Nike unveils the Alphafly 4, its new rocket built to break every marathon record
Published on Thu, September 17, 2026
© NikeThis is news that will delight plenty of runners. Nike has finally pulled back the curtain on the Alphafly 4, the brand’s ultimate carbon-plated racer, built to shatter marathon records. Available in a limited edition since Thursday, September 17, the new model had already made headlines well before its official launch. For months, it had been spotted on the feet of elite Swoosh athletes. While the franchise’s DNA and distinctive look remain intact, the American brand has completely reworked the shoe’s construction. The early results are striking: it is 5% lighter than its predecessor and delivers 10% more energy return. Those are far from marginal gains when they can translate into minutes over the marathon finish line. Here’s a closer look at the year’s most eagerly awaited shoe.
The Alphafly 4, a shoe with a historic legacy
From Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon in 2019 to the late Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35, not to mention Sifan Hassan’s Olympic title in Paris, Conner Mantz’s American record and Jacob Kiplimo’s half-marathon world record, the Alphafly has travelled the world and played a role in many of the greatest marathon performances of recent years. Developed in part through collaboration with a wide range of amateur and elite athletes, as well as Nike’s in-house “Project Dreamweaver” program, which conducts extensive testing with more than 120 female athletes, this fourth generation has a slightly different ambition. Nike still wants to develop high-performance shoes to help elite athletes chase records, but this time the brand wants to go further. It also wants to help as many recreational runners as possible hold their pace all the way through 42.195 km.
© Nike
© NikeA completely reworked construction
To create a shoe that meets the needs of elite athletes and recreational runners alike, Nike has redesigned the entire system. Five changes define this new generation:
New ZoomX LT foam: For the first time, the Swoosh has introduced a new foam into its racing shoe. ZoomX LT helps reduce weight: it is up to 17% lighter than standard ZoomX and delivers 8% more energy return than the v3. It sits above and below the plate, alongside the brand’s proven ZoomX foam. The result is a softer underfoot ride with even more energy coming back through the stride.
Flyplate carbon-fiber plate: The carbon plate retains the Alphafly’s unmistakable propulsive feel, for a smoother, more rhythmic stride and stronger forward drive.
New Atomknit upper: One of the model’s biggest changes is an entirely seamless upper, with zoned cables through the midfoot and an integrated heel for precise lockdown. The result is also a softer, more comfortable fit.
Air Zoom units: As with the previous three models, the Alphafly 4 features two Air Zoom pockets in the forefoot. This time, they have been redesigned to work seamlessly with the foam and Flyplate, delivering a more responsive ride.
Fast Shot outsole: Carried over from the Alphafly 3, this rubber layer provides strong grip over long distances.
© Nike
© Nike
© NikeA marathon is dynamic. With the Alphafly 4, we spent years listening to athletes and studying the impact of fatigue on performance and running mechanics, refining every element of the system to help runners stay efficient when it matters most. Our goal was simple: create a shoe that helps athletes feel more confident and stronger all the way to the finish. That is exactly what the Alphafly 4 was designed to do.
Key facts: Nike Alphafly 4
Category: carbon-plated racing shoe
Use: half marathon and marathon
Cushioning: dual ZoomX + ZoomX LT foam, with LT up to 17% lighter and 8% more responsive than standard ZoomX
Plate: full-length Flyplate carbon-fiber plate
Air Zoom: two forefoot units
Outsole: Fast Shot
Upper: Atomknit mesh
Runner level: recreational and elite runners
Surface: road
Stack height: 39 mm at the heel / 31 mm at the forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Weight: 188 g (W10/M8.5); 168 g (W8); 208 g (M10)
Release: limited edition from September 17, followed by a global launch on October 29
Price: €279.99
A shoe that has already proved its formidable speed
Nike has little left to prove in the racing-shoe game, and the results at the world’s biggest marathons say it all. On August 30, wearing a black Alphafly 4 prototype at the Sydney Marathon, Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena won in 2:04:42, smashing the course record by 1 minute 24 seconds and claiming his first-ever Major victory.
The Nike Alphafly 4 gave me confidence from the start line to the finish. When the race became difficult, I trusted the work I had put in and the shoe under my feet. As athletes, we are always looking for the next step, and I think the Alphafly 4 shows how much room there is still to improve and push marathon performance forward.
The shoe was also spotted on Jacob Kiplimo’s feet during his 57:20 world record at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 8. Conner Mantz has already made his mark in the model too, wearing a white Alphafly 4 prototype when he set the American record at the 2025 Chicago Marathon in 2:04:43.
World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, the next showcase
The Alphafly 4 is finally reaching the public, and the timing is no coincidence. This weekend, Copenhagen hosts the World Athletics World Road Running Championships, with around 65,000 recreational runners joining the world’s elite. Sunday’s program includes a highly anticipated half marathon at 9:45 a.m., where the American brand will be strongly represented. Sweden’s Andreas Almgren, the reigning European 10,000 m champion and 2025 world bronze medalist over the same distance, will race in the new shoe for one of its first official outings since its announcement. Other Swoosh stars to watch include Joshua Cheptegei, Daniel Ebenyo and Conner Mantz.
Nike’s new position, between performance and everyday use
Beyond pure performance, Nike has a different ambition with this fourth generation: to broaden the group of runners who can benefit from the Alphafly. Until now, the model was firmly performance-focused, aimed at a highly trained and experienced group of runners. This time, the brand’s message for the launch is unequivocal: help “more runners” cover the distance, not just elite athletes chasing records. The Alphafly 4 is part of a broader Racing range designed as a system: a shoe for every runner, distance and goal, from the first-time marathoner to the athlete chasing a 2:20 marathon.
I have run in practically every racing shoe on the market, and the Alphafly 4 is my number one choice. It has the most propulsive ride I have ever experienced in a racing shoe while still being comfortable and well cushioned. It is softer and bouncier than before, and the upper is comfortable and secure.
That message is also supported by feedback from the recreational testers who took part in developing the model. “It is the most propulsive and comfortable racing shoe I have ever tested,” says Meaghan Murray, a well-known writer at Believe In The Run and part of the testing team that ran in Alphafly 4 prototypes. Her perspective is far removed from the elite podiums, but it neatly illustrates Nike’s gamble: to make the Alphafly 4 a performance tool at every level, from Kiplimo’s world record to a recreational runner’s personal goal. The brand is also promising more Racing models in the coming months, covering the full range of runner profiles and race ambitions.
© Nike
© Nike
© NikeWith records already falling and more on the horizon, the Alphafly 4 is firmly in the spotlight. The wait has certainly been long: the model succeeds the Alphafly 3 two and a half years after its release. But the result appears to have justified the patience, with the shoe seemingly delivering on all its promises. Nike took its time to completely rethink its flagship model, introducing new ZoomX LT foam, a new Atomknit mesh upper and a construction revised from the ground up. The Swoosh has delivered what it calls the ultimate shoe for chasing your next marathon record. For everyone, from recreational runners to elite athletes. Plenty to excite gear fans and anyone hunting a faster time.
Find the Alphafly 4 in a limited edition for €279.99 at nike.com from September 17, with wider availability from October 29 at specialist retailers