Nike Zoom Fly 6: First Look

A New Zoom

We’re not going to pretend that 2024 has been the most exciting year for Nike. Outside of the Alphafly 3 (Meg’s favorite race day shoe), things have been a bit … lackluster, from the Pegasus 41 to the Pegasus Plus, otherwise known as the return of the Peg Turbo. That doesn’t mean we’re not hopeful. The swoosh has always held a special place in our hearts, so we’re always looking to the future to see what’s cooking in the secret labs of Beaverton.

It’s been over two years since the Zoom Fly 5 dropped on the market, a shoe that’s meant to bridge training and race day, with a carbon fiber plate sandwiched in its midsole. That version fell flat with us, mostly because we absolutely hate the scrap floor recycled ZoomX used in its midsole, which seemed like a classic case of cutting corners.

On paper, the Zoom Fly sounds like everything we’d want in life: carbon fiber plate, ZoomX, lightweight package. But if it’s not executed properly, things fall apart, and fast. The good news is that it looks like Nike learned some lessons and came into this version with some improvements. Let’s see what those are, or may be.

What’s New in the Nike Zoom Fly 6

Thank god the atrocious recycled ZoomX experiment has gone the way of Covid. Though we can’t confirm it, I have a suspicion that both of those things went hand-in-hand. Supply chains were disrupted, materials were hard to come across, so Nike probably took the scrap cuttings of ZoomX foam and utilized them in shoes like the Pegasus Turbo Nature, Alphafly Nature, and Zoom Fly 5. All of them were terrible, the Zoom Fly only saved by its carrier foam.

All that is in the rearview. The new Zoom Fly 6 gets a dual layered midsole (now at 42 mm stack height in the heel, 34 mm in the forefoot) with a full slab of ZoomX on top and a more supportive/stable SR-02 foam on the bottom. In between both layers is the full-length carbon fiber plate. A redesigned upper is made from a two-layer woven mesh with the aim of “offering high-end comfort in a soft, sock-like fit without sacrificing breathability, durability or weight.” On the outsole, a thinner web of rubber helps save weight while still offering solid grip and durability. 

Speaking of weight, the Zoom Fly 6 is 10% lighter than its predecessor, a welcome improvement since the Zoom Fly 5 had a tendency to feel somewhat heavy and clunky underfoot. For a men’s US size 10, it comes in at 9.3 oz. (265 g), and for a US W8 it comes in at 7.6 oz. (218 g).

Nike’s made it a point to note that Eliud Kipchoge played a key role in developing the shoe, testing it out on the red clay and asphalt roads of Kenya. Of course, Kipchoge could win a marathon in a pair of Allbirds, but as Nike’s poster child for running, it’s good to know that they’re listening to his thoughts during the development process.

In addition to several colorways available at launch, Nike’s design team created a special edition of the Zoom Fly inspired by the hallmark red clay roads where Eliud has trained for decades.

Our Thoughts

We don’t have our pairs just yet (they should be coming in the next week or so), but we’re hopeful that this shoe stacks up to the other models in its class. Things have come a long way over the past few years and Nike’s competitors have dropped some absolute gems in the plated trainer category, from the Puma Deviate Nitro 3 to the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 to the Adidas Boston 12 to the New Balance Rebel v4 to the Hoka Cielo X1 (though much higher priced). 

The fact that we get a full bed of ZoomX is promising, as well as a higher stack and a lower drop. The 8 mm drop in this version means that we’re getting a bit more cushion in the forefoot, something that was lacking in the previous version.

It’s still not the lightest trainer in the world, especially compared to something like the Rebel or the Endorphin Speed, but it does fall in line with shoes like the Boston 12 or Cielo X1. If the ZoomX and FlyPlate work in tandem, it shouldn’t be a problem and will hopefully offer all the versatility it promises.

The Nike Zoom Fly 6 will be available November 2024 for $170 on nike.com and select retailers.