REVIEW: NIKE ZOOMX VAPORFLY NEXT % 2

Greg
Feb 23, 2024
5 min read

A review of the Nike Zoomx Vaporfly Next % 2 Running Trainers

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I was initially reluctant to buy a pair of these "Super Shoes" as I felt that I wanted to get my best times a "legitimate way" and not just be helped by the trainers themself. But once I did, I feel I made the right decision and have since bought another pair, and will continue to do so. Buying the Vaporflys has also made me a bit of a Nike convert as I used to buy most of my running trainers from Saucony, but now almost always buy Nike.

The primary reason I bought these was so that I could run quicker at Parkrun having got stuck in a bit of a rut and not being able to break the 18 minute barrier for a couple of years.

Orange Nike Vaporfly Running Trainers — My worn pair of Vaporflys

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

At the time of buying the trainers, there was only really 2 main things I knew about them. Firstly that they were making people run far quicker than they had previously, across distances from 5K up to the Marathon. Secondly, that they were a lot more expensive than I was used to buying (which was another reason why I delayed buying them for so long).

The first thing I noticed was how springy/bouncy they were when I walked round in them after trying them on. On my first couple of runs, which I did at a relaxed pace to wear them in, I noticed I could run a bit quicker but I wasn't sure how much it would help my Parkrun.

3 X PB'S (PERSONAL BESTS)

Parkrun

I finally bought my first pair of Vaporflys in mid July 2022. For years I had been in the 18-19 minute range at Parkrun and I was growing frustrated at not being able to break 18 minutes. I decided to give Parkrun a go 2 weeks later to see if the hype was worth it.

In the months and years leading up to this attempt, I had generally been getting between 18:15 and 18:30 for Parkrun or a 5K race. On my very first attempt wearing the Vaporflys, I got 17:40!

That was a 35 sec+ improvement just from wearing these trainers so I was well and truly on board with the praise for them from that point on. It's now almost 2 years later and I have still only got sub 18 once but I put it down to these trainers. You can see my times below and a picture of me running wearing the vaporflys the day I got my PB.

Parkrun Times and Stretford Parkrun — Left - My Parkrun Times each year, Right - Wearing the Vaporflys, the day I got my PB

10K PB

In November 2022 I had entered the Wilmslow 10K. Earlier in the year I had run 2 official 10K events with a 38:22 PB (March) and a 39:09 (April) but I had run my own 10K best unofficially in 38:10 the year before.

Going in to the Wilmslow 10K I remember on the morning of it not being very motivated or in the mood. But I significantly remember thinking in my head "The vaporflys will get you through with a quick time". I ended up running a huge PB of 37:04 which I couldn't believe. I felt like I would probably be in just under 38 min shape but not low 37 and I think the speed of the vaporflys helped but also the psychological boost of thinking that they would help.

So not only have these trainers made me run faster, but they have also given me a positive psychological benefit that helped my mindset in races.

First Marathon

I had trained very well going in to my first ever Marathon which was in Seville in February 2023. But I had heard about another benefit of the Vaporflys on long runs like the Marathon where they make your legs feel less tired. I had experienced this as well in some of the long training runs that I had done wearing them to get used to them for race day. Compared to wearing my alternative pair for long runs, the Nike Pegasus 39 (which I do like), it was very noticeable.

It is a bit of a stretch for me to call this one a PB as it's the only Marathon i've ran to date but I know for sure that I wouldn't have ran it quicker previously if not wearing them!

Men finishing Seville Marathon — Wearing the Vaporflys at the 2023 Seville Marathon

PROS AND CONS I EXPERIENCED

Pros

Helped me run quicker and get PB's
Gave me a psychological boost before and during races
Made my legs less tired, especially on longer runs
Helped my legs feel fresher when going on subsequent runs

Cons

Expensive (not easy to afford to keep purchasing them given the price)
Can become overly reliant on them
They don't last as long as other trainers
When you don't wear Vaporflys you notice it and it can make that run feel like extra effort

DETAILS

Cost - £169.95 (2022)

Purchased from - sportsshoes.com

Mileage I ran in them - Approx 200

My Rating - 10/10

There are some similar shoes by Nike that I haven't tried yet such as the Alphafly and there are some cheaper options such as the Streakfly which I have recently purchased, but I don't expect the Streakfly to be as good as the Vaporfly.

CONCLUSION

In the 10 years I have been running regularly, these are by far the best running trainers I have purchased. They make runs so much easier on your legs but to help people run so much quicker really does justify their tag as a "Super Shoe" in my opinion.

That said, they don't come without cons. The cost of them is one of the biggest negatives, but they quite often get sold at a discounted price which is how I have purchased them (£170 and £150 instead of £230+) so look out for reduced offers.

I gave them a 10/10 as I am comparing them to other running trainers I have had but I had never worn other Vaporflys so others may disagree that these are worthy of a perfect score.

Recommended for (in my opinion):

People who run regularly
People who are wanting to get a personal best time in an event like Parkrun
People who are going to train committedly for events such as 5K up to the Marathon

Not recommended for (in my opinion):