Nike Zoom Fly 5 Review: Zoom Fly or Zoom Die?

The Good

ROBBE: I told you that from the original photos and bio of this shoe, I was already past the first date and thinking Cancun wedding with a classy reception at Senor Frogs. Top shelf Jimador at the ready. It looks beautiful, especially after the mediocre designs from Nike’s road crew over the last couple of years. The smoothed-out lines on the midsole, the large logo on the upper, the initial colorways — I love all of it.

The fit of the upper is great and classic Nike. It forms to the foot, and the dual-layered mesh provides structure without sacrificing breathability. Holes in the saddle area and the forefoot keep the air moving through the shoe. A padded tongue (even though it’s non-gusseted) puts a bow on the whole package.

The ZoomX itself does offer a bouncier feel than last year’s version, but it’s not what you think when you first hear ‘ZoomX.’ That said, it’s not bad. It’s just different than expectations. I think there’s a bit of propulsion and pop if you combine the ZoomX was the carbon-fiber plate, but it all comes down to whether or not you can get it to that point.

BRANDON: The double-mesh fit and electric orange color help the Nike Zoom Fly 5 stand out and scream fast on workout and race days. When it comes to design and aesthetics, Nike is at the top of its game. The tongue has no gusset, but the lacing system provides ample support and lockdown around the midfoot.

Another great feature about this shoe, which probably wasn’t all that prevalent in the past, is the outsole rubber and durability. Cornering on wet or tough surfaces never proved to be a problem. This is a shoe you can get upwards of 300-400 miles with ease. For only $160, that’s a pretty good deal.

The Bad

ROBBE: Once a brick, always a brick is a saying no one ever said, but we’ll start saying now. The most common complaint about the last couple of versions of the Zoom Fly is that it’s quite blocky underfoot. It loves lamp, it loves desk, it just says things it loves but gives none back. Is it stable? Hell yes. Can it work as a running shoe? Sure. Does it look gorgeous? A hundred percent.

But what the f*** is the point of this shoe at this point? For straight-up training purposes, we have the Pegasus 39 (great shoe). For comfort or long hauls, we have the Invincible (again, a shoe that a ton of people love). For other purposes, we have the Vomero, React Infinity, or Streakfly.

I get it if you want to do a plated trainer with a version of your premium foam. After all, other brands have done it with wild success, from the Saucony Endorphin Speed to the Adidas Takumi Sen (more tempo than trainer, though) or even the Hoka Carbon X. But all of those are executed better than the Zoom Fly 5.

It’s heavy underfoot — like real heavy — partly thanks to the carrier foam, the same used in the Vomero 15 and the candy-inspired Joyride. It’s soft but dense and nowhere as light as actual ZoomX.

Weird complaint, but the window underneath the shoe showing the recycled ZoomX is designed so that it becomes a suction cup when your foot lands a certain way. Like, I sometimes felt myself using extra effort to detach it from the ground. I can confidently say that I’ve never had that happen before in any shoe.

Also, what is the deal with the recycled ZoomX being used in all these shoes? I appreciate using all the scraps like the last contestant on Alone, but it just in no way offers the same feeling of actual ZoomX. Is there a supply shortage? Can we just make beds with the scraps instead of footbeds? So many questions.

BRANDON: Remember when I said this one was a little bit of a letdown? Turns out that the highly anticipated ZoomX foam that we all have come to love is actually recycled, and only inside the midsole, while wrapped around a different foam called SR02. None of this is good news. This combination creates a more brickish and less responsive feel under the foot. I’m not sure what the thought process was, but it seems like Nike was really trying to cut some corners or bring down the cost of midsole production. Nothing says go green like more dollars in their pockets, right?

Recycled ZoomX inside the carrier midsole

Nike Zoom Fly 5 Conclusion

ROBBE: I want to love this shoe, I really do. But not even an endless buffet of fried shrimp and the finest sirloin this side of the Mississippi could distract me from the in-person feeling of the Nike Zoom Fly 5. Can we just bring back the real Pegasus Turbo, but for real? If you really need to throw a plate in it, go ahead, but we just want the OG feeling of that shoe back and not some mad-scientist corpse creation of it.

If you want this as a walking shoe, it should work, but at the $160 price point, there are just plenty of other shoes that offer the same benefits you’re seeking. If you’re looking for a shoe that accomplishes what the Zoom Fly 5 is trying to do, get the New Balance Supercomp Trainer. For a lighter version that can still work as a daily trainer, go with the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3.

BRANDON: The Zoom Fly 5 is a step down from the ZoomFly 4. I had high hopes for the integration of ZoomX, but we all know how that turned out. The updated version feels less smooth underfoot and doesn’t provide that snappy or responsive ride I was looking for. The upper was great, and I had no issues there. But, at the end of the day, no shoe can be complete without a decent midsole, and this one fails to do that.

You can pick up the Nike Zoom Fly 5 for $160 by using the shop link below.