The Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% is one of the strongest racing shoes in our data. Looks and comfort are its strongest sub-ratings. Durability scores well below its other sub-ratings. The rating is based on 73 runner reviews and 4 other rated shoes in the Vaporfly product line.
Exceptional
98
Overall
Exceptional98
Cushioning
Exceptional99
Appearance
Exceptional99
Comfort
Exceptional98
Value
Below average60
Durability
Bottom-tier50
Confidence
Confidence
How settled the rating is against every other rated shoe. A shoe can rate high on
confidence with relatively few reviews of its own when its product line has a long
record and external ratings from retailer sites agree. Confidence is low when we
have few ratings or when runners disagree.
The bars show roughly how much each source contributes to this shoe’s rating. Their influence depends on how many reviews we’ve collected, how many earlier versions are in the product line, and the external ratings available.
Our ratings
Brand rating
External ratings
What runners say
“These shoes are fast, and it was hard to dial the goal pace in because they want to go so fast.”
“These do what they are advertised to do, help you really roll/pop off your toes with the plate. It was a stressor that my achilles, ankles, and calves just couldn't handle, leaving me extremely sore.”
“The durability is the only weak point as the white foam that is exposed on the outsole of the shoe wears down faster than the reinforced black blown rubber sections.”
Reviewers repeatedly report legs feeling fresher after races and long runs in it.
At 6.9 oz on a 39mm heel stack, and reviewers call it incredibly cushioned for the weight.
Reviewers report race PRs at distances from the 10k to the marathon.
Cons
Durability is its lowest-rated dimension at 3.3 out of 5, and reviewers report the outsole wearing and the sole peeling, one after about 200 miles.
Value rates 3.7 out of 5 against a $250 list price, and reviewers who like the shoe still call it too expensive.
Reviewers say it feels unstable at slower paces, and eleven of seventy-three find it runs small.
Rating & Confidence vs. other shoes for sale
Each dot is one rated shoe for sale, placed by its rating and by how
much evidence sits behind it. Shoes toward the top right are both
well rated and well established.
Confidence
5060708090100255075100
Better Shoes Rating
Zoom Vaporfly 4% rates 98.
This shoe has very high confidence.
See how we rate shoes.
Better Shoes Rating of prior versions of the Nike Vaporfly
Each dot is one version of the Vaporfly, placed by its rating and release year. The gold dot is this shoe.
Rating
406080100
982017992019992021992023982025
Release year
We use the reviews of past versions to inform this shoe’s rating.
See why.
I was able to run in these shoes for 5 marathons before I saw the heel started to peel off. If you walk around in tile type surfaces, you hear these suction sound.
Anonymous runner · Jul 2, 2019
5 mpw·training for a marathon
Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
3/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
4/5
Nike Vaporfly 4% Flyknit
4/5
Overall
As advertised it is a fast shoe. It provides superior cushioning and reaction. I only gave it 7/10 on cushioning, however, because of the lack of an insole. I need an insole for orthotic control due to long-term bone spurs. Since no stores within 500 miles of me carry the shoe I had to order it, and the literature says nothing about the lack of an insole.
The shoe is expensive but as a racing shoe I imagine I can run in it once a week (races and tempo runs) and make it last several years. I just can't run in it very often without aggravating my bulging forefoot.
I'm the sort of runner who needs all the help they can get - a woman of A Certain Age who can sneak into the age category prize list at local races if the right people fail to turn up. I run in Nike shoes already, and thought if I didn't give the Vaporfly 4% a try I might regret it. The shoes are true to size and comfortable straight from the box, and extremely light. The sensation of the foam and carbon plate underfoot takes a little getting used to, and walking in them feels very odd indeed. I've raced several 5ks, a 10k and a marathon in them and find that they do give me some advantage on flat and uphill sections, but this is partly offset by feeling less stable running downhill in the Vaporfly 4% than in my usual shoe (the now-obsolete Nike Lunaracer 3). I've noticed that when I wear the Vaporfly 4% my normally slightly noisy footfall is amplified, and I've had people comment after races that they thought they were about to be overtaken by a herd of elephants, not by a little old lady. Whether I buy another pair when my current pair wears out depends on whether the price comes down and what happens in shoe technology developments in the meantime.
This is the best shoe I have ever used. I feel much faster and the times don’t lie. Most importantly the cushion technology has my legs feeling great far into long runs and better than ever after runs.
I’ve had these shoes for only a few months and have put less than 50 miles on them. Although they feel amazing to race in, I have already noticed the sole of the shoe is becoming damaged. I’m 5’2”, 105 lbs and am very light on my feet so I’m surprised they are wearing down so quickly. In comparison, in the last I have worn the adidas Boston Boost for hundreds of miles and races from 5ks to marathons and have not seen the wear & tear I’m already noticing with the Vaporfly’s. For the price point I would expect a better quality and will probably only purchase another pair if I can find them at a discount again.
