The Nike Alphafly 4 Is Here

As technical innovators, Nike have made a profound mark on the history of running, and one of their most ground-breaking achievements was the invention of the supershoe with 2017’s Vaporfly silhouette. This one model kicked off a race between brands jostling to drop the most teched-out marathon race-day trainer, that actually improves a runner’s ability on the track.

Nike’s next supershoe innovation arrived with 2020’s Alphafly, which was so superior to competing brands it ignited controversy linked to the debate of technological doping, leading to World Athletics setting rules around running shoe specs. In recent years, adidas, ASICS, Brooks, Under Armour, On, New Balance, PUMA and swathe of Chinese brands have all dropped race-day speedsters that rival the Alphafly. Team Trefoil have arguably been the most successful, with their record-breaking Pro Evo 3, followed by ASICS and their Metaspeed family. Despite this tough competition, Team Swoosh and their fans have continued to put faith in the Alphafly franchise, and the next generation has finally arrived.

An array of Alphafly 4 leaks and early prototype imagery has floated around online for years, and though most first saw the model on the feet of Sydney Marathon-winner Addisu Gobena this year, the shoe has now been unveiled with official imagery. Currently, Nike are keeping all info under tight lock and key, at least until the official announcement – but the new imagery gives us a good idea of what we can expect come drop day.

While the Alphafly 4 looks remarkably similar to its direct predecessor, there are some changes that should make a difference. We think the name of the 4’s game is weight reduction, because it looks like the Swoosh aren’t changing too much of the race-winning formula. Down below, the rocker and Air Zoom unit have been moved forward slightly, with wider visible Air cutouts. The foam in the midsole is expected to be the fresh ZoomX LT, a compound making its debut in the Alphafly 4, mixed with the standard ZoomX. The upper should remain in the same AtomKnit fabric, with the Flyplate carbon fibre tech below.

There’s no exact release date for the Nike Alphafly 4 yet, but word on the street is that these bad boys will arrive in October this year. Stay locked – we’ll keep you updated!

While you wait, peruse the major-marathon-winning running shoes of 2026 here.