2020 is shaping up to be an extremely fast year
Nike has revealed the release of its latest racing shoe during its Olympic Summit in New York: the Air Zoom Alphafly Next%.
The news follows ongoing coverage of the discussion surrounding legal footwear, a discussion that World Athletics finalized with a ruling stating that athletes cannot compete wearing prototype shoes, footwear that has more than one carbon plate or a sole thicker than 40mm.
- Upgrade your footwear: The best road running shoes to buy for men | The best road running shoes for women
The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% follows on from the hugely successful Vaporfly Next%, featuring two new Nike Zoom Air pods, more ZoomX foam and a single carbon fiber plate as well as an ultra-breathable, lightweight Flyknit upper.
Although the technology follows its predecessor, the aesthetic design has moved on considerably, the prototype of which was worn by Kipchoge during his sub-2 hour marathon in Vienna.
The new design, focussing on improved cushioning and running economy, incorporates an overhaul of the midsole, splitting the lower area of the shoe into two distinct sections: The thick FoamX at the back and two Air pods at the forefoot to offer “responsive cushioning and a sensation of propulsion”.
The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% is part of a series of products releasing in the summer of 2020. That range includes the Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% and Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% FlyEase, both shoes designed to take the Alphafly technology and apply it to training, as a well as the Nike Air Zoom Victory track spikes.
“The groundbreaking research that led to the original Vaporfly unlocked an entirely new way of thinking about marathon shoes,” says Carrie Dimoff, an elite marathoner and member of Nike’s Advanced Innovation Team. “Once we understood the plate and foam as a system, we started thinking about ways to make the system even more effective. That’s when we struck upon the idea of adding Nike Air to store and return even more of a runner’s energy and provide even more cushioning.”
There is as yet no specific release date for the shoe.
For more information on the launch head to Nike’s full release here.
