At long last, this is the Nike Alphafly 4

You already know what it is. Maybe it's the sound of the outsole slapping against pavement, or maybe it's the distinct look of the Air Zoom units as they bounce away from you, but every runner knows the Nike Alphafly. 

It is, in shoe terms, the GOAT.

Or, at least, it had been the GOAT until its closest rival, the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 3 broke the two-hour barrier in the marathon. 

That blow sent Nike back to the lab, and the all-new Alphafly 4 is the result.

More speed, more bounce, more everything

If you were to simply glance at the Alphafly 4 and wonder what was new, you might not notice much at first. It looks quite a lot like the Alphafly 3, which might make you think this is simply a cash grab by the Swoosh. A look at the spec sheet, though, tells another story.

According to Nike, just about everything in the Alphafly 4 is new. The seamless, sock-like Atomknit upper has been refined to fit even more like a sock, the Fast Shot outsole is perfectly placed for traction even on the rainiest of race days, and the Air Zoom units are as visible as they've ever been.

What did we miss? Oh, right, the midsole foam. This isn't your grandpa's ZoomX anymore. The Alphafly 4 marks the debut of an updated, lightened ZoomX LT, which is as much as 17% lighter than the original compound while offering in the neighborhood of 8% more energy return. Nike tuned its new foam to be softer yet bouncier, and we're not going to complain about that at mile 24 of a marathon.

It's still ZoomX, just lighter, bouncier, and (hopefully) even more fun. 

Thankfully, the minds at Nike didn't put as heavy of a hand on the carbon fiber Flyplate, which retains its signature scoop. You'll still get the sweet, sweet mechanical doping sensation you crave, watching as world records get challenged on some of the biggest stages. Odds are you won't be the one doing the challenging, but you'll get to feel like you could, and that's half the reason we all run.

When and where can I get the Alphafly 4?

We know you want a pair, and we don't blame you. We want our pairs, too — Meg is the only one who got her pair early as part of the testing program, and we've been drooling over it for months. But, for the rest of us, there's good news: We have a release date.

Nike is launching the Alphafly 4 in limited capacity on September 17, 2026 with broader availability coming on October 29.

We're not sure exactly how limited this initial capacity will be, but we do know that it's only launching at Nike. If you're hoping for a pair, we suggest you log in early and make sure your payment and shipping information is up to date. We also suggest you pray to whichever god you think will give you the best odds.

Also, check back soon for our full review — surely Meg won't be the only one with the shoe for long.

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