Nike Vapourfly 4% Flyknit is in stock – but running out fast

Nike's fastest shoe is easily accessible to you, as long as you have the feet to fit them

Nike Vapourfly 4% Flyknit
Duncan Bell
By
published
in News

Nike's 4% running shoes debuted a few years back as part of the brand's 'Breaking 2' project. That's 2 as in 2 hours, to run a marathon. Realistically, no matter how good they make their shoes, a sub-2-hour marathon is really not going to happen any time soon, but the advancements made for Nike's elite stable of athletes can also benefit you as you hobble home in 15,007th, but in a faster time than your last effort. The Vapourfly 4% Flyknit really is one of the best running shoes you can buy.

The original 4% was "as close to a complete reimagining of the running shoe as you’re going to get," according to our resident Iron Man super-runner Kieran Alger (just back from the Marathon des Sables, more or less intact). Both Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah wear them for marathon running, and world record holder Eliud calls the system "really perfect," which is quite the compliment.

Most of Nike's most high-end innovations are packed into the 4%'s sub-195g chassis, with Nike ZoomX ultralight foam cushioning delivering 'our greatest energy return yet.' A carbon-fibre plate springs up under your heel as you stride forwards, adding further impetus.

The Nike VaporFly 4% is not for those in search of massive amounts of support; it's the running shoe stripped to its bare essentials, to be 'fast as hell… and perfect for road races up to and including the marathon.'

  • Flyknit upper provides lightweight breathability and support
  • Durable rubber outsole provides efficient traction
  • Colours are described, hilariously, as 'Bright Crimson, Total Crimson, Gridiron and Ice Blue'
  • The earlier, Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% has been worn by winners of the New York, Boston and Chicago Marathons. 

Nike Vapourfly 4% Flyknit, like all 4% shoes, is only made in extremely limited quantities, and they sell out FAST. So if you have feet that are of average to large size, you're probably already out of luck. 

However if you are extremely small, or wear a size 8, you can still get stuck in.

• Shop Nike Vapourfly 4% Flyknit direct from Nike. Price: £209.95

Duncan Bell
Duncan Bell

Duncan is the former lifestyle editor of T3 and has been writing about tech for almost 15 years. He has covered everything from smartphones to headphones, TV to AC and air fryers to the movies of James Bond and obscure anime. His current brief is everything to do with the home and kitchen, which is good because he is an excellent cook, if he says so himself. He also covers cycling and ebikes – like over-using italics, this is another passion of his. In his long and varied lifestyle-tech career he is one of the few people to have been a fitness editor despite being unfit and a cars editor for not one but two websites, despite being unable to drive. He also has about 400 vacuum cleaners, and is possibly the UK's leading expert on cordless vacuum cleaners, despite being decidedly messy. A cricket fan for over 30 years, he also recently become T3's cricket editor, writing about how to stream obscure T20 tournaments, and turning out some typically no-nonsense opinions on the world's top teams and players.

Before T3, Duncan was a music and film reviewer, worked for a magazine about gambling that employed a surprisingly large number of convicted criminals, and then a magazine called Bizarre that was essentially like a cross between Reddit and DeviantArt, before the invention of the internet. There was also a lengthy period where he essentially wrote all of T3 magazine every month for about 3 years. 

A broadcaster, raconteur and public speaker, Duncan used to be on telly loads, but an unfortunate incident put a stop to that, so he now largely contents himself with telling people, "I used to be on the TV, you know."

Latest