight especially for my 6 foot 4 inch height mean that the Tempo NEXT% shoe is definitely a less efficient overall shoe than the Alphafly 3 shoes.
However, the energy return and cushioning of the Tempo NEXT% shoe mean that it is an excellent training shoe that builds my strength and endurance while also helping with fatigue and injury.
So you might be wondering if it is worth buying the Alphafly 3 shoes at $285 since they are not necessarily better in every aspect than shoes that came before them. My opinion is that the Alphafly 3s are in fact an excellent racing shoe. These shoes are extremely fast and offer excellent comfort.
If you are racing in the Alphafly 2 shoes currently then I would definitely say replace them with the Alphafly 3 shoes. The Alphafly 2 shoes offer(and I quote) “Nike’s highest energy return cushioning system, adding more bounce into every step”. Yet they have a very unusual fit that means the arch digs into the bottom of your foot and the sides often cause people blisters. Plus they are just so unnecessarily heavy that I just can’t run in them for more than 2 to 3 miles without my feet hurting. I cannot recommend the Alphafly 2 shoes at all. I really think those shoes were a mistake by Nike. I really hate running in them.
If you are currently racing in the Alphafly 1 shoes then I would be more hesitant to spend the money on the Alphafly 3 shoes. I can achieve almost exactly the same metrics in the Alphafly 1 shoes as I can in the Alphafly 3 shoes with the exception of the Leg Spring Stifness for my controlled testing. However, the Alphafly 3 shoes feel more comfortable and stable than the Alphafly 1 shoes for me but each person is different so I can’t speak for everyone else.
If you are racing in the Vaporfly shoes then I do think the Nike airpods in the Alphafly shoes offer a more comfortable feeling especially if you are a bigger person like me. I weigh over 195 lbs and run in the low 7 minute per mile range so having a shoe that absorbs impacts is extremely important to me. It may be less important to smaller and lighter runners.
All of that being said I am not disappointed with the Alphafly 3 shoes at all. I definitely can run fast for long distances with these shoes and they really feel great on my feet. I hope this video helps you understand if these shoes will be the right choice for you. - Спорт
I think you are putting too much importance on the LSS parameter when almost everything else is indicating better efficiency in AF3. In particular, your cadence was much higher, you needed less power to maintain that pace and your HR was significantly lower allowing you to push the pace higher if desired.
You are misinterpreting what I am saying. The LSS metric is a more direct measurement of energy return. However, energy return is not the only thing that determines overall efficiency. Just because the shoe is more or less efficient doesn’t automatically mean your overall efficiency will be the same. I even say in the video that I wouldn’t hesitate to race in these shoes even over every other shoe I have. However, these shoes are actually very similar in overall performance to the Alphafly 1 shoes. If you already have the Alphafly 1 shoes and they don’t have many miles on them then your money may be better spent elsewhere if you need a good pair of trainers for instance. The AF1 shoes are really good too. The AF2 shoes are the only ones that are demonstrably inferior.
@@LearningFast Thanks for the quick reply. I agree with you on most points. I would still take Stryd LSS measure for a single short run with a grain of salt. I do have Stryd and LSS for the same shoe under very similar conditions has similar fluctuations. But thanks for the analysis anyway.
From what I gather overall, I agree with you that a low milage AF1 will probably still serve most people well. My AF1 has about 100 miles on them and still feels great. I think there is at least one more marathon race left in them. I didn't get AF2 based on poor reviews. At some point I will get AF3 but not rushing out to do so.
Meanwhile, I recently ran in a pair of demo Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 2 and I think they are just as good as Alphafly. If you get a chance check them out.
Cool video. I wonder how the leg spring stiffness will be different if you push the pace beyond 7:44 / mi, which feels quite slow & land your feet under your center of gravity instead 15 cm in front of it
All of the slow motion clips in this video were at a much different pace than I test at. My stride is completely different for the tests. My stride rate is about 15% faster for the tests. The higher the stride rate the MUCH higher the LSS value will be. The clips in the video aren't good examples of what the test stride looks like.
but you are a heel striker
?
Interesting video, thanks. My first pair of Alphaflys so excited to race in them. Check your box, mine says Next%. 🤷♂️
The box says NEXT% on the label but all of the "Official" press documentation omits the word "NEXT%" and makes no claims about energy return compared to previous versions. That is what has changed.
I saw your Streakfly video.
I have Saucony Sinister, a Streakfly like short distance flat that's lower to the ground and crazy light. My US 10.5 pair weighs 5.3oz. Maybe because I'm a slow runner (10K PR 46:40) or because I have questionable mechanics, but Sinister beat what I have as a representitive of supershoes: they beat Metaspeed Sky v1 over the 10K with an average of 12 seconds. I did a bunch of tests to came to that conclusion. Same course, same time of day similar fitness.
Tks
streakfly is king imo, what does your data suggest?
The Streakfly is light shoe and is really comfortable but sadly my tests have shown that it doesn’t offer comparable energy return to the Vaporfly or the Alphafly shoes. I was really disappointed in that shoe.
Then sell me your pair?
they're meant for mid foot runners, your test results are all skewed...
The whole point of the video is that Nike themselves have stopped making any claims about the Alphafly shoes with respect to them having more energy return than their predecessors. My tests are just to confirm what Nike is saying about these shoes. Even without my tests the fact that Nike stopped claiming they are a NEXT% shoe is enough.
Who cares
Who cares 😂😂😂
Nobody cares