There’s a reason why some of the best runners on the planet choose to wear Nike shoes for their marathons (and no, it’s got nothing to do with sponsorship); they are some of the best running shoes around.
Which is why it's great news that the Nike Vaporfly Next% 2 are on sale for $180 at Nike. That's a healthy $70 saving that you don't want to miss out on if you want help shaving seconds off your PBs.
The Nike Vaporfly Next% was on the feet of Eliud Kipchoge when he set the official men’s marathon world record at the Berlin Marathon in 2018, and Brigid Kosgei when she broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year women’s marathon world record a year later. When I ran the London Marathon in 2021 in the Nike Vaporfly Next% 2, I beat my personal best by six minutes (albeit still nearly two hours slower than Eliud or Brigid, but still).
This is a fast shoe, it’s designed for speedy marathons and it lives up to its promise. It has a layer of Nike’s fastest ZoomX foam, which is extremely soft, yet responsive underfoot. There’s also a carbon-fiber plate and rocker-geometry to help for a faster toe-off.
The fine knit upper is extremely breathable, so much so for my October marathon, my toes were numb having stood around at the start line for hours. While they’re definitely not designed for keeping you warm on fall mornings, they are lightweight on the run. The knit also hugs the foot and feels supportive as you pick up the pace.
If you could bottle the feeling of putting on the Nike Vaporfly Next% 2 for the first time, I’m convinced it would be enough to persuade even non-runners to sign up for their first race. Now is an excellent time to buy, especially if you’re planning on entering the New York City Marathon ballot this week.
